Denial of eSports Patent Review Gets Look From Agency Director

The US Patent and Trademark Office director will personally review whether an administrative tribunal rightly declined to probe a patent related to digital gaming competition platforms that had already been invalidated by a California federal court in an infringement dispute between Skillz Platform Inc. and AviaGames Inc.

PTO Director Kathi Vidal wrote that a sparingly granted director review “is appropriate because this case raises issues of particular importance to the Office and the patent community,” according to an Aug. 26 order.

Skillz sued AviaGames last year, alleging its Pocket7Games application and standalone applications such as Bingo Clash, Solitaire Clash, 21 ...