In the second quarter of 2010, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its long-awaited decision in Bilski, finding that business methods are not categorically unpatentable, but reiterating that abstract ideas are unpatentable.
Highlights from the Federal Circuit include orders granting en banc rehearing to address inequitable conduct and the use of contempt proceedings to enforce injunctions against patent infringement. The Federal Circuit also issued a significant opinion on false patent marking, finding that marking with expired patent numbers could constitute mismarking. The Federal Circuit also issued interesting opinions on court actions to amend Orange Book listings, transfer of venue, and the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office's practice of giving claims their "broadest reasonable construction" during patent examination. Summaries of these cases are provided below.
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