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  • PTAB · Dec 12, 2022 · IPR2022-01109 · APJ Thomas L Giannetti · IPR · Institution

    The Board denied joinder and denied institution on all challenged claims and grounds because the petition was time-barred under § 315(b).

    RulingsInstitution decision
    • PTAB / AIA Trials › Joinder §315(c) / SAS all-or-nothingJoinder, deniedDenied

      “Practice Guide instructs us that a party seeking to maintain multiple challenges to the same patent claims carries a heavy burden of establishing that multiple petitions are necessary. Petitioner contends that Patent Owner has not carried that burden. Joinder Opp. 1. We agree. Petitioner has not explained why the 1492 IPR is an insufficient challenge. It is true that the 135 IPR involves Plamondon, another reference. But Petitioner has not explained how Plamondon differs from Crowds, Border, or MorphMix, or why granting joinder with the 135 IPR would be in the interest of justice, given Petitioner’s involvement managing the1492 IPR challenging substantially the same claims. In the words of our Trial Practice Guide, Petitioner fails to show “why the Board should exercise its discretion to institute additional petitions if it identifies one petition that satisfies petitioner’s burden under 35 U.S.C. § 314(a).” TPG 60. We see no evidence in the record suggesting that The Data Company is unqualified to manage the 135 IPR, or that Petitioner would add anything significant to that proceeding in its understudy role.” slip op. at 12

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

      “III. DENIAL OF INTER PARTES REVIEW It is undisputed that Petitioner was served with a complaint alleging infringement of the ’319 patent more than one year prior to filing the Petition in this proceeding. See Joinder Mot. 2; Joinder Opp. 1. Accordingly, in view of the denial of the requested relief of joinder with the 135 IPR, institution of inter partes review as requested by Petitioner is barred by statute. See 35 U.S.C. § 315(b); 37 C.F.R. § 42.101(b). IV. CONCLUSION For the foregoing reasons, we deny Petitioner’s Motion for Joinder. Because Petitioner is barred under 35 U.S.C. § 315(b) from seeking inter partes review of the ’319 patent, we deny the Petition and do not institute review as to any of the challenged claims.” slip op. at 13

    • PTAB / AIA Trials › Discretionary denial › Fintiv (parallel litigation)Not reached

      “For the reasons described below, we deny Petitioner’s Motion for Joinder. Furthermore, we deny the Petition as time-barred under 35 U.S.C. § 315(b). We do not reach Patent Owner’s additional contentions including those based on Fintiv or General Plastic.” slip op. at 3

    • PTAB / AIA Trials › Discretionary denial › General Plastic (serial petitions)Not reached

      “For the reasons described below, we deny Petitioner’s Motion for Joinder. Furthermore, we deny the Petition as time-barred under 35 U.S.C. § 315(b). We do not reach Patent Owner’s additional contentions including those based on Fintiv or General Plastic.” slip op. at 3

    Discretionary denial
    Patents in suitUS 10,257,319
  • PTAB · Mar 14, 2022 · IPR2021-01502 · APJ Thomas L Giannetti · IPR · Institution

    The Board denied joinder and denied institution on all challenged claims and grounds because the petition was time-barred under § 315(b).

    RulingsInstitution decision
    • PTAB / AIA Trials › Joinder §315(c) / SAS all-or-nothingJoinder, deniedDenied

      “Joinder may be authorized when warranted, but the decision to grant joinder is discretionary. See 35 U.S.C. § 315(c); 37 C.F.R. § 42.122. We agree with Petitioner that under § 315(b), a one-year bar does not apply when joinder is granted. However, in view of the specific facts of this case, we determine that grant of the joinder motion is not warranted because of prejudice to Patent Owner as well as Petitioner’s unexplained delay in seeking inter partes review. More specifically, allowing joinder would offer Petitioner a second bite at asserting invalidity after the dismissal of Petitioner’s invalidity counterclaims with prejudice in the prior district court action. We agree with Patent Owner that Petitioner’s “inconsistent actions” in dismissing the invalidity counterclaims with prejudice “undermine the integrity of the judicial process.” Opp. 7. Furthermore, Petitioner’s joinder attempt “undermine[s]” the prior dismissal with prejudice. Id. Patent Owner continues that Petitioner “now seek[s] a second bite at the invalidity apple.” Id. at 8. We agree that the prior dismissal with prejudice of Petitioner’s invalidity counterclaims weighs heavily in favor of denying joinder in this case.” slip op. at 8

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

      “B. Denial of Inter Partes Review It is undisputed that Petitioner was served with a complaint alleging infringement of the ’044 patent more than one year prior to filing the Petition in this proceeding. See Pet. 2. Accordingly, in view of the denial of the requested relief of joinder with IPR2021-00458, institution of inter partes review as requested by Petitioner is barred by statute. See 35 U.S.C. § 315(b); 37 C.F.R. § 42.101(b). VI. CONCLUSION For the foregoing reasons, we deny Petitioner’s motion for joinder. Because Petitioner is barred under 35 U.S.C. § 315(b) from seeking inter partes review of the ’044 patent, we deny the Petition and do not institute review as to any of the challenged claims. VII. ORDER Accordingly, it is: ORDERED that the Motion for Joinder is denied; and FURTHER ORDERED that, the Petition is denied as to all challenged claims and grounds and no trial is instituted.” slip op. at 9

    Discretionary denial
    Patents in suitUS 9,241,044
  • PTAB · Jun 8, 2016 · IPR2016-00493 · APJ Thomas L Giannetti · IPR · Institution

    The Board denied institution on all challenged claims because the petition was time-barred under § 315(b); the joinder motion was dismissed as moot.

    RulingsInstitution decision
    • PTAB / AIA Trials › Joinder §315(c) / SAS all-or-nothingJoinder, deniedDenied

      “II. DISMISSAL OF MOTION FOR JOINDER Because the petition in IPR2016-02000 was denied and inter partes review was not instituted, Petitioner’s Joinder Motion is dismissed as moot. 35 U.S.C. § 315(c).” slip op. at 3

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

      “Petitioner admits that a complaint alleging infringement of the ʼ731 patent was served on Petitioner more than a year before the filing date of the Petition. Pet. 4. Under 35 U.S.C. § 315(b), that is a bar to the institution of inter partes review unless Petitioner’s request for joinder is granted. See id., final sentence. Because we conclude supra that the joinder motion is dismissed, we conclude also that the Petition should be denied as time-barred under § 315(b). B. Denial on the Same Grounds as the ʼ2000 IPR” slip op. at 3

    Discretionary denial
    Patents in suitUS 7,418,731
  • PTAB · Jun 8, 2016 · IPR2016-00492 · APJ Thomas L Giannetti · IPR · Institution

    The Board denied institution on claims 1–18 as time-barred under § 315(b), after dismissing the joinder motion as moot because the related IPR was denied.

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

      “Petitioner admits that a complaint alleging infringement of the ʼ780 patent was served on Petitioner more than a year before the filing date of the Petition. Pet. 5. Under 35 U.S.C. § 315(b), that is a bar to the institution of inter partes review unless Petitioner’s request for joinder is granted. See id., final sentence. Because we conclude supra that the joinder motion is dismissed, we conclude also that the Petition should be denied as time-barred under § 315(b). B. Denial on the Same Grounds as the ʼ165 IPR” slip op. at 3

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

      “II. DISMISSAL OF MOTION FOR JOINDER Because the petition in IPR2016-00165 was denied and inter partes review was not instituted, Petitioner’s Joinder Motion is dismissed as moot. 35 U.S.C. § 315(c).” slip op. at 3

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

      “In view of our determination that the Petition is time-barred under 35 U.S.C. § 315(b), however, we do not need to decide this separate ground for denial urged by Patent Owner. IV. ORDER It is, therefore, ORDERED that the Motion for Joinder is dismissed as moot; FURTHER ORDERED that the Petition is denied as to all challenged claims and no trial is instituted.” slip op. at 4

    Discretionary denial
    Patents in suitUS 6,804,780

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