IP and R&D Spark Newsletter

This month’s Legal Watch features pivotal rulings that continue to shape the boundaries of U.S. patent law. The Federal Circuit reaffirmed the invalidation of digital image correction patents under Section 101, while the Supreme Court declined to clarify the on-sale bar post-AIA, keeping ambiguity in play. In a twist, Apple loses a PTAB win as the Federal Circuit finds flaws in the Board’s analysis of applicant-admitted prior art. Meanwhile, Fox successfully invalidates machine learning-related claims under Section 101, further tightening standards for AI-based inventions. In Industry News, we spotlight major changes at the USPTO, including accelerated grants, the suspension of Design Fast-Track, and the launch of a Fraud Task Force, alongside the termination of the Climate Change Program. As the world marks World IP Day 2025 celebrating the global power of music, South Korea expands its patent law to curb infringing exports, and Japan registers its first trademark under the newly introduced consent-based system.

This month’s Techno Spotlight is packed with transformative advancements—starting with a new chemistry technique aimed at decarbonizing steel, and FDA fast-track approval for AI-based cancer technology. We also dive into the geopolitics of chip production in Malaysia and the EU, DSM-Firmenich’s new partnership with Inscripta, and the EU’s revision of Annex VI on UV filters in cosmetics. Plus, Apple’s futuristic gesture-based input devices gain patent approval, and Lenovo and Ericsson reach a SEP licensing agreement, ending long-standing global litigation.

Stay tuned for more innovation shaping the IP and R&D landscape!