Vehicle Intelligence & Safety LLC v. Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC, No. 13 C 4417, Slip Op. (N.D. Ill. Sep. 18, 2014) (Hart, Sen. J.).

Judge Hart construed the claims of plaintiff’s patent to methods for screening equipment operators for impairments.  The parties agreed that “expert system(s)” was the key term that required construction.  The Court construed “expert system(s)” as:

[A] computer program consisting of (1) a database module that contains information a specialist would consider in an analysis of an equipment operator for impairment; (2) a decision module that applies logic for screening and testing an equipment operator for impairment and for controlling equipment, and (3) an interface module which interfaces with one or more equipment modules and the equipment operator.

Having construed the key term, the Court held that the parties’ other six disputed terms did not require construction beyond their respective ordinary meetings.