Patent Case Law and Intellectual Property Practice Blog

日本語版 Article information Article type: Case note Category: Patents Topics: Claim interpretation, Numerical limitations and parameters First published on this site: 2026-10-10 Display/classification checked: 2026-10-10 Tokyo District Court, Reiwa 5 (Wa) No. 70178 — Zinc acetate hydrate tablets (Judge Nakajima) *The claim was held not to be satisfied unless the temperature remained within the numerical range until the end of the drying process. (Excerpt from the judgment, trans

Japanese version: https://www.takaishihideki.com/single-post/知財高判令和6年-ネ-10048【電池】-中平 Article information Article type: Case note Category: Patents Topics: Claim interpretation / Inventive step / Injunctions / Damages Published on this website: 2026-10-08 Display/classification checked: 2026-10-12 Intellectual Property High Court, Reiwa 6 (Ne) No. 10048 — Battery (Judge Nakadaira) The judgment at first instance granting an injunction and JPY 1.27 billion was upheld. From the d

日本語版 Article information Article type: Case note Categories: Patents Topics: Claim interpretation First published on this website: 2026-10-07 Display/classification checked: 2026-10-10 Tokyo District Court, Reiwa 5 (Wa) 70445 [Method for Producing Tea with a High γ-Aminobutyric Acid Content] <Presiding Judge Shibuya> Meaning of “repeating” in claim element B’s “after alternately repeating the operations of anaerobic treatment followed by aerobic treatment”: ⇒ In the specifica

日本語版 Article information Article type: Case note Categories: United States Topics: Claim interpretation / Added matter First published on this website: 2026-10-07 Display and classification checked: 2026-10-07 [United States] FMC v. Sharada (CAFC, August 1, 2025) During prosecution, a provisional application was first filed containing several teachings that the disclosed compositions were stable. In one of the subsequent nonprovisional applications, all references to stabilit

日本語版 Article information Article type: Case note Categories: Patents Topics: Claim interpretation First published on this website: 2026-10-07 Display and classification checked: 2026-10-07 Osaka District Court, Reiwa 5 (Wa) 8403 [Ventilation structure beneath a coping] <Takemiya> * For a person skilled in the art, the natural construction of “ventilation member” is that the member itself has “ventilation performance and waterproofing performance.” This is also consistent with

日本語版 Article information Article type: Case note Categories: Patents Topics: Claim interpretation / Proof of infringement First published on this website: 2026-10-07 Display and classification checked: 2026-10-07 Osaka District Court, Reiwa 4 (Wa) 11025 [Porous air-permeable bag containing food for mites] * The invention has a structure capable of retaining the attractant inside. ⇒ In the defendant's product, the mite attractant is merely sandwiched between two superposed non

日本語版 Article information Article type: Case note Categories: United States Topics: Claim interpretation / Doctrine of equivalents First published on this website: 2026-10-07 Display and classification checked: 2026-10-07 [United States] LAB v. Qiagen (CAFC, August 13, 2025) When claim language differs within a claim depending on whether a modifier is included, the different wording is understood to have been chosen deliberately. Where a claim contains both “partially matching

日本語版 Article information Article type: Case note Categories: Patents Topics: Claim interpretation First published on this website: 2026-10-07 Display and classification checked: 2026-10-07 Tokyo District Court, Reiwa 5 (Wa) 70346 [Wireless scuff plate] <Nakashima> * The claim term “adjustable” was construed as meaning capable of precise adjustment. ⇒ Active “adjustment” is required!! (Excerpt from the judgment, translated) Claim element F provides that “the time interval betw

日本語版 Article information Article type: Case note Categories: Patents Topics: Claim interpretation First published on this website: 2026-10-07 Display and classification checked: 2026-10-07 Tokyo District Court order, Reiwa 5 (Yo) 30402 [Siphon rain-gutter system] <Nakashima> * Based on the specification's explanation and other material, the claim term “lid member” was construed as not requiring complete closure. ⇒ The claim element was satisfied. (Excerpt from the decision, t

日本語版 Article information Article type: Lectures and videos Categories: Patents Topics: Claim interpretation First published on this website: 2026-10-07 Display and classification checked: 2026-10-07 [IP Practice Online] An enjoyable discussion of patent claim interpretation (Attorney Masakazu Kobayashi) For example, “annular” in the claim phrase “an annular sealing member” is explained in the Kojien dictionary as “a ring-like shape,” “a round shape,” and so forth. Focusing on