throbber
Case 1:17-cv-00770-JDW Document 438 Filed 07/25/24 Page 1 of 7 PageID #: 39243
`
`IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
`FOR THE DISTRICT OF DELAWARE
`
`
`
`
`
`C.A. No. 17-770-JDW
`
`JURY TRIAL DEMANDED
`
`
`
`)))))))))
`
`
`Defendant.
`
`CATERPILLAR INC.’S MOTION TO COMPEL MACHINE INSPECTIONS
`Bindu A. Palapura (#5370)
`Andrew L. Brown (#6766)
`POTTER ANDERSON & CORROON LLP
`Hercules Plaza, 6th Floor
`1313 N. Market Street
`Wilmington, DE 19801
`Tel: (302) 984-6000
`bpalapura@potteranderson.com
`abrown@potteranderson.com
`
`Attorneys for Defendant Caterpillar Inc
`
`
`Plaintiff,
`
`
`
`v.
`
`WIRTGEN AMERICA, INC.,
`
`
`
`
`
`CATERPILLAR INC.,
`
`
`
`OF COUNSEL:
`
`James C. Yoon
`Ryan R. Smith
`Christopher D. Mays
`WILSON SONSINI GOODRICH & ROSATI, P.C.
`650 Page Mill Road
`Palo Alto, California 94304
`Telephone: (650) 493-9300
`
`Lucy Yen
`Cassie L. Black
`WILSON SONSINI GOODRICH & ROSATI, P.C.
`1301 Avenue of the Americas, 40th Floor
`New York, New York 10019
`Telephone: (212) 999-5800
`
`Matthew A. Macdonald
`Neil N. Desai
`Naoya Son
`Alex J. Turner
`WILSON SONSINI GOODRICH & ROSATI, P.C.
`953 E. 3rd Street #100
`Los Angeles, California 90013
`Telephone: (323) 210-2900
`
`Dated: July 25, 2024
`11670051 /11898.00005
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`

`

`Case 1:17-cv-00770-JDW Document 438 Filed 07/25/24 Page 2 of 7 PageID #: 39244
`
`
`
`I.
`
`INTRODUCTION
`
`Although the parties negotiated—and the Court ordered—a supplemental discovery period
`
`that would include machine inspections, Wirtgen has been evading Caterpillar’s multiple requests
`
`for its technical experts to inspect certain accused products since March 2023. Because inspections
`
`of accused machines are indisputably relevant, Caterpillar respectfully moves to compel inspection
`
`of the accused SP 94i machine.1 Further, to the extent the Court grants Caterpillar’s Motion for
`
`Leave to Amend (D.I. 426), Caterpillar moves to compel inspection of the newly-identified
`
`machines (or their corresponding representative products) as well.
`
`II.
`
`FACTUAL BACKGROUND
`A.
`
`Caterpillar’s Request for an Inspection of the SP 94i Has Been Outstanding
`Since Before the Stay Was Entered
`
`Caterpillar’s request for an inspection of the SP 94i has been outstanding for over a year.
`
`On March 12, 2023, the parties agreed on representative products for each asserted patent. D.I.
`
`186 (Joint Stipulation Regarding Representative Accused Products). For the ’995 Patent, the
`
`parties agreed that (i) the W 120 CFi is representative of the W100 CF, W100 CFi, W120 CF,
`
`W120 CFi, W130 CF, and W130 CFi accused products; and (ii) the SP 94i is representative of the
`
`SP 64i, SP 94i, and SP 124i accused products. Id. Before the close of fact discovery originally
`
`scheduled for March 2023, Caterpillar requested an opportunity for Dr. Sorini, who had been
`
`retained and disclosed earlier that month, to inspect, among other machines, the SP 94i. See Exs.
`
`
`1 Caterpillar’s inspection requests are made pursuant to Request for Production No. 43, which
`seeks “[a]n example for inspection of each version of each Accused Wirtgen America Product
`sold, offered for sale, sold for importation into the United States, or imported into the United States
`by Wirtgen America.” In response, Wirtgen stated: “Wirtgen America will produce relevant, non-
`privileged documents that are responsive to this Request, to the extent they exist within Wirtgen
`America’s possession, custody, or control, and can be located after a reasonable search.” Ex. F at
`65-66.
`
`
`
`

`

`Case 1:17-cv-00770-JDW Document 438 Filed 07/25/24 Page 3 of 7 PageID #: 39245
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`
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`A-B. Soon thereafter, the parties reached an agreement on a stay of the ’995 and ’538 patents, and
`
`the inspection request was held in abeyance during that stay.
`
`B.
`
`Caterpillar Repeatedly Renewed Its Request for an Inspection of the SP 94i
`After the Stay Was Lifted
`
`On April 1, 2024, the Court lifted the stay. D.I. 360. As early as April 16, 2024, Caterpillar
`
`informed Wirtgen that it sought additional machine inspections. Ex. C at 8. On April 23, 2024,
`
`Caterpillar identified machines that its newly-retained expert (Dr. Charles Reinholtz) (Ex. D)
`
`would need to inspect, including the SP 94i.2 Ex. C at 4. On June 14, 2024, the parties entered
`
`into a stipulation regarding supplemental discovery, which expressly provided for the parties to
`
`conduct machine inspections. D.I. 412 (agreeing to new deadline to “complete supplemental
`
`interrogatory responses, document productions, and machine inspections”) (emphasis added).
`
`Except for the W 220 XFi released after the stay, Wirtgen continues to refuse to permit any
`
`inspections. Ex. C at 2. Wirtgen disputes whether certain accused products are part of these
`
`proceedings, but also refuses inspections of products that have always been accused and are
`
`indisputably relevant, including the representative SP 94i machine. Pursuant to Local Rule 7.1.1,
`
`the parties exchanged written correspondence and held meet and confer teleconferences with
`
`Delaware counsel on June 12 and July 10, but were unable to resolve the dispute. The parties
`
`agree that they are at an impasse on this issue. Ex. E at 1.
`
`III. ARGUMENT
`
`
`2 At one point after the stay was lifted, Wirtgen claimed that it did not have a SP 94i available to
`inspect. If it is available now, Caterpillar is entitled to inspect it. Otherwise, Caterpillar requests
`that Wirtgen make available another representative slipform paver.
`
`2
`
`

`

`Case 1:17-cv-00770-JDW Document 438 Filed 07/25/24 Page 4 of 7 PageID #: 39246
`
`
`
`A. Wirtgen Should Be Compelled to Permit an Inspection of the SP 94i
`
`There is no dispute that the SP 94i inspection is highly relevant. This machine has been
`
`accused from the beginning of this matter, and Wirtgen agreed that it is a representative product.
`
`D.I. 186. Inspections of accused products are often “the most efficient and accurate method for
`
`determining whether the patented technology or processes have been infringed.” Stamps.com, Inc.
`
`v. Endicia, Inc., No. 06-7499-ODW(CTx), 2008 WL 11339110, at *1 (C.D. Cal. June 24, 2008)
`
`(finding that inspection of accused servers is proper); see 3M v. Nippon Carbide Indus. Co., 171
`
`F.R.D. 246, 248-49 (D. Minn. 1997) (“plant inspection provides the most efficient and effective
`
`means for determining whether a patented process had been infringed”); Cuno Inc. v. Pall Corp.,
`
`116 F.R.D. 279, 281 (E.D.N.Y. 1987) (granting plaintiff's motion to compel inspection of
`
`manufacturing facility to assess infringement in part because “inspections are not an extraordinary
`
`means of discovery in patent suits”).
`
`Both parties have already inspected over a dozen Caterpillar and Wirtgen machines to
`
`assess infringement, invalidity, and other issues. Discussion, photos, and videos of these
`
`inspections were featured prominently in the first trial. See, e.g., Trial Tr. at 1081:9-1082:12 (Dr.
`
`Klopp); id. at 1740:8-1741:13 (Dr. Sorini); id. at 1175:12-24 (Dr. Smith); id. at 1716:4-1717:8
`
`(Dr. Rakow); id. at 537:16-541:6 (Mr. Engelmann); id. at 584:16-586:4 (Dr. Lumkes); id. at
`
`675:23-676:1; 683:4-9 (Dr. Meyer); id. at 799:11-800:17, 807:8-808:17 (Dr. Rahn).
`
`Wirtgen argues that Caterpillar’s inspection requests are untimely because the inspections
`
`should have been conducted before the stay was entered. This claim is meritless. First, Caterpillar
`
`has consistently and diligently sought an inspection of the SP 94i for its infringement experts since
`
`before the expiration of the original fact discovery period and before the stay. See Exs. B-C
`
`(seeking inspection at least six times since March 2023); see also Barry v. Stryker Corp., 2023
`
`WL 3293057, at *2 (D. Del. May 2, 2023) (allowing deposition after deadline for completion of
`
`3
`
`

`

`Case 1:17-cv-00770-JDW Document 438 Filed 07/25/24 Page 5 of 7 PageID #: 39247
`
`
`
`fact discovery because requesting party showed good cause: “Good cause is present when the
`
`schedule cannot be met despite the moving party’s diligence”); Windsor Craft Sales, LLC v.
`
`VICEM Yat Sanayi Ve Ticaret AS, No. 10-297 ADM/JJG, 2011 WL 4625761, at *3 (D. Minn. Oct
`
`3, 2011) (permitting expert inspection after close of fact discovery when party seeking inspection
`
`was “diligent in this case in . . . getting things to move forward”). When the stay lifted, Caterpillar
`
`diligently renewed its request. Ex. C at 7-8.
`
`Second, contrary to Wirtgen’s claims, Caterpillar’s inspection request is timely because
`
`fact discovery remains open, and the parties have agreed to include machine inspections in the
`
`supplemental discovery period. D.I. 412. If Wirtgen wished to preclude machine inspections or
`
`limit them in some way, it could have included this limitation in the stipulation that the Court has
`
`now ordered. But Wirtgen agreed to exactly the opposite in entering into a stipulation that
`
`expressly provides for “machine inspections.”
`
`Third, there have been material case developments that make a post-stay inspection not
`
`only helpful but necessary. For example, on March 10, 2023, the Court issued its Claim
`
`Construction Order construing terms of the ’995 patent. See D.I. 167 at 16-17. Also, during the
`
`stay, the Patent Office issued its final written decisions, altering how the parties may litigate their
`
`infringement and invalidity cases. Ex. C at 1. Additionally, after the parties agreed to a new round
`
`of expert discovery, Caterpillar disclosed a new technical expert (Dr. Reinholtz) on April 25, 2024.
`
`He is entitled to an independent inspection to formulate his opinions.3 See, e.g., Milazzo v. Elite
`
`Contracting Grp., Inc., No. 19-cv-1607 (TSE/TCB), 2020 WL 13499534, at *3 (E.D. Va Aug. 10,
`
`
`3 Wirtgen has had months to schedule the inspections. But to the extent Wirtgen requires
`additional time to arrange logistics, Caterpillar does not object to scheduling the inspection after
`the close of fact discovery but sufficiently in advance of opening expert reports. See Windsor
`Craft Sales, LLC v. VICEM Yat Sanayi Ve Ticaret AS, No. 10-297 ADM/JJG, 2011 WL 4625761,
`at *3 (D. Minn. Oct. 3, 2011) (permitting expert inspection after close of fact discovery).
`
`4
`
`

`

`Case 1:17-cv-00770-JDW Document 438 Filed 07/25/24 Page 6 of 7 PageID #: 39248
`
`
`
`2020) (permitting inspection by “new expert witnesses in this matter” despite prior inspection);
`
`Sindelar v. Dorman Prods. Inc., No. 8:14-cv-274, 2015 WL 12803647, at *1-2 (D. Neb. Mar. 31,
`
`2015) (“Discovery has not closed in this suit, and Defendant should be allowed the opportunity to
`
`have its expert test and examine the control arm”).
`
`B. Wirtgen Should be Compelled to Permit an Inspection of the Other
`Identified Accused Products
`
`As outlined in its Motion for Leave to Amend (D.I. 426), Caterpillar’s proposed amended
`
`contentions identify additional accused products by model number. Those additional accused
`
`products had previously been described in more general terms, but not specifically by model
`
`number. In April 2024, along with the SP 94i, Caterpillar also requested inspections of these new
`
`machines, or their corresponding representative products. While claiming that it would be
`
`burdensome to arrange for multiple inspections, Wirtgen has inexplicably refused to discuss any
`
`further stipulations on representativeness that would alleviate the claimed burden.
`
`To the extent the Court grants Caterpillar’s Motion for Leave to Amend, Caterpillar seeks
`
`an order compelling inspections of these machines and will work in good faith to minimize the
`
`burden on both parties, including through the inspection of representative products.
`
`IV. CONCLUSION
`
`For the reasons outlined above, Caterpillar respectfully requests that the Court grant
`
`Caterpillar’s Motion to Compel Wirtgen to permit inspections of the SP 94i, as well as the accused
`
`products listed in Caterpillar’s Fourth Amended Infringement Contentions (or their corresponding
`
`representative products).
`
`5
`
`

`

`Case 1:17-cv-00770-JDW Document 438 Filed 07/25/24 Page 7 of 7 PageID #: 39249
`
`
`
`Respectfully submitted,
`POTTER ANDERSON & CORROON LLP
`
`By: /s/ Bindu A. Palapura
`Bindu A. Palapura (#5370)
`Andrew L. Brown (#6766)
`Hercules Plaza, 6th Floor
`1313 N. Market Street
`Wilmington, DE 19801
`Tel: (302) 984-6000
`bpalapura@potteranderson.com
`abrown@potteranderson.com
`
`
`Attorneys for Defendant Caterpillar Inc.
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`OF COUNSEL:
`
`James C. Yoon
`Ryan R. Smith
`Christopher D. Mays
`WILSON SONSINI GOODRICH & ROSATI, P.C.
`650 Page Mill Road
`Palo Alto, CA 94304
`Tel: (650) 493-9300
`
`Lucy Yen
`Cassie Leigh Black
`WILSON SONSINI GOODRICH & ROSATI, P.C.
`1301 Avenue of the Americas, 40th Floor
`New York, NY 10019
`Tel: (212) 999-5800
`
`Matthew A. Macdonald
`Neil N. Desai
`Naoya Son
`Alex J. Turner
`WILSON SONSINI GOODRICH & ROSATI, P.C.
`953 E. 3rd St., #100
`Los Angeles, California 90013
`Tel: (323) 210-2900
`
`Jennifer (Celine) Liu
`Randal C. Miller
`WILSON SONSINI GOODRICH & ROSATI, P.C.
`701 5th Avenue #5100
`Seattle, WA 98104
`Tel: (206) 883-2500
`
`Dated: July 25, 2024
`11670051 /11898.00005
`
`6
`
`

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