Hughes Aircraft Co. v. Messerschmitt-Boelkow-Blohm

437 F. Supp. 75, 197 U.S.P.Q. (BNA) 529, 1977 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 14334
CourtDistrict Court, M.D. Florida
DecidedAugust 23, 1977
DocketNo. 74-366-Orl-Civ-R
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 437 F. Supp. 75 (Hughes Aircraft Co. v. Messerschmitt-Boelkow-Blohm) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, M.D. Florida primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Hughes Aircraft Co. v. Messerschmitt-Boelkow-Blohm, 437 F. Supp. 75, 197 U.S.P.Q. (BNA) 529, 1977 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 14334 (M.D. Fla. 1977).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OF DECISION

REED, District Judge.

This case is before the court on the defendant’s Motion to Dismiss or, in the Alternative, for Summary Judgment filed herein on 13 August 1976. Defendant bases this motion on two grounds:

1) The court lacks subject matter jurisdiction over this cause because the allegedly infringing apparatus was “used or manufactured by or for the United States” within the meaning of 28 U.S.C. § 1498(a);

2) Personal jurisdiction over this defendant is lacking under 22 U.S.C. § 2356(a)(1).

Title 28, United States Code, Section 1498(a) vests exclusive jurisdiction in the Court of Claims over patent infringement claims arising upon either one or both of the following two grounds:

1) unlicensed use or manufacture of a patented invention by the United States directly; and/or

2) unlicensed use or manufacture of a patented invention for the United States and with its authorization or consent.

Plaintiffs brought this action alleging infringement by defendant Messersehmitt-Boelkow-Blohm, GMBH (MBB) of United States Letters Patent No. 3,758,051 and of United States Reissue Letters Patent No. 26.887. Plaintiffs allege that the HELIOS satellite embodies certain control mechanisms for governing and stabilizing its position in space which were invented by the respective patentees. The allegation is that the HELIOS satellite infringes on both of plaintiffs’ Letters Patent.

For the reasons stated below, this court finds that the patented invention covered by United States Letters Patent No. 3,758,051, entitled “Velocity Control and Orientation of a Spin-Stabilized Body” and by United States Reissue Letters Patent No. 26.887, entitled “Proportional Navigation System for a Spinning Body in Free Space,” which plaintiffs allege were infringed, was used by the United States. Jurisdiction over this action thus lies exclusively in the Court of Claims. As a result, the court finds it unnecessary to determine whether the invention was also used for the United States with its authorization or consent. Additionally, the court declines to consider whether personal jurisdiction is lacking under 22 U.S.C. § 2356(a)(1).

In 1966 former President Johnson and former Chancellor Erhard agreed that the United States and the Federal Republic of Germany would undertake a major coopera[77]*77tive space project with an express purpose of substantially increasing and demonstrating the space technological capability of Germany (see Exhibit VI to Ziegler Affidavit to Motion to Dismiss filed 13 August 1977). The German Ministry for Scientific Research and NASA agreed to cooperate in a project for the exploration of interplanetary space to be known as Project HELIOS. Id. The two governmental agencies entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) which outlines the responsibilities of each country (see Exhibit C to Empacher Affidavit to Motion to Dismiss filed 13 August 1977).

The MOU states the primary objective of Project HELIOS is “to investigate the properties of the processes in interplanetary space in the direction of and close to the sun by developing, launching, and operating automated spacecraft.” “The general scientific objective is to provide new understanding of fundamental solar processes and solar terrestrial relationships by the study of phenomena such as solar wind, magnetic and electric fields, cosmic rays, and cosmic dust.” (Id. at p. 3). A further objective was to “provide German and U. S. experimenters the opportunity of designing and flying a well-integrated set of experiments aimed at specific investigations of the properties and processes in interplanetary space . . . ” (Exhibit VI to Ziegler Affidavit, p. 14). A secondary objective of the HELIOS project was to advance the technical and technological expertise of German industry (Exhibit B to Empacher Affidavit, Mission Definition Group Report).

The primary German responsibilities were to:

A) Develop the HELIOS spacecraft, including scientific instrumentation of the German experiments;

B) Operate and control the spacecraft from a Project Control Center, utilizing ground facilities located in Germany and those of the NASA Deep Space Network; and

C) Provide the data received to the experimenters for their analysis and publication.

The primary NASA responsibilities were to:

A) Provide instrumentation for United States sponsored experiments that are agreed elements of the payload;

B) Supply those parts of the spacecraft and ground checkout equipment peculiar to the United States sponsored experiments;

C) Provide a launch vehicle of the Atlas/Centaur/TE 364-4 class, payload adapter section (including separation system), spin table, and shroud for each mission;

D) Launch the spacecraft;

E) During Phases I and II, to provide tracking and data acquisition support using available United States near earth deep space, and space flight operations facilities;

F) During Phase III, to provide for the use of elements of the Deep Space Network (DSN) which are mutually agreed to be necessary;

G) Reduce, analyze and distribute data in accordance with a mutually agreed plan;

H) Make available such training of German personnel in German areas of responsibility for direct utilization in this joint project as may be requested by Germany and as is feasible within the limitations of NASA operational requirements;

I) Provide relevant technical consultation and technical data as mutually agreed; and

J) Provide technical assistance in testing the spacecraft and review final acceptance tests of the spacecraft.

Exhibit C to Empacher Affidavit, Memorandum of Understanding.

The affidavit and exhibits presented in support of defendant’s motion clearly demonstrate the joint nature of the HELIOS project. From its inception the project has been termed a cooperative effort between the United States and Germany. Although an express purpose of the project was to substantially increase and demonstrate the space technological capability of Germany, the MOU emphasizes that the project is for the mutual benefit of both countries.

[78]*78The United States benefited considerably from project HELIOS. Three of the ten experiments on board the HELIOS were American. The results obtained by HELIOS experiments constituted an extension of the Mariner-Venus and Mariner-Venus-Mercury missions of the United States and closed a gap in the interplanetary program of the United States (Exhibit G to Empacher Affidavit).

The joint participation in the project by the United States is also shown by the expenditure of $80 million dollars and 360 man years of effort. The joint nature of the project enabled the United States to carry out a major scientific mission at a time when the United States could not afford to expend large amounts of time or money on such projects.

Title 42, United States Code, Section 2451(c)(7) gives NASA authority to become involved in projects such as HELIOS.

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Bluebook (online)
437 F. Supp. 75, 197 U.S.P.Q. (BNA) 529, 1977 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 14334, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/hughes-aircraft-co-v-messerschmitt-boelkow-blohm-flmd-1977.