Who can petition for an Expanded Inter Partes Review according to the AIA?

The ability to initiate an Expanded Inter Partes Review (EIPR) under the America Invents Act (AIA) is specifically designed to allow a broad range of entities to challenge the validity of a patent. This includes any party other than the patent owner. The rationale behind this is to promote a more open and fair process in the patent system, allowing challengers, who could potentially be affected by the patent in question, to seek a review of its validity.

The EIPR process is accessible to any third party, which emphasizes the AIA's intention to ensure that patents granted are indeed valid and enforceable, thus safeguarding the integrity of the patent system. It permits various stakeholders in the industry, including competitors, to contribute to the quality of patents by questioning their validity.

In contrast, the other options are restricted in scope. The patent owner is not eligible to initiate a review of their own patent in this specific context, previous inventors alone do not have an exclusive right to petition, and federal agencies are typically not the sole entities authorized to file for such reviews. This openness fosters an environment where patent rights can be effectively challenged and where the certainty of patent validity can be enhanced by allowing involved parties to seek a review.