Metaframe Corporation v. Biozonics Corporation

RUBIN, * District Judge:

In a competitive struggle, almost as determined as that of two male betta splendens, or Siamese fighting fish, the manufacturers of concededly similar aquarium filtering devices, one the patent assignee, the other its challenger, here join battle to determine the validity of the patent. Since the patent is virtually conceded to possess utility, the victory turns on whether the two other legislative requisites 1 are met: whether the device was obvious at the time it was conceived to a person of ordinary skill in the art, and whether the concept was novel. The issues are…