Apple Inc. v. Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. et al

Filing 1881

ORDER RE: INDEFINITENESS. Signed by Judge Lucy H. Koh on 8/20/2012. (lhklc4S, COURT STAFF) (Filed on 8/20/2012)

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

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NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

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SAN JOSE DIVISION

United States District Court
For the Northern District of California

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APPLE, INC., a California corporation,

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Plaintiff and Counterdefendant,
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v.
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SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.,
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a Korean corporation;
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SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS AMERICA, INC., )
a New York corporation;
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SAMSUNG TELECOMMUNICATIONS
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AMERICA, LLC,
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a Delaware limited liability company,
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Defendants and Counterclaimants. )
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Case No.: 11-CV-01846-LHK
ORDER RE: INDEFINITENESS

Indefiniteness is a legal issue for the Court. Telcordia Techs., Inc. v. Cisco Sys., 612 F.3d
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1365, 1376 (Fed. Cir. 2010); Microprocessor Enhancement Corp. v. Texas Instruments Inc., 520
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F.3d 1367, 1374 (Fed. Cir. 2008). The Court will not seek an advisory verdict on indefiniteness
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from the jury. Accordingly, the Court will not issue Samsung’s Proposed Final Jury Instruction
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No. 19.1: Utility Patents – Indefiniteness. Moreover, Samsung may not argue that claim 50 of the
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’163 Patent is indefinite. However, Samsung may argue that the meaning of “substantially
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centered” is relevant to non-infringement, lack of written description, and invalidity theories other
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than indefiniteness.
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Case No.: 11-CV-01846-LHK
ORDER RE: INDEFINITENESS

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Apple seeks a curative jury instruction to disregard testimony as to indefiniteness. Such a

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curative instruction would lead the jury to disregard relevant evidence and thus prejudice Samsung.

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Accordingly, the Court denies Apple’s request for a curative instruction.

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IT IS SO ORDERED.

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Dated: August 20, 2012

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LUCY H. KOH
United States District Judge

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United States District Court
For the Northern District of California

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Case No.: 11-CV-01846-LHK
ORDER RE: INDEFINITENESS