Patent office to reexamine tobacco maker Star Scientific claims

(AP/Bloomberg) Tobacco maker Star Scientific Inc. said Tuesday that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office will reopen an examination of two patents the company holds for a tobacco-curing method.
The Glen Allen, Va.-based company said the action reverses a May decision to cancel the reexamination because the federal agency said Star Scientific had not filed a written record of an examiner interview.
The company also said that oral arguments on its appeal of a June 2009 verdict of its patent infringement lawsuit against RJ Reynolds Tobacco Co. were heard by the U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington on Jan 11. Continued