Medtronic Minimed Inc. v. Smiths Medical Md Inc.

373 F. Supp. 2d 466, 2005 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 11675, 2005 WL 1403257
District Court, D. Delaware·Decided June 15, 2005·No. CIV.A. 03-776-KAJ·Published

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION

JORDAN, District Judge.

I.INTRODUCTION

This is a patent infringement case. Presently before me are four motions filed by Medtronic MiniMed, Inc. (“MiniMed”) and one motion filed by Smiths Medical MD, Inc. (“Smiths”). The motions filed by MiniMed are a Motion for Summary Judgment of Non-Infringement of Claims 6 and 11 of U.S. Patent No. 6,241,704 (the “ ’704 patent”) (Docket Item [“D.I.”] 171), a Motion for Summary Judgment of Invalidity of Claims 6 and 11 of Smiths Medical ’704 Patent (D.I.179), a Motion for Partial Summary Judgment Limiting Smiths’ Patent Infringement Counterclaim Damages to the period after November 17, 2003 (D.I. 183), and a Motion for Summary Judgment of Infringement of U.S. Patent Nos. 5,665,-065 (the “ ’065 patent”) and 6,554,798 (the “ ’798 patent”) (D.I.202). Smiths has filed a Motion for Summary Judgment of Non-Infringement of the ’065 and ’798 patents. (D.I.194.)

Jurisdiction is proper under 28 U.S.C. §§ 1331 and 1338. For the reasons that follow, MiniMed’s Motion for Summary Judgment of Non-Infringement of Claims 6 and 11 of the ’704 patent (D.I.171) will be granted; MiniMed’s Motion for Summary Judgment of Invalidity of Claims 6 and 11 of Smiths Medical ’704 Patent (D.I.179) will be denied as moot; MiniMed’s Motion for Partial Summary Judgment limiting Smiths’ Patent Infringement Counterclaim Damages to the period after November 17, 2003 (D.I.183) will be denied as moot; MiniMed’s Motion for Summary Judgment of Infringement of the ’065 and ’798 patent (D.I.202) will be granted as to the ’798 patent; judgment as to the ’065 patent will be reserved 1 ; and Smiths’ Motion for Summary Judgment of Non-Infringement of the ’065 and ’798 patents (D.I.194) will be denied as to the ’798 patent; judgment as to the ’065 patent will be reserved.

II. BACKGROUND

The background related to all of the patents in suit is set forth in the Opinion construing the disputed claim terms. (D.I. 280 at 1-6.)

III. STANDARD OF REVIEW

Pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 56(c), a party is entitled to summary judgment if a court determines from its examination of “the pleadings, depositions, answers to interrogatories, and admissions on file, together with the affidavits, if any,” that there are no genuine issues of material fact and that the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. Fed. R.Civ.P. 56(c). In determining whether there is a triable issue of material fact, a court must review the evidence and construe all inferences in the light most favorable to the non-moving party. Goodman *468 v. Mead Johnson & Co., 534 F.2d 566, 573 (3d Cir.1976). However, a court should not make credibility determinations or weigh the evidence. Reeves v. Sanderson Plumbing Prods., Inc., 530 U.S. 133, 150, 120 S.Ct. 2097, 147 L.Ed.2d 105 (2000). To defeat a motion for summary judgment, the non-moving party must “do more than simply show that there is some metaphysical doubt as to the material facts.” Matsushita Elec. Indus. Co., Ltd. v. Zenith Radio Corp., 475 U.S. 574, 586-87, 106 S.Ct. 1348, 89 L.Ed.2d 538 (1986) (internal citation omitted). The non-moving party “must set forth specific facts showing that there is a genuine issue for trial.” Fed.R.Civ.P. 56(c). “Where the record taken as a whole could not lead a rational trier of fact to find for the non-moving party, there is no genuine issue for trial.” Matsushita Elec. Inds. Co., Ltd., 475 U.S. at 587, 106 S.Ct. 1348 (internal citation omitted). Accordingly, a mere scintilla of evidence in support of the non-moving party is insufficient for a court to deny summary judgment. Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc., 477 U.S. 242, 252, 106 S.Ct. 2505, 91 L.Ed.2d 202 (1986).

IV. DISCUSSION

A. MiniMed’s Motion for Summary Judgment of Non-Infringement of the ’704 Patent

Smiths has asserted that MiniMed has directly infringed its ’704 patent by “making, using, selling and offering for sale” the 508, 511, 512, and 712 series infusion pumps (collectively “MiniMed’s Pumps”) in violation of 35 U.S.C. § 271. 2 (D.I. 28 at 27-28.) Specifically, Smiths asserts that MiniMed’s Pumps infringe Claims 6 and 11 of the ’704 patent. 3 In this motion for summary judgment of non-infringement, MiniMed asserts that its pumps lack at least one limitation required by each of the asserted claims of the ’704 patent. (D.I. 172 at 2.)

A patent infringement analysis involves two steps: claim construction and then the application of the construed claim to the accused process or product. Markman v. Westview Instruments, Inc., 52 F.3d 967, 976 (Fed.Cir.1995) (en banc), aff'd, 517 U.S. 370, 116 S.Ct. 1384, 134 L.Ed.2d 577 (1996). The first step, claim construction, has been held to be purely a matter of law. See Cybor Corp. v. FAS Techs., Inc., 138 F.3d 1448, 1454 (Fed.Cir.1998) (en banc). The second step, application of the claim to the accused product, is a fact-specific inquiry. See Kustom Signals, Inc. v. Applied Concepts, Inc., 264 F.3d 1326, 1332 (Fed.Cir.2001) (Patent infringement, “whether literal or under the doctrine of equivalents, is a question of fact.”). The patent owner has the burden of proving infringement by a preponderance of the evidence. Envirotech Corp. v. Al George, Inc., 730 F.2d 753, 758 (Fed.Cir.1984) (citing Hughes Aircraft Co. v. United States, 717 F.2d 1351, 1361 (Fed.Cir.1983)).

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Medtronic Minimed Inc. v. Smiths Medical Md Inc., 373 F. Supp. 2d 466, 2005 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 11675, 2005 WL 1403257 (D. Del. 2005).

373 F. Supp. 2d 466 (Medtronic Minimed Inc. v. Smiths Medical Md Inc.) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

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