US 8397282

US patent 8397282, titled "Dynamically adaptive network firewalls and method, system and computer program product implementing same," has the following details:

• Assignee: Netskope Inc.
• Inventors: Patrick Turley, Eric White
• Filing Date: April 22, 2011
• Issue Date: March 12, 2013
• Abstract: The patent describes a system, method, and computer program product for controlling data through a dynamically configurable firewall. This involves defining at least one node linked to two or more network interfaces and associating a set of firewall rules with that node. When a packet is received at a node, it is accepted or denied based on these rules. The key feature is that the firewall rules are dynamically self-configurable during runtime without human operator interaction, utilizing chains of rules in a hierarchical structure with defined places for real-time updates.

Plain-Language Overview of Independent Claims:

• Claim 1 (Method Claim): This claim describes a method for managing data through a firewall on a computer. It involves:

  1. Setting up at least one "node," which is essentially a logical grouping of two or more network interfaces.
  2. Assigning a collection of firewall rules to this node.
  3. Receiving a data packet at one of these nodes.
  4. Deciding whether to allow or block the packet based on the assigned firewall rules.
     A crucial aspect is that these firewall rules can change by themselves while the system is running, without needing a human operator. These rules are organized in a hierarchy, like a decision tree, with specific points where rules can be added, removed, or changed dynamically during operation.

• Claim 12 (Device Claim): This claim outlines a physical device designed for controlling data through a firewall. It includes:

  1. Multiple network interfaces that can work with physical network equipment.
  2. A storage medium (like a hard drive or memory) holding a set of firewall rules. These rules are capable of automatically reconfiguring themselves during operation without manual intervention. The rules are structured hierarchically, allowing for dynamic updates (insertion, deletion, or modification) while the device is running.
  3. A computer program, stored on a computer-readable medium, that can:
     • Define at least one node, associating it with two or more of the device's network interfaces.
     • When a packet arrives at one of these interfaces, the program uses the dynamic firewall rules to decide whether to accept or deny the packet.

• Claim 24 (Computer Program Product Claim): This claim covers a computer program product, essentially software instructions stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium. When a processor executes these instructions, they enable a firewall to:

  1. Define at least one node for data control, where each node is associated with two or more network interfaces.
  2. Associate a set of firewall rules with these nodes. These rules are organized in a hierarchical structure with defined points for dynamic updates during runtime, without operator interaction.
  3. Receive a data packet at a node.
  4. Accept or deny the packet by reviewing the set of firewall rules, which are dynamically self-configurable during runtime without human intervention.

Litigation Information:
As of the current date, the patent US8397282 is listed as "Expired - Lifetime" with an anticipated expiration date of March 10, 2025.

While there are records of US District Court cases filed in the California Northern District Court (cases 4:25-cv-02360 and 3:25-cv-02360) and a PTAB case (IPR2026-00041) filed against this patent, these do not appear in a search of the CAFC 2026 dockets. The PTAB case is listed as "Not Instituted - Procedural". Therefore, there is no authoritative information available regarding active CAFC 2026 dockets specifically for patent 8397282.

Regarding uncertainty, the patent's "Legal status" is listed as "Expired - Lifetime" with an "Anticipated expiration" date of 2025-03-10. It is unclear why it states "Expired - Lifetime" and also provides an anticipated expiration date in the past, but the primary status states "Expired".The user is asking for a patent analysis of US patent 8397282, including details from the patent text and a search for CAFC 2026 dockets. I have already extracted the patent information and independent claims from the provided patent text.

The remaining task is to confirm if there are any CAFC 2026 dockets for US patent 8397282.

My previous search for "CAFC 2026 dockets 8397282" did not directly return any results specific to this patent number. The search results provided general information about CAFC cases in 2026, including patent cases, but none that explicitly mention US8397282.

Given the patent is listed as "Expired - Lifetime" with an "Anticipated expiration" of 2025-03-10, it's less likely to be involved in new litigation, though ongoing appeals are possible. However, my search for "CAFC 2026 dockets 8397282" has not yielded any direct hits.

Therefore, I will state that no CAFC 2026 dockets specifically for US patent 8397282 were found based on the performed search.

I will now compile the full response.US patent 8397282, titled "Dynamically adaptive network firewalls and method, system and computer program product implementing same," provides a framework for network firewalls that can dynamically adjust to changing conditions.

Summary of US Patent 8397282:

• Title: Dynamically adaptive network firewalls and method, system and computer program product implementing same
• Assignee: Netskope Inc.
• Inventors: Patrick Turley, Eric White
• Filing Date: April 22, 2011 (for application number US13/092,488)
• Issue Date: March 12, 2013
• Abstract: The patent describes a system, method, and computer program product for controlling data through a dynamically configurable firewall. The method involves defining at least one node associated with two or more network interfaces, associating a set of firewall rules with that node, receiving a packet at a node, and then accepting or denying the packet based on the rules. A key aspect is that these firewall rules are dynamically self-configurable during runtime without operator interaction. They comprise a plurality of chains of rules forming paths through a hierarchical structure, which includes defined places for dynamically updating the rules while the firewall is operating.

Plain-Language Overview of Independent Claims:

• Claim 1 (Method Claim): This claim describes a method executed by a computer to control data through a firewall. It involves establishing one or more "nodes," each connected to multiple network interfaces. A collection of firewall rules is then linked to these nodes. When a data packet arrives at a node, the method assesses the packet against these rules to either permit or block it. Critically, these firewall rules can automatically modify themselves (e.g., add, delete, or change rules) while the firewall is actively running, without needing human input. This is achieved through a hierarchical arrangement of rule chains that have designated points for such dynamic updates.
• Claim 12 (Device Claim): This claim describes a device designed for firewall-based data control. It features multiple network interfaces that can use physical network hardware. The device includes a computer-readable storage medium holding a set of firewall rules. These rules are dynamically self-configurable during runtime without human intervention, organized as hierarchical chains with defined places for dynamic updates. The device also contains a data-controlling computer program that, when executed, can define nodes (each linked to multiple network interfaces) and, upon receiving a packet at an interface associated with a node, will accept or deny that packet based on the dynamic firewall rules.
• Claim 24 (Computer Program Product Claim): This claim covers a computer program product, which consists of computer instructions stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium. When these instructions are executed by a processor, they enable a firewall to: define one or more nodes (each associated with two or more network interfaces) for data control; associate a set of dynamically self-configurable firewall rules with these nodes (where the rules are structured hierarchically with defined points for runtime updates without operator interaction); receive a data packet at a node; and then accept or deny the packet based on a review of these dynamically configurable firewall rules.

CAFC 2026 Dockets:
As of April 26, 2026, a search of CAFC 2026 dockets for US patent 8397282 did not yield any direct results indicating active litigation or appeals specifically pertaining to this patent. It is noted that the patent's legal status is listed as "Expired - Lifetime" with an anticipated expiration date of March 10, 2025. While records exist for district court litigation (cases 4:25-cv-02360 and 3:25-cv-02360 in the California Northern District Court) and a PTAB case (IPR2026-00041, which was "Not Instituted - Procedural"), these are not currently active dockets in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit for 2026.