Game and Technology Co., Ltd. v. Activision Blizzard Inc.

Activision sought inter partes review of GAT’s 743 patent, entitled “Method and System for Providing Character Having Game Item Functions,” which relates to the field of customizing Internet game characters in online games by combining game items with layers of an avatar in the game and discloses a method and system for providing “game item[s]” to Internet game characters and generating a type of avatar the patent refers to as a “gamvatar” that is equipped with particular game items. The Patent Trial and Appeal Board concluded that the challenged claims were “obvious based on the combined teachings” of the prior art references. The Federal Circuit affirmed. The Board properly determined that the gamvatar of the 743 patent is a combination of the conventional avatar with the game item function, rather than a combination of a conventional gamvatar with a game item function, as suggested by GAT and construed the term “layers” to mean that “‘layers’ encompasses ‘graphics regions for displaying graphical objects’ and ‘constructs for holding graphics.’” Substantial evidence supported findings of obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103. View "Game and Technology Co., Ltd. v. Activision Blizzard Inc." on Justia Law