EcoFactor v. Google became a centerpiece 2025 patent damages decision after the Federal Circuit reviewed expert proof en banc.
The case arose from smart-thermostat patent litigation and focused on the district court's gatekeeping role over reasonable-royalty testimony.
The ruling matters because damages experts often rely on prior licenses, technical comparability, and economic assumptions that can look persuasive at a high level but thin when tied to the asserted patent.
For litigants, EcoFactor is now a must-check case before serving damages reports, moving to exclude experts, or preparing a royalty case for trial.