Snap Wins Extra Review in Challenge to Social-Media Map Patent

A patent tribunal imposed too rigid a test for determining obviousness in rejecting a challenge to a social-media mapping patent brought by the maker of Snapchat, the Federal Circuit ruled.

The Patent Trial and Appeal Board correctly dismissed portions of Snap Inc.'s challenge to the validity of US Patent No. 10,616,727, but erred in its obviousness analysis, Judge Timothy B. Dyk wrote in the opinion issued Wednesday by the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.

You Map Inc. sued Snap in 2020 asserting claims a French company Snap acquired stole its trade secrets. YouMap tweaked its complaint ...