WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday agreed to review an appeal of a key patent case that could set a standard for when an invention is too obvious to patent.
The high court said it would consider the appeal by KSR International Inc., a Canadian manufacturer of gasoline pedals for cars and light trucks, arguing that a patent held by a rival manufacturer is invalid because it is too obvious.
Patent lawyers have said the case could help clarify U.S. patent law, which requires inventions to be "non-obvious" in order to be patented.
At issue is what standard the courts should use to
determine what inventions are obvious. A patent infringement
suit filed against KSR by Teleflex Inc.
But a federal appeals court later overturned that decision, saying it had misinterpreted the legal standard for obviousness.
In August, Pennsylvania-based Teleflex said it had sold its automotive pedal systems business to a private investment firm.
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