When I was a baby patent agent, I was taught that US patent law had a "moral utility" requirement. That is, the US Patent and Trademark Office would not grant a patent on any invention having no moral utility.

The cited example was Rickard v. Du Bon (103 F. 868, 2d Cir. 1900): A patent on a method of putting spots on tobacco leaves was held invalid, because the only purpose of doing so was to make lower-quality tobacco *appear* to be higher quality, although it did not improve the tobacco in any way.

Since the leaf-spotting method had no utility that wasn't immoral, the patent was invalidated. (cont)

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#Patents #PatentLaw

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Acer and ASUS Halt PC Sales in Germany Following Nokia Patent Ruling

Acer and ASUS have stopped selling PCs and laptops in Germany after a court said they used Nokia's video technology without paying. This affects new sales.

#PCNews, #Germany, #Nokia, #PatentLaw, #Tech

https://newsletter.tf/acer-asus-halt-pc-germany-nokia-patent/

Acer and ASUS have stopped selling their computers in Germany. A court decided they used Nokia's video technology without a proper license. Stores with old stock can still sell them, but new computers from these companies won't be sold directly by Acer and ASUS in Germany for now.

#PCNews, #Germany, #Nokia, #PatentLaw, #Tech

https://newsletter.tf/acer-asus-halt-pc-germany-nokia-patent/

Well, well, well... looks like Apple's patent watch just got a $634M alarm. A jury says they owe Masimo for infringing on blood oxygen tech. Guess even innovation has its price tags. Do these massive patent battles help or hinder tech progress?

https://techcrunch.com/2025/11/15/jury-says-apple-owes-masimo-634m-for-patent-infringement/

#Apple #Masimo #PatentLaw #TechNews #IntellectualProperty

This week has been such that I feel that I need a diety to either curse at or pray to, professionally.

I am therefore introducing the Great Owl of Intellectual Property. Small sacrifices to the Great Owl are appreciated, particularly when claim drafting.

If properly supplicated, the Great Owl may also intercede on your behalf with particularly challenging examiners.

#patents #PatentLaw #IP