Examining Newman’s dissent in Apple and Samsung camera patent win

19-07-2021

Michael Comeau and Melissa Chapman

Examining Newman’s dissent in Apple and Samsung camera patent win

Mr.Mikla / Shutterstock.com

The Federal Circuit’s split ruling in a precedential phone camera patent suit could further obfuscate the Mayo/Alice process, say Michael Comeau and Melissa Chapman of Fishman Stewart.

In Yu et al v Apple et al, the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit affirmed a lower court’s dismissal of a patent infringement lawsuit in favour of Apple and Samsung.

The suit alleged that multi-camera features of Apple and Samsung phones infringed US patent number 6,611,289, but the majority applied the two-step test from Mayo/Alice and agreed with the lower court that claim 1 is ineligible under section 101 because it recites an “abstract idea” without an “inventive concept”.

Claim 1 of the ‘289 patent recites:


Federal Circuit, Apple, Samsung, camera, patent infringement, Mayo/Alice, inventive concept, Newman, section 101, USPTO, Supreme Court

WIPR