The Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) designated as
informative a decision explaining the procedure for holding oral
arguments where confidential information will be discussed.
Curt G. Joa, Inc. v. Fameccanica.Data S.P.A., Case No.
2016IPR-00906 (PTAB June 20, 2017) (Chagnon, APJ).
Joa filed a petition for inter partes review against a
patent owned by Fameccanica. Prior to oral argument, Fameccanica
filed a motion indicating that it intended to discuss confidential
information during the hearing and requesting that the PTAB close a
portion of the hearing to the public.
The PTAB granted Fameccanica's motion subject to certain
conditions. The PTAB stated that each side would be allocated no
more than 15 minutes of argument relating to confidential
information in a session closed to the public. The parties would
proceed with their presentations during the closed session in the
same order as their presentations in the open session. The PTAB
noted that if a party
