Smartrend v. Opti-Luxx Patent Appeals (Fed. Cir., November 13, 2025) 2024-1616
This episode covers an opinion from the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit regarding a patent infringement case between Smartrend Manufacturing Group (SMG), Inc., and Opti-Luxx Inc. This judicial decision addresses two separate patents related to illuminated school bus signs, a design patent (D930) and a utility patent (’491). For the D930 patent, the appellate court vacates the infringement judgment and orders a new trial because the lower court incorrectly construed the patent term “transparency,” finding it erroneously synonymous with "translucent." Regarding the ’491…
The skinny
The skinny isn't ready yet — notes appear once the transcript is processed.