Bloomberg reporter Sue Decker highlights the dispute between Paice and Ford as she examines a new review process at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office that allows companies to challenge the validity of patents. She notes that the “inter partes reviews” program has been dubbed a patent “death squad.”
Decker reports that when Paice filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Ford, the automaker struck back by filing 25 petitions with the patent office — including 13 challenges against a single patent.
“This is not meant as a tool to harass or burden patent owners,” said Ruffin Cordell, an attorney who represents Paice.