Better get used to it – Court addresses patent infringement of an information system

Description

Abstract: When someone uses another party’s patented invention without authorization, it’s clearly infringement. But what qualifies as “use” when the invention is an information system? This article looks at a recent case in which a plaintiff alleged that another company’s billing system infringed its patent. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit helped clarify exactly what’s required to “use” a patented information system. A sidebar looks at another question addressed in the same case: What is the difference between making and using an invention? Centillion Data Systems, LLC v. Qwest Communications Int’l, Inc., Nos. 2010-1110, 2010-1131, Jan. 20, 2011 (Fed. Cir.) Akamai Technologies, Inc. v. Limelight Networks, Inc., Nos. 2009-1372, 2009-1380, 2009-1416, 2009-1417, April 20, 2011 (Fed. Cir.)