A wireless communication patent owner has recently urged U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Director Kathi Vidal to uphold the Patent Trial and Appeal Board’s decision to dismiss patent challenges by automobile giants Ford and Honda.
This contention arises as a response to attempts by both automakers to challenge the validity of certain wireless communication patents. These patents, however, have been robustly defended by their owner.
Ford and Honda, two prominent automobile manufacturers, pursued cases with the goal of invalidating these specifically targeted patents. The Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB), however, rejected their appeals leaving the corporate entities on the losing side.
Kathi Vidal, the director of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, now finds herself nudged by the patent owner to back the rulings of the PTAB, and thus seemingly add another layer of fortification in the defense of the patents.
It is anticipated that the actions of both Ford and Honda will be closely monitored by the industry, along with the decisions and potential influence of the U.S. Patent and Trade Office. For more detailed information, the original coverage by Law360 can be found here.