Aristocrat Technologies Australia Pty Limited v Commissioner of Patents (No 3) [2024] FCA 212

FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

Aristocrat Technologies Australia Pty Limited v Commissioner of Patents (No 3) [2024] FCA 212 On remittal from: Commissioner of Patents v Aristocrat Technologies Australia Pty Ltd [2021] FCAFC 202

File number(s): NSD 1343 of 2018

Judgment of: BURLEY J

Date of judgment: 8 March 2024

Catchwords: PATENTS – operation of 23(2)(a) of the Judiciary Act 1903 (Cth) – split decision of the High Court of Australia – where decision of the Full Court of the Federal Court of Australia affirmed – approach to be taken by single judge on remitter – whether Aristocrat Technologies Australia Pty Ltd v Commissioner of Patents [2022] HCA 29 has a ratio decidendi –Full Court decision in Commissioner of Patents v Aristocrat Technologies Australia Pty Ltd [2021] FCAFC 202 applied PATENTS –manner of manufacture – electronic gaming machines ('EGMs') – innovation patents for EGMs and methods for providing feature games – whether claims for a "manner of manufacture" within meaning of s 18(1A)(a) of the Patents Act 1990 (Cth) – application of majority reasoning of Full Court on remitter – residual claims not a manner of manufacture

Legislation: Intellectual Property Laws Amendment (Raising the Bar) Act 2012 (Cth) Judiciary Act 1903 (Cth) s 23(2)(a) Patents Act 1990 (Cth) ss 18(1), 18(1A)(a), 101F(4) Statute of Monopolies (1623) (21 Jac 1, c 3) s 6 35 United States Code §101 Patents Act 1977 (UK) Convention on the Grant of European Patents (1973)

Cases cited: Apotex Pty Ltd v Sanofi-Aventis Australia Pty Ltd [2013] HCA 50; (2013) 253 CLR 284 Ariosa Diagnostics, Inc v Sequenom, Inc [2021] FCAFC 101; (2021) 391 ALR 473 Aristocrat Technologies Australia Pty Limited [2018] APO 45 Aristocrat Technologies Australia Pty Ltd v Commissioner of Patents [2022] HCA 29 Aristocrat Technologies Australia Pty Ltd v Konami Australia Pty Ltd [2015] FCA 735; (2015) 114 IPR 28 Aristocrat Technologies Australia Pty Ltd v Konami Australia Pty Ltd (No 3) [2022] FCA 1373; (2022) 409 ALR 418 Burroughs Corporation (Perkins') Application [1974] RPC 147 CCOM Pty Ltd v Jiejing Pty Ltd [1994] FCA 396; (1994) 51 FCR 260 Commissioner of Patents v Aristocrat Technologies Australia Pty Ltd [2021] FCAFC 202 Commissioner of Patents v Rokt Pty Ltd [2020] FCAFC 86, (2020) 277 FCR 267 Commissioner of Patents v RPL Central Pty Ltd [2015] FCAFC 177; (2015) 238 FCR 27 Commissioner of Taxation (Cth) v St Helens Farm (ACT) Pty Ltd [1981] HCA 4; (1981) 146 CLR 336 D'Arcy v Myriad Genetics Inc [2015] HCA 35; (2015) 258 CLR 334 Encompass Corporation Pty Ltd v InfoTrack Pty Ltd [2019] FCAFC 161; (2019) 372 ALR 646 Fencott v Muller [1983] HCA 12; (1983) 152 CLR 570 Grant v Commissioner of Patents [2006] FCAFC120; (2006) 154 FCR 62 International Business Machines Corporation v Commissioner of Patents [1991] FCA 811; (1991) 33 FCR 218 Milne v Commissioner of Taxation (Cth) [1976] HCA 2; (1976) 133 CLR 526 Monis v The Queen [2013] HCA 4; (2013) 249 CLR 92 National Research Development Corporation v Commissioner of Patents [1959] HCA 67; 102 CLR 252 NV Philips Gloeilampenfabrieken v Mirabella International Pty Ltd [1995] HCA 15; (1995) 183 CLR 655 Perara-Cathcart v The Queen [2017] HCA 9; (2017) 260 CLR 595 Re Wakim; Ex parte McNally [1999] HCA 27; (1999) 198 CLR 511 Research Affiliates LLC v Commissioner of Patents [2014] FCAFC 150; (2014) 227 FCR 378 Technologies Australia Pty Limited v Commissioner of Patents [2020] FCA 778 Unions NSW v New South Wales [2013] HCA 58; (2013) 252 CLR 530