Focusing on Inter Partes Reexamination

As a service to our clients and the IP community at large, Bromberg & Sunstein, LLP makes available valuable data on the emerging practice of inter partes reexamination.  Inter partes reexamination is a relatively new form of patent reexamination in the United States Patent and Trademark Office (PTO).  A reexamination is a proceeding in the PTO in which a requester can challenge the patentability of issued patent claims with respect to relevant prior art patents or publications.  There are two types of reexamination: ex parte reexamination, where only the patent owner participates in the proceeding once it is under way, and inter partes reexamination, where both the patent owner and the requester participate. A reexamination may be commenced at any time while a patent remains in force.  Many practitioners have approached inter partes reexamination with great hesitancy. Therefore, the number of the proceedings are rather small. Nevertheless, those who have filed inter partes reexaminations appear to have more than reaped the benefits. At Bromberg & Sunstein, we believe inter partes reexamination strategy should be coordinated with a company's overall approach to patents and to the specific patent in question.

In our study of the first 250 filed inter partes reexaminations, as of May 2008, 23 of the 29 inter partes reexaminations that have gone through to issuance of a reexamination certificate (or are pending issuance) have resulted in a cancellation or amendment of all the claims challenged in the request, while 3 of the 29 have resulted in a confirmation of all the claims challenged in the request and 3 of the 29 have resulted in some other mixed outcome. Upon review of the 46 inter partes reexamination proceedings currently on appeal, we note that the patent owner filed 33 of the appeals and the requesters filed only 13 of the appeals. Statistically, the inter partes reexamination proceeding has favored the requester by a margin of more than 3-to-1. Thus, the procedure has been remarkably effective at eliminating invalid patents.

The below chart provides a unique handy summary of the inter partes reexamination proceedings filed in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Each reexamination listed can be found in its entirety in the image file wrapper of PAIR on the USPTO website. Simply use PAIR to access the application number 95/000,xxx, substituting the number of the reexamination listed below in the x's. For example, reexamination number 13 from the chart below would be 95/000,013. Only the claims challenged in the request and added claims are considered in the chart.  An original claim can have its patentability confirmed. An amended or new claim can be found patentable. Columns are also included in the chart showing those claims that have been rejected or cancelled.

Inter Partes Reexamination Table

Any questions regarding reexaminations or requests for a complete chart of inter partes reexaminations listing the patents and parties involved can be sent to Attorney Robert M. Asher at rasher@bromsun.com.

Reexamination Results
Reexam No.	Patent Owner	Status	Requested Claims	Added Claims	Rejected/ Objected	Original Confirmed	Amendment Patentable	Disclaimed/ Cancelled
1	Teknor Apex Co.	Certificate Issued	36	0	N/A	0	0	36
2	Andrx Pharmeceuticals Inc.	Certificate Issued	20	0	N/A	0	0	20
3	Land O'Lakes, Inc.	Appeal by Patent Owner Pending	113	50	162	0	0	1
4	SRAM Corp.	Certificate Issued	7	0	N/A	0	0	7
5	Enpat, Inc	Appeal by Patent Owner Pending	14	0	14	0	0	0
6	NEC Corp.	Appeal by Patent Owner Pending	15	1	12	0	0	4
7	Allan	Appeal by Patent Owner Pending	22	7	29	0	0	0
8	Dietrich	Appeal by Patent Owner Pending	5	5	10	0	0	0
9	Congoleum Corp.	Appeal by Requester Pending	17	0	0	17	0	0
10	Hickory Springs Manufacturing Co.	Appeal by Patent Owner Pending	21	0	21	0	0	0
11	NTP, Inc.	Reexam Vacated	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
12	Sram Deutschland GmbH	Pending	7	0	0	0	7	0
13	BongardŐs, Creameries, Inc.	Certificate Issuanc Pending	4	13	0	0	4	13
14	Bascus Research Laboratories, Inc.	Pending	15	27	0	0	17	25
15	Safaco Inc.	Appeal by Patent Owner Pending	3	0	3	0	0	0
16	Xoma Technology, Ltd.	Certificate Issuance Pending	15	0	15	0	0	0
17	Safoco, Inc.	Appeal by Patent Owner Pending	3	0	2	1	0	0
18	Haye Intl.	Appeal by Patent Owner Pending	28	0	28	0	0	0
19	Theory 3, Inc.	Reexam Vacated	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
20	NTP Incorporated	Appeal by Patent Owner Pending	665	99	764	0	0	0
21	Technology Creations Inc.	Pending	6	0	4	0	0	2
22	Technology Creations, Inc.	Pending	18	0	12	0	1	5
23	Kiss Products, Inc.	Certificate Issuance Pending	6	4	0	2	0	8
24	WRB Company, Inc.	Appeal by Requester Pending	14	10	0	0	18	6
25	U View Ultraviolet Systems, Inc.	Appeal by Requester Pending	5	0	0	5	0	0
26	Sram Deutschland GmbH	Certificate Issued	7	N/A	N/A	0	0	9
27	Defibtech LLC	Certificate Issuance Pending	25	11	0	0	0	36
28	Ersa Gmbh	Appeal by Patent Owner Pending	28	1	29	0	0	0
29	Carnegie-Mellon University	Certificate Issuance Pending	42	0	0	0	1	41
30	Watson Chalin Manufacturing	Appeal by Patent Owner Pending	15	33	47	0	0	1
31	Tofasco Of America, Inc.	Pending	24	35	38	16	3	2
32	Impulse Dynamics, N.V.	Pending	32	43	32	0	32	0
33	Man Roland Druckmaschinen Ag	Pending	9	0	7	2	0	0
34	Bank Of America Corp.	Appeal by Patent Owner Pending	1	0	1	0	0	0
35	Bank Of America Corp.	Appeal by Patent Owner Pending	50	0	50	0	0	0
36	Tomy Company, Ltd.	Pending	12	38	9	2	7	28
37	Board Of Regents, The University Of Texas System	Certificate Issued	23	0	N/A	0	0	23
38	Kerr-Mcgee Chemical LLC	Appeal by Requester Pending	13	7	4	7	5	4
39	Kioritz Corp,	Pending	10	0	6	0	0	4
40	Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc.	Certificate Issued	12	0	N/A	0	0	12
41	SRAM Corp.	Certificate Issued	16	0	N/A	0	0	16
42	Acrymed	Pending	7	0	6	0	0	1
43	AD. Ken Corp.	Appeal by Patent Owner Pending	10	11	20	0	0	1
44	Campagnolo SRL	Pending	45	28	50	0	20	3
45	SRAM Deutschland GMBH	Appeal by Patent Owner Pending	11	4	13	0	1	1
46	Dupaco, Inc.	Pending	1	17	1	0	0	0
47	Sermatech International, Inc.	Certificate Issued	24	0	0	24	0	0
48	Schuluter-Systems KG	Appeal by Patent Owner Pending	8	1	9	0	0	0
49	Caterpillar Inc.	Appeal by Patent Owner Pending	17	0	17	0	0	0
50	Caterpillar Inc.	Pending	29	4	29	0	4	0
51	Linear Technology Corp.	Pending	30	0	30	0	0	0
52	Linear Technology Corp.	Pending	23	0	22	0	0	1
53	Delaware Capital Formation Inc.	Appeal by Requester Pending	36	0	14	15	0	7
54	Freescale Semiconductor	Pending	29	0	27	0	0	2
55	Robert Grosz	Certificate Issued	32	0	N/A	0	0	32
56	Anchor Wall Systems	Certificate Issued	31	0	0	0	0	31
57	Delaware Capital Formation	Appeal by Patent Owner Pending	33	0	10	14	9	0
58	Delaware Capital Formation	Appeal by Requester Pending	34	0	15	8	11	0
59	Anchor Wall Systems	Certificate Issuance Pending	53	0	0	0	0	53
60	Sartec LLC	Pending	11	0	9	0	2	0
61	Joseph Roger Bourget	Pending	15	0	0	4	9	2
62	Immunomedics, Inc.	Pending	140	0	140	0	0	0
63	Andrew Corporation	Pending	55	0	53	0	0	2
64	Cinpres Gas Injection Limited	Appeal by Patent Owner Pending	16	2	16	0	0	2
65	Amanda May	Pending	14	20	4	0	0	10
66	C. Brown Lingamfelter	Appeal by Patent Owner Pending	29	0	19	0	0	10
67	Tivoli, LLC	Pending	13	0	13	0	0	0
68	Rohm and Haas Co.	Appeal by Patent Owner Pending	50	0	50	0	0	0
69	C. Brown Lingamfelter	Merged with 95/000,066 pursuant to 37 CFR 1.989(a)	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
70	White Consolidated Limited	Pending	2	8	2	0	0	0
71	Habasit, AG	Appeal by Patent Owner Pending	25	0	25	0	0	0
72	Habasit, AG	Appeal by Patent Owner Pending	14	0	14	0	0	0
73	Stote of Oregon, Oregon State Univ.	Appeal by Patent Owner Pending	38	5	43	0	0	0
74	Glycogenesys, Inc.	Pending	23	21	27	0	0	17
75	Radware, Ltd.	Appeal by Patent Owner Pending	4	0	4	0	0	0
76	Riberwood International Corp.	Appeal by Patent Owner Pending	52	0	18	10	17	7
77	Riberwood International Corp.	Appeal by Requester Pending	41	0	25	16	0	0
78	Westerngeco L.L.C.	Pending	29	38	58	0	8	1
79	Eastman Chemical Co.	Pending	17	19	34	0	0	2
80	Maico, L.L.C.	Pending	21	4	14	0	0	11
81	Cooperstown Bears, Ltd.	Pending	30	62	22	0	61	9
82	Euro Expo 3000, Inc.	Reexam Vacated	1	0	0	1	0	0
83	Euro Expo 3000, Inc.	Reexam Request Denied	1	0	0	1	0	0
84	Koch Equipment LLC	Pending	10	23	33	0	0	0
85	Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc.	Certificate Issuance Pending	7	0	0	0	0	7
86	Lou Baltus (Inventor)	Pending	1	0	1	0	0	0
87	Hovione Limited	Appeal by Requester Pending	18	0	0	18	0	0
88	Stargames Corporation Pty Ltd.	Pending	4	0	4	0	0	0
89	Microunity Systems Engineering, Inc.	Pending	30	0	30	0	0	0
90	Suss Microtech Test Systems Gmbh	Pending	23	8	24	0	0	7
91	Suss Microtec Test Systems GmbH	Pending	33	0	33	0	0	0
92	David E. Gruber	Terminated in view of court decision pending	38	83	53	22	0	0
93	Immersion Corporation	Terminated in view of court decision pending	6	0	N/A	N/A	N/A	1
94	Immersion Corporation	Terminated in view of court decision pending	12	0	N/A	N/A	N/A	1
95	Mitsubishi Gas Chemical Company, Inc.	Certificate Issued	20	0	N/A	0	0	20
96	FieldTurf (IP) Inc.	Pending	28	0	28	0	0	0
97	Leviton Manufacturing Co., Inc.	Appeal by Requester Pending	22	0	0	22	0	0
98	Hasbro, Inc.	Appeal by Requester Pending	41	14	44	8	0	3
99	Ho, et al.	Pending	10	3	10	0	0	0
100	Microunity Systems Engineering, Inc.	Pending	48	0	46	2	0	0
101	Laitram LLC	Reexam Vacated	32	0	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
102	Cellport Systems Inc	Pending	17	14	15	0	5	10
103	Johnson Safety Inc	Appeal by Requester Pending	9	0	0	9	0	0
104	World Factory Inc	Pending	5	30	4	1	0	0
105	Senji Metal Industry Co.	Pending	9	0	7	0	0	2
106	Forecast Consoles Inc	Reexam Vacated	15	0	0	0	0	0
107	Eduardo Ramirez de Arellano	Reexam Vacated	8	0	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
108	Simoniz USA Inc	Reexam Vacated	23	0	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
109	TV Interactive Data Corp	Pending	6	0	0	0	6	0
110	Touchstone Research Lab Ltd	Appeal by Patent Owner Pending	17	4	10	0	0	11
111	Bank of America N.A.	Certificate Issued	7	2	2	4	0	3
112	Thomas & Betts International, Inc	Pending	22	0	15	7	0	0
113	Hsueh-Yu Lu	Pending	4	0	4	0	0	0
114	Mars, Inc.	Appeal by Patent Owner Pending	11	18	21	0	6	2
115	Metzger	Pending	9	18	21	0	0	0
116	Acco Brands, Inc.	Certificate Issuance Pending	14	0	0	14	0	0
117	Baltic Latvian Universal Electronics LLC	Certificate Issued	1	0	N/A	0	0	1
118	Microchip Technology, Inc.	Appeal by Patent Owner Pending	14	2	16	0	0	0
119	Thomas & Betts International, Inc	Pending	10	9	4	6	0	0
120	Callaway Golf Co.	Pending	8	8	8	0	0	0
121	Callaway Golf Co.	Pending	11	11	11	0	0	0
122	Top-Flite Golf Co.	Pending	6	6	6	0	0	0
123	Top-Flite Golf Co.	Pending	6	0	6	0	0	0
124	Progress Lighting, Inc.	Pending	16	0	10	0	6	0
125	Illinois Tool Works, Inc.	Pending	26	33	6	0	51	2
126	KingPak Technology, Inc.	Pending	6	0	6	0	0	0
127	Selecto, Inc.	Pending	15	2	15	0	0	2
128	Valkyrie Commissioning Services Inc	Pending	7	6	10	3	0	0
129	John Fulton	Pending	3	0	0	0	0	3
130	Honeywell Int'l Inc	Pending	17	18	15	0	0	3
131	Instant Live LLC	Certificate Issued	5	0	N/A	0	0	5
132	Primagen Holding B.V.	Certificate Issued	23	34	34	4	0	19
133	Adidas Int'l B.V.	Pending	8	21	8	4	4	0
134	Richard C. Horian	Pending	12	3	13	0	0	2
135	Entec Engine Corporation	Pending	27	2	25	1	0	1
136	Sears Ecological Applications Co., LLC	Pending	8	0	8	0	0	0
137	Holiday Creations, Inc.	Pending	24	46	24	0	0	0
138	Chemi S.p.A.	Appeal by Patent Owner Pending	32	0	30	0	0	2
139	Kwik Products, Inc.	Pending	6	0	6	0	0	0
140	Extreme Dimension Wildlife Calls, LLC	Pending	56	0	56	0	0	0
141	Graham-White Mfg. Co.	Reexam Vacated	5	0	0	5	0	0
142	Align Technology, Inc.	Pending	3	28	3	0	0	0
143	Stiefel Laboratories, Inc.	Appeal by Requester Pending	60	0	60	0	0	0
144	DuPont Dow Elastimers, L.L.C.	Pending	9	5	6	0	5	3
145	Nuance Communications, Inc.	Pending	6	0	6	0	0	0
146	Vitrolife AB	Appeal by Patent Owner Pending	19	5	21	0	0	3
147	Dusa Pharmaceuticals, Inc	Reexam Vacated	16	38	16	0	0	38
148	Alford Safety Services, Inc	Pending	18	0	0	6	3	9
149	Amberwave systems Corporation	Pending	24	3	24	0	0	6
150	Amberwave systems Corporation	Pending	12	19	11	1	0	0
151	Forgent Networks, Inc	Pending	5	22	5	0	0	0
152	Genvec, Inc	Pending	5	7	9	0	0	3
153	Leo Pharmaceutical Products Ltd	Pending	23	67	70	0	0	20
154	Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation	Pending	3	0	3	0	3	0
155	There	Pending	38	5	43	0	0	0
156	Cryostar-France SA	Pending	3	1	3	0	1	0
157	DBC, LLC	Reexam Ordered	81	0	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
158	Amberwave systems Corporation	Pending	30	2	30	0	0	2
159	First Act, Inc	Reexam Vacated	1	0	0	0	0	0
160	CIMA Labs Inc	Pending	1	30	30	0	0	1
161	John A Pacey	Pending	44	0	44	0	0	0
162	Varco Inc	Pending	19	1	19	0	0	1
163	Bombardiar Recreational Products, Inc	Pending	65	0	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
164	Christiana Industies LLC	Certificate Issued	11	0	N/A	0	0	11
165	Michilin Prosperity Co., Ltd.	Pending	3	7	7	3	0	0
166	Rambus Inc	Reexam Ordered	41	0	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
167	Alcatel	Reexam Vacated	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
168	Anchor Wall Systems	Certificate Issuance Pending	50	0	N/A	0	0	50
169	Veritas Operating Corp.	Pending	14	17	14	0	0	0
170	Amberwave systems Corporation	Pending	9	18	27	0	0	0
171	Intermotive Inc	Pending	22	0	14	4	0	4
172	Align Technology, Inc.	Pending	35	8	0	0	43	0
173	Echostar Communication Corp.	Pending	15	68	44	0	0	5
174	Amberwave systems Corporation	Pending	8	0	7	0	0	1
175	Amberwave systems Corporation	Pending	13	9	10	0	0	12
176	Glcogenesys	Certificate Issuance Pending	26	0	0	0	0	26
177	Amberwave systems Corporation	Pending	20	19	38	0	0	1
178	Rambus Inc	Reexam Ordered	39	0	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
179	BRP US Inc	Pending	53	0	15	38	0	0
180	Amberwave systems Corporation	Pending	39	0	0	33	6	0
181	Epicenter Inc	Pending	8	0	8	0	0	0
182	Keybank National Association	Pending	29	0	29	0	0	0
183	Rambus Inc	Reexam Ordered	29	0	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
184	Varco I/P Inc	Pending	10	0	10	0	0	0
185	Diversi-Plast Products Inc	Reexam Ordered	12	0	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
186	Polycom Inc	Pending	57	0	57	0	0	0
187	Hewlett-Packard Development Company	Pending	24	3	12	12	3	0
188	Tinkers & Chance	Pending	29	0	25	4	0	0
189	Tinkers & Chance	Pending	3	0	0	3	0	0
190	Polycom, Israel, LTD	Reexam Ordered	40	0	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
191	Tinkers & Chance	Certificate Issuance Pending	20	0	0	20	0	0
192	Polycom, Israel, LTD	Reexam Ordered	39	0	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
193	Octave Communications Inc	Pending	16	0	16	0	0	0
194	Amberwave systems Corporation	Pending	21	6	21	0	0	0
195	Ultimate Standard Tooling International	Appeal by Patent Owner Pending	21	0	0	21	0	0
196	Arlington Industries Inc	Pending	6	0	4	2	0	0
197	Sigmatel Inc	Reexam Ordered	18	0	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
198	Sigmatel Inc	Pending	12	0	1	11	0	0
199	Blackboard Inc	Pending	44	0	44	0	0	0
200	Pass and Seymour Inc	Pending	51	15	51	0	0	0
201	Premier International Associates	Pending	96	11	41	0	0	55
202	Illinois Tool Works, Inc.	Pending	36	0	36	0	0	0
203	Illinois Tool Works, Inc.	Pending	59	0	59	0	0	0
204	Illinois Tool Works, Inc.	Pending	33	0	33	0	0	0
205	Illinois Tool Works, Inc.	Pending	47	0	47	0	0	0
206	Board of Control of Michigan Technological Universtity	Pending	13	36	0	0	0	0
207	Delta Frangible Ammunition LLC	Pending	6	0	6	0	0	0
208	Pro-Fit Holdings Limited	Certificate Issued	2	0	N/A	0	0	2
209	Cooper Technologies Company	Pending	30	0	30	0	0	0
210		Reexam Vacated	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
211	Esoft Inc	Reexam Ordered	8	0	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
212	Registrar Systems LLC	Pending	78	0	78	0	0	0
213	Archer Daniels Midland Company	Certificate Issued	40	0	N/A	0	0	40
214	Anascape LTD	Pending	6	0	1	0	0	5
215	Dalkins Industries Ltd	Pending	10	0	5	0	0	5
216	Illinois Tool Works, Inc.	Pending	35	0	35	0	0	0
217	Anascape LTD	Reexam Ordered	66	0	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
218	Richard E Swan	Pending	20	0	6	14	0	0
219	The Proctor and Gamble Company	Appeal by Requester Pending	55	0	0	55	0	0
220	Anascape LTD	Reexam Ordered	23	0	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
221	Anascape LTD	Reexam Ordered	33	0	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
222	Anascape LTD	Reexam Ordered	66	0	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
223	Anascape LTD	Pending	74	0	74	0	0	0
224	Anascape LTD	Pending	24	0	22	0	0	2
225	Anascape LTD	Pending	9	0	2	0	0	7
226	Anascape LTD	Pending	9	0	2	0	0	7
227	Tesserra Inc	Pending	23	0	23	0	0	0
228	K-Tec Inc	Pending	36	0	36	0	0	0
229	Tesserra Inc	Pending	26	0	24	0	2	0
230	Anascape LTD	Pending	24	0	22	0	0	2
231	Larson Manfacturing Company	Pending	15	5	0	15	5	0
232	Twin Rivers Engineering Inc	Pending	8	22	4	4	0	0
233	Twin Rivers Engineering Inc	Pending	14	12	10	4	0	0
234	Ben Huang	Pending	11	0	11	0	0	0
235	Intevac Inc	Pending	28	0	28	0	0	0
236	Prince Lionheart inc	Pending	49	0	49	0	0	0
237	Advanced Treatment Sciences Inc	Pending	27	6	27	0	0	0
238	Nature's First Inc	Pending	29	1	20	0	0	9
239	Cheetah Omni LLC	Pending	20	13	20	0	0	0
240	Cheetah Omni LLC	Pending	46	18	46	0	0	0
241	Wila B.V.	Pending	11	0	11	0	0	0
242	Sanofi Aventis	Pending	15	0	15	0	0	0
243	Transmeta Corporation	Pending	59	9	58	0	0	1
244	Textron Innovations Inc	Pending	16	9	16	0	0	0
245	Textron Innovations Inc	Pending	10	8	10	0	0	0
246	Semiconductor Energy Laboratory CO. LTD	Pending	26	0	18	8	0	0
247	Advanced Cardiovascular Systems Inc	Pending	15	0	10	5	0	0
248	Biochemical Pharmalogical Laboratories Inc	Pending	28	0	28	0	0	0
249	NA	NA	NA	NA	NA	NA	NA	NA
250	Rambus Inc	Reexam Ordered	35	0	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A