Sleep Number Keeps Mixed Air Mattress Patent Ruling on Appeal

The Federal Circuit let a mixed administrative tribunal decision lie Monday in a dispute over air-mattress technology between two bed makers.

American National Manufacturing Inc. brought challenges at the Patent Trial and Appeal Board to two Sleep Number Corp. patents dealing with air pressure measurement and allow consumers to adjust their beds “in less time and with greater accuracy.”

The PTAB sided with Sleep Number on six challenged patent claims, finding they wouldn’t be obvious to an ordinary skilled artisan, as American National had argued. The board, however, found other challenged patent claims were obvious and, therefore, unpatentable.

The PTAB ...