Axent Holdings Pty Ltd t/a Axent Global v Compusign Australia Pty Ltd

• Jurisdiction: Australia Federal only
• Judge: KENNY J
• Judgment Date: 25 September 2020
• Neutral Citation: [2020] FCA 1373
• Court: Federal Court
• Date: 25 September 2020

FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

Axent Holdings Pty Ltd t/a Axent Global v Compusign Australia Pty Ltd [2020] FCA 1373

File number:	VID 1408 of 2016
Judge:	KENNY J
Date of judgment:	25 September 2020
Catchwords:	PATENTS – changing sign system for use as variable speed limit sign on roadways – construction of claims – whether method or product claims – product claims containing a limitation by result – clarity of claims – infringement – defence of Crown use – defence of innocent infringement – defence of prior use – lapsed patent – alleged invalidity of patent on grounds of lack of novelty, inventive step and entitlement, and failure to disclose best method – held: no infringement; patent wholly invalid for lack of inventive step; partially invalid for want of novelty
Legislation:	Acts Interpretation Act 1901 (Cth) s 15AA City of Adelaide Act 1998 (SA) s 4 City of Greater Geelong Act 1993 (Vic) s 5 Copyright Act 1968 (Cth) s 115 Evidence Act 1995 (Cth) ss 60, 63, 67, 69, 79, 135, 136, 160, 192 Federal Court Rules 2011 (Cth) rr 1.34, 23.13, 30.29 Highways Act 1926 (SA) ss 2, 8, 10(1), 13, 20, 20B, 26, 28, 31, 31A, 32 Local Government Act 1989 (Vic) ss 3C, 3D, 111, 111A, 132, 133, 135, 186, 203, 204, 205, 206, 207, 208H, 209, 218, 218A Patents Act 1903 (Cth) Patents Act 1949 (UK) s 59 Patents Act 1952 (Cth) ss 100, 125, 132, 158 Patents Act 1977 (UK) ss 62, 64 Patents Act 1990 (Cth) ss 7, 13, 18, 22A, 24, 40, 115, 117, 119, 120, 122, 123, 138, 139, 143, 162, 163, 223, Sch 1 Patents Regulations 1991 (Cth) regs 2.2, 2.3, 13.3, 13.6 Transport Act 1983 (Vic) ss 15, 16, 21, 31 Transport Integration Act 2010 (Vic) ss 80, 82)
Cases cited:	Actavis Pty Ltd v Orion Corporation [2016] FCAFC 121 Aktiebolaget Hässle v Alphapharm Pty Ltd [2000] FCA 1303; 51 IPR 375 Aktiebolaget Hässle v Alphapharm Pty Ltd[2002] HCA 59; 212 CLR 411 Aktiengesellschaft für Autogene Aluminium Schweissung v London Aluminium Co Ltd(No 2)(1923) 40 RPC 107 Albany Molecular Research Inc v Alphapharm Pty Ltd[2011] FCA 120; 90 IPR 457 Alcan (NT) Alumina Pty Ltd v Commissioner of Territory Revenue[2009] HCA 41; 239 CLR 27 Alphapharm Pty Ltd v H Lundbeck A/S[2008] FCA 559; 76 IPR 618 Anaesthetic Supplies Pty Ltd v Rescare Ltd (1994) 50 FCR 1; 122 ALR 141; 28 IPR 383 Apotex Pty Ltd v Les Laboratoires Servier (No 2) [2012] FCA 748 Apotex Pty Ltd v Sanofi-Aventis [2008] FCA 1191 Apotex Pty Ltd v Warner-Lambert Company LLC (No 2) [2016] FCA 1238; 122 IPR 17 Aspirating IP Limited v Vision Systems Limited[2010] FCA 1061; 88 IPR 52 AstraZeneca AB v Apotex Pty Ltd[2014] FCAFC 99; 226 FCR 324 AstraZeneca AB v Apotex Pty Ltd[2015] HCA 30; 257 CLR 356 Atlantis Corp Pty Ltd v Schindler (1997) 39 IPR 29 Austal Ships Sales Pty Ltd v Stena Rederi Aktiebolag[2008] FCAFC 121; 77 IPR 229 Australian Medic-Care Company Ltd v Hamilton Pharmaceutical Pty Ltd [2009] FCA 1220; 261 ALR 501 Australian Mud Company Pty Ltd v Coretell Pty Ltd (No 4) [2015] FCA 1372 B. Braun Melsungen AG v Multigate Medical Devices Pty Ltd [2014] FCA 1110 Bank of Credit & Commerce International v Price Waterhouse (No 3)[1998] Ch 84 Beadcrete Pty Ltd v Fei Yu (t/as Jewels 4 Pools) (No 3) [2013] FCA 187; 100 IPR 188 Bitech Engineering v Garth Living Pty Ltd[2010] FCAFC 75; 86 IPR 468 Blatch v Archer (1774) 1 Cowp 63; 98 ER 969 Bristol-Myers Co v Beecham Group Ltd[1974] AC 646; 2 WLR 79 Bristol-Myers Squibb Co v F H Faulding & Co Ltd [2000] FCA 316; 97 FCR 524 Britax Childcare Pty Ltd v Infa-Secure Pty Ltd (No 3) [2012] FCA 1019 Britax Childcare Pty Ltd v Infa-Secure Pty Ltd (No 4) [2015] FCA 651; 113 IPR 280 British Dynamite Co v Krebs (1879) 13 RPC 190 Catnic Components Ltd v Hill & Smith Ltd[1982] RPC 183 CCOM Pty Ltd v Jiejing Pty Ltd (1993) 27 IPR 577 Certain Lloyd’s Underwriters v Cross[2012] HCA 56; 248 CLR 378 Collins v Northern Territory [2007] FCAFC 152; 243 ALR 483 Commissioner of Patents v Emperor Sports Pty Ltd[2006] FCAFC 26; 149 FCR 386; 67 IPR 488 Commissioner of Taxation v Cassaniti [2018] FCAFC 212; 266 FCR 385 Committee of Direction of Fruit Marketing v Australian Postal Commission(1980) 144 CLR 577 Conor Medsystems Inc v University of British Columbia[2005] FCA 1661; 223 ALR 74 Coretell Pty Ltd v Australian Mud Co Pty Ltd [2017] FCAFC 54; 250 FCR 136 D’Arcy v Myriad Genetics Inc[2015] HCA 35; 258 CLR 334 Davies v Lazer Safe Pty Ltd [2018] FCA 702; 132 IPR 202 Dometic Australia Pty Ltd v Houghton Leisure Products Pty Ltd [2018] FCA 1573; 135 IPR 403 Doric Products Pty Ltd v Asia Pacific Trading (Aust) Pty Ltd [2017] FCA 849; 125 IPR 182 Doric Products Pty Ltd v Lockwood Security Products Pty Ltd [2001] FCA 1877; 53 IPR 270 Dyson Appliances Ltd v Hoover Ltd[2002] RPC 22 E.I. Du Pont (Witsiepe’s) Application [1982] FSR. 303 Seafood Innovations Pty Ltd v Richard Bass Pty Ltd[2011] FCAFC 83; 92 IPR 1 Elconnex Pty Limited v Gerard Industries Pty Limited (1991) 32 FCR 491 Electric and Musical Industries, Ltd v Lissen, Ltd [1938] 4 All ER 221 Eli Lilly and Company Limited v Apotex Pty Ltd [2013] FCA 214 Embertec Pty Ltd v Energy Efficient Technologies Pty Ltd [2013] FCA 2; 99 IPR 103 Emory University v Biochem Pharma Inc [1998] FCA 915; 42 IPR 35 Emperor Sports Pty Ltd v Commissioner of Patents[2005] FCA 996; 146 FCR 159 Firebelt Pty Ltd v Brambles Australia Ltd [2000] FCA 1689; 51 IPR 531 Firebelt Pty Ltd v Brambles Australia Ltd [2002] HCA 21; 188 ALR 280; 54 IPR 449 Flexible Steel Lacing Co v Beltreco Ltd[2000] FCA 890; 49 IPR 331 Food and Beverage Australia Limited v Nash [2020] SASC 92 Forticrete Ltd v Lafarge Roofing Ltd [2005] EWHC 3024 (Ch) Freeman v TJ and FL Pohlner Pty Ltd(1994) 30 IPR 377 Fresenius Medical Care Australia Pty Limited v Gambro Pty Limited[2005] FCAFC 220; 67 IPR 230; 224 ALR 168 General Steel Industries Inc v Commissioner for Railways (NSW) (1964) 112 CLR 125 General Tire & Rubber Co v Firestone Tyre & Rubber Co Ltd[1972] RPC 457 Generic Health Pty Ltd v Bayer Pharma Aktiengesellschaft [2014] FCAFC 73; 222 FCR 336; 106 IPR 381 GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare Investments (Ireland) (No 2) Ltd v Apotex Pty Ltd [2016] FCA 608; 119 IPR 1 GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare Investments (Ireland) (No 2) Ltd v Generic Partners Pty Ltd [2018] FCAFC 71; 264 FCR 474; 131 IPR 384 Global Blue SA v Visa USA Inc [2018] APO 86 Grove Hill Pty Ltd v Great Western Corporation Pty Ltd[2002] FCAFC 183; 55 IPR 257 Guest v Federal Commissioner of Taxation[2007] FCA 193; 65 ATR 815 H Lundbeck A/S v Alphapharm Pty Ltd [2009] FCAFC 70; 177 FCR 151; 81 IPR 228 H.Lundbeck A/S v Sandoz Pty Ltd [2018] FCA 1797; 137 IPR 408 Haberman v Jackel International Ltd[1999] FSR 683 Helitune Ltd v Stewart Hughes Ltd [1991] FSR 171 Hill v Evans (1862) 4 De GF & J 288; 1A IPR 1 ICI Chemicals & Polymers Ltd v Lubrizol Corporation Inc [2000] FCA 1349; 106 FCR 214 ICI Chemicals and Polymers...