Exhausted yet? SCOTUS clarifies doctrine limiting patent rights

Description

Abstract: Anyone who has ever tried to avoid the high prices of toner cartridges by purchasing refills from remanufacturers will be interested in a recent ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court — and many patent owners should be interested, too. This article reviews the U.S. Supreme Court’s clarifications to a relevant case involving the patent exhaustion doctrine, which limits a patentee’s rights. Impression Products, Inc. v. Lexmark Int’l, Inc., No. 15-1189, May 30, 2017 (U.S.)