Opinion ID: 715056
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The Law of Infringement

Text: 100 Determining infringement is a two-step process. The first step is to determine the meaning and scope of the patent claim asserted to be infringed. Markman v. Westview Instruments, Inc., 52 F.3d 967, 976, 34 USPQ2d 1321, 1326 (Fed.Cir.) (in banc ), cert. granted, --- U.S. ----, 116 S.Ct. 40, 132 L.Ed.2d 921 (1995). We review claim construction, a question of law, de novo. Id. at 979, 34 USPQ2d at 1329. 101 The second step is to compare the properly construed claim to that which is asserted to infringe. Id. at 976, 34 USPQ2d at 1326. Infringement requires that every limitation of a claim be met in the accused structure either exactly or by an equivalent. Pennwalt Corp. v. Durand-Wayland, Inc., 833 F.2d 931, 935, 4 USPQ2d 1737, 1739-40 (Fed.Cir.1987) (in banc ). When literal infringement is not established, infringement may be proved under the doctrine of equivalents. See Hilton Davis Chem. Co. v. Warner-Jenkinson Co., 62 F.3d 1512, 35 USPQ2d 1641 (Fed.Cir.1995) (in banc ), cert. granted, --- U.S. ----, 116 S.Ct. 1014, 134 L.Ed.2d 95 (1996). Infringement, both literal and under the doctrine of equivalents, is an issue of fact, reviewable under the clearly erroneous standard. Southwall Technologies, Inc. v. Cardinal IG Co., 54 F.3d 1570, 1575, 34 USPQ2d 1673, 1676 (Fed.Cir.), cert. denied, --- U.S. ----, 116 S.Ct. 515, 133 L.Ed.2d 424 (1995).