Intellectual Property Law and Copyright Laws

Dupe culture is reshaping consumer behavior in the marketplace of consumer products. But before we can fully appreciate the intellectual property landscape, it helps to be clear about what a dupe is — and equally...

The UPC Milan Local Division has ruled that patent literature can establish common general knowledge in exceptional circumstances, aligning with EPO precedent. In a motorcycle tyre patent dispute between Pirelli and Sichuan Yuanxing Rubber, the court found that a series of patent documents consistently using the same technical representation technique could form part of the skilled person's knowledge base, with significant implications for claim interpretation and sufficiency challenges.

A jury found that Abiomed's Impella intravascular pumps did not infringe Maquet's patent under the reverse doctrine of equivalents, despite meeting literal claim limitations, and determined the asserted patent claim was invalid for failing written description and enablement requirements. The case now awaits a judicial determination on whether assignor estoppel should preclude Abiomed from challenging the patent's validity.