Federal Circuit Invalidates $2.5M Netflix Patent Verdict Based on Alice Decision
By Editorial Team
The Federal Circuit recently overturned a $2.5 million jury verdict against Netflix in a patent infringement case involving a patent owned by GoTV Streaming LLC. The court ruled that the patent, along with two others, were invalid as they only covered abstract ideas, in line with the Alice decision.
According to Law360, the ruling came after Netflix argued that the patents in question, including one titled “Method and system for rendering content on a wireless device,” did not meet the patent eligibility criteria set forth in the Alice decision. The Federal Circuit agreed with Netflix’s position, leading to the dismissal of the $2.5 million verdict.
The case involved several law firms representing the parties, including Alavi Anaipakos, Covington & Burling, Olson Stein, Willkie Farr, and WilmerHale. Companies involved in the litigation included Netflix Inc. and Phunware Inc., with the case being heard in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.
The patents at issue were identified as 8,989,715, 8,478,245, and 8,103,865, each relating to methods and systems for rendering content on wireless devices.
This decision by the Federal Circuit serves as a reminder of the importance of ensuring that patents meet the requirements of patent eligibility, particularly in light of the Alice decision, which has been a significant factor in determining the validity of patents based on abstract ideas.
