The Challenge
In a high-stakes litigation campaign, one of the world’s most prominent patent development and IP licensing companies asserted a pair of patents against dozens of the leading technology firms. The litigation centered on foundational methods for connecting non-standard I/O devices to open networks.
Recognizing the need for litigation-grade invalidity research, a leading Am Law 100 firm representing one of the defendants contracted our team to conduct an exhaustive prior art search.
The Solution
To address the broad scope of the asserted claims, we executed a comprehensive search strategy that balanced broad coverage with targeted analysis across technologies related to device communication networks.
We moved beyond standard patent databases to explore specialized academic archives and early mobile computing proceedings, seeking the exact client-server relationship the plaintiff claimed as a proprietary invention.
Our approach included:
Our impact
Our analysis successfully differentiated between mediocre references and “silver bullet” and harder-to-find documents. After an exhaustive search, we identified a seminal academic paper regarding mobile computing for the internet.
This specific reference provided the technical “missing link,” clearly disclosing the connection of non-standard devices to servers in a way that directly anticipated the claims of the asserted patents.
Managing patent disputes involving foundational technologies?
When multiple patents cover core technologies, identifying the most relevant prior art can require extensive technical and historical research. We work closely with litigation teams to develop focused search strategies and deliver analyses that support informed invalidity assessments and broader case strategy.
The challenge
Major multi-patent litigation over foundational methods on device communication networks.
Why it worked
Comprehensive technical investigation
Analysts ensured rigorous, technical, and litigation-ready search for high-yield results.
The outcome
