Patent Law

Revolution Eyewear v. Aspex Eyewear (Fed. Cir. 2009) 08-1267.pdf

The patents at issue in this litigation focus on eyeglasses configured to be fitted with a second set of sunglass lenses using magnets. Magnetic auxiliary frames were already in the prior art, but the apparent advance is that the magnets are located in projections rather than embedded in the frames -- thus allowing for a stronger magnetic bond. The patent also identified a second deficiency in the prior art: insufficient "stability support."

The district court held that Aspex infringes claim 22 of Patent No. RE37,545.

On appeal, Aspex argued that that the claim was invalid -- raising three separate arguments: (1) failure of written description under Section 112 ¶ 1 because the apparatus as claimed does not address both deficiencies in the prior art; (2) failure to claim the "original" invention in the reissued patent under Section 251; and (3) improper expansion of claim scope in the reissue application under the recapture rule. The Federal Circuit rejected each of these invalidity arguments.

Written Description: The written description requirement is often raised when the issued claims are different than those originally filed. New claims must find support in the original specification in a way that "convey[s] with reasonable clarity to those skilled in the art that, as of the filing date sought, [the inventor] was in possession of the [claimed] invention."

Aspex admits that all of the claimed elements are found in the original drawings. Of course, that is not conclusive for written description. Rather, in cases such as LizardTech and Liebel-Flarsheim, the Federal Circuit found claims invalid even though all the explicitly claimed limitations and arrangements were originally disclosed. The problem with the claims in those cases was that they did not include enough limits.

The invalidity argument in this case is actually more akin to Gentry Gallery. Here, Aspex argues that the patent is invalid because the claimed apparatus does not address both of the stated functions of the invention. The Federal Circuit found that argument lacked legal grounding: "when the specification sets out two different problems present in the prior art, it is unnecessary for each and every claim in the patent to address both problems." Of course, the negative implication of the court's statement is that the claim must address at least one of the stated problems. "Inventors can frame their claims to address one problem or several, and the written description requirement will be satisfied as to each claim as long as the description conveys that the inventor was in possession of the invention recited in that claim." In this case, the claim addressed the magnetic strength problem - and thus satisfied the written description requirement.

Claiming the Same Invention: 35 USC Section 251 focuses on requirements of reissue applications. Under the statute, a reissued patent must be for the same "invention disclosed in the original patent." Here, the Federal CIrcuit found that this requirement is "analogous to the written description requirement." "Because we have held that the written description requirement is satisfied, we similarly hold that claim 22 complies with § 251."

Recapture Rule in Reissue Patents: Reissue patents are intended to correct errors in the originally issued patents. Courts have created the recapture doctrine which would exclude certain intentional acts from the list of correctable 'errors.' In particular, under the recapture rule, an intentional and deliberate act of narrowing claims or disclaimer of claim scope in order move the patent application toward issuance will not be considered an "error" under Section 251. Akin to prosecution history estoppel, "the recapture rule is aimed at ensuring that the public can rely on a patentee?s admission during prosecution of an original patent." On appeal, the Federal Circuit could find no admission or disclaimer being recaptured.

Affirmed.

Notes:

• Pointing out deficiencies in the prior art: Most patent attorneys no longer discuss the prior art in the patent application because of the potential problems raised by this and other cases. Almost as an aside, this case also notes that by "pointing out the two deficiencies in the prior art, [the inventor] disclaimed an auxiliary frame that is not stably supported in top-mounting configuration and a primary frame that has embedded magnetic members."