Phillips v. AWH Corporation

Phillips v. AWH Corporation (2005) was a U.S. Supreme Court case clarifying how courts should interpret patent claim language. The Court emphasized that claim terms are generally given their ordinary meaning as understood by someone skilled in the field, unless the patent documents or context suggest a different meaning. The decision underscored the importance of reviewing the patent's full language, including drawings and specifications, to determine what the patent owner intended. Ultimately, it aimed to make patent claim interpretation more consistent and predictable by prioritizing the "ordinary, customary meaning" of words.