Patent Case Law and Intellectual Property Practice Blog

Claim: “… a display unit displaying images (excluding images captured by a camera) …” “In the cited invention, … capturing images with a camera is not an essential feature. …” ⇒ Inventive step: denied. (The tactic of excluding an essential feature of the cited invention through a

Claim: “… a control device … wherein the device to be controlled has a speaker but is not a television …” No particular technical significance was found in the fact that the device controlled in the cited invention was a television. ⇒ Inventive step: denied. (The tactic of exclud

“Exhibit Ko 1 does not describe any need to ascertain the position or size of the modified region relative to the principal surface of the processing region. … It merely suggests that, by using an infrared image sensor, reflected infrared light (laser light) is used to adjust foc

“Exhibit Ko 1 has no modified region in the thickness direction of the substrate. Accordingly, there is no need to ascertain the position or size of a modified region in the substrate’s thickness direction, and a person skilled in the art who encounters Exhibit Ko 1 has no … moti

Read the Japanese version / 日本語版を読む Article information Article type: Reports and activities Categories: Patents Topics: Inventive step, Numerical limitations and parameters, Examination and appeal practice First published on this website: 2026-10-16 Display and classification checked: 2026-10-17 Trial and Appeal Practitioners Study Group Report 2024 — Theme 2 (Chemistry 1) [Inventive step in parameter and numerically limited inventions] When can a numerical range not express

日本語版 Article information Article type: Case note Category: United States Topics: Inventive step, Motivation and teaching away First published on this site: 2026-10-11 Display/classification checked: 2026-10-11 [US patents] CAFC, January 2025 — Honeywell v. 3G Licensing When assessing obviousness, the motivation to modify the primary cited invention need not be identical to the motivation the patentee had in the past. When establishing obviousness, a particular combination wit

日本語版 Article information Article type: Reports and activities Category: Patents, Europe Topics: Inventive step, Examination and appeal practice First published on this site: 2026-10-11 Display/classification checked: 2026-10-11 Trial and Appeal Practitioners Study Group Report 2024 — Theme 3 (Chemistry 2) [Consideration of experimental results submitted after filing: inventive step] Regarding experimental results submitted after filing (post-filed data), the practice is estab

日本語版 Article information Article type: Reports and activities Category: Patents Topics: Inventive step, Doctrine of equivalents, Added matter, Divisional applications, Examination and appeal practice First published on this site: 2026-10-11 Display/classification checked: 2026-10-11 Trial and Appeal Practitioners Study Group Report 2024 — Case 4 (Electrical 1) [Inventive step in business-related inventions] IP High Court, Reiwa 4 (Gyo-Ke) No. 10039 The judgment recognized an

日本語版 Article information Article type: Lectures and videos Category: Patents Topics: Inventive step First published on this site: 2026-10-10 Display/classification checked: 2026-10-10 [New YouTube video] Inventive step — expanded version This video introduces recent decisions concerning inventive step added to the fourth edition of the Encyclopedia of Patent Court Decisions. It is an edited recording of my lecture at Chizai LAB on July 30, 2025. As with other topics, I discus

日本語版 Article information Article type: Case note Category: Patents Topics: Inventive step, Motivation and teaching away First published on this site: 2026-10-10 Display/classification checked: 2026-10-10 IP High Court, Reiwa 4 (Ne) No. 10070 — Image display method (Judge Kanno) *The court found the invention readily conceivable on the basis of its “advantages”! → Inventive step denied. (Excerpt from the judgment, translated) [...] Adopting a Web browser in place of a Web clie