Rewriting Dependent Claims Creates Estoppel Presumption

from Honeywell International, Inc., et al. v. Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation, slip op. 02-1005, -1082 (Fed. Cir. June 2, 2004):

 

"Following our recent decisions in Deering Precision Instruments, L.L.C. v. Vector Distribution Systems, Inc., 347 F.3d 1314 (Fed. Cir. 2003), and Ranbaxy Pharmaceuticals, Inc. v. Apotex, Inc., 350 F.3d 1235 (Fed. Cir. 2003), we hold that the rewriting of dependent claims into independent form coupled with the cancellation of the original independent claims creates a presumption of prosecution history estoppel. Accordingly we vacate the judgment of infringement and remand for determination of whether Honeywell can rebut the presumption of surrender under Festo Corp. v. Shoketsu Kinzoku Kogyo Kabushiki Co., 535 U.S. 722 (2002), remanded to 344 F.3d 1359 (Fed. Cir. 2003) (en banc)."  

 

Courtesy of William F. Heinze*
Thomas, Kayden, Horstemeyer & Risley, L.L.P.
100 Galleria Parkway, N.W., Suite 1750
Atlanta, GA 30339-5948  (USA)

 

Tel.:  (770) 738-2382
Fax:  (770) 951-0933
Mobile:  (404) 729-0729
E-Mail:  BillHeinze@tkhr.com (business)
E-Mail:  BillHeinze@yahoo.com (personal) 
E-Mail:  BillHeinze@tmo.blackberry.net (mobile)
Profile:  http://www.tkhr.com/Bill.Heinze 

I/P Updates Blog:  http://billheinze.blogspot.com (RSS/Atom feeds)

*Admitted to practice in the Commonwealth of Virginia.  Not admitted in Georgia.