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Mobile Devices. Elisabeth Fink Boards of Appeal, OHIM Patrice de Cand é General Partner of de Candé-Blanchard Chris Carani McAndrews, Held & Malloy Ltd. Chair: Darren Smyth Partner in Charge, EIP Elements Practice Group . Designs for Mobile Devices US Perspective. Chris Carani
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Elisabeth Fink Boards of Appeal, OHIM Patrice de Candé General Partner of de Candé-Blanchard Chris Carani McAndrews, Held & Malloy Ltd. Chair: Darren Smyth Partner in Charge, EIP Elements Practice Group
Designs for Mobile Devices US Perspective Chris Carani McAndrews, Held & Malloy Ltd.
Outline of Today’s Discussion • Dotted Lines • Design Corpus (i.e. Prior Art) and Infringement • Nature of the Product • Features Dictated by Technical Function
“Solid lines” are part of claim design.” “Dotted lines” are NOT part of claimed design.” General Rule (U.S.)
Mount is not part of claimed design Microsoft Webcam, US Patent D647,937 Dotted Lines
Microsoft Webcam, US Patent D647,937 Dotted Lines
US D647,946 “SUPPORT FOR ELECTRONIC CAMERA” US D647,933 “ELECTRONIC CAMERA” Multiple Applications
D548,744 (entire device) D562,847 (no screen, click wheel) D573,223 (screen, no click wheel) Dotted Lines and Continuation Practice
Filing 2/13/09 Issuance D650,355 Filing 3/22/07 Issuance D573,606 Etc. Filing 05/08/07 Issuance D548,744 Issuance D656,159 Filing 08/10/11 Filing 8/24/05 Abandoned Dotted Lines and Continuation Practice
Apple D‘087 Embodiment 1 Apple D‘087 Embodiment 2 Apple D‘087 Embodiment 3 Apple D‘087 Embodiment 4 Apple D‘087 Embodiment 5 Apple D‘087 Embodiment 6 Apple’s US D593,087 has 6 Embodiments
1 2 3 4 5 6 Claimed Not present Apple’s ‘087 Design Samsung’s Accused Galaxy 4 S Importance of Dotted Lines
Disclaimed Apple’s ‘087 Design Samsung’s Accused Galaxy 4 S Importance of Dotted Lines
Set the way back machine…Gorham v White (1871) Design Corpus and Design Patent Infringement
If…“in the eye of an ordinary observer, giving such attention as a purchaser usually gives, two designsare substantially the same, if the resemblance is such as to deceive such an observer, inducing him to purchase one supposing it to be the other, the first one patented is infringed by the other.” Gorham v. White (1871)
Eye of an Ordinary Observer: • “Is the overall appearance of the claimed patented design • substantially the same as • the overall appearance of the accused design • in view of the prior art?” Egyptian Goddess, Inc. v. Swisa, Inc. (2008)
INFRINGEMENT Gorham v. White (1871)
Prior Art Gorham v. White (1871)
Prior Art NON-INFRINGEMENT Gorham v. White (1871)
US D513,395 Title: Automobile Body Accused Product Automobile Nature of the Product
US D513,395 Title: Automobile Body Accused Product Go-Cart or UTV Nature of the Product
US D513,395 Title: Automobile Body Accused Product Child’s Toy Nature of the Product
US D593,087 Title: Smartphone Accused Product Child’s Toy Nature of the Product
Concept 1 Validity – Overall Appearance of Claimed Design. Concept 2 Scope of Protection – Appearance of Individual Features. Two Distinct Functionality Concepts: (1) Validity and (2) Scope of Protection
Patented Design 1 Patented Design 2 Patented Design 3 Validity Question: Is Appearance of Overall Claimed Design Dictated by Function? Concept 1: Functionality - Validity
Patented Design Accused Design Scope of Protection Question: Is Appearance of Claimed Design Feature Dictated by Function? Concept 2: Functionality – Scope of Protection
Prior Art ‘167 Patented Design Accused Design Richardson v. Stanley Works, Inc. (2010) 32
hammer-head 2 crow-bar 4 handle 1 jaw 3 Claim Construction – as a Matter of Law “Richardson's multi-function tool comprises several elements that are driven purely by utility. As the district court noted, elements such as the handle, the hammer-head, the jaw, and the crowbar are dictated by their functional purpose.” 33
Claim Construction “Discount,”“Ignore,”“Factor out,” these features. 34
hammer-head 1 3 crow-bar handle 4 jaw 2 35
hammer-head 1 crow-bar 3 handle 4 jaw 2 36
hammer-head 1 crow-bar 4 handle 3 jaw 2 37
hammer-head 1 crow-bar 3 handle 4 jaw 2 38
Scope of Protection: Are there any features “dictated by function”? Functionality – Scope of Protection