Google gets another chance to cancel touch screen patents
Google’s battle to invalidate a patent held by Intellectual Ventures relating to touch screens took another twist yesterday as the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit ruled in its favour.
Google had sought inter partes review from the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) for US patent number 6,121,960.
The patent discloses “a screen peripheral system” that includes “a touch-activated input device for generating and displaying a composite image.”
This would allow, for example, a keyboard to be on a device screen with an image or video playing in the background.
The PTAB found that the patent was neither obvious or anticipated and therefore dismissed Google’s claims.
The Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit however, did not agree.
“We have considered the parties’ remaining arguments and find them unpersuasive,” said circuit judge Evan Wallach.
“The board failed to provide any meaningful rationale for its finding. For example, the board did not explain why it dismissed Google’s expert testimony and evidence.”
He concluded in saying: “Therefore, we vacate and remand the board’s anticipation and obviousness determinations.”
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