This nonprecedential decision highlights a sometimes difficult due diligence issue for companies and potential buyers in investment and M&A transactions. If a company merely has shop rights to an invention, an asset sale or other transaction in which the company does not remain intact could extinguish shop rights. While the right may remain intact in a merger scenario, or a transaction that involves a transfer of substantially all assets, the lack of a bright-line rule means that all relevant facts should be considered in each situation.