CAFC Patent Cases, 5/18-21-6/2/21

Precedential Federal Circuit Opinions

1. BIO-RAD LABORATORIES, INC. v. INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION [OPINION] (2020-1475, 2020-1605, May 28, 2021) (Newman, Lourie, Dyk) 
   Lourie, J. Affirming the decision of the International Trade Commission relating to Complainant's allegations that Respondent violated 19 U.S.C. § 1337 by importing into the United States certain microfluidic chips. With respect to Complainant's appeal, the ALJ's findings reflected a correct determination that, while the term "sample" was defined broadly in the patent, the definition of "sample" was not so broad as to include reagents. With respect to Respondent's appeal, the ALJ correctly construed the term "droplet generation region" to mean a location on the chip where a network of channels intersects or meets, and nothing justified imposing a requirement that a channel extend directly from the sample well to the droplet-generation region. Additionally, substantial evidence supported the