Authorities Cited: United States Patent and Trademark Office U.S. Patent No. 5,977,567 U.S. Patent No. 6,376,268 United States Code 28 U.S.C. § 1295(a)(1) 35 U.S.C. § 256 Supreme Court 293 U.S. 474, 486 295 U.S. 654, 657 359 U.S. 500 369 U.S. 469, 470-479 369 U.S. 522 382 U.S. 323 439 U.S. 322 481 U.S. 412, 417 494 U.S. 545, 553 517 U.S. 370, 376-377 Circuit Courts 802 F.2d 1367, 1376 820 F.2d 1209 870 F.2d 1568, 1570 129 F.3d 595, 600 135 F.3d 1456 263 F.3d 942, 961-962 333 F.3d 1330, 1337-1338 451 F.3d 1366 Federal Rules of Civil Procedure Fed. R. Civ. P. 42(b) 445 F. Supp. 2d 1082