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A recent order from Chief Judge Colm Connolly in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware may serve as a warning for "patent trolls" — the derogatory term used to describe companies whose sole function is to acquire and then assert patents, often in cases that are questionable on the merits — against filing cases in Delaware going forward.

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Federal Circuit: ITC Did Not Err In Finding Violation of Section 337 Federal Circuit: PTAB Did Not Err In Claim Construction and Finding Certain Claims Obvious

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At what point does a "smart" computing system, or advanced software program, qualify as AI in the eyes of pertinent regulatory or judicial authorities? When is an individual considered to have merely deployed an AI-based computing tool to assist with creating a work of art or conceiving of a technological innovation? Each of these questions is explored in this article, giving consideration to currently prevailing guidelines from administrative bodies and the courts.

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The emerging cases by authors and copyright owners challenging various generative AI programs for using copyrighted materials are certain to create new troubles for the courts being asked to apply the fair use doctrine to this important new technology.

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Each decision involves reversal of a prior art rejection and contrasts with the other decisions on subject matter eligibility, revealing different PTAB approaches and results that can inform prosecution and appeal strategies.

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The future of antibody claiming in the United States is uncertain following the U.S. Supreme Court's May 2023 ruling in Amgen Inc. v. Sanofi, a highly anticipated decision concerning enablement and whether the traditional way to claim antibodies — claiming antibodies by their function — will survive as a valid claiming strategy.

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Part Two of a Two-Part article While the last decade has seen a dramatic increase in the number of AI patents, such patents face difficulty in overcoming the patent-eligibility challenges under §101 and Alice. Section 101, however, is not the only hurdles AI patents must overcome. Section 112, with its written description, enablement, and definiteness requirements, presents additional obstacles.

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The USPTO has created or expanded several programs to promote the development of sustainable energy. For patent owners and inventors in the energy sector, these programs can provide a financial and administrative edge for the development and protection of their intellectual property, as well as play a beneficial role their overall IP strategy.