Source: https://postgrant-counsel.com/2016/01/22/no-second-bite-of-the-apple-for-square-inc-ptab-applies-estoppel-provision-of-35-u-s-c-%C2%A7325e1-to-cbm-review/
Timestamp: 2019-04-25 16:06:49+00:00

Document:
The Petitioner had previously filed a CBM petition challenging claims 1-4 of the ‘100 patent (CBM2014-00156), which relates to methods for coordinating financial transactions via a wireless network, such as a wireless telephone network. In that proceeding, the petitioner argued that the claims at issue were invalid under 35 U.S.C. §101 as drawn to patent ineligible subject matter as well as invalid under 35 U.S.C. §102 and 103 as either anticipated or rendered obvious by a prior art reference (a thesis by Vazvan). The PTAB initiated a trial on the §101 ground but declined to include the §102 and 103 grounds in the trial because it found the evidence of public availability of the Vazvan thesis deficient. Ultimately, in a final written decision, the PTAB held that the challenged claims were not eligible for patenting pursuant to 35 U.S.C. §101.
Not satisfied with the decision invalidating the claims as patent ineligible subject matter, Square, Inc. filed a second petition arguing that claims 1-4 were invalid under 35 U.S.C. §102 and 103 as anticipated or rendered obvious by a different prior art reference (U.S. Patent No. 5,579,535 of Orlen).
As an initial matter, the Petitioner argued that the section 325 estoppel provision did not apply to covered business method patent reviews. The Board gave a short shrift to this argument and pointed out that when Congress established the Transitional Program for Covered Business Method Patents, it provided that the transitional proceeding shall employ the standards, and procedures, of a post-grant review.
The Petitioner also argued that it could not have foreseen that Board would find the evidence of the public availability of the Vazvan thesis as deficient. The Board did not find this argument persuasive and pointed out that the law on the prior art status of theses has existed for nearly thirty years. The Board also noted that the Petitioner itself had realized the potential problem with its showing of Vazvan’s prior art status because it did obtain, but did not attempt to file, a declaration from a Finnish librarian attempting to demonstrate Vazvan’s public availability.

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