Inter Parte Review

introduction

Under the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act (AIA), Inter Partes Review (IPR) proceedings became an option for challenging the validity of a patent at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on September 16, 2012. IPR proceedings allow for a petitioner to challenge the validity of a patent under 35 U.S.C. §§ 102 and 103 on the basis of prior art consisting of patents or printed publications. They are supposed to be completed quickly in a maximum of 18 months and the availability of IPR proceedings provides a cost-effective option in litigation tactics.