What’s in a Name?

Does the title have a role in claim construction?  In Poly-America LP v. GSE Lining Technology Inc., 383 F3d 1303, [72 USPQ2d 1685, 1689] (Fed. Cir. 2004), the Federal Circuit found that the title of the patent in suit (5,763,047) — Blown-film Textured Liner Having a Smooth Welding Strip — supported treating the term blown-film in the preamble of the claims as a claim limitation.

But, see, Moore U.S.A., Inc. v. Standard Register Co., 229 F.3d 1091, 1111 [56 USPQ2d 1225] (Fed. Cir. 2000) (“[T]he bar on importing limitations from the written description into the claims applies no less forcefully to a title.”); Pitney Bowes, Inc. v. Hewlett-Packard Co., 182 F.3d 1298, 1312 [51 USPQ2d 1161] (Fed. Cir. 1999) (noting patent title’s“near irrelevancy” in claim construction).