In July 2019, the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) issued an
Update to the PTAB Trial Practice
Guide.i The July 2019 Update documents practices and
procedures that the PTAB has found useful, and in some instances,
summarizes or repeats practices and procedures from precedential
PTAB opinions.
The US Patent and Trademark Office's announcement of the
Update identifies eight areas of additional guidance.ii
This post discusses the first three areas, relating to additional
discovery and oral testimony; the revised claim construction
standard; and submission of testimonial evidence with a patent
owner preliminary response. Later posts will discuss the remaining
areas, relating to institution decisions on multiple petitions;
motions to amend; motions for joinder; procedures on remand; and
procedures regarding the PTAB's default protective order.