Phison Electronics Corporation v. Vervain, LLC

PGR2025-00011

Phison Electronics Corp. petitions the PTAB to invalidate Vervain’s ‘370 hybrid NAND‑flash patent, asserting lack of written description, indefiniteness, and obviousness over prior art. The petition targets claims 1‑18 and seeks cancellation under §§ 112(a), 112(b), 103 and 101. Institution of the review is pending.

Jurisdiction
US PTAB
Case Number
PGR2025-00011
Decision Date
31 December 2024
Filing Date
31 December 2024

Detailed Summary

In Petition for Post‑Grant Review PGR2025‑00011, Phison Electronics Corporation challenges U.S. Patent No. 11,967,370, owned by Vervain, LLC, which claims a hybrid MLC‑SLC NAND flash memory system with data‑integrity testing and wear‑leveling. Phison contends that the claims lack adequate written description for terms such as “memory space” and “memory element,” are indefinite under § 112(b), and are obvious in view of the Gavens reference and numerous other NAND‑flash publications and patents. The petition invokes §§ 112(a), 112(b), 103 and 101, requesting cancellation of all 18 claims. The Board must decide whether to institute the review, with the petition noting pending district‑court litigation in the Western District of Texas and multiple related PTAB proceedings.

Practitioner Note

This case demonstrates the evidentiary and procedural standards applied in patent matters before local courts. Understanding the court's reasoning in Phison Electronics Corporation vs Vervain, LLC is valuable context for structuring arguments or assessing risk in similar proceedings.

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