Akamai Technologies, Inc. v. Limelight Networks, Inc., No. 09-1372 (Fed. Cir. Aug. 31, 2012)

From the Opinion

The passage below is extracted verbatim from the opening of the document. It has not been editorially summarized — consult the full opinion for the court's complete reasoning.

When a single actor commits all the elements of in- fringement, that actor is liable for direct infringement under 35 U.S.C. § 271(a). Wh en a single actor induces another actor to commit all the elements of infringement, the first actor is liable for induced infringement under 35 U.S.C. § 271(b). But when the acts necessary to give rise to liability for direct infringement are shared between two or more actors, doctrinal proble ms arise.