BASF Corp. v. Johnson Matthey Inc.

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BASF’s patent describes and claims systems for performing catalytic conversion of nitrogen oxides (NOx) in an exhaust gas stream, with a partly-dual-layer arrangement of coatings on a substrate over which exhaust gas passes—a coat along the full length of the substrate containing “a material composition B effective to catalyze selective catalytic reduction (SCR) of NOx”; and beneath part of that coat, on the outlet end of the gas passage, a partial-substrate undercoat containing “a material composition A effective for catalyzing NH3 oxidation” (ammonia oxidation, or AMOx). BASF sued its competitor for infringement. The district court held that the “effective for catalyzing”/“effective to catalyze” language was indefinite and entered judgment of invalidity. The Federal Circuit reversed. Under the Supreme Court’s decision in “Nautilus,” the question is: would the “composition . . . effective to catalyze” language, understood in light of the rest of the patent and the knowledge of the ordinary skilled artisan, have given a person of ordinary skill in the art a reasonably certain understanding of what compositions are covered? The district court’s reasoning supplied no basis to answer that question in defendant’s favor; the inference of indefiniteness simply from the scope finding is legally incorrect: “breadth is not indefiniteness.” View "BASF Corp. v. Johnson Matthey Inc." on Justia Law