On Tuesday, reexamination requests were filed anonymously against the ‘650, ‘544, ‘726 and ‘531 patents, undoubtedly by one or more of the accused retailers.  A request had already been filed and granted against the ‘078 patent. 

The case will be interesting to follow if only for ubiquity of the accused tags and readers – J.C. Penney alone is believed to use them in 1,100 stores.

There was, however, a dissent by Judge Alan Lourie who did not accept the “amendment in effect” argument.  For him, there is “threshold requirement in §§ 307(b) and 316(b) that intervening rights apply only to amended or new claims.”  Since that threshold requirement was not satisfied, there could be no intervening rights, Judge Lourie argued. 

Most members of the reexamination bar seem to agree with Judge Lourie’s view that mere argument, without an actual amendment of the claims, is not enough to trigger intervening rights under the statute.  In fact, one could imagine reexamination practitioners across the country nervously doing a mental inventory of the cases in which they had traversed rejections in reexamination, wondering whether they might have inadvertently created intervening rights by doing so. 

The CAFC’s en banc notice should calm their worry.  The starkness of the notice – the CAFC identified no specific issues to be addressed and forbid any further briefing – surely indicates that the Court intends to reverse the panel decision and to adopt Judge Lourie’s dissent, that the statute requires an actual change of the claims.  Why grant en banc review without further argument unless the full Court has already determined that Judge Lourie was right?  I expect a decision soon.

The winner for the most reexamination requests filed was Nanosolar that challenged three Solannex patents related to photovoltaic cells (see ex parte Request Nos. (5), (6) & (7)).  The companies are in litigation over these patents in the Northern District of California. 

Ex parte Request No. (4), involving U.S. Patent No. 5,337,753 owned by Biosig Instruments and claiming a heart rate monitor, is interesting in that it expressly calls for the PTO to “clarify the record” regarding the meaning of the claims.  The Request notes the ‘753 patent has been through an earlier reexamination, but that the trial judge in a pending infringement action has refused to rely on the patentee’s assertions in that earlier reexamination because they are “ambiguous.” 

The following inter partes requests were filed:

(1)         95/001,876 (electronically filed) – U.S. Patent No. 6,700,711 entitled PANORAMIC VIEWING SYSTEM WITH A COMPOSITE FIELD OF VIEW and owned by Fullview.  Filed January 26, 2012.  The ‘711 patent was once the subject of an infringement action by Fullview against Microsoft, that appears to have settled in 2008.

(2)         95/001,877 (electronically filed) – U.S. Patent No. 7,603,311 entitled PROCESS AND DEVICE FOR CONDUCTING ELECTRONIC TRANSACTIONS and owned by Purple Leaf.  Filed January 26, 2012, by eBay.  The ‘311 patent is currently the subject of a litigation styled Purple Leaf v. eBay et al. (Case No. 6:11-cv-360 (E.D. Tex.)). 

(3)         95/001,878 (electronically filed) – U.S. Patent No. 7,086,131 entitled DEFORMABLE MECHANICAL PIPE COUPLING and owned by Victaulic Company.  Filed January 27, 2012. 

 The following ex parte requests were filed:

(1)         90/012,101 (electronically filed) – U.S. Patent No. 8,075,461 entitled REINFORCED CORD WELL LIFTING BAR ASSEMBLY and owned by Muscle Dynamics.  Filed January 23, 2012.  

(2)         90/012,102 (electronically filed) – U.S. Patent No. 7,328,845 entitled METHOD FOR PRODUCING INDICATORS AND PROCESSING APPARATUS AND SYSTEM UTILIZING THE INDICATORS and owned by Sonix Tech.  Filed January 23, 2012, by Generalplus Technology.  The ‘845 patent is currently the subject of a litigation styled Sonix Tech. v. VTech Electronics North America et al. (Case No. 1:10-cv-8291 (N.D. Ill.)). 

(3)         90/012,103 (electronically filed) – U.S. Patent No. 5,689,094 entitled ELEVATOR INSTALLATION and owned by Inventio.  Filed January 24, 2012.  

(4)         90/012,104 (electronically filed) – U.S. Patent No. 5,337,753 entitled HEART RATE MONITOR and owned by Biosig Instruments.  Filed January 25, 2012, by Nautilus.   The ‘753 patent is currently the subject of a litigation styled Biosig Instruments v. Nautilus (Case No. 10-cv-7722 (S.D.N.Y.)).

(5)         90/012,105 (electronically filed) – U.S. Patent No. 7,898,053 entitled SUBSTRATE STRUCTURES FOR INTEGRATED SERIES CONNECTED PHOTOVOLTAIC ARRAYS AND PROCESS OF MANUFACTURE OF SUCH ARRAYS and owned by Solannex.  Filed January 25, 2012, by Nanosolar.  The ‘053 patent is currently the subject of a litigation styled Solannex v. Nanosolar (Case No. 5:11-cv-547 (N.D. Cal.)). 

(6)         90/012,106 (electronically filed) – U.S. Patent No. 7,898,054 entitled SUBSTRATE STRUCTURES FOR INTEGRATED SERIES CONNECTED PHOTOVOLTAIC ARRAYS AND PROCESS OF MANUFACTURE OF SUCH ARRAYS and owned by Solannex.  Filed January 25, 2012, by Nanosolar.  The ‘054 patent is currently the subject of a litigation styled Solannex v. Nanosolar (Case No. 5:11-cv-547 (N.D. Cal.)).

(7)         90/012,107 (electronically filed) – U.S. Patent No. 7,732,243 entitled SUBSTRATE STRUCTURES FOR INTEGRATED SERIES CONNECTED PHOTOVOLTAIC ARRAYS AND PROCESS OF MANUFACTURE OF SUCH ARRAYS and owned by Solannex.  Filed January 25, 2012, by Nanosolar.  The ‘243 patent is currently the subject of a litigation styled Solannex v. Nanosolar (Case No. 5:11-cv-547 (N.D. Cal.)).

(8)         90/012,108 (electronically filed) – U.S. Patent Reissue No. 42,821 entitled METHODS FOR ELECTRONIC TRACKING OF UNITS ASSOCIATED WITH A BATCH and owned by Round Rock Research.  Filed January 26, 2012. 

(9)         90/012,109 (electronically filed) – U.S. Patent No. 5,862,511 entitled VEHICLE NAVIGATION SYSTEM AND METHOD and owned by Beacon Navigation.  Filed January 27, 2012. 

(10)     90/012,110 (electronically filed) – U.S. Patent No. 8,070,306 entitled LED LIGHTING FIXTURE and owned by Ruud Lighting.  Filed January 27, 2012.

(11)     90/012,111 (electronically filed) – U.S. Patent No. 7,058,548 entitled HIGH BANDWIDTH REAL-TIME OSCILLOSCOPE and owned by LeCroy.  Filed January 27, 2012.  

(12)     90/012,112 (electronically filed) – U.S. Patent No. 7,139,68 entitled HIGH BANDWIDTH REAL-TIME OSCILLOSCOPE and owned by LeCroy.  Filed January 27, 2012.  

90/009,983 (paper filed) – U.S. Patent No. 7,716,629 entitled SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR GENERATING WEB SITES IN AN ARBITRARY OBJECT FRAMEWORK and owned by Vertical Computer Systems.  Filed Jan

This past September, after a jury trial, Magistrate Judge Everingham issued a judgment that two of the patents were not infringed and that all but four of the claims of the patents were invalid over the prior art.  The judgment is now on appeal to the CAFC.  (The third Function Media patent appears to have been dropped from the Texas case). 

And today the Board compounded Google’s success in Texas by affirming prior art rejections of all the Function Media claims in reexamination. 

Traditionally, reexamination has been requested of a substantial number electronics and Internet patents, but it is much less common for pharmaceutical and medical delivery patents.  In recent weeks, though, that pattern seems to be changing, with more reexamination requests directed to pharmaceutical and medical delivery patents.  That trend continued last week when reexamination was requested for two patents owned by Monosol claiming film to be used in drug delivery systems (see ex parte Request Nos. (3) & (4)).  Monosol has sued BioDelivery in New Jersey for infringement of the patents.

The following inter partes requests were filed:

(1)         95/001,873 (electronically filed) – U.S. Patent No. 7,891,376 entitled DOUBLE SEAT VALVE FOR SEPARATING MEDIA and owned by Sudmo Holding GmbH.  Filed January 18, 2012, by SPX Corporation.  The ‘376 patent is currently the subject of a litigation styled Sudmo Holding GmbH v. SPX (Case No. 1:11-cv-561-SLR (D. Del.)). 

(2)         95/001,874 (electronically filed) – U.S. Patent No. 7,729,528 entitled AUTOMATED WAFER DEFECT INSPECTION SYSTEM AND A PROCESS OF PERFORMING SUCH INSPECTION and owned by Rudolph Technologies.  Filed January 19, 2012, by Camtek.  The ‘528 patent is currently the subject of a litigation styled (Case No. 11-cv-3707 (D. Minn.)). 

The following ex parte requests were filed:

(1)         90/012,095 (electronically filed) – U.S. Patent No. Re 41,562 entitled SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ELECTRONIC TRACKING OF UNITS ASSOCIATED WITH A BATCH and owned by Round Rock Research.  Filed January 17, 2012.  

(2)         90/012,096 (electronically filed) – U.S. Patent No. 7,032,715 entitled METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR ASSIGNING ELEVATOR HALL CALLS TO MINIMIZE ENERGY and owned by Thyssen Elevator Capital.  Filed January 19, 2012.  

(3)         90/012,097 (electronically filed) – U.S. Patent No. 7,425,292 entitled THIN FILM WITH NON-SELF-AGGREGATING UNIFORM HETEROGENEITY AND DRUG DELIVERY SYSTEMS MADE THEREFROM and owned by Monosol RX.  Filed January 20, 2012, by BioDelivery Sciences.  The ‘292 patent is currently the subject of a litigation styled Monosol RX v. BioDelivery Sciences Int’l et al. (Case No. 10-cv-5695 (D.N.J.)). 

(4)         90/012,098 (electronically filed) – U.S. Patent No. 7,357,891 entitled PROCESS FOR MAKING AN INGESTIBLE FILM and owned by Monosol RX.  Filed January 20, 2012, by BioDelivery Sciences.  The ‘891 patent is currently the subject of a litigation styled Monosol RX v. BioDelivery Sciences Int’l et al. (Case No. 10-cv-5695 (D.N.J.)).

(5)         90/012,099 (electronically filed) – U.S. Patent No. 6,478,274 entitled ARM APPARATUS FOR MOUNTING ELECTRONIC DEVICES and owned by Innovative Office Products.  Filed January 20, 2012, by SpaceCo Business Solutions.  The ‘274 patent is currently the subject of a litigation styled Innovative Office Products v. SpaceCo Business Solutions (Case No. 05-cv-4037 (E.D. Pa.); Innovative Office Products v. Smed (Case No. 07-cv-192 (C.D. Ca.)).

(6)         90/012,100 (electronically filed) – U.S. Patent No. 6,230,878 entitled PERSONALIZED RUBBER BANDED CARD AND CURRENCY HOLDER and owned by J Lea.  Filed January 20, 2012.  

(7)         90/009,982 (paper filed) – U.S. Patent No. 6,826,744 entitled and owned by Vertical Computer Systems.  Filed January 6, 2012.  

The patentee Peach State had alleged that EMS infringed its patent for calcium carbonate removal.  The trial judge granted summary judgment that the EMS had failed to show that the patent was invalid, and at trial last April the jury issued a verdict that the patent was willfully infringed and awarded enhanced damages to Peach State.  The trial judge later ruled that EMS had engaged in litigation misconduct and issued a permanent injunction against its further infringement of the patent.

Shortly after this complete rout in court, EMS requested reexamination of the Peach State patent.  The request was granted and at the beginning of December, the PTO rejected all the claims as being obvious.  EMS then moved to stay enforcement of the permanent injunction, a pending contempt proceeding, and the issuance of the final judgment, until the reexamination could be completed.

Magistrate Judge Baker agreed with EMS. 

He acknowledged that “EMS [had] obviously waited until this litigation was far advanced before seeking action by the PTO,” but added that “the division of responsibilities between the courts and the PTO under our patent laws often creates difficulties in timing and in reaching reasonably prompt final decisions.”  He also acknowledged that reexamination sometimes involves prolonged delays, but he found that “open-ended delays are not anticipated here” since EMS’s reexamination has moved quickly so far.  Finally, he addressed the possibility of prejudice to Peach State by requiring EMS to post a bond to satisfy any prospective damages judgment.  Magistrate Judge Baker concluded that resolution of the infringement dispute, despite completion of the trial, was still far from over and that reexamination might advance that resolution.  The matter now passes to Judge Altoon.

This decision, taken in light of the CAFC’s recent decision in the Construction Equipment case and the new post-grant review possibilities under the AIA, is further indication of an increasing role for the PTO in patent infringement actions. 

Reexamination was requested of another MobileMedia Ideas patent for data storage, U.S. Patent No. 5,977,887 (see ex parte Request No. (2)).  The PTO records do not indicate the identity of the requester, but it might be HTC.

The following inter partes requests were filed:

(1)   95/001,868 (electronically filed) – U.S. Patent No. 7,585,527 entitled COMPOSITION AND METHOD FOR TREATING IRON DEFICIENCY ANEMIA and owned by Alaven Pharmaceutical.  Filed January 9, 2012, likely by Seton Pharmaceuticals.  The ‘527 patent is currently the subject of a litigation styled Seton Pharmaceuticals v. Alaven Pharmaceutical (Case No. 3:10-cv-2518 (D.N.J.)). 

(2)         95/001,869 (electronically filed) – U.S. Patent No. 7,017,874 entitled ARM APPARATUS FOR MOUNTING ELECTRONIC DEVICES and owned by Innovative Office Products.  Filed January 9, 2012, by SpaceCo Business Solutions.  The ‘874 patent is currently the subject of a litigation styled Innovative Office Products v. SpaceCo Business Solutions (Case No. 07-cv-192 (C.D. Cal.)). 

(3)         95/001,870 (electronically filed) – U.S. Patent No. 8,017,376 entitled METHODS OF INCREASING DIHYDROXY ACID DEHYDRATASE ACTIVITY TO IMPROVE PRODUCTION OF FUELS, CHEMICALS, AND AMINO ACIDS and owned by Gevo.  Filed January 10, 2012, by Butamax Advanced Biofuels.  The ‘376 patent is currently the subject of a litigation styled Butamx Advanced Biofuels v. Gevo (Case No. 1:11-cv-54-SLR (D. Del.)). 

(4)         95/001,871 (electronically filed) – U.S. Patent No. 8,047,609 entitled INFANT ROCKING CHAIR AND DRIVING DEVICE FOR DRIVING THE SAME and owned by Wonderland Nursery Goods.  Filed January 12, 2012, by Thorley Industries. 

(5)         95/001,872 (electronically filed) – U.S. Patent No. 7,904,949 entitled APPARATUS, SYSTEMS AND METHODS TO PROVIDE AUTHENTICATION SERVICES TO A LEGACY APPLICATION and owned by Wells Fargo.  Filed January 12, 2012, by Centrify Corp. 

 The following ex parte requests were filed:

(1)         90/012,082 (electronically filed) – U.S. Patent No. 6,246,400 entitled DEVICE FOR CONTROLLING REMOTE INTERACTIVE RECEIVER and owned by Tugaloo Livonia GmbH.  Filed January 9, 2012.  

(2)         90/012,083 (electronically filed) – U.S. Patent No. 5,977,887 entitled DATA STORAGE APPARATUS and owned by MobileMedia Ideas.  Filed January 9, 2012.   The ‘887 patent is currently the subject of a litigation styled MobileMedia Ideas v. HTC et al. (Case No. 2:10-cv-112 (E.D. Tex.)). 

(3)         90/012,084 (electronically filed) – U.S. Patent No. 6,825,418 entitled INDICIA-CODED ELECTRICAL CABLE and owned by Wilmington Trust.  Filed January 9, 2012.  

(4)         90/012,085 (electronically filed) – U.S. Patent No. 7,465,878 entitled INDICIA-CODED ELECTRICAL CABLE and owned by Wilmington Trust.  Filed January 9, 2012.  

(5)         90/012,086 (electronically filed) – U.S. Patent No. 7,323,639 entitled CONVERTIBLE ELECTRICAL DEVICE COVER AND METHOD FOR INSTALLING SAME and owned by TayMac Corp.  Filed January 10, 2012.  

(6)         90/012,087 (electronically filed) – U.S. Patent No. 7,119,277 entitled CONVERTIBLE ELECTRICAL DEVICE COVER AND METHOD FOR INSTALLING SAME and owned by TayMac Corp.  Filed January 10, 2012.  

(7)         90/012,088 (electronically filed) – U.S. Patent No. 6,315,079 entitled LIFTING DEVICE WITH MOVABLE LIFTING COLUMNS and owned by Stertil B.V.  Filed January 11, 2012, by Owner.

(8)         90/012,089 (electronically filed) – U.S. Patent No. 6,169,368 entitled VISUAL INFORMATION SYSTEMS and owned by Spectrum Motion Media.  Filed January 11, 2012.  

(9)         90/012,090 (electronically filed) – U.S. Patent No. 6,278,447 entitled METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ACCELERATING A USER INTERFACE OF AN IMAGE CAPTURE UNIT DURING PLAY MODE and owned by FlashPoint.  Filed January 11, 2012, by HTC.  

(10)     90/012,091 (electronically filed) – U.S. Patent No. 6,477,032 entitled LOW INDUCTANCE CHIP WITH CENTER VIA CONTACT and owned by AVX Corporation.  Filed January 12, 2012.  

(11)     90/012,092 (electronically filed) – U.S. Patent No. 6,623,206 entitled PORTABLE SPEED BUMP and owned by William Blair.  Filed January 12, 2012.  

(12)     90/012,093 (electronically filed) – U.S. Patent No. 6,872,425 entitled COATED VEHICLE WHEEL AND METHOD and owned by Alcoa.  Filed January 12, 2012.  

(13)     90/012,094 (electronically filed) – U.S. Patent No. 5,869,172 entitled INTERNALLY-COATED POROUS WEBS WITH CONTROLLED POSITIONING OF MODIFIERS THEREIN and owned by Nextec.  Filed January 13, 2012.  

(14)     90/009,978 (paper filed) – U.S. Patent No. 7,486,943 entitled SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR VERIFYING ACCESS BASED ON A DETERMINED GEOGRAPHIC and owned by MLB Advanced Media.  Filed December 22, 2011.  

(15)     90/009,980 (paper filed) – U.S. Patent No. 7,726,062 entitled SNAG-RESISTANT FISHING LURE and owned by Too Sweet Tackle.  Filed January 3, 2012, by Joseph Renosky.  The ‘062 patent is currently the subject of a litigation styled Z-Man Fishing Prods. et al. v. Renosky Lure (Case No. 2:10-cv-248 (D.S.C.)). 

(16)     90/009,981 (paper filed) – U.S. Patent No. 5,658,767 entitled ARACHIDONIC ACID AND METHODS FOR THE PRODUCTION AND USE THEREOF and owned by Martek Biosciences.  Filed January 4, 2012.  

There, Bose sued five companies – including Memorex – for infringing a patent related to sound reproduction systems.  In November 2009, one of the defendants requested reexamination of Bose’s patent.  After reexamination was granted, the initial trial judge stayed the case “as long as [the] PTO proceedings were not taking too long.”  Bose later asked that the stay be lifted in view of the length of the reexamination, but the second judge in the case decided to continue the stay “until resolution of summary judgment motions based at least in part on the prior art before the PTO in the reexamination.”  The judge eventually denied the summary judgment motions and refused to continue the stay.

Defendants then petitioned for writ of mandamus from the CAFC, asking that the trial judge be required to stay the infringement action.  Judge Linn, speaking for the panel, denied the petition.  He began by noting “the exacting standard required for mandamus” and the discretion accorded to trial judges in ruling on stay motions.  Here, the defendant “fails to provide any authority that would demonstrate a clear and undisputable right to relief.”  He added that the possibility “that a petitioner [might] suffer hardship, inconvenience, or an unusually complex trial does not provide a basis for a court to grant mandamus.” 

Not mentioned in Judge Linn’s opinion is the fact that all the patent claims have been rejected and are now on appeal at the PTO Board.  Given that status, a stay of the infringement action might have been appropriate.  And yet, because of the extremely high standard for challenging the discretion of the trial, review of stay orders is nearly impossible.

CBS Interactive requested reexamination of a paging system patent owned by Helferich Patent Licensing (see inter partes Request No. (2)).  Helferich had sued CBS and a number of other media companies in Illinois and Arizona for infringement.  CBS had requested reexamination of another Helferich patent at the end of December. 

 The following inter partes requests were filed:

(1)         95/001,866 (electronically filed) – U.S. Patent No. 6,472,614 entitled DYNAMIC UMBILICALS WITH INTERNAL STEEL RODS and owned by Duco.  Filed January 5, 2012, by Aker Subsea.  The ‘614 patent is currently the subject of a litigation styled Duco v. Aker Subsea (Case No. 4:11-cv-2858 (S.D. Tex.)).

(2)         95/001,867 (electronically filed) – U.S. Patent No. 7,499,716 entitled SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DELIVERING INFORMATION TO A TRANSMITTING AND RECEIVING DEVICE and owned by Helferich Patent Licensing.  Filed January 6, 2012, by CBS Interactive.  The ‘716 patent is currently the subject of nine infringement actions filed by Helferich Patent Licensing.

 The following ex parte requests were filed:

(1)         90/012,078 (electronically filed) – U.S. Patent No. 5,781,497 entitled RANDOM ACCESS MEMORY WORD LINE SELECT CIRCUIT HAVING RAPID DYNAMIC DESELECT and owned by Advanced Data Access.  Filed January 5, 2012.  The ‘497 patent is currently the subject of a litigation styled Advanced Data Access v. Nanya Technology et al. (Case No. 6:11-cv-473 (E.D. Tex.)). 

(2)         90/012,079 (electronically filed) – U.S. Patent No. 6,871,048 entitled MOBIL COMMUNICATION APPARATUS AND INFORMATION PROVIDING SYSTEM USING THE MOBILE COMMUNICATION APPARATUS and owned by MobileMedia Ideas.  Filed January 5, 2012.   The ‘048 patent is currently the subject of a litigation styled MobileMedia Ideas v. HTC et al. (Case No. 2:10-cv-112 (E.D. Tex.)). 

(3)         90/012,080 (electronically filed) – U.S. Patent No. 6,049,796 entitled PERSONAL DIGITAL ASSISTANT WITH REAL TIME SEARCH CAPABILITY and owned by MobileMedia Ideas.  Filed January 6, 2012.  The ‘796 patent is currently the subject of a litigation styled MobileMedia Ideas v. HTC et al. (Case No. 2:10-cv-112 (E.D. Tex.)).

(4)         90/012,081 (electronically filed) – U.S. Patent No. D630,676 entitled GUITAR NECK and owned by Rubbermaid Commercial Prods.  Filed January 6, 2012.

Ex parte reexamination was requested by an unidentified party against Intellect Wireless’ U.S. Patent No. 7,266,186 claiming a paging receiver and system (see ex parte Request No. (1)). Intellect Wireless has sued a number of companies – among them HTC, RIM, AT&T Mobility — for infringement of the ‘186 patent, as well as for infringement of U.S. Patent No. 7,310,416.  HTC America filed inter partes requests against the ‘186 patent at the beginning of October, and against the ‘416 patent in November.  Non-final rejections have already issued against both Intellect Wireless patents.  According to HTC, the infringement action has been “effectively stayed pending a ruling” on HTC’s motion for summary judgment of inequitable conduct.  The various reexaminations might have an impact on HTC’s inequitable conduct allegations.

The following inter partes requests were filed:

(1)         95/001,863 (electronically filed) – U.S. Patent No. 7,974,912 entitled PAID SEARCH ENGINE BID MANAGEMENT and owned by Paid Search Engine Tools.  Filed December 28, 2911, by Google and Microsoft.  The ‘912 patent is currently the subject of a litigation styled Paid Search Engine Tools v. Google et al. (Case No. 2:11-cv-306 (E.D. Tex.)).

(2)         95/001,864 (electronically filed) – U.S. Patent No. 7,155,241 entitled SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ENABLING A USER OF A COMMUNICATION DEVICE TO MANAGE REMOTE INFORMATION and owned by Helferich Patent Licensing.  Filed December 29, 2011, by CBS Interactive.  The ‘241 patent is currently the subject of three infringement actions filed by Helferich.  

(3)         95/001,865 (electronically filed) – U.S. Patent No. 7,714,152 entitled CARRIER FOR OLEFIN OXIDE CATALYST and owned by SD Lizenzverwertungsgesellschaft GmbH & Co.  Filed December 30, 2011, by Shell Oil.

 The following ex parte requests were filed:

(1)         90/012,072 (electronically filed) – U.S. Patent No. 7,266,186 entitled METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR IMPROVED PAGING RECEIVER AND SYSTEM and owned by Intellect Wireless.  Filed December 27, 2011.   The ‘186 patent is currently the subject of a litigation styled Intellect Wireless v. HTC (Case No. 1:09-cv-2945 (N.D. Ill.)).

(2)         90/012,073 (electronically filed) – U.S. Patent No. 5,792,753 entitled COMPOSITIONS COMPRISING HYALURONIC ACID AND PROSTAGLANDIN-SYNTHESIS-INHIBITING DRUGS and owned by Jagotec AG.  Filed December 28, 2011.  

(3)         90/012,074 (electronically filed) – U.S. Patent No. 6,263,507 entitled BROWSER FOR USE IN NAVIGATING A BODY OF INFORMATION, WITH PARTICULAR APPLICATION TO BROWSING INFORMATION REPRESENTED BY AUDIOVISUAL DATA and owned by Interval Licensing.  Filed December 28, 2011, by Yahoo! and Google.  The ‘507 patent is currently the subject of a litigation styled Interval Licensing v. AOL et al. (Case No. 2:10-cv-1385 (W.D. Wash.)). 

(4)         90/001,075 (electronically filed) – U.S. Patent No. 8,027,916 entitled METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SCREENING FINANCIAL TRANSACTIONS and owned by Western Union.  Filed December 30, 2011.

(5)         90/009,973 (paper filed) – U.S. Patent No. 7,161,738 entitled SECURE DOCUMENT OF VALUE AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING SAME and owned by Geisecke & Devrient GmbH.  Filed December 8, 2011.  

(6)         90/009,974 (paper filed) – U.S. Patent No. 5,261,009 entitled MEANS FOR RESOLVING AMBIGUITIES IN TEXT PASSED UPON CHARACTER CONTEXT and owned by Nuance Communications.  Filed December 9, 2011.  

(7)         90/009,975 (electronically filed) – U.S. Patent No. 7,418,898 entitled M16 MODIFIED WITH PUSHROD OPERATING SYSTEM AND CONVERSION METHOD and owned by Frank Desomma.  Filed December 14, 2011.  

(8)         90/009,976 (paper filed) – U.S. Patent No. 7,908,979 entitled PALLET HAVING LOAD BEARING CAPABILITIES ON WHICH ARTICLES MAY BE PALCED and owned by Aeropal Technology Sdn. Bhd.  Filed December 14, 2011. 

(9)         90/009,977 (electronically filed) – U.S. Patent No. 6,902,754 entitled and owned by General Mills.  Filed December 14, 2011.  The ‘754 patent is currently the subject of a litigation styled General Mills Marketing et al. FRITSCH GmbH (Case No. 11-cv-2099 (D. Minn.)).