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IP Updates
Inducement

Strategic Considerations for the New Inducement Landscape

On Dec 18, 2006, in DSU Medical Corp. v. JMS Co. Ltd., the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit issued an en banc decision that clarified the scienter requirement for inducement. The court held that under 35 USC 271(b) "inducement requires evidence of culpable conduct, directed to encouraging another's infringement, not merely that the inducer had knowledge of the direct infringer's activities."

Click here for a copy of the opinion

Citing the Supreme Court's treatment of induced copyright infringement in MGM Studios, Inc. v. Grokster, Ltd., 125 S. Ct. 2764 (2005), and the Federal Circuit case cited in Grokster, the court held that it is insufficient for an accused inducing infringer to have an "intent to cause the acts that produce direct infringement. Beyond that threshold knowledge, the inducer must have an affirmative intent to cause direct infringement." Although the Federal Circuit noted that specific intent is required for inducement, the court also endorsed a negligence standard, quoting the Manville Sales test: "[t]he plaintiff has the burden of showing that the alleged infringers actions induced infringing acts and that he knew or should have known his actions would induce actual infringements." Of greatest practical import, the panel decision that applied the en banc test found no inducement based in large part on the fact that the accused infringer had obtained a noninfringement opinion.

We have established this section of our website to provide our clients with case materials - including decisions and hearing transcripts - and constant updates on the evolving law of inducement in patent cases.

This section of our website is continuously updated, so check back often. Or, you can receive updates by email, by clicking here.

Speaking Engagements/Slide Presentations

Katherine Kelly Lutton, Christian Chu, and Ann Cathcart Chaplin have presented in multiple venues on Strategic Considerations for the New Inducement Landscape, including at a PLI seminar on February 5, 2007; at the April 27, 2007 LEAD conference in San Diego; and at IP Law & Business's Innovations in IP Litigation Conference in San Jose on May 16, 2007.

Inducement Cases After the Federal Circuit's Decision in DSU

Case Name Court Date

Disposition

Eli Lilly and Co. v. Actavis Elizabeth LLC D.N.J. December 31, 2009 Grants motion for summary judgment of induced infringement
i4i Ltd. v. Microsoft Corp. Fed. Cir. December 22, 2009 Affirmed denial of motion for judgment as a matter of law of no induced infringement
Meyer Intellectual Props. Ltd. v. Bodum, Inc. N.D. Ill. December 15, 2009 Granted motion for summary judgment of induced infringement
Mallinckrodt Inc. v. E-Z-EM Inc. D. Del. December 3, 2009 Granted motion to amend complaint to add induced infringement claim
Roche Palo Alto LLC v. Ranbaxy Labs. Ltd. D.N.J. September 30, 2009 After bench trial, found no induced infringement
Fujitsu Ltd. v. Netgear, Inc W.D. Wis. September 18, 2009 Granted motion for summary judgment of no induced infringement
Vita-Mix Corp. v. Basic Holding, Inc. Fed. Cir. September 16, 2009 Affirmed grant of motion for summary judgment of no induced infringement
Lucent Techs., Inc. v. Gateway, Inc. Fed. Cir. September 11, 2009 Affirmed denial of motion for judgment as a matter of law of no induced infringement
i4i Ltd. v. Microsoft Corp. E.D. Tex. August 11, 2009 Denied motion for judgment as a matter of law of no induced infringement
Abraxis Bioscience, Inc. v. Navinta, LLC D.N.J. August 3, 2009 After bench trial, found induced infringement
Ecolab, Inc. v. FMC Corp. Fed. Cir. June 9, 2009 Affirmed denial of motion for judgment as a matter of law of no induced infringement
AstraZeneca LP v. Apotex, Inc. D.N.J. May 14, 2009; May 22, 2009 Granted motion for preliminary injunction based on evidence of intent to induce infringement
Cornell Univ. v. Hewlett-Packard Co. N.D.N.Y. April 24, 2009 Denied motion for judgment as a matter of law of no induced infringement
Flex-Ability Concepts, LLC v. Radius Track Corp. W.D. Okla. April 6, 2009 Granted motion for summary judgment of no induced infringement
Anchor Wall Sys. v. Rockwood Retaining Walls, Inc. D. Minn. March 31, 2009 Denied motion for judgment as a matter of law of no induced infringement and for a new trial re the same
Meyer Intellectual Props. Ltd. v. Bodum, Inc. N.D. Ill. February 11, 2009 Granted summary judgment of induced infringement
Kinetic Concepts, Inc. v. Blue Sky Med. Group, Inc. Fed. Cir.  February 2, 2009 Denied motion for judgement as a matter of law of induced infringement

U.S. Phillips Corp. v. Iwasaki Elec. Co.

S.D.N.Y.  January 13, 2009 Denied motion for judgement as a law of no induced infringement
Ricoh Co. v. Quanta Computer Inc. Fed. Cir. December 23, 2008 Vacated grant of summary judgement of no induced infringement

Kyocera Wireless Corp. v. Int'l Trade Comm'n

Fed. Cir. October 14, 2008 Vacated and remanded ITC determination of induced infringement.
Broadcom Corp. v. Qualcomm, Inc. Fed. Cir. September 24, 2008 Affirmed judgment of induced infringement.
Kowalski v. Friend D. Hawaii August 27, 2008 Denied motion for summary judgment of induced infringement
Tribune Star, Inc. v. Walt Disney Co. C.D. Ill. August 14, 2008 Granted motion to dismiss complaint of induced infringement.
Lucent Techs., Inc. v. Gateway, Inc. S.D. Cal. June 19, 2008 Denied motion for judgment as a matter of law of no induced infringement.
Monsanto Co. v. Parr N.D. Ind. April 22, 2008 Granted injunction based on finding of induced infringement.
Symantec Corp. v. Computer Assocs. Int'l, Inc. Fed. Cir. April 11, 2008 Reversed grant of summary judgment of no induced infringement.
Veritas Operating Corp. v. JMS Co. W.D. Wash. February 20, 2008 Granted defendant's motion for summary judgment of no induced infringement.
Commissariat a L'Energie Atomique v. Samsung Elecs. Co. D. Del. November 2, 2007 Denied plaintiff's motion for summary judgment of induced infringement.
Takeda Pharms. Co. v. Sandoz, Inc. S.D.N.Y. October 9, 2007 Denied defendant's motion to dismiss for failure to state a claim of induced infringement.
Gammino v. Cellco P'ship E.D. Pa. October 4, 2007 Granted summary judgment of no induced infringement.
VNUS Med. Techs., Inc. v. Diomed Holdings, Inc. N.D. Cal. October 2, 2007 Denied plaintiff's motion for summary judgment of induced infringement.
F&G Research, Inc. v. Google, Inc. S.D. Fla. September 21, 2007 Granted motion for Rule 11 sanctions, in part, because the complaint included no allegation that the defendant received notice or otherwise knew of the patent.
ACCO Brands, Inc. v. ABA Locks Mfrs. Co. Fed. Cir. September 12, 2007 Overturned jury verdict of induced infringement because of a lack of substantial evidence of direct infringement.
Nichia Corp. v. Seoul Semiconductor Co. N.D. Cal. August 22, 2007 Granted summary judgment of no induced infringement.
Boston Scientific Corp v. Johnson & Johnson N.D. Cal. August 21, 2007 Granted summary judgment of no induced infringement.
Advanceme Inc. v. RapidPay, LLC E.D.Tex. August 14, 2007 Found induced infringement in bench trial.
Epicrealm, Licensing, Inc. v. Autoflex Leasing, Inc. E.D.Tex. June 26, 2007 Granted summary judgment of no induced infringement.
Fellowes, Inc. v. Michilin Prosperity Co., Ltd. E.D. Va. June 22, 2007 Granted, inter alia, JMOL that defendant induced infringement
Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co. v. Chi Mei Optoelectrics Corp. N.D. Cal. June 19, 2007 Denied, in relevant part, summary judgment of no indirect infringement.
Static Control Components v. Lexmark Intl, Inc. E.D. Ky. May 11, 2007 Denied, in relevant part, summary judgment of no indirect infringement.
Wing Shing Prods. (BVI), Ltd. v. Simatelex Manufactory Co., Ltd S.D. NY. Mar. 29, 2007 Granted summary judgment of induced infringement.
Cardiac Pacemakers, Inc. v. St. Jude Med., Inc. S.D. Ind. Mar. 26, 2007 Denied summary judgment of non-infringement.
Lucent Techs. Inc. v. Gateway, Inc. S.D. Cal. Mar. 21, 2007 Granted in part, and denied in part, summary judgment of no indirect infringement.
Lucent Techs. Inc. v. Gateway, Inc. S.D. Cal. Mar. 19, 2007 Granted in relevant part summary judgment of no indirect infringement).
Iridex Corp. v. Synergetics USA, Inc. E.D. Mo. Jan. 31, 2007 Summary judgment of no infringement.

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