PTAB Finds Claims “Obvious,” Undermining Maxell’s Case
The PTAB didn’t mince words in its findings. For the ’086 patent, Administrative Patent Judges Neil T. Powell, Terrence W. McMillin, and Kevin C. Trock ruled that every single challenged claim was invalid as obvious.
In the ’815 patent, Judges Jameson Lee, Terrence W. McMillin, and Kevin C. Trock reached a similar conclusion, scrapping the majority of challenged claims on the same basis.
Notably, Judge Schroeder had previously invalidated four claims that the jury found infringed; the PTAB agreed with three of those rulings, as the remaining claim was outside the scope of the inter partes review. Still, several other claims addressed by the PTAB had not been previously considered by the district court — broadening Samsung’s legal triumph.
Judge’s Criticism of Maxell’s Experts Strengthened Samsung’s Case
Judge Schroeder’s earlier decision had also undercut Maxell’s expert testimony, calling it “too conclusory” to uphold the jury’s infringement findings. That critique proved pivotal, laying the groundwork for the PTAB’s subsequent invalidation and further reinforcing Samsung’s arguments that Maxell’s patents lacked technical rigor and legal support.
