Synopsys, Inc. v. Matal

MEMORANDUM OPINION

T. S. Ellis, III, .United States District Judge

This is an Administrative Procedure Act (“APA”)2 appeal from a decision by the Director of the United States Patent & Trademark Office (“PTO”), vacating an order granting ex parte reexamination of Patent No. 6,240,376 (“’376 Patent”), owned by intervenor defendant, Mentor Graphics Corporation (“Mentor”). Specifically, the PTO Director vacated its order granting ex'parte reexamination of the ’376 Patent on the ground that the statutory estoppel provisions of the L.eahy Smith America Invents Act (“ALA”)3 prohibited Synopsys, Inc.…