Opinion ID: 6944934
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Best Mode of the ’966 Patent

Text: GE argues that the patent fails to disclose two' software routines, the LGRAD and GETMAO programs, which the inventors testified were the best means they knew of to accomplish MAO imaging. GE also argues that a critical aspect of the invention, a gradient multiplier board (“GMB”), was not disclosed in sufficient detail to satisfy the best mode requirement. Furthermore, GE argues that the inventors failed to identify a new integrated circuit “chip” for implementing certain functions of the hardware. Fonar responds that its disclosure was adequate to satisfy the best mode requirement, that the specification adequately describes the functions of the software, and that it is not necessary that the actual computer program be disclosed. According to Fonar, providing a description of the software’s functions is what is important for a best mode disclosure, rather than actual source code, because the code was tailored to a specific hardware embodiment and it thus would not necessarily have worked with other hardware. Fonar also argues that the ’966 specification adequately disclosed the GMB and the functions of the new “chip.” The patent statute requires that a patent specification “shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.” 35 U.S.C. § 112 (1994). Determining whether a patent satisfies the best mode requirement involves two factual inquiries. First, a fact-finder must determine whether at the time an applicant filed an application for a patent, he or she had a best mode of practicing the invention; this is a subjective determination. Second, if the inventor had a best mode of practicing the invention, the fact-finder must determine whether the best mode was disclosed in sufficient detail to allow one skilled in the art to practice it, which is an objective determination. United States Gypsum Co. v. National Gypsum Co., 74 F.3d 1209, 1212, 37 USPQ2d 1388, 1390 (Fed.Cir.1996); Chemcast Corp. v. Arco Indus. Corp., 913 F.2d 923, 927-28, 16 USPQ2d 1033, 1036 (Fed.Cir.1990). We agree with Fonar that the jury’s finding that the ’966 patent satisfied the best mode requirement was supported by substantial evidence. There was evidence that the inventors had a best mode, and that the software, the GMB, and the “chip” were part of that best mode. However, with respect to the software routines, Fonar’s witnesses testified that the ’966 patent contained a sufficient description of the software’s functions. Specifically, Robert Wolf, one of the inventors, testified as follows: Q. From that written description, is there sufficient description .to a software engineer, such as yourself, of what software needs to be written in order to perform the multi-angle oblique invention? A. Yes. Q. In any event, the software, itself, as we see in the hundred pages of Exhibit 816, is not reproduced in its entirety in the patent. Is that right? A. That’s correct. Q. Why is that? A. For a few reasons. First of all, it’s large as you can see. It’s several hundred pages. It wouldn’t help someone to have that software anyway because that software only works on a Fonar machine. What’s much more important is to have a description of what the software has to do, and that is what you will find in the patent. Fonar’s witnesses further testified that providing the functions of the software was more important than providing the computer code. We agree. As a general rule, where software constitutes part of a best mode of carrying out an invention, description of such a best mode is satisfied by a disclosure of the functions of the software. This is because, normally, writing code for such software is within the skill of the art, not requiring undue experimentation, once its functions have been disclosed. It is well established that what is within the skill of the art need not be disclosed to satisfy the best mode requirement as long as that mode is described. Stating the functions of the best mode software satisfies that description test. We have so held previously and we so hold today. See In re Hayes Microcomputer Prods., Inc. Patent Litigation, 982 F.2d 1527, 1537-38, 25 USPQ2d 1241, 1248-49 (Fed.Cir.1992); In re Sherwood, 613 F.2d 809, 816-17, 204 USPQ 537, 544 (CCPA 1980). Thus, flow charts or source code listings are not a requirement for adequately disclosing the functions of software. See Sherwood, 613 F.2d at 816-17, 204 USPQ at 544. Here, substantial evidence supports a finding that the software functions were disclosed sufficiently to satisfy the best mode requirement. See Hayes, 982 F.2d at 1537, 25 USPQ2d at 1248-49 (stating that there was no best mode violation where the specification failed to disclose a firmware listing or flow charts, but did disclose sufficient detail to allow one skilled in the art to develop a firmware listing for implementing the invention). A finding that the GMB was sufficiently disclosed to satisfy the best mode requirement was also supported by substantial evidence. Fonar’s witness testified that the ’966 patent provided a description of the function of the GMB with reference to the components within the dotted line in Figure 7 of the ’966 patent, reproduced below. [[Image here]] David Hertz, one of the inventors, testified in particular that the patent provides a description of the functions required for one skilled in the art to build a GMB that will work with a general MRI system and that the GMB disclosed in the patent is the one built by Fonar. More importantly, he testified that the GMB used in the Fonar machine was not the only means to accomplish MAO imaging and that it was not necessarily the best way to do it for every machine. GE argues nonetheless that the ’966 patent failed to disclose the use of comparators as part of the GMB, which it alleged were an essential element of the best mode. However, Hertz testified that if an MRI machine performing MAO imaging according to the ’966 patent were to require a comparator as part of the GMB, a skilled engineer would know that a comparator should be used. He further testified that each MRI machine has its own set of requirements for the functionality of the GMB, which is why the ’966 patent described in general terms how to build the invention. Hertz’s testimony provides substantial evidence to support a finding that there was no best mode violation with respect to the GMB. Substantial evidence also supports the finding that the functions of the new “chip” were disclosed sufficiently to satisfy the best mode requirement. The ’966 patent schematically disclosed the functions of that “chip” in Figure 7 and provided a textual description of its functions. See ’966 patent, col. 13, lines 41-64. Because adequate disclosure of the functions of the “chip” was in the specification, failure to specifically identify a particular manufacturer’s “chip” was not fatal to satisfaction of the best mode requirement. Accordingly, the jury’s finding that the ’966 patent satisfied the best mode requirement was supported by substantial evidence, and the district court did not err in denying GE’s motion for JMOL concerning that issue.