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  • PTAB · Nov 26, 2019 · IPR2019-00032 · APJ Frederick C Laney · IPR · Rehearing

    The Board denied rehearing and maintained its denial of institution because § 315(a)(1) barred review after Petitioner filed and voluntarily dismissed a declaratory judgment action.

    RulingsRehearing decision
    • RehearingRehearing, deniedDenied

      “the Board misapprehended or overlooked, and the place where each matter was previously addressed.” 37 C.F.R. § 42.71(d). The party challenging a decision in a request for rehearing bears the burden of showing that the decision should be modified. Id.” slip op. at 2

    • PTAB / AIA Trials › §315(b) time barInstitution denied time barInstitution denied

      “institution of an inter partes review because Petitioner previously filed a declaratory judgment action challenging the validity of claims in the ’012 patent, notwithstanding Petitioner’s voluntary dismissal without prejudice of that declaratory judgment action. Dec. 5–8. We explained that our conclusion was compelled by the Federal Circuit’s analysis in Click-to-Call Technologies, LP v. Ingenio, Inc., 899 F.3d 1321 (Fed. Cir. 2018) (en banc as to footnote 3). Dec. 6–8.” slip op. at 2

    Discretionary denial
    Patents in suitUS 8,155,012
  • PTAB · Oct 16, 2019 · IPR2019-00961 · APJ Jean R Homere · IPR · Institution

    The Board denied institution in IPR2019-00961 and IPR2019-00962 because substantially overlapping district court litigation was advanced and scheduled to conclude before a Board decision.

    RulingsInstitution decision
    • PTAB / AIA Trials › Discretionary denial › Fintiv (parallel litigation)Institution denied fintivInstitution denied

      “discretion under § 314(a) to deny a petition upon determining that institution would be an inefficient use of Board resources. NHK Spring, IPR2018- 00752, Paper 8 at 19–20. In particular, the Board determined that it was proper to exercise discretion to deny institution in a case having a parallel district court proceeding involving (i) the same patent/parties, (ii) the same claim construction standard, (iii) the same prior art references, and (iv) the same arguments as in the district court proceeding, which was scheduled to be completed before a final decision would have been due in the Board proceeding.7 See id. The Board determined that these circumstances supported denial of the petition under § 314(a), considering the AIA’s objective “to provide an effective and efficient alternative to district court litigation.” Id. at 20 (quoting Gen. Plastic8). We agree with TRUSTID that the case before us presents circumstances that support denial of institution under § 314(a). Prelim. Resp. 15–19.” slip op. at 10

    • Other 314aInstitution denied discretionary otherInstitution denied

      “e. Additional Factor: Next Caller’s Delay Next Caller’s delay in filing the Petition weighs in favor of the Board exercising discretion to deny institution under § 314. As depicted in table 4 below, at the time of the ’039 Petition, Next Caller was aware or could have reasonably been aware of the prior art asserted in the challenges set forth in the instant proceeding.” slip op. at 15

    Discretionary denialcites Phillips
    Patents in suitUS 8,238,532
  • PTAB · Sep 17, 2019 · IPR2018-01626 · APJ Lynne E Pettigrew · IPR · Rehearing

    The Board denied Avigilon’s rehearing request and maintained denial of institution because § 315(a)(1) barred review after Avigilon’s earlier declaratory judgment action, despite its dismissal without prejudice.

    RulingsRehearing decision
    • RehearingRehearing, deniedDenied

      “II. DISCUSSION The party challenging a decision in a request for rehearing bears the burden of showing the decision should be modified. 37 C.F.R. § 42.71(d). A request for rehearing “must specifically identify all matters the party believes the Board misapprehended or overlooked, and the place where each matter was previously addressed.” Id.” slip op. at 2

    • PTAB / AIA Trials › Institution threshold (reasonable likelihood / more likely than not)Institution denied discretionary otherInstitution denied

      “designated as precedential the decision denying institution of inter partes review in Cisco Systems, Inc. v. Chrimar Systems, Inc., IPR2018-01511, Paper 11 (PTAB Jan. 31, 2019) (precedential). In that decision, the Board addressed the § 315(a)(1) bar in light of the Federal Circuit’s discussion of the § 315(b) time bar in Click-to-Call. See Cisco, Paper 11 at 5 n.1. The Board held in Cisco that § 315(a)(1) barred institution of an inter partes review even though an earlier civil action challenging the validity of a claim of the patent at issue had been voluntarily dismissed without prejudice. Id. at 8. Cisco is binding precedent in the present case, which involves the same issue of statutory interpretation applied to similar facts. See Patent Trial and Appeal Board Standard Operating Procedure 2 (rev. 10) § III.D. Thus, pursuant to the ruling in Cisco, § 315(a)(1) bars institution of an inter partes review of the ’864 patent based on the Petition in this case. Petitioner, therefore, has not shown that our Decision should be modified, and accordingly we deny Petitioner’s Request for Rehearing.” slip op. at 3

    Discretionary denial
    Patents in suitUS 7,034,864
  • PTAB · Jul 1, 2019 · IPR2019-00485 · APJ Christa P Zado · IPR · Institution

    The Board denied institution because ZTE filed a civil action challenging the patent’s validity before filing the petition, barring review under § 315(a)(1).

    RulingsInstitution decision
    • PTAB / AIA Trials › Institution threshold (reasonable likelihood / more likely than not)Institution denied

      “For the foregoing reasons, we determine that under the circumstances presented here, institution of inter partes review is barred under 35 U.S.C. § 315(a)(1). Therefore, we do not institute an inter partes review in this proceeding. In addition, because institution of inter partes review is barred under § 315(a)(1) and this section does not provide an exception for joinder under 35 U.S.C. § 315(c), we dismiss Petitioner’s Motion as moot.” slip op. at 11

    • PTAB / AIA Trials › Real party in interest / privityDecided for patent owner

      “We agree with Patent Owner that § 315(a)(1) bars institution of inter partes review in this case. There is no dispute that ZTE is the petitioner and a real party-in-interest in this proceeding. See Pet. 1 (identifying ZTE as the petitioner); see also id. at 79 (identifying ZTE as a real party-in-interest). Patent Owner contends, and Petitioner does not dispute, that on October 9, 2018, prior to the December 20, 2018 filing date of the Petition, ZTE filed a complaint for declaratory judgment alleging invalidity of the ’970 patent. Prelim. Resp. 4 (citing ZTE (USA), Inc. v. AGIS Software Devlopment LLC et al., No. 4:18-cv-06185 (N.D. Cal.) (filed October 9, 2018) (“ZTE action”)). Because ZTE filed a civil action challenging the validity of the ’970 patent before the date on which it filed the Petition, we agree with Patent Owner that inter partes review is barred by ZTE’s civil action. 35 U.S.C. § 315(a)(1).” slip op. at 8

    • PTAB / AIA Trials › Joinder §315(c) / SAS all-or-nothingDenied

      “Unlike 35 U.S.C. § 315(b), which provides an exception to the statutory time bar when a request for joinder is filed, nothing in the language of § 315(a)(1) indicates that the time bar does not apply if a party files for joinder. Consistent with the plain language of § 315(a)(1), which does not include a joinder exception, the Board has expressly held that a motion for joinder does not exempt a petitioner from the statutory bar under this section. Prelim. Resp. 5 (citing Colas Sols. Inc. v. Blacklidge Emulsions, Inc., Case IPR2018-00243, slip op. at 6, 9 (PTAB Feb. 27, 2018) (Paper 10) (informative)).” slip op. at 9

    Discretionary denial
    Patents in suitUS 8,213,970

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