F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Switzerland ... vs Cipla Ltd., Mumbai Central, Mumbai on 7 September, 2012
20. We will now assess the doctrine of non-obviousness, a critical legal
standard that prohibits the granting of patents for inventions that do not
achieve a substantial level of innovation. According to the judicial
precedents explaining the concept of a Person Skilled in the Art ('PSITA'),9
in this case, the PSITA would be a person proficient in the general practices
of on-board diagnostics ('OBD') designing and up-to-date with the latest
developments, particularly those related to OBD for vehicles. Next, it is
essential to evaluate whether PSITA could have combined existing teachings
to conceive the invention and, crucially, whether there was a compelling
motivation to combine these elements in the manner proposed by the
invention. In this analysis, considering the technical features of D4 and D5
discussed above, it would be a logical progression for PSITA aiming to
enhance vehicle tracking systems to amalgamate these elements. PSITA
would easily recognize the benefits of merging D5's portable design with
D4's extensive monitoring capabilities to forge a versatile and efficient
tracking device. Moreover, no economic benefits of creating a device that is
both portable and capable of comprehensive monitoring, have been set out
in the subject invention. The fusion of portability with comprehensive
9
See, Biswanath Prasad Radhey Shyam v. Hindustan Metal Industries Ltd, (1979) 2 SCC 511,
F.Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd & Anr. v Cipla Ltd.. 2015: DHC:9674-DB, ALIMENTARY HEALTH
LIMITED v. CONTROLLER OF PATENTS AND DESIGN 2024: DHC: 3920
Signature Not Verified
Digitally Signed C.A.(COMM.IPD-PAT) 328/2022 Page 25 of 28
By:SAPNA SETHI
Signing Date:29.05.2024
18:55:03
monitoring, though beneficial, aligns with the expected competencies of a
PSITA informed by D4 and D5. Therefore, this combination does not
manifest as an inventive step but rather a predictable refinement of existing
technologies.