Egyptian Goddess

Federal Circuit Urges Caution in Construing Design Patents

February 26, 2010

In a decision issued February 24, 2010 (Case No. 2008-1596), a panel of the Federal Circuit reversed a finding by the International Trade Commission that a design patent owned by Crocs, Inc. was not infringed by various respondents. In explaining its reasoning, the Court warned against reliance on detailed verbal descriptions of the claimed design, stating:

"This court has cautioned, and continues to caution, trial courts about excessive reliance on a detailed verbal description in a design infringement case. See, e.g., Egyptian Goddess, Inc. v. Swisa, Inc., 543 F.3d 665, 679 (Fed. Cir. 2008) (en banc). In Egyptian Goddess, this court warned that misplaced reliance on a detailed verbal description of the claimed design risks undue emphasis on particular features of the design rather than examination of the design as a whole. Id. at 679–80. In many cases, the considerable effort in fashioning a detailed verbal description does not contribute enough to the infringement analysis to justify the endeavor. See id. at 680. Depictions of the claimed design in words can easily distract from the proper infringement analysis of the ornamental patterns and drawings." Slip Op. at 9-10.

Oakley drops utility patent claims and proceeds with design claim following Markman hearing; court declines to construe the design claim

March 12, 2012

On March 5, 2012, Oakley entered into a Covenant Not to Sue either Predator Outdoor Products or Hunter Specialties under U.S. utility patent 5,387,949 (“the ‘949 patent”). The covenant not to sue was executed on the same day as the Markman hearing in the matter of Oakley v. Predator Outdoor Products et al. (case no. 8:2011-cv-00456, in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California).

As we previously reported, Oakley originally alleged infringement of both the ‘949 patent and the U.S. design patent D523,461 (“the D461 patent”). However, as a result of the covenant not to sue under the utility patent, the D461 patent is currently the only remaining patent at issue in this case.