Apple Revives Validity Challenge to Wireless-Transmission Patent

The Federal Circuit revived Apple Inc.‘s administrative challenge to the validity of a wireless data-transmission patent—one of more than a dozen Smart Mobile Technologies LLC asserted against the tech titan in a 2021 infringement suit.

The Patent Trial and Appeal Board erred by refusing to consider an argument raised by Apple after the board sided with the patent owner on the interpretation of claim limitations involving antennae in US Patent No. 9,191,083, the appeals court ruled Tuesday.

Smart Mobile “did not propose its understanding of the scope of the limitations—'plurality of antennas’ and ‘using the plurality of antennas'—until” ...