US appeals court rules Intel can challenge Qualcomm smartphone patents News
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US appeals court rules Intel can challenge Qualcomm smartphone patents

The United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit ruled Tuesday that the United States Patent and Trademark Office erred when it dismissed opposition by Intel Corporation to potential patents by Qualcomm Incorporated. The Federal Circuit released two rulings over the tech companies’ patent disputes, one regarding multi-processor systems and the other regarding radio frequency communication systems.

In 2018, Intel requested an inter partes review (IPR) in front of the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) on behalf of itself and its customer Apple. Intel suggested that several of Qualcomm’s patent claims for radio frequency communication systems and receiving data transmissions were obvious. In patent law, an invention that is too obvious cannot be patented.

The PTAB agreed with Intel on some claims but accepted substitute claims from Qualcomm. Intel appealed, and Qualcomm moved to dismiss for lack of standing. The Federal Circuit dismissed Qualcomm’s motion to dismiss and evaluated Intel’s appeal on the merits.

In its first opinion, the Federal Circuit vacated the PTAB’s definition of the term “hardware buffer,” its rulings on 12 different claims. In its second opinion, the Federal Circuit affirmed the PTAB’s conclusions as to five claims but vacated the PTAB’s rulings on Qualcomm’s substitute claims. The Federal Circuit vacated the rulings and remanded them back to the PTAB for further proceedings.

 

 

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