A federal judge in Pittsburgh has thrown out a lawsuit filed by a Pittsburgh company that claimed its so-called "Bio Cremation" service — a flameless process to cremate remains — was being unfairly targeted by two Indiana competitors.

Matthews International Corp. of Pittsburgh sued two Brownsburg firms — BioSafe Engineering and Digestor LLC — in March. Matthews claims those firms had advised the Pittsburgh company they have patented the process Matthews markets as "Bio Cremation." The Indiana firms use alkaline hydrolysis to dissolve corpses in a few hours.

The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review said Tuesday that a federal judge tossed the case because the Indiana firms haven't sued Matthews over the use of the technology. Until that happens, U.S. District Judge Nora Barry Fischer said it's not up to her to decide if there's a patent dispute or not.