- Arris Group, Inc. v. TQ Delta, LLCNo claims unpatentablePTAB · Dec 13, 2017 · IPR2016-01160 · APJ Matthew R Clements · IPR · Final written decision
Claims 1–20 were not held unpatentable because the asserted combination did not teach the construed synchronization signal.
RulingsFinal written decision- Prior constructionPrior construction not adoptedOther
“Owner that our construction in the Decision to Institute is overly broad to the extent it encompasses a synchronization frame. Petitioner relies heavily on column 5, lines 50 to 52 of the ’404 patent, but that disclosure does not unambiguously support Petitioner’s proposed construction. The paragraph, which we reproduce below for context, describes “normal (non-sleep mode) operation”: During normal (non-sleep mode) operation, a phase-lock loop (PLL) 62 receives from the FFT 56 a timing reference signal 62a (see FIG. 1A) via a line 62b. The timing reference signal 62a is transmitted from the transmitter with which the receiver 16 communicates (e.g., the CO transmitter). This signal is advantageously a pure tone of fixed frequency and phase which is synchronized with the Master Clock in the transmitter; its frequency defines the frame rate of the transceivers. Other forms of timing signal may, of course, be used, but use of a pure tone has the advantage of simplicity and reliability even when portions of the transceiver are powered down in accordance with the invention. The PLL 62 locks itself to this signal and drives clock 30 in synchronism with the Master Clock in the driving transmitter. This also synchronizes frame counter 34 of the CPE transceiver to the corresponding frame counter of the CO transceiver. Control of the receiver section is provided by the controller 32. Ex. 1001, 5:37–53 (emphasis added to 5:50–52). Rather than read “this” as referring to timing reference signal 62a, as Petitioner contends, we read “this” as referring to what is disclosed in the preceding sentence—i.e., driving clock 30 in synchronism with the Master Clock in the driving transmitter. The synchronism of clock 30 with the Master Clock in the driving transmitter is what “synchronizes frame counter 34 of the CPE transceiver to the corresponding frame counter of the CO transceiver.” Ex. 1001, 5:50–52.” slip op. at 7
- Claim Construction › Threshold & procedure › Whether a term needs construction (O2 Micro)No construction neededOther
“Having considered the arguments and evidence, we are not persuaded that this term requires an express construction. Patent Owner’s proposed construction merely replaces “full power mode operation” with “transmission and/or reception of data during normal operation.” The parties, however, do not dispute the meaning of “full power mode operation.” As a result, an express construction of this term is not necessary in order to resolve the parties’ dispute.” slip op. at 10
- Skill levelOther
“We determine that no express finding on a specific corresponding level of technical education and experience is necessary. Here, the level of ordinary skill in the art is reflected by the prior art of record. See Okajima v. Bourdeau, 261 F.3d 1350, 1355 (Fed. Cir. 2001); In re GPAC Inc., 57 F.3d 1573, 1579 (Fed. Cir. 1995); In re Oelrich, 579 F.2d 86, 91 (CCPA 1978).” slip op. at 11
- Obviousness (§103) › Motivation to combine / reasonable expectation of successNot reached
“We agree with Patent Owner. The contentions in the Petition are based upon Petitioner’s proposed construction of “synchronization signal” as encompassing a synchronization frame—i.e., “allowing for frame synchronization.” See, e.g., Pet. 24, 37–38. We have not adopted that construction, however, for the reasons discussed above. Because our construction of “synchronization signal” excludes a synchronization frame, we are not persuaded that the argument and evidence in the Petition shows that the combination of Bowie, Vanzieleghem, and ANSI T1.413 teaches transmitting/receiving, in full power mode, a “synchronization signal.” Moreover, we agree with Patent Owner that Petitioner’s reliance, in the Reply, upon the teachings of a pilot tone in Vanzieleghem and ANSI T1.413 constitutes a change in theory and, therefore, is beyond the scope of a proper reply. Notwithstanding the mention of “a pilot tone” in paragraph 58 of Dr. McNally’s declaration, the Petition itself unambiguously identifies the synchronization frame, not a pilot tone, as the recited “synchronization symbol.” See, e.g., Pet. 37–38 (citing Bowie’s and ANSI T1.413’s teachings of synchronization frame). We, therefore, do not address whether the pilot tone taught in Vanzieleghem and in ANSI T1.413 teaches the recited “synchronization signal.” As a result, Petitioner has not shown, by a preponderance of the evidence, that claims 1–20 would have been obvious over Bowie, Vanzieleghem, and ANSI T1.413.” slip op. at 15
Patent outcomesUS 8,611,404 not shown unpatentableClaim construction§ 103 obviousnesscites KSR · GrahamPatents in suitUS 8,611,404 - PTAB · Nov 14, 2017 · IPR2015-01802 · APJ Matthew R Clements · IPR · Rehearing
Granted rehearing and held claims 2, 4, and 6 unpatentable as obvious over Rabinovich because the wireless-network limitation encompasses a connection through a wireless hub.
RulingsRehearing decision- RehearingRehearing, grantedGranted
“II. STANDARD OF REVIEW A party requesting rehearing bears the burden of showing that the decision should be modified. 37 C.F.R. § 42.71(d). The party must identify specifically all matters we misapprehended or overlooked, and the place where each matter was addressed previously in a motion, an opposition, or a reply. Id. With this in mind, we address the arguments presented by Petitioner.” slip op. at 2
- Claim Construction › Intrinsic evidence (Phillips canons) › Plain and ordinary meaning to a POSITATerm construed board ownDecided for petitioner
“Ex. 1002, 3:41–49. Thus, the ’680 patent itself does not limit the recited “wireless network” to an ad hoc network. Moreover, we are not persuaded by Patent Owner’s contention that our construction of “computer unit” requires limiting the recited “wireless network” to an ad hoc network. Specifically, dependent claims 2 and 4 each recite “wherein the at least one computer unit and the at least two data storage units are connected over a wireless network.” Dependent claim 6 recites a similar limitation. We construed “computing unit” to encompass any computing device. Dec. 6. We did not, as Patent Owner contends, “construe[] both the ‘computer unit’ and ‘data storage units’ as hosts” (PO Br. 3). Although our construction encompasses Rabinovich’s hosts, it does not require the recited “computer unit” and “data storage units” to be hosts. Moreover, even assuming that both units are Rabinovich’s “hosts,” dependent claims 2, 4, and 6 require only that they be “connected over a wireless network,” not “between” or “directly connected to each other,” as Patent Owner contends (PO Br. 3). Thus, we are not persuaded by Patent Owner’s contention that two hosts “connected over a wireless network” necessarily requires a wireless connection “between” two hosts. Id. Based on our review of the ’680 patent, we construe “connected over a wireless network” as broad enough to encompass a connection through a wireless hub.” slip op. at 7
- Obviousness (§103) › Motivation to combine / reasonable expectation of successUnpatentableMotivation foundUnpatentable
“Ex. 1002, 3:41–49. Thus, the ’680 patent itself does not limit the recited “wireless network” to an ad hoc network. Moreover, we are not persuaded by Patent Owner’s contention that our construction of “computer unit” requires limiting the recited “wireless network” to an ad hoc network. Specifically, dependent claims 2 and 4 each recite “wherein the at least one computer unit and the at least two data storage units are connected over a wireless network.” Dependent claim 6 recites a similar limitation. We construed “computing unit” to encompass any computing device. Dec. 6. We did not, as Patent Owner contends, “construe[] both the ‘computer unit’ and ‘data storage units’ as hosts” (PO Br. 3). Although our construction encompasses Rabinovich’s hosts, it does not require the recited “computer unit” and “data storage units” to be hosts. Moreover, even assuming that both units are Rabinovich’s “hosts,” dependent claims 2, 4, and 6 require only that they be “connected over a wireless network,” not “between” or “directly connected to each other,” as Patent Owner contends (PO Br. 3). Thus, we are not persuaded by Patent Owner’s contention that two hosts “connected over a wireless network” necessarily requires a wireless connection “between” two hosts. Id. Based on our review of the ’680 patent, we construe “connected over a wireless network” as broad enough to encompass a connection through a wireless hub. Because we determine that the “wireless network” recited in dependent claims 2, 4, and 6 need not be an ad hoc network, Patent Owner’s argument that Rabinovich’s replication method would have been unsuitable for use over an ad hoc network does not persuasively rebut Petitioner’s showing. Having considered the arguments and evidence of both parties, we are persuaded that Petitioner has shown by a preponderance of the evidence that dependent claims 2, 4, and 6 are unpatentable under 35 U.S.C. § 103(a) as obvious over Rabinovich.” slip op. at 7
- ExcludeNot reached
“We decline to assess the merits of Petitioner’s Motion to Exclude. Even without excluding the identified evidence, we have concluded that Petitioner has demonstrated, by a preponderance of the evidence, that claims 2, 4, and 6 are unpatentable. Accordingly, Petitioner’s Motion to Exclude is dismissed as moot.” slip op. at 8
Claim construction§ 103 obviousnessPatents in suitUS 7,904,680 - Department Of Justice v. Discovery Patents, LLCSome claims unpatentablePTAB · Nov 9, 2017 · IPR2016-01041 · APJ Matthew R Clements · IPR · Final written decision
Claims 11, 12, 14, 16–18, and 20–31 are unpatentable over Monroe ’183; claims 15 and 19 were not shown unpatentable over Monroe ’183.
RulingsFinal written decision- PTAB / AIA Trials › Real party in interest / privityRpi dispute resolved for petitionerDecided for petitioner
“A petition for inter partes review may be considered only if, inter alia, “the petition identifies all real parties in interest.” 35 U.S.C. § 312(a)(2). The Office Patent Trial Practice Guide provides guidance regarding factors to consider in determining whether a party is a real party in interest. 77 Fed. Reg. 48,756, 48,759–60 (Aug. 14, 2012). Considerations may include whether a non-party “funds and directs and controls” an IPR petition or proceeding. Id. at 48,760. Additional relevant factors include: the non-party’s relationship with the petitioner; the non-party’s relationship to the petition itself, including the nature and/or degree of involvement in the filing; and the nature of the entity filing the petition. Id. Whether a party who is not a named participant in a given proceeding is a real party in interest to that proceeding “is a highly fact-dependent question.” Id. at 48,759. There is no “bright line test.” Id. Courts invoke the term real party in interest to describe relationships and considerations sufficient to justify applying conventional principles of estoppel and preclusion. Id. A non-party’s participation with a petitioner may be overt or covert, and the evidence may be direct or circumstantial, but the evidence as a whole must show that the non-party possessed effective control over the petitioner relating to the inter partes review. Zoll Lifecor Corp. v. Philips Elecs. N. Am. Corp., Case IPR2013-00609, slip op. at 10 (PTAB Mar. 20, 2014) (Paper 15). We have considered Patent Owner’s and Petitioner’s arguments and evidence, and we determine that Petitioner was not required to identify the Third Parties as real parties in interest because there is insufficient evidence that any of these companies exercised, or could exercise, control over Petitioner with respect to this proceeding. Patent Owner’s arguments regarding the motion practice before the Court of Federal Claims and notification of that action to the Third Parties does not reflect otherwise. Although we acknowledge that the existence of the above-identified indemnification clauses supports Patent Owner’s argument, we are unaware of any inter partes review decision in which a real party in interest finding was based solely on evidence of an indemnification clause, and we decline to do so here.” slip op. at 7
- PTAB / AIA Trials › Constitutional / APA (Arthrex, Oil States, due process)Decided for petitioner
“We decline to consider Patent Owner’s constitutional challenge as, generally, “administrative agencies do not have jurisdiction to decide the constitutionality of congressional enactments.” See Riggin v. Office of Senate Fair Employment Practices, 61 F.3d 1563, 1569 (Fed. Cir. 1995); see also Harjo v. Pro-Football, Inc., 50 USPQ2d 1705, 1710 (TTAB 1999) (“[T]he Board has no authority . . . to declare provisions of the Trademark Act unconstitutional.”); Amanda Blackhorse v. Pro-Football, Inc., 111 USPQ2d 1080 (TTAB 2014), rev’d on other grounds, 284 F. Supp. 2d 96 (D.D.C. 2003); but see Am. Express Co. v. Lunenfeld, Case CBM2014- 00050, slip op. at 9–10 (PTAB May 22, 2015) (Paper 51) (“for the reasons articulated in Patlex [Corp. v. Mossinghoff, 758 F.2d 594 (Fed. Cir. 1985)], we conclude that covered business method patent reviews, like reexamination proceedings, comply with the Seventh Amendment”).” slip op. at 8
- Claim Construction › Intrinsic evidence (Phillips canons) › Plain and ordinary meaning to a POSITATerm construed board ownDecided for petitioner
“We agree with Petitioner. The ’980 patent states that “the term ‘secured location’ may refer to residences, commercial properties, public venues, such as hospitals and sports arenas, government facilities, military installations and any other location, outside or inside, which is protected by a security alarm system.” Ex. 1003, 3:20–24. This definition is non-limiting and does not exclude a changeable area or region. Based on the record developed during this proceeding, we maintain that the broadest reasonable construction in light of the ’980 patent of “secured location” is “any location, outside or inside, which is protected by a security alarm system.”” slip op. at 10
- Claim Construction › Threshold & procedure › Whether a term needs construction (O2 Micro)No construction neededDecided for petitioner
“We agree with Petitioner. Although the Specification of the ’980 patent gives examples of “response agency,” e.g., Ex. 1003, 1:41–43 (“an emergency response agency (e.g., the police department, the fire department or an emergency medical team)”), Patent Owner does not identify, and we do not find, a definition in the specification limiting “response agency” to 911, police, or fire departments. Patent Owner also does not identify, and we do not find, anything in the entire disclosure of the ’980 patent requiring a “response agency” to be distinct from the “surveillance system infrastructure.” Accordingly, we decline to limit “response agency” to 911, police, or fire departments, or construe it to be distinct from surveillance system infrastructure.” slip op. at 11
Patent outcomesUS 7,323,980 mixedClaim construction§ 102 anticipation§ 103 obviousnessPatents in suitUS 7,323,980 - SK Hynix Inc. / SK Hynix America Inc. et al. v. Netlist, Inc.Rehearing deniedPTAB · Oct 30, 2017 · IPR2017-00730 · APJ Matthew R Clements · IPR · Rehearing
The Board denied Petitioner’s rehearing request, leaving in place the denial of institution on claims 1–5, 12–14, and 19–20 over Saito and Swain, and claims 3 and 13–14 over Saito, Swain, and Kim.
RulingsRehearing decision- RehearingRehearing, deniedDenied
“II. STANDARD OF REVIEW A party requesting rehearing bears the burden of showing that the decision should be modified. 37 C.F.R. § 42.71(d). The party must identify specifically all matters we misapprehended or overlooked, and the place where each matter was addressed previously in a motion, an opposition, or a reply. Id. When rehearing a decision on a petition, we review the decision for an abuse of discretion. See 37 C.F.R. § 42.71(c). An abuse of discretion may be indicated if a decision is based on an erroneous interpretation of law, if a factual finding is not supported by substantial evidence, or if the decision represents an unreasonable judgment in weighing relevant factors. See Star Fruits S.N.C. v. United States, 393 F.3d 1277, 1281 (Fed. Cir. 2005); Arnold” slip op. at 2
- PTAB / AIA Trials › Institution threshold (reasonable likelihood / more likely than not)Not reached
“Ex. 1005 ¶ 101. Paragraph 101 describes Figure 7. See id. ¶¶ 100, 101. Recognizing that the timing of signals DQ-Pre (between memory controller and data buffer 300 on connectors 120) and the timing of signals DQ-Post (between data buffer 300 and memory chips 200 on data lines L1 or L2) is “off” because “data DQ is buffered by the data register buffer 300,” Saito teaches that “it is required to perform a timing adjustment between the memory chips 200 and the data register buffer 300 and a timing adjustment between the data register buffer 300 and the memory controller in a separate manner.” Ex. 1005 ¶ 101. This paragraph, therefore, does not teach that retiming from CL=5 to CL=6 is based on “time intervals from the leveling operations,” as Petitioner contends. Req. Reh’g 7. To the contrary, it explicitly teaches the necessity of a “separate manner” for adjusting timing between a data buffer and memory chip (i.e., for “signals received by the each respective buffer circuit during a memory write operation,” as recited in claim 1) and adjusting timing between a data buffer and a memory controller (i.e., for “transmission of a respective set of read data signals received from the respective group of memory devices,” as recited in claim 1).” slip op. at 4
- Obviousness (§103) › Motivation to combine / reasonable expectation of successNot reached
“We disagree. Neither paragraph teaches that the re-timing from CL=5 to CL=6 is “based on signals received by the each respective buffer circuit during a memory” read or write “operation,” as required by the claims. Paragraph 101 of Saito is reproduced below. Although the data DQ-Pre and the data DQ-Post have the same content, because the data DQ is buffered by the data register buffer 300, the timing is off between the data DQ-Pre and the data DQ-Post. The same is true for a relationship between the data strobe signal DQS-Pre and the data strobe signal DQS-Post. Therefore, in the present embodiment, it is required to perform a timing adjustment between the memory chips 200 and the data register buffer 300 and a timing adjustment between the data register buffer 300 and the memory controller in a separate manner. Details on the timing adjustments will be described later. Ex. 1005 ¶ 101. Paragraph 101 describes Figure 7. See id. ¶¶ 100, 101. Recognizing that the timing of signals DQ-Pre (between memory controller and data buffer 300 on connectors 120) and the timing of signals DQ-Post (between data buffer 300 and memory chips 200 on data lines L1 or L2) is “off” because “data DQ is buffered by the data register buffer 300,” Saito teaches that “it is required to perform a timing adjustment between the memory chips 200 and the data register buffer 300 and a timing adjustment between the data register buffer 300 and the memory controller in a separate manner.” Ex. 1005 ¶ 101. This paragraph, therefore, does not teach that retiming from CL=5 to CL=6 is based on “time intervals from the leveling operations,” as Petitioner contends. Req. Reh’g 7. To the contrary, it explicitly teaches the necessity of a “separate manner” for adjusting timing between a data buffer and memory chip (i.e., for “signals received by the each respective buffer circuit during a memory write operation,” as recited in claim 1) and adjusting timing between a data buffer and a memory controller (i.e., for “transmission of a respective set of read data signals received from the respective group of memory devices,” as recited in claim 1).” slip op. at 3
- Strike new argumentNew argument disregardedDenied
“These arguments were not in the Petition so we could not have misapprehended or overlooked them. To the extent that Petitioner is arguing that these paragraphs of our Decision indicate a misapprehension of what was argued in the Petition, we disagree. Specifically, we are unpersuaded by Petitioner’s contention that Saito’s teaching to use time A to time reception of read data by “input buffer circuit INB and the like” (Ex. 1005 ¶ 149) teaches using that same interval “to time transmission” of read data, as claimed, merely because data is received by that input buffer circuit before, at some later point, being transmitted to the memory controller. Req. Reh’g. 8–9. We also are not persuaded that Saito’s use of “and the like” extends to the timing of the output of read data from buffer 300 in the manner argued. Req. Reh’g 9–11. This argument is particularly unpersuasive because, as our Decision points out (Dec. 13–14), Saito discloses an alternative to timing the output of read data from data buffer 300, which is a read leveling operation by the memory controller. Thus, although “Petitioner does not rely on those data buffer-memory controller operations for any of its arguments” (Req. Reh’g 13), they are nevertheless relevant because they corroborate that Saito does not teach its data buffer 300 using a time interval “based on signals received by [it]” for the purpose of “tim[ing] transmission of a respective set of read data signals.”” slip op. at 5
§ 103 obviousnessPatents in suitUS 9,128,632 - Cisco Systems, Inc. / DISH Network, LLC et al. v. TQ Delta, LLCAll claims unpatentablePTAB · Oct 26, 2017 · IPR2017-00420 · APJ Sally C Medley · IPR · Final written decision
Claims 1–6 are unpatentable as obvious over Milbrandt, Hwang, Chang, and ANSI T1.413 under § 103(a).
RulingsFinal written decision- Skill levelSkill level board ownOther
“Patent Owner’s expert, Dr. Douglas Chrissan, opines that a person of ordinary skill in the art would have had (1) a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, and (2) at least three years of experience working with multicarrier communication systems. Ex. 2001 ¶ 34. We determine that no express finding on a specific corresponding level of technical education and experience is necessary. Here, the level of ordinary skill in the art is reflected by the prior art of record. See Okajima v. Bourdeau, 261 F.3d 1350, 1355 (Fed. Cir. 2001); In re GPAC Inc., 57 F.3d 1573, 1579 (Fed. Cir. 1995); In re Oelrich, 579 F.2d 86, 91 (CCPA 1978).” slip op. at 7
- Claim Construction › Threshold & procedure › Whether a term needs construction (O2 Micro)No construction neededOther
“frequency domain received idle channel noise information,” “array,” and “transceiver.” Pet. 8–9. In our Decision to Institute, we interpreted these terms. Dec. 5–8. Neither party has indicated that our interpretations were improper and we do not perceive any reason or evidence that now compels any deviation from our initial interpretations. See, PO Resp. 6 (“Patent Owner does not contest the Board’s express claim constructions.”); Pet. Reply 8 n.2. Accordingly, the following constructions apply to this Decision: Claim Term Construction frequency domain received idle information about the background channel noise information noise present in each of a plurality of frequency subchannels when the subchannels are not in use array an ordered collection of multiple data items of the same type transceiver a device, such as a modem, with a transmitter and receiver slip op. at 7
- Obviousness (§103) › Motivation to combine / reasonable expectation of successMotivation foundReasonable expectation foundUnpatentable
“ordinary skill would have recognized that Chang measures frequency domain received idle channel noise information (background noise).10 Pet. 31‒32; Ex. 1009, 60‒61. Petitioner concludes that it would have been obvious for Milbrandt to measure and evaluate background channel noise, for the purpose of assessing system interactions from different sources of noises and to address any problems. Pet. 32; Ex. 1009, 35‒37. Notwithstanding Patent Owner’s arguments with respect to the combined teachings of Milbrandt and Chang, which we address below, we are persuaded by Petitioner’s showing, and agree that it would have been obvious to combine Chang with the teachings of Milbrandt for the purpose of assessing interactions from other sources. The record evidence supports the conclusion of obviousness, because combining Chang’s teaching of assessing idle channel noise to Milbrandt’s system would have provided a person of ordinary skill in the art additional information, such as assessing interactions from other sources, enabling a person of ordinary skill in the art to have taken remedial measures to address system interactions. Pet. 16 (citing Ex. 1009, 35‒36).” slip op. at 16
- Obviousness (§103) › Motivation to combine / reasonable expectation of success › Teaching awayTeaching away not foundDecided for petitioner
“A reference does not teach away if it merely expresses a general preference for an alternative invention but does not “criticize, discredit, or otherwise discourage” investigation into the invention claimed. In re Fulton, 391 F.3d 1195, 1201 (Fed. Cir. 2004) (emphasis added). Our reviewing court has recently held that “[e]vidence concerning whether the prior art teaches away from a given invention must relate to and be commensurate in scope with the ultimate claims at issue.” Idemitsu Kosan Co. v. SFC Co., 2016-2721, 2017 WL 4078964 *4 (September 15, 2017) (citing MeadWestVaco Corp. v. Rexam Beauty and Closures, Inc., 731 F.3d 1258, 1264‒1265 (Fed. Cir. 2013); In re Kahn, 441 F.3d 977, 990 (Fed. Cir. 2006); In re Zhang, 654 F. App’x 488, 490 (Fed. Cir. 2016) (“While a prior art reference may indicate that a particular combination is undesirable for its own purposes, the reference can nevertheless teach that combination if it remains suitable for the claimed invention.”) (emphasis added). The claims do not foreclose a “truck roll.” For instance, claim 1 recites a transceiver capable of transmitting test information over a communication channel. Claim 1 further recites that the transceiver comprise a “transmitter portion capable of transmitting a message” where “the message comprises one or more data variables that represent the test information” and that at least one data variable “comprises an array representing frequency domain received idle channel noise information.” Thus, claim 1 is directed to a transceiver and the type of message the transceiver is capable of transmitting. There is nothing in claim 1 that specifies how the transceiver message originates or how the test information is measured. While we agree with Patent Owner that the Specification of the ’430 patent describes that dispatching a technician to a remote site to perform testing, e.g., a “truck roll,” is time consuming and expensive (PO Resp. 12 (citing Ex. 1001, 1:21‒23)), we find that there are described embodiments of the invention that include a truck roll. Ex. 1001, 6:31‒38 (“If the CRC checker 210 does not determine a correct CRC at the maximum power level and the diagnostic link mode [cannot] be initiated then other methods for determining diagnostic information are utilized, such as dispatching a technician to the remote site, or the like.”) and 3:12‒14 (“[t]he systems and methods of this invention can enter the diagnostic link mode manually, for example, at the direction of a technician or a user after completing a portion of initialization.”). For these reasons, the claimed invention does not preclude a truck roll. In any event, as discussed above, the claims are not directed to how test information is obtained or measured. Accordingly, even if Patent Owner is correct that Milbrandt discourages a truck roll for its own purposes, we find the combined teachings of Milbrandt and Chang are relevant because the combination remains suitable for the claimed invention.” slip op. at 20
Patent outcomesUS 7,835,430 unpatentableClaim construction§ 103 obviousnesscites KSR · GrahamPatents in suitUS 7,835,430 - Cisco Systems, Inc. / DISH Network, LLC et al. v. TQ Delta, LLCAll claims unpatentablePTAB · Oct 26, 2017 · IPR2017-00251 · APJ Sally C Medley · IPR · Final written decision
Claims 1–6 are unpatentable as obvious over Milbrandt, Hwang, Chang, and ANSI T1.413.
RulingsFinal written decision- Skill levelSkill level board ownOther
“We determine that no express finding on a specific corresponding level of technical education and experience is necessary. Here, the level of ordinary skill in the art is reflected by the prior art of record. See Okajima v. Bourdeau, 261 F.3d 1350, 1355 (Fed. Cir. 2001); In re GPAC Inc., 57 F.3d 1573, 1579 (Fed. Cir. 1995); In re Oelrich, 579 F.2d 86, 91 (CCPA 1978).” slip op. at 7
- Claim Construction › Threshold & procedure › Whether a term needs construction (O2 Micro)Term construed board ownDecided for petitioner
“frequency domain received idle channel noise information,” “array,” and “transceiver.” Pet. 8–9. In our Decision to Institute, we interpreted these terms. Dec. 5–8. Neither party has indicated that our interpretations were improper and we do not perceive any reason or evidence that now compels any deviation from our initial interpretations. See, PO Resp. 6 (“Patent Owner does not contest the Board’s express claim constructions.”); Pet. Reply 8 n.2. Accordingly, the following constructions apply to this Decision: slip op. at 7
- Obviousness (§103) › Motivation to combine / reasonable expectation of successUnpatentableMotivation foundUnpatentable
“A reference does not teach away if it merely expresses a general preference for an alternative invention but does not “criticize, discredit, or otherwise discourage” investigation into the invention claimed. In re Fulton, 391 F.3d 1195, 1201 (Fed. Cir. 2004) (emphasis added). Our reviewing court has recently held that “[e]vidence concerning whether the prior art teaches away from a given invention must relate to and be commensurate in scope with the ultimate claims at issue.” Idemitsu Kosan Co. v. SFC Co., 2016-2721, 2017 WL 4078964 *4 (September 15, 2017) (citing MeadWestVaco Corp. v. Rexam Beauty and Closures, Inc., 731 F.3d 1258, 1264‒1265 (Fed. Cir. 2013); In re Kahn, 441 F.3d 977, 990 (Fed. Cir. 2006); In re Zhang, 654 F. App’x 488, 490 (Fed. Cir. 2016) (“While a prior art reference may indicate that a particular combination is undesirable for its own purposes, the reference can nevertheless teach that combination if it remains suitable for the claimed invention.”) (emphasis added).” slip op. at 20
- Obviousness (§103) › Motivation to combine / reasonable expectation of success › Teaching awayTeaching away not foundDecided for petitioner
“A reference does not teach away if it merely expresses a general preference for an alternative invention but does not “criticize, discredit, or otherwise discourage” investigation into the invention claimed. In re Fulton, 391 F.3d 1195, 1201 (Fed. Cir. 2004) (emphasis added). Our reviewing court has recently held that “[e]vidence concerning whether the prior art teaches away from a given invention must relate to and be commensurate in scope with the ultimate claims at issue.” Idemitsu Kosan Co. v. SFC Co., 2016-2721, 2017 WL 4078964 *4 (September 15, 2017) (citing MeadWestVaco Corp. v. Rexam Beauty and Closures, Inc., 731 F.3d 1258, 1264‒1265 (Fed. Cir. 2013); In re Kahn, 441 F.3d 977, 990 (Fed. Cir. 2006); In re Zhang, 654 F. App’x 488, 490 (Fed. Cir. 2016) (“While a prior art reference may indicate that a particular combination is undesirable for its own purposes, the reference can nevertheless teach that combination if it remains suitable for the claimed invention.”) (emphasis added). The claims do not foreclose a “truck roll.” For instance, claim 1 recites a transceiver capable of transmitting test information over a communication channel. Claim 1 further recites that the transceiver comprise a “transmitter portion capable of transmitting a message” where “the message comprises one or more data variables that represent the test information” and that at least one data variable “comprises an array representing frequency domain received idle channel noise information.” Thus, claim 1 is directed to a transceiver and the type of message the transceiver is capable of transmitting. There is nothing in claim 1 that specifies how the transceiver message originates or how the test information is measured. While we agree with Patent Owner that the Specification of the ’430 patent describes that dispatching a technician to a remote site to perform testing, e.g., a “truck roll,” is time consuming and expensive (PO Resp. 12 (citing Ex. 1001, 1:21‒23)), we find that there are described embodiments of the invention that include a truck roll. Ex. 1001, 6:31‒38 (“If the CRC checker 210 does not determine a correct CRC at the maximum power level and the diagnostic link mode [cannot] be initiated then other methods for determining diagnostic information are utilized, such as dispatching a technician to the remote site, or the like.”) and 3:12‒14 (“[t]he systems and methods of this invention can enter the diagnostic link mode manually, for example, at the direction of a technician or a user after completing a portion of initialization.”). For these reasons, the claimed invention does not preclude a truck roll. In any event, as discussed above, the claims are not directed to how test information is obtained or measured. Accordingly, even if Patent Owner is correct that Milbrandt discourages a truck roll for its own purposes, we find the combined teachings of Milbrandt and Chang are relevant because the combination remains suitable for the claimed invention.” slip op. at 20
Patent outcomesUS 7,835,430 unpatentableClaim construction§ 103 obviousnesscites KSR · GrahamPatents in suitUS 7,835,430 - Cisco Systems, Inc. / DISH Network, LLC et al. v. TQ Delta, LLCAll claims unpatentablePTAB · Oct 26, 2017 · IPR2016-01006 · APJ Sally C Medley · IPR · Final written decision
Claims 1–6 are unpatentable as obvious over Milbrandt, Hwang, Chang, and ANSI T1.413 under § 103(a).
RulingsFinal written decision- Skill levelOther
“B. Level of Ordinary skill in the Art Citing its declarant, Dr. Sayfe Kiaei, Petitioner contends that a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention would have had (1) a Master’s degree in Electrical and/or Computer Engineering, or equivalent training, and (2) approximately five years of experience working in digital telecommunications. Pet. 10–11; Ex. 1009 ¶ 36. Petitioner also contends that “[l]ack of work experience can be remedied by additional education, and vice versa.” Id. at 11. Patent Owner’s expert, Dr. Douglas Chrissan, opines that a person of ordinary skill in the art would have had (1) a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, and (2) at least three years of experience working with multicarrier communication systems. Ex. 2001 ¶ 34. We determine that no express finding on a specific corresponding level of technical education and experience is necessary. Here, the level of ordinary skill in the art is reflected by the prior art of record. See Okajima v. Bourdeau, 261 F.3d 1350, 1355 (Fed. Cir. 2001); In re GPAC Inc., 57 F.3d 1573, 1579 (Fed. Cir. 1995); In re Oelrich, 579 F.2d 86, 91 (CCPA 1978).” slip op. at 6
- Claim Construction › Threshold & procedure › Whether a term needs construction (O2 Micro)No construction neededDecided for patent owner
“reasonable construction in light of the specification of the patent in which they appear. See 37 C.F.R. § 42.100(b); Office Patent Trial Practice Guide, 77 Fed. Reg. at 48,766. Under the broadest reasonable construction standard, claim terms are given their ordinary and customary meaning, as would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art in the context of the entire disclosure. See Translogic, 504 F.3d at 1257. Petitioner proposes constructions for the following claim terms: “frequency domain received idle channel noise information,” “array,” and “transceiver.” Pet. 8–9. In our Decision to Institute, we interpreted these terms. Dec. 5–8. Neither party has indicated that our interpretations were improper and we do not perceive any reason or evidence that now compels any deviation from our initial interpretations. See, PO Resp. 6 (“Patent Owner does not contest the Board’s express claim constructions.”); Pet. Reply 8 n.2. Accordingly, the following constructions apply to this Decision:” slip op. at 7
- Obviousness (§103) › Graham factors (scope of art, differences, level of skill)UnpatentableUnpatentable
“comprises one or more data variables that represent the test information.” For this limitation, Petitioner contends that Milbrandt describes “subscriber line information 28,” that includes power spectrum density per sub-frequency, attenuation information per sub-frequency, and noise information per sub-frequency. Pet. 27 (citing Ex. 1011, 11:31‒43). Petitioner contends, with supporting evidence, and we agree, that it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art that the values representing the test information are “one or more data variables.” Pet. 27‒28 (citing Ex. 1009, 51‒53; Ex. 1011, 11:45‒53).” slip op. at 14
- Obviousness (§103) › Motivation to combine / reasonable expectation of success › Teaching awayTeaching away not foundDecided for petitioner
“A reference does not teach away if it merely expresses a general preference for an alternative invention but does not “criticize, discredit, or otherwise discourage” investigation into the invention claimed. In re Fulton, 391 F.3d 1195, 1201 (Fed. Cir. 2004) (emphasis added). Our reviewing court has recently held that “[e]vidence concerning whether the prior art teaches away from a given invention must relate to and be commensurate in scope with the ultimate claims at issue.” Idemitsu Kosan Co. v. SFC Co., 2016-2721, 2017 WL 4078964 *4 (September 15, 2017) (citing MeadWestVaco Corp. v. Rexam Beauty and Closures, Inc., 731 F.3d 1258, 1264‒1265 (Fed. Cir. 2013); In re Kahn, 441 F.3d 977, 990 (Fed. Cir. 2006); In re Zhang, 654 F. App’x 488, 490 (Fed. Cir. 2016) (“While a prior art reference may indicate that a particular combination is undesirable for its own purposes, the reference can nevertheless teach that combination if it remains suitable for the claimed invention.”) (emphasis added).” slip op. at 20
Patent outcomesUS 7,835,430 unpatentableClaim construction§ 103 obviousnesscites KSR · GrahamPatents in suitUS 7,835,430 - Cisco Systems, Inc. / DISH Network, LLC et al. v. TQ Delta, LLCAll claims unpatentablePTAB · Oct 26, 2017 · IPR2017-00255 · APJ Sally C Medley · IPR · Final written decision
Claims 1–30 are unpatentable under § 103 over the combinations of Shively and Stopler with the additional references identified for each ground.
RulingsFinal written decision- Claim Construction › Intrinsic evidence (Phillips canons) › Plain and ordinary meaning to a POSITATerm construed patent owner constructionDecided for patent owner
“Based on the record before us, we agree with Patent Owner’s proposed construction as far as meaning “adjusting the phases of a plurality of carriers in a single multicarrier symbol.” PO Resp. 14. Patent Owner, however, provides no persuasive reasoning for also adding to that construction “by pseudo-randomly varying amounts.” Id. Rather, Patent Owner merely contends that (1) in a corresponding district court matter, the court construed the phrase to mean “adjusting the phase characteristics of the carrier signals by pseudo-randomly varying amounts;” (2) during prosecution of a child application to the ’158 patent, the applicant explained that a “scrambler” operates by pseudo-randomly selecting bits to invert; and (3) there was no fundamental disagreement between parties that scrambling involves adjusting the phase characteristic of a carrier signal by pseudo-randomly varying amounts. PO Resp. 16–17. Patent Owner’s explanation for why we should add “by pseudo-randomly varying amounts” to its proposed construction is conclusory. Id. at 17. We interpret claims using the broadest reasonable construction in light of the specification of the involved patent. That standard is not the same as the standard used in district court. Patent Owner, however, provides no explanation for why we should apply the district court construction, which is not necessarily the same as used before us, here. Moreover, Patent Owner does not explain why statements made during prosecution of a child application for the term “scrambler” is relevant to how we should interpret the disputed phrase that does not even contain the term “scrambler” in it. Id. at 16. In summary, Patent Owner’s arguments are conclusory. For all of the above reasons, and for purposes of this decision, we determine that “scrambling the phase characteristics of the carrier signals” means “adjusting the phases of a plurality of carriers in a single multicarrier symbol.”” slip op. at 10
- Obviousness (§103) › Motivation to combine / reasonable expectation of successMotivation foundDecided for petitioner
“We need not determine the exact probability of clipping in Shively’s proposed system because, even assuming Patent Owner’s analysis is accurate, it does not rebut Petitioner’s reason to combine. Petitioner does not allege that Shively’s proposed system causes clipping, or that a person of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to reduce PAR only if it caused clipping. Instead, Petitioner alleges that Shively’s proposed system would have an “increased” or “high” PAR:” slip op. at 30
- Obviousness (§103) › Motivation to combine / reasonable expectation of success › HindsightMotivation foundDecided for petitioner
“First, the portions cited in the ’158 patent in the Petition and in Dr. Tellado’s declaration come from the “BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION” section of the patent. That portion of the ’158 patent uses words such as “conventional” indicating that what is described in the “BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION” section is information that was known at the time of the invention, not just by the inventors, but persons of ordinary skill in the art. Patent Owner does not contend otherwise. In addition, Dr. Tellado testified that a person having ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the purpose of Stopler’s phase scrambler to randomize data symbols would be to reduce PAR of transmitted signals and that the person would have been familiar with the problems created by a high PAR, including PAR due to phase-aligned carriers. Ex. 1009 ¶¶ 60, 66. Moreover, Patent Owner’s own declarant recognized that PAR was a known problem at the time of the invention. Ex. 2003 ¶ 23 (“Conventional multicarrier systems, therefore, were designed to accommodate PAR.”). The ANSI T1.413-1995 standard also confirms that PAR was known at the time of the invention by describing that “[a] DMT time-domain signal has a high peak-to-average ratio (its amplitude distribution is almost Gaussian), and large values may be clipped by the digital-to-analog converter.” Ex. 1018, 36 (Section 6.5 “Tone ordering”). Based on the record evidence, we find that a person having ordinary skill in the art would have known about the problem of high PAR due to phase-aligned carriers.” slip op. at 32
- ExcludeMotion to exclude, deniedDenied
“portions of 1026 and 2013. PO Mot. Exc. Exhibit 1022 is styled “Robert T. Short, ‘Physical Layer,’ in WIMEDIA UWB (2008).” Pet. Reply 5. Patent Owner argues that we should exclude Exhibit 1022 as irrelevant. PO Mot. Exc. 2–4. Exhibit 1022 was not cited or discussed in any way in Petitioner’s Reply. Moreover, we did not rely on Exhibits 1022 in rendering our decision. We did not and need not consider Exhibit 1022. We have determined that Petitioner has demonstrated, by a preponderance of the evidence, that the challenged claims are unpatentable, without considering the specific objected to evidence.” slip op. at 42
Patent outcomesUS 8,718,158 unpatentableClaim construction§ 103 obviousnesscites KSR · GrahamPatents in suitUS 8,718,158 - Cisco Systems, Inc. / DISH Network, LLC et al. v. TQ Delta, LLCAll claims unpatentablePTAB · Oct 26, 2017 · IPR2017-00417 · APJ Sally C Medley · IPR · Final written decision
Claims 1–30 are unpatentable under § 103 over the stated combinations of Shively and Stopler, with Gerszberg, Bremer, or Flammer as applicable.
RulingsFinal written decision- Skill levelSkill level petitioner adoptedDecided for petitioner
“B. Level of Ordinary skill in the Art Citing its declarant, Dr. Jose Tellado, Petitioner contends that a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention would have had (1) a Master’s degree in Electrical and/or Computer Engineering, or equivalent training, and (2) approximately five years of experience working with multicarrier communications systems. Pet. 10–11; Ex. 1009 ¶ 18. Petitioner also contends that “[l]ack of work experience can be remedied by additional education, and vice versa.” Pet. 11. Patent Owner’s expert, Dr. Robert Short indicated that for purposes of the proceeding he adopts Dr. Tellado’s definition of a person of ordinary skill in the art. Ex. 2003 ¶ 16. For purposes of this Decision, we adopt Petitioner’s proposed definition, and further find that the level of ordinary skill in the art is reflected by the prior art of record. See Okajima v. Bourdeau, 261 F.3d 1350, 1355 (Fed. Cir. 2001); In re GPAC Inc., 57 F.3d 1573, 1579 (Fed. Cir. 1995); In re Oelrich, 579 F.2d 86, 91 (CCPA 1978).” slip op. at 7
- Claim Construction › Threshold & procedure › Whether a term needs construction (O2 Micro)Term construed petitioner constructionNo construction neededOther
“C. Claim Interpretation The Board interprets claims of an unexpired patent using the broadest reasonable construction in light of the specification of the patent in which they appear. See 37 C.F.R. § 42.100(b); see also Office Patent Trial Practice Guide, 77 Fed. Reg. at 48,766. Under the broadest reasonable construction standard, claim terms are given their ordinary and customary meaning, as would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art in the context of the entire disclosure. In re Translogic, 504 F.3d at 1257. Petitioner proposes constructions for the following claim terms: “multicarrier” and “transceiver.” Pet. 8–9. In our Decision to Institute, we interpreted the term “transceiver” to mean “a device, such as a modem, with a transmitter and receiver,” but determined that it was not necessary to interpret the term “multicarrier.” Dec. 6–7. Neither party has indicated that our determinations were improper and we do not perceive any reason or evidence that now compels any deviation from our initial determinations. PO Resp. 13–14; Pet. Reply 7–8. Accordingly, the construction of transceiver to mean “a device, such as a modem, with a transmitter and receiver” applies to this Decision. Dec. 7. For purposes of this decision, we find it necessary to construe “scrambling the phase characteristics of the carrier signals” found in claim 1.” slip op. at 8
- Claim Construction › Intrinsic evidence (Phillips canons) › Plain and ordinary meaning to a POSITATerm construed patent owner constructionDecided for patent owner
“Based on the record before us, we agree with Patent Owner’s proposed construction as far as meaning “adjusting the phases of a plurality of carriers in a single multicarrier symbol.” PO Resp. 14. Patent Owner, however, provides no persuasive reasoning for also adding to that construction “by pseudo-randomly varying amounts.” Id. Rather, Patent Owner merely contends that (1) in a corresponding district court matter, the court construed the phrase to mean “adjusting the phase characteristics of the carrier signals by pseudo-randomly varying amounts;” (2) during prosecution of a child application to the ’158 patent, the applicant explained that a “scrambler” operates by pseudo-randomly selecting bits to invert; and (3) there was no fundamental disagreement between parties that scrambling involves adjusting the phase characteristic of a carrier signal by pseudo-randomly varying amounts. PO Resp. 16–17. Patent Owner’s explanation for why we should add “by pseudo-randomly varying amounts” to its proposed construction is conclusory. Id. at 17. We interpret claims using the broadest reasonable construction in light of the specification of the involved patent. That standard is not the same as the standard used in district court. Patent Owner, however, provides no explanation for why we should apply the district court construction, which is not necessarily the same as used before us, here. Moreover, Patent Owner does not explain why statements made during prosecution of a child application for the term “scrambler” is relevant to how we should interpret the disputed phrase that does not even contain the term “scrambler” in it. Id. at 16. In summary, Patent Owner’s arguments are conclusory. For all of the above reasons, and for purposes of this decision, we determine that “scrambling the phase characteristics of the carrier signals” means “adjusting the phases of a plurality of carriers in a single multicarrier symbol.”” slip op. at 10
- Obviousness (§103) › Motivation to combine / reasonable expectation of successMotivation foundUnpatentable
“proposed system because, even assuming Patent Owner’s analysis is accurate, it does not rebut Petitioner’s reason to combine. Petitioner does not allege that Shively’s proposed system causes clipping, or that a person of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to reduce PAR only if it caused clipping. Instead, Petitioner alleges that Shively’s proposed system would have an “increased” or “high” PAR: A POSITA would have recognized that by transmitting redundant data on multiple carriers, Shively’s transmitter would suffer from an increased peak-to-average power ratio. [Ex. 1009, p. 27.] This increase is due to the fact that the overall transmitted signal in a multicarrier system is essentially the sum of its multiple subcarriers. Id. When N subcarrier signals with the same phase are added together, they have a peak power which is N times greater than their individual maximum powers. Id. Since Shively’s subcarriers use quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) . . . transmitting the same bits on two different subcarriers causes those subcarriers to have the same phase and amplitude. Id., pp. 27–28. By transmitting the same bits on multiple subcarriers, Shively creates a situation where those multiple subcarriers will be phase-aligned. Having phase-aligned subcarriers causes a high peak-to-average power ratio (PAR), since all of the subcarriers add up coherently at the same time. Id., p. 28. Pet. 14–15 (emphases added). Patent Owner criticizes Petitioner’s declarant for not providing “calculations or data that illustrate to what degree there is an ‘increase’ in PAR with Shively’s transmitter” (PO Resp. 48), but we are not persuaded that such calculations and data are necessary. Petitioner’s reason to combine does not depend on the PAR increase exceeding some specific numeric threshold. There is no dispute that transmitting the same data on multiple carriers increases PAR (Pet. Reply 10 (citing PO Resp. 6–7; Ex. 2003 (Short Decl.) ¶ 22)) or that Shively’s technique, specifically, will increase PAR (PO Resp. 28 (“Shively’s ‘spreading’ technique will contribute a small uptick in clipping probability.”). There also is no dispute that equipment designed to handle a higher PAR can be larger, more expensive, and more power hungry than equipment designed to handle a lower PAR. Pet. Reply 36 (citing Ex. 2003 ¶ 26; Ex. 1027 45:21–46:19). Patent Owner’s declarant, Dr. Short, testified that, given such issues, system designers or engineers would be interested in using techniques that could reduce PAR. Ex. 1027, 46:23–47:3. This is consistent with the reason to combine given in the Petition and supports Petitioner’s position that “numerous problems” other than clipping “would have motivated a [person of ordinary skill in the art] to look for ways to reduce the PAR of Shively’s technique.” Pet. Reply 36. In light of the foregoing, we are persuaded that a person of ordinary” slip op. at 30
Patent outcomesUS 8,718,158 unpatentableClaim construction§ 103 obviousnesscites KSR · GrahamPatents in suitUS 8,718,158 - Cisco Systems, Inc. / DISH Network, LLC et al. v. TQ Delta, LLCAll claims unpatentablePTAB · Oct 26, 2017 · IPR2016-01021 · APJ Sally C Medley · IPR · Final written decision
Claims 1–30 are unpatentable as obvious: claims 1–30 across five grounds combining Shively and Stopler with Gerszberg, Bremer, and/or Flammer.
RulingsFinal written decision- Claim Construction › Threshold & procedure › Whether a term needs construction (O2 Micro)Term construed patent owner constructionDecided for patent owner
“Based on the record before us, we agree with Patent Owner’s proposed construction as far as meaning “adjusting the phases of a plurality of carriers in a single multicarrier symbol.” PO Resp. 14. Patent Owner, however, provides no persuasive reasoning for also adding to that construction “by pseudo-randomly varying amounts.” Id. Rather, Patent Owner merely contends that (1) in a corresponding district court matter, the court construed the phrase to mean “adjusting the phase characteristics of the carrier signals by pseudo-randomly varying amounts;” (2) during prosecution of a child application to the ’158 patent, the applicant explained that a “scrambler” operates by pseudo-randomly selecting bits to invert; and (3) there was no fundamental disagreement between parties that scrambling involves adjusting the phase characteristic of a carrier signal by pseudo-randomly varying amounts. PO Resp. 16–17. Patent Owner’s explanation for why we should add “by pseudo-randomly varying amounts” to its proposed construction is conclusory. Id. at 17. We interpret claims using the broadest reasonable construction in light of the specification of the involved patent. That standard is not the same as the standard used in district court. Patent Owner, however, provides no explanation for why we should apply the district court construction, which is not necessarily the same as used before us, here. Moreover, Patent Owner does not explain why statements made during prosecution of a child application for the term “scrambler” is relevant to how we should interpret the disputed phrase that does not even contain the term “scrambler” in it. Id. at 16. In summary, Patent Owner’s arguments are conclusory. For all of the above reasons, and for purposes of this decision, we determine that “scrambling the phase characteristics of the carrier signals” means “adjusting the phases of a plurality of carriers in a single multicarrier symbol.”” slip op. at 10
- Claim Construction › Intrinsic evidence (Phillips canons) › Preamble limiting or notPreamble limitingDecided for patent owner
“The phrase “scrambling the phase characteristics of the carrier signals” is recited in the preamble of claim 1. Although neither party explicitly explains why the preamble of claim 1 is limiting, both parties implicitly contend that the preamble is limiting. For purposes of this decision, we determine that the preamble is limiting. We further find it helpful to our decision and analysis to interpret the phrase in order to understand the parties’ positions with respect to how the prior art reference Stopler meets the phrase.” slip op. at 9
- Obviousness (§103) › Motivation to combine / reasonable expectation of successMotivation foundDecided for petitioner
“We need not determine the exact probability of clipping in Shively’s proposed system because, even assuming Patent Owner’s analysis is accurate, it does not rebut Petitioner’s reason to combine. Petitioner does not allege that Shively’s proposed system causes clipping, or that a person of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to reduce PAR only if it caused clipping. Instead, Petitioner alleges that Shively’s proposed system would have an “increased” or “high” PAR: A POSITA would have recognized that by transmitting redundant data on multiple carriers, Shively’s transmitter would suffer from an increased peak-to-average power ratio. [Ex. 1009, p. 27.] This increase is due to the fact that the overall transmitted signal in a multicarrier system is essentially the sum of its multiple subcarriers. Id. When N subcarrier signals with the same phase are added together, they have a peak power which is N times greater than their individual maximum powers. Id. Since Shively’s subcarriers use quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) . . . transmitting the same bits on two different subcarriers causes those subcarriers to have the same phase and amplitude. Id., pp. 27–28. By transmitting the same bits on multiple subcarriers, Shively creates a situation where those multiple subcarriers will be phase-aligned. Having phase-aligned subcarriers causes a high peak-to-average power ratio (PAR), since all of the subcarriers add up coherently at the same time. Id., p. 28. Pet. 14–15 (emphases added). Patent Owner criticizes Petitioner’s declarant for not providing “calculations or data that illustrate to what degree there is an ‘increase’ in PAR with Shively’s transmitter” (PO Resp. 48), but we are not persuaded that such calculations and data are necessary. Petitioner’s reason to combine does not depend on the PAR increase exceeding some specific numeric threshold. There is no dispute that transmitting the same data on multiple carriers increases PAR (Pet. Reply 10 (citing PO Resp. 6–7; Ex. 2003 (Short Decl.) ¶ 22)) or that Shively’s technique, specifically, will increase PAR (PO Resp. 28 (“Shively’s ‘spreading’ technique will contribute a small uptick in clipping probability.”). There also is no dispute that equipment designed to handle a higher PAR can be larger, more expensive, and more power hungry than equipment designed to handle a lower PAR. Pet. Reply 36 (citing Ex. 2003 ¶ 26; Ex. 1027 45:21–46:19). Patent Owner’s declarant, Dr. Short, testified that, given such issues, system designers or engineers would be interested in using techniques that could reduce PAR. Ex. 1027, 46:23–47:3. This is consistent with the reason to combine given in the Petition and supports Petitioner’s position that “numerous problems” other than clipping “would have motivated a [person of ordinary skill in the art] to look for ways to reduce the PAR of Shively’s technique.” Pet. Reply 36.” slip op. at 30
- Obviousness (§103) › Motivation to combine / reasonable expectation of success › HindsightMotivation foundDecided for petitioner
“First, the portions cited in the ’158 patent in the Petition and in Dr. Tellado’s declaration come from the “BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION” section of the patent. That portion of the ’158 patent uses words such as “conventional” indicating that what is described in the “BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION” section is information that was known at the time of the invention, not just by the inventors, but persons of ordinary skill in the art. Patent Owner does not contend otherwise. In addition, Dr. Tellado testified that a person having ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the purpose of Stopler’s phase scrambler to randomize data symbols would be to reduce PAR of transmitted signals and that the person would have been familiar with the problems created by a high PAR, including PAR due to phase-aligned carriers. Ex. 1009 ¶¶ 60, 66. Moreover, Patent Owner’s own declarant recognized that PAR was a known problem at the time of the invention. Ex. 2003 ¶ 23 (“Conventional multicarrier systems, therefore, were designed to accommodate PAR.”). The ANSI T1.413-1995 standard also confirms that PAR was known at the time of the invention by describing that “[a] DMT time-domain signal has a high peak-to-average ratio (its amplitude distribution is almost Gaussian), and large values may be clipped by the digital-to-analog converter.” Ex. 1018, 36 (Section 6.5 “Tone ordering”). Based on the record evidence, we find that a person having ordinary skill in the art would have known about the problem of high PAR due to phase-aligned carriers.” slip op. at 32
Patent outcomesUS 8,718,158 unpatentableClaim construction§ 103 obviousnesscites KSR · GrahamPatents in suitUS 8,718,158
Holdings, summaries, rulings, issues, outcomes, winners and claim constructions shown for a decision were generated by a large language model reading the opinion. They are a guide to the decision, not the decision. Confirm every one against the court's own text before relying on it. Outcomes read from the patent owner’s side. Party names are extracted from the decision and are missing on about 900 short Director denials and scans, which carry the trial number instead.