Patents: Lemelson in the News Again

On 11 Nov 2005 I posted an article on my nipc Invention blog on the Lemelson Center at The Smithsonian in Washington. The centre was made possible by a gift from a charity set up by the late Jerome H. Lemelson who was one of the most prolific inventors in the USA and an example to independent inventors everywhere.

I am indebted yet again to Dennis Crouch who has brought to my attention some litigation involving one of Mr Lemeslson’s patents (“Court invalidates more Lemelson Claims“). The Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit had already dismissed an appeal from the District Court invalidating several of Mr Lemelson’s claims because of unwarranted delays in prosecution which had somehow managed to extend the term of one of Mr Lemelson’s patents for years (see Mr Crouch’s commentary of 9 Sep 2005). In its response for a request for a rehearing the appeal court extended its censure of the claims in the patent in suit to all the claims of all associated patents (see the amended judgment of 16 Nov 2005).

Sometimes it makes sense to take “no” for an answer.

About these ads