With the Board’s prior authorization, Panasonic Corporation and Neodron Ltd. (collectively “the Parties”) filed a Joint Motion By Petitioner and Patent Owner to Terminate the above-captioned preliminary proceeding.
In support of the Joint Motion, the Parties filed a copy of a written, confidential “SETTLEMENT AND LICENSE AGREEMENT.” Ex. 1020 (“Settlement Agreement”).
In the Joint Motion, the Parties state that they “have entered into a confidential Settlement and License Agreement ... , which ... requires both parties to terminate all disputes, including (i) Inter Partes Review Proceeding No. IPR2021-01115, and (ii) Neodron Ltd. v. Panasonic Corporation, et al., in the Eastern District of Texas, Civil Action No. 2:20- cv-00241-JRP-RSP.” Joint Motion 2.
Thus, we determine that good cause exists to treat the Settlement Agreement (Ex. 1020) between the Parties as business confidential information under 37 C.F.R. § 42.74(c), to keep it separate from the files of the involved patent and associated preliminary proceeding, and to limit its availability as requested by the Parties.
FURTHER ORDERED that the Joint Request to File Settlement Agreement as Confidential Business Information is granted, and the Settlement Agreement shall remain designated as “Parties and Board Only” in Board’s filing system, shall made available only to Federal Government agencies on written request, or to any person on a showing of good cause, and shall be kept separate from the files of the involved patents and associated preliminary proceedings, pursuant to 35 U.S.C. § 317(b) and 37 C.F.R. § 42.74(c).