Source: https://www.iplitigationcurrent.com/2016/05/16/its-a-jungle-out-there-a-reexamination-certificate-containing-amended-claims-may-be-insufficient-to-vacate-a-prior-judgment-of-invalidity/
Timestamp: 2019-04-22 22:34:41+00:00

Document:
In a case with a unique procedural history the Federal Circuit addressed whether claims amended during an ex parte reexamination proceeding required vacating a prior judgment of invalidity (on patent eligibility grounds) on the original claims. While stressing the discretion of the district court, the Federal Circuit in Cardpool, Inc. v. Plastic Jungle, Inc. (Fed. Cir. Apr. 5, 2016) suggested that a reexamination certificate containing new and amended claims, on its own, is an insufficient basis for vacating a prior judgment of invalidity but that res judicata might not necessarily apply to the amended claims.
Cardpool sued Plastic Jungle for infringement of U.S. Patent No. 7,494,048 in 2012 in the Northern District of California. On January 22, 2013, the district court granted Plastic Jungle’s motion to dismiss on the grounds that the claimed subject matter is patent ineligible under 35 U.S.C. § 101. Further, the motion to dismiss was granted “with prejudice.” Cardpool then appealed the district court’s judgment to the Federal Circuit.
In June 2013, before the appeal was decided, Cardpool filed a request for ex parte reexamination. In the request, Cardpool presented amended and additional claims, alongside certain of the original claims. The PTO granted the request for reexamination.
Before the reexamination was complete, on January 30, 2014, the Federal Circuit issued a Rule 36 affirmance of the district court’s judgment of invalidity under § 101. Seven days later, the PTO issued a notice of intent to issue a reexamination certificate. The certificate issued on February 27, 2014 and only certain amended claims and new claims were deemed patentable (note that § 101 issues were not considered in the reexamination).
On remand, the parties filed a joint motion, under Fed. R. Civ. P. 60(b), asking the district court to vacate its § 101 judgment, so that the parties could file a voluntary motion to dismiss without prejudice. The joint motion explained that Plastic Jungle had abandoned the business that was accused of infringement, and that Cardpool no longer believed its case was “viable or necessary.” The joint motion further asked the district court to vacate the § 101 judgment, because the claims at issue in the judgment were no longer in existence (in light of the PTO’s reexamination certificate). Along with the joint motion, Cardpool filed a separate brief in which it explained that the litigation was not settled and, if the judgment was not vacated, Cardpool may lose the right to file a new case against Plastic Jungle with respect to the new claims found in the reexamination certificate.
Since the mootness was due to a voluntary act by Cardpool (the losing party), vacating the final judgment is not appropriate. This order finds that it would be against the public interest for Cardpool (the losing party) to displace our final judgment by simply commencing an ex parte agency reexamination and amending its invalid claims.
Cardpool argued that its facts were different than those in Aspex, because the § 101 judgment was pending on appeal when the PTO issued the reexamination certificate, which either amended or eliminated the claims subject to the § 101 judgment.
Those engaged in reexaminations (or other post-grant proceedings) should be aware that a reexamination certificate containing new or amended claims may be an insufficient reason on which to vacate a prior judgment of invalidity, but that res judicata may not necessarily apply to such claims as the issue would appear to turn on whether those claims are “materially different” from the original claims.

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