United States Federal Circuit

Language appearing in the preamble of a claim is not a limitation where it merely states an intended use for a claimed system, based on examination of claims, specification, and prosecution history of a patent for a coupon disbursement system; prosecution history estoppel will not bar a patent holder from seeking equivalents on a missing claim limitation.

Appellate Information

• Decided 05/08/2002
• Published 05/08/2002

Judges

• RADER, Circuit Judge., Before MAYER, Chief Judge, RADER, and PROST, Circuit Judges.

Court

• United States Federal Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellant:
  
• Steven Z. Szczepanski,Jenkens & Gilchrist, of Chicago, IL, argued for plaintiff-appellant.   With him on the brief were Mary Jo Boldingh, Russell J. Genet, and Michael K. Nutter.


• For Appellees:
  
• Dean D. Niro, Niro, Scavone, Haller & Niro, of Chicago, IL, argued for defendant-appellee.   With him on the brief were Thomas G. Scavone and Christopher J. Lee.