Audatex North America Inc. v. Mitchell International Inc.

46 F. Supp. 3d 1019, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 128145, 2014 WL 4546796
CourtDistrict Court, S.D. California
DecidedSeptember 12, 2014
DocketCase No. 13-CV-1523-BEN (BLM)
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 46 F. Supp. 3d 1019 (Audatex North America Inc. v. Mitchell International Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, S.D. California primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Audatex North America Inc. v. Mitchell International Inc., 46 F. Supp. 3d 1019, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 128145, 2014 WL 4546796 (S.D. Cal. 2014).

Opinion

ORDER DENYING MOTION TO STAY

ROGER T. BENITEZ, District Judge.

Before this Court is a Motion to Stay, filed by Defendant Mitchell International, Inc. (Docket No. 64). Defendant asks this Court to stay this matter pending the resolution of three Covered Business Method (CBM) petitions by the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB). For the reasons stated below, the Motion is DENIED WITHOUT PREJUDICE as premature with leave to re-file the motion if a CBM review is instituted.

BACKGROUND

I. Litigation

On February 6, 2012, Plaintiff Audatex North America, Inc. commenced this action by filing an action against Defendant in the District of Delaware. (Docket No. 1). The Complaint accused Defendant of infringing upon U.S. Patent No. 7,912,740 B2 (’740 Patent), which claims an invention entitled “System and Method for Processing Work Products for Vehicles Via the World Wide Web.” (Compl. ¶¶ 6-14) The '740 Patent was dated March 22, 2011, and was subsequently assigned to Plaintiff. (Compl. ¶¶ 6, 7 & Ex. A). A First Amended Complaint was filed on August 13, 2012. (Docket No. 12). Plaintiff alleged that Defendant was also infringing U.S. Patent No. 8,200,513 B2 (’513 Patent), entitled “System and Method for Processing Work Products for Vehicles Via the World Wide Web.” (First Am. Compl. ¶¶ 19-31 & Ex. B). The '513 Patent is dated June 12, [1021]*10212012, and was assigned to Plaintiff. (Id. ¶¶ 20, 21 & Ex. B).

A District of Delaware judge granted a motion to transfer venue to this District on June 28, 2013. (Docket No. 27). On April 22, 2014, this Court granted Plaintiffs unopposed Motion for Leave to File Supplemented First Amended Complaint. (Docket No. 55).

The Supplemented First Amended Complaint for Patent Infringement, which is the operative complaint in this matter, added a third claim of patent infringement. (Docket No. 57). Defendant is alleged to have infringed upon U.S. Patent No. 8,468,038 B2 (’038 Patent), also entitled “System and Method for Processing Work Products for Vehicles Via the World Wide Web.” (Supp. First Am. Compl. ¶¶ 32-44). The patent is dated June 18, 2013. (Id. ¶ 33, 34 & Ex. C). Defendant answered the Supplemented Complaint on May 12, 2014. (Docket No. 60). Defendant filed the instant Motion to Stay on August 14, 2014.

II. Covered Business Method Review

On August 11, 2014, Defendant filed three CBM petitions with the Patent and Trademark Office (PTO), challenging the validity of all claims of the '740, '513, and '038 Patents.

Section 18 of the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act (AIA) permits parties who have been sued for, or accused of, infringement to file a petition for review. Pub.L. No. 112-29, 125 Stat. 284, 329-31 (2011). The review is limited to challenges to the validity of “covered business method patents,” which are patents that claim “a method or corresponding apparatus for performing data processing or other operations in the practice, administration, or management of a financial product or service, except that the term does not include patents for technological inventions.” AIA, § 18(d)(1).

Defendant contends that all three asserted patents are: (1) invalid under 35 U.S.C. § 101 because they have ineligible subject matter, (2) invalid under 35 U.S.C. § 102 based on a prior art reference that anticipates the asserted claims, and (3) invalid under 35 U.S.C. § 103 'based on prior art references that render obvious all asserted claims. (Mot. at 4-5 (citing Ex. C at 14, 20, 68; Ex. D at 13,19, 75; Ex. E. at 14, 20, 72)).

LEGAL STANDARD

Section 18(b)(1) of the AIA lists four factors which courts are to consider when determining whether to grant a motion to stay pending CBM review. Courts are to decide based on: (A) whether a stay or the denial thereof, will simplify the issues in question and streamline the trial; (B) whether discovery is complete and whether a trial date has been set; (C) whether a stay, or the denial thereof, would unduly prejudice the nonmoving party or present a clear tactical advantage for the moying party; and (D) whether a stay, or the denial thereof, will reduce the burden of litigation on the parties and on the court.

This test resembles the test applied in assessing motions to stay pending inter partes or ex parte reexamination by the PTO. Zillow, Inc. v. Trulia, Inc., No. C12-1549, 2013 WL 5530573, at *3 (WD.Wash. Oct. 7, 2013) (citation omitted). The primary difference is the addition of the fourth factor. Id. (citation omitted).

DISCUSSION

I. Simplification of Issues and Streamlining

Defendant contends that this factor strongly favors a stay. (Mot. at 7). Upon [1022]*1022review of the record and the briefing, the Court concludes that this factor does not weigh in favor of stay at this juncture. However, it would weigh strongly in favor of a stay if the PTAB decides to institute review.

First, the parties disagree about the likelihood that the petitions will be granted. Defendant asserts that the petitions are likely to be granted, as “petitions are far more likely to be granted than denied.” (Id.) It further contends that if review is granted, it is “highly likely” that one or more claim will be invalidated. (Id.) Defendant cites to statistics regarding CBM reviews in other cases. (Id. at 7-8). Plaintiff argues that petitions are not likely to be accepted, or to be adjudicated in Defendant’s favor. (Opp’n at 9). Plaintiff contends that Defendant does not discuss the merits of its arguments, and instead relies on a simplistic statistical argument. (Id.) It asserts that the statistics Defendant cites have been cherry-picked, and do not support Defendant’s position. (Id.) For instance, Plaintiff points out that Defendant seeks to set aside petitions which were denied as premature because CBM review has not yet been granted. (Id.) Plaintiff also points to the fact that the PTAB has denied almost a quarter of CBM petitions, and discusses the results in the related inter partes review forum. (Id. at 9-10).

Defendant also contends that the Supreme Court’s recent decision in Alice Corp. Pty. Ltd. v. CLS Bank Int’l, — U.S. ——; 134 S.Ct. 2347, 2356-57, 189 L.Ed.2d 296 (2014) makes it more likely that the subject matter is unpatentable. (Mot. at 8). Defendant contends that the patents in question involve a “similar economic concept” to that invalidated in Alice Corp. (Id.) Plaintiff disagrees, and seeks to distinguish its patents from the inventions in cases like Alice Corp. and Bilski v. Kap-pos, 561 U.S. 593, 130 S.Ct. 3218, 177 L.Ed.2d 792 (2010). (Opp’n at 10-11). For instance, it contends that the computer components of Audatex’s inventions are “structurally and functionally interrelated with other claim elements, providing meaningful limitations on claim scope.” (Id. at 10). It also contends that Defendant’s claims concerning anticipation and obviousness rely on “nonsensical claim construction positions.” (Id.

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46 F. Supp. 3d 1019, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 128145, 2014 WL 4546796, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/audatex-north-america-inc-v-mitchell-international-inc-casd-2014.