`
`IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
`FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF MICHIGAN
`SOUTHERN DIVISION
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`
`
`IN RE NEO WIRELESS, LLC
`PATENT LITIG.
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`2:22-MD-03034-TGB
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`HON. TERRENCE G. BERG
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`2:22-CV-11405-TGB
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`HON. TERRENCE G. BERG
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`JURY TRIAL DEMANDED
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`§
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`NEO WIRELESS, LLC,
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`NISSAN NORTH AMERICA
`INC. & NISSAN MOTOR
`ACCEPTANCE CORPORATION
`a/k/a NISSAN MOTOR
`ACCEPTANCE COMPANY
`LLC,
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`
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`Plaintiff,
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`v.
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`Defendants.
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`PLAINTIFF NEO WIRELESS, LLC’S FIRST AMENDED
`COMPLAINT FOR PATENT INFRINGEMENT
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`Plaintiff Neo Wireless, LLC (“Neo Wireless,” “Neo,” or “Plaintiff”), brings
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`this action for patent infringement under 35 U.S.C. § 271 against Defendants
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`Nissan North America Inc. (“Nissan NA”) and Nissan Motor Acceptance
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`Corporation (“NMAC”) (collectively, “Nissan,” “Nissan Defendants,” or
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`Case 2:22-md-03034-TGB ECF No. 31, PageID.1048 Filed 07/20/22 Page 2 of 40
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`“Defendants”). Neo files this amended complaint to add additional defendants, and
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`to address the arguments made in Nissan’s Motion to Dismiss (Dkt. 19). To be
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`clear, Neo strongly disagrees with the arguments in Nissan’s motion, which
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`mischaracterize Neo’s original complaint, ignore the clear sufficiency of Neo’s
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`complaint under the appropriate pleading standards, and improperly rely on matter
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`outside the pleadings. Neo’s original complaint, which contained over 300 pages of
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`detailed allegations and claims charts, drastically exceeded the specificity required
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`to plausibly allege Nissan’s infringement of the Asserted Patents. Nevertheless, to
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`reduce the burden on the Court, Neo has filed this Amendment within its time to
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`do so as a matter of course, in order to moot Nissan’s motion and leave no doubt
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`that Neo has stated a claim for which relief can be granted.
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`Plaintiff alleges, based upon its own personal knowledge with respect to its
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`own actions and based upon information and belief with respect to all others’
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`actions, as follows:
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`THE PARTIES
`Plaintiff Neo Wireless, LLC is a Delaware corporation with its
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`1.
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`principal place of business located in Wayne, Pennsylvania.
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`2.
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`On information and belief, Defendant Nissan North America Inc.
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`(“Nissan NA”) is a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the state
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`of Delaware with its principal place of business at One Nissan Way, Franklin,
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`2
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`Case 2:22-md-03034-TGB ECF No. 31, PageID.1049 Filed 07/20/22 Page 3 of 40
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`Tennessee 37067. Nissan NA may be served through its registered agent,
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`Corporation Service Company, 2908 Poston Ave., Nashville, Tennessee 37203.
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`3.
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`On information and belief, Defendant Nissan Motor Acceptance
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`Corporation a/k/a Nissan Motor Acceptance Company LLC (“NMAC”) is a
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`corporation organized and existing under the laws of the state of Delaware with its
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`principal place of business at One Nissan Way, Franklin, Tennessee 37067.
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`NMAC may be served through its registered agent, Corporation Service Company,
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`2908 Poston Ave., Nashville, Tennessee 37203.
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`JURISDICTION AND VENUE
`This action arises under the Patent Act, 35 U.S.C. § 1 et seq.
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`Subject matter jurisdiction is proper in this Court under 28 U.S.C.
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`4.
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`5.
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`§§ 1331 and 1338(a).
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`6.
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`Venue is proper in the Middle District of Tennessee under 28 U.S.C.
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`§ 1400(b) against Nissan NA and NMAC because, on information and belief, each
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`Nissan Defendant (1) has committed acts of infringement in the Middle District of
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`Tennessee and (2) has a regular and established place of business in the Middle
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`District of Tennessee.
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`7.
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`The Middle District of Tennessee has general personal jurisdiction
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`over Nissan NA and NMAC because each entity’s principal place of business is in
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`the forum state and in the Middle District of Tennessee.
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`3
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`Case 2:22-md-03034-TGB ECF No. 31, PageID.1050 Filed 07/20/22 Page 4 of 40
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`8.
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`The Nissan Defendants are also subject to the Middle District of
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`Tennessee’s specific personal jurisdiction due at least to the Nissan Defendants’
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`substantial business activities in the Middle District of Tennessee. Defendants have
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`continuous and systematic business contacts with the State of Tennessee.
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`Specifically, Defendants conduct business and have committed acts of patent
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`infringement and have induced acts of patent infringement by others in the Middle
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`District of Tennessee, the State of Tennessee, and elsewhere in the United States.
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`Defendants, directly and through subsidiaries or intermediaries, have committed
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`and continue to commit acts of infringement in the Middle District of Tennessee
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`by, among other things, designing, developing, manufacturing, importing, offering
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`to sell, and selling products that infringe the asserted patents.
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`9.
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`Defendants do and intend to do business in Tennessee and in the
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`Middle District of Tennessee, directly or through intermediaries, and offer their
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`products and/or services, including those accused herein of infringement, to
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`customers and potential customers located in Tennessee and in the Middle District
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`of Tennessee.
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`10. Defendants, both directly and through their subsidiaries or
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`intermediaries (including distributors, retailers, and others), have purposefully and
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`voluntarily placed one or more infringing products and/or services, as described
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`below, into the stream of commerce with the expectation that those products will
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`4
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`Case 2:22-md-03034-TGB ECF No. 31, PageID.1051 Filed 07/20/22 Page 5 of 40
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`be purchased and used by customers and/or consumers in the Middle District of
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`Tennessee.
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`11. Defendants maintain facilities in the Middle District of Tennessee and
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`throughout the State of Tennessee, including at least Nissan NA’s headquarters at
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`One Nissan Way, Franklin, Tennessee 37067, and Nissan’s Smyrna Vehicle
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`Assembly Plant at 983 Nissan Drive, Smyrna, Tennessee 37167.
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`12. Nissan’s Smyrna Vehicle Assembly Plant has an annual production
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`capacity of 640,000 vehicles and currently produces at least six different vehicle
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`models.1
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`13. These infringing products and/or services have been and continue to
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`be made, used, sold, offered for sale, purchased, and/or imported by customers
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`and/or consumers in the Middle District of Tennessee.
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`14. Defendants have placed the Accused Products into the stream of
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`commerce by selling and/or offering to sell the Accused Products in the Middle
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`District of Tennessee, shipping Accused Products into the Middle District of
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`Tennessee, and/or shipping Accused Products knowing that those products would
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`be shipped into the Middle District of Tennessee.
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`1 https://www.nissanusa.com/about/corporate-information.html.
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`5
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`Case 2:22-md-03034-TGB ECF No. 31, PageID.1052 Filed 07/20/22 Page 6 of 40
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`THE ASSERTED PATENTS
`The ’366 Patent
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`I.
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`15. On June 18, 2013, the United States Patent and Trademark Office
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`duly and legally issued U.S. Patent No. 8,467,366 (“the ’366 patent”), entitled
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`“Methods and Apparatus for Random Access in Multi-Carrier Communication
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`Systems.” A copy of the ’366 patent is attached as Exhibit 1.
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`16. The ’366 patent issued from U.S. Patent Application 13/205,579,
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`which was filed by Neocific Inc. on August 8, 2011 on behalf of the inventors. The
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`now-issued ’366 patent was assigned from Neocific, Inc. to CFIP NCF LLC on
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`November 22, 2019 before it was assigned to Neo Wireless LLC on January 23,
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`2020.
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`17. The ’366 patent is valid and enforceable.
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`II. The ’908 Patent
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`18. On November 10, 2020, the United States Patent and Trademark
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`Office duly and legally issued U.S. Patent No. 10,833,908 (“the ’908 patent”),
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`
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`6
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`Case 2:22-md-03034-TGB ECF No. 31, PageID.1053 Filed 07/20/22 Page 7 of 40
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`entitled “Channel Probing Signal for a Broadband Communication System.” A
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`copy of the ’908 patent is attached as Exhibit 2.
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`19. The ’908 patent issued from U.S. Patent Application 16/902,740,
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`which was filed on June 16, 2020 by Neo Wireless, LLC on behalf of the
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`inventors.
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`20. The ’908 patent is valid and enforceable.
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`III. The ’941 Patent
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`21. On September 11, 2018, the United States Patent and Trademark
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`Office duly and legally issued U.S. Patent No. 10,075,941 (“the ’941 patent”),
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`entitled “Methods and Apparatus for Multi-Carrier Communications with Adaptive
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`Transmission and Feedback.” A copy of the ’941 patent is attached as Exhibit 3.
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`22. The ’941 patent issued from U.S. Patent Application 15/082,878,
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`which was filed by Neocific, Inc. on March 28, 2016. The now-issued ’941 patent
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`was assigned from Neocific, Inc. to CFIP NCF LLC on November 22, 2019 before
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`it was assigned to Neo Wireless LLC on January 23, 2020.
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`23. The ’941 patent is valid and enforceable.
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`IV. The ’450 Patent
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`24. On October 15, 2019, the United States Patent and Trademark Office
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`duly and legally issued U.S. Patent No. 10,447,450 (“the ’450 patent”), entitled
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`7
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`Case 2:22-md-03034-TGB ECF No. 31, PageID.1054 Filed 07/20/22 Page 8 of 40
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`“Method and System for Multi-Carrier Packet Communication with Reduced
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`Overhead.” A copy of the ’450 patent is attached as Exhibit 4.
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`25. The ’450 patent issued from U.S. Patent Application 15/676,421,
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`which was filed by Neocific, Inc. on August 14, 2017. The now-issued ’450 patent
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`was later assigned from Neocific, Inc. to CFIP NCF LLC on November 22, 2019
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`before it was assigned to Neo Wireless LLC on January 23, 2020.
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`26. The ’450 patent is valid and enforceable.
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`V. The ’512 Patent
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`27. On March 30, 2021, the United States Patent and Trademark Office
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`duly and legally issued U.S. Patent No. 10,965,512 (“the ’512 patent”), entitled
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`“Method and Apparatus Using Cell-Specific and Common Pilot Subcarriers in
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`multi-Carrier, Multi Cell Wireless Communication Networks.” A copy of the ’512
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`patent is attached as Exhibit 5.
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`28. The ’512 patent issued from U.S. Patent Application 17/012,813,
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`which was filed by Neo Wireless on September 4, 2020.
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`29. The ’512 patent is valid and enforceable.
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`VI. The ’302 Patent
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`30. On September 8, 2020, the United States Patent and Trademark Office
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`duly and legally issued U.S. Patent No. 10,771,302 (“the ’302 patent”), entitled
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`8
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`Case 2:22-md-03034-TGB ECF No. 31, PageID.1055 Filed 07/20/22 Page 9 of 40
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`“Method and System for Multi-Carrier Packet Communication with Reduced
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`Overhead.” A copy of the ’302 patent is attached as Exhibit 6.
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`31. The ’302 patent issued from U.S. Patent Application 15/953,950,
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`which was filed on April 16, 2018 and was assigned from Neocific, Inc. to CFIP
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`NCF LLC on November 22, 2019 before it was assigned to Neo Wireless LLC on
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`January 23, 2020.
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`32. The ’302 patent is valid and enforceable.
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`33. Neo Wireless owns all rights, title, and interest in and to each of the
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`’366, ’908, ’941, ’450, ’512, and ’302 patents (the “Patents-in-Suit”) and possesses
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`all rights of recovery.
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`FACTUAL ALLEGATIONS
`Inventor Xiaodong (Alex) Li, Ph.D. founded Neocific Inc. in the early
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`34.
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`2000s to design, develop, and implement a new wireless communication system.
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`He and his co-inventors had extensive experience with wireless communications
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`systems, including the development of the Wi-Max standards, and a deep
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`understanding of the flaws in existing systems at the time. The inventors saw an
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`opportunity to create a new wireless communication system meant to address those
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`flaws while incorporating cutting-edge Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiple
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`Access (OFDMA) based technologies, and, starting in the 2004–2005 timeframe,
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`they filed patents on the work.
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`9
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`Case 2:22-md-03034-TGB ECF No. 31, PageID.1056 Filed 07/20/22 Page 10 of 40
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`35. Dr. Li served as the President and Founder of Neocific. Dr. Li
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`obtained his Ph.D. in electrical engineering from the University of Washington, his
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`M.S. from Shanghai Jiao Tong University, and his B.S. from Tsinghua University.
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`Dr. Li has authored more than 30 journal and conference papers in wireless
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`communications, video coding, and networking. He has been granted more than
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`100 U.S. and foreign patents.
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`36. Dr. Titus Lo, Ph.D. is a founding employee of Neocific. Dr. Lo
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`obtained his Ph.D. in electrical engineering from McMaster University and his B.S.
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`from the University of British Columbia. Dr. Lo has authored more than 30
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`technical papers in international peer-reviewed journals and presented more than
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`50 times at industry events. He has been granted more than 100 U.S. and foreign
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`patents.
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`37. The inventions in the Patents-in-Suit relate to various improvements
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`in OFDMA networks and corresponding user equipment, and those improvements
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`have since been incorporated into the 3GPP standards for 4G/LTE and 5G/NR
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`networks.
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`38. Neo Wireless owns all substantial right, title, and interest in the
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`Patents-in-Suit, and holds the right to sue and recover damages for infringement
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`thereof.
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`10
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`Case 2:22-md-03034-TGB ECF No. 31, PageID.1057 Filed 07/20/22 Page 11 of 40
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`39. David Loo is the CEO of Plaintiff Neo Wireless. Mr. Loo works and
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`resides in Wayne, Pennsylvania. Mr. Loo has over a decade of experience as a
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`licensing executive and patent attorney with a well-established track record of
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`assisting companies, inventors and patent holders to ensure they are fairly
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`compensated for their inventions.
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`40. The wireless communication industry has been developing rapidly
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`since Bell Labs developed the First Generation of modern commercial cellular
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`technology in 1984. Multiple wireless communication technologies designated by
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`generations emerged and brought new capacities to people all over the world. In
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`2008, 3GPP created and finalized the LTE standards as an upgrade to 3G. The
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`cellular industry recognized its major benefits, and virtually all cellular device
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`manufacturers have embraced LTE as the next generation of commercial cellular
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`technology and developed phones, hotspots, and other cellular-connectivity
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`devices to utilize the 4G LTE technology.
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`41.
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`In recent years, automakers have implemented this cellular
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`communications technology into their vehicles. Telematics systems first debuted in
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`1996 through OnStar using analog cell networks, which allowed consumers to
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`receive remote diagnostics, remotely unlock vehicles, and receive emergency
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`services after a collision. In 2007, 3G technology emerged, bringing greater speed
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`11
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`Case 2:22-md-03034-TGB ECF No. 31, PageID.1058 Filed 07/20/22 Page 12 of 40
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`and capacity to these features and allowing automakers to design more advanced
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`functions.
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`42. When the technology emerged, Nissan began implementing the
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`newest 4G LTE cellular technology into many of its products. 4G LTE technology
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`provided for 10 times faster data speeds, increased responsiveness, and the ability
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`to support voice and data connections simultaneously. 4G LTE connection further
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`provides consumers with a variety of in-vehicle Wi-Fi hot spots and vast
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`entertainment options. As a result, Nissan could better support a variety of wireless
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`features including SOS emergency assistance, automatic collision notification,
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`stolen vehicle tracking, roadside assistance, remote start, remote climate control
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`adjustment, navigation map updates, live traffic data, and Wi-Fi hotspot, etc.
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`43. Nissan provides 4G LTE connectivity in its various products via the
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`NissanConnect system.
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`44. Building on these 4G LTE capabilities, Nissan developed and utilizes
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`the NissanConnect Services application that enables its customers to interact with
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`their vehicles from their cellular devices, using the cellular connectivity of the
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`Accused Products. Features on the NissanConnect Services application include
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`remote start, keyless entry, voice commands, and diagnostics.
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`45. Nissan models that implement 4G/LTE communications—including
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`but not limited to the Titan, Pathfinder, and Armada models—as well as those that
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`12
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`Case 2:22-md-03034-TGB ECF No. 31, PageID.1059 Filed 07/20/22 Page 13 of 40
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`may in the future implement 4G/LTE or 5G/NR capabilities, infringe the Patents-
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`in-Suit and are collectively referred to herein as the “Accused Products.”
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`46. Nissan’s Accused Products are configured to operate within 4G/LTE
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`and/or NR/5G cellular networks and in communication with base stations and other
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`network access points. The cellular networks and base stations are interoperable
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`and implement the one or more releases of the 4G/LTE and NR/5G 3GPP
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`standards from release 8 through at least release 17. The cellular networks,
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`including the cell-serving base stations, are controlled and configured by various
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`carriers and implemented using a variety of hardware and/or software.
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`Additionally, each base station may operate differently based on the wireless
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`conditions, location, and/or network configuration.
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`47. Additionally, the communications between Nissan’s Accused
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`Products and the serving base station include a multitude of signals back and forth
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`in normal operation, such as when establishing connections, sending and receiving
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`control information, sending and receiving reference signaling, communicating
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`data in the uplink and downlink, obtaining network parameters, etc. And Nissan’s
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`Accused Products do this across a potentially large range of time and locations,
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`including across a variety of base station equipment and configurations and/or
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`wireless conditions. As such, Nissan’s Accused Products are configured to operate
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`13
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`Case 2:22-md-03034-TGB ECF No. 31, PageID.1060 Filed 07/20/22 Page 14 of 40
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`across the various modes, formats, and schemes defined in the 4G/LTE and NR/5G
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`3GPP standards.
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`48. As described further below and set forth in Exhibits 7–12, the
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`Asserted Patents read onto portions of the 4G/LTE or NR/5G standards, each of
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`which Nissan implements in its Accused Products. In particular, Nissan and/or its
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`customers and end users must practice one or more claims from each of the
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`Asserted Patents in order to implement the 4G/LTE and/or NR/5G standards in the
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`Accused Products. Thus, on information and belief, Nissan’s implementation(s) of
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`the LTE/4G and/or NR/5G standards necessarily infringes one or more claims of
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`the Asserted Patents.
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`49. Nissan does not have any rights to the Patents-in-Suit.
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`50. Neo Wireless has complied with 35 U.S.C. § 287. Neo Wireless does
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`not make, offer for sale, or sell within the United States any patented article under
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`the Asserted Patents. Additionally, to the extent it was necessary, Neo Wireless
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`provided Nissan with actual notice of its infringement prior to the filing of this
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`lawsuit, or at a minimum by the filing of this Complaint.
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`51.
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`In the interest of providing detailed averments of infringement, Neo
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`Wireless has identified below at least one claim per patent to demonstrate
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`infringement. However, the selection of claims should not be considered limiting,
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`and additional claims of the Patents-in-Suit (including method, system, and
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`14
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`Case 2:22-md-03034-TGB ECF No. 31, PageID.1061 Filed 07/20/22 Page 15 of 40
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`apparatus claims) that are infringed by the Nissan Defendants will be disclosed in
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`compliance with the Court’s rules related to infringement contentions.
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`NISSAN’S ACTS OF PATENT INFRINGEMENT
`52. Neo Wireless incorporates by reference the preceding paragraphs as if
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`fully set forth herein.
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`53. As set forth below, Nissan’s Accused Products incorporate, without
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`any license from Neo Wireless, 4G/LTE and/or 5G/NR technology protected by
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`patents owned by Neo Wireless. Neo Wireless respectfully seeks relief from this
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`Court for Nissan’s infringement.
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`54. Each Nissan entity has directly infringed, and continues to directly
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`infringe, the Asserted Patents under 35 U.S.C. § 271(a) by making, using, selling
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`and/or offering to sell, in the Middle District of Tennessee and elsewhere in the
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`United States, and/or importing into the Middle District of Tennessee and
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`elsewhere in the United States, one or more of Nissan’s Accused Products, that is,
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`certain infringing vehicles outfitted with instrumentalities that infringe the
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`Asserted Patents, as further described in detail in Counts I–VI infra.
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`55.
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` Each Nissan entity directly or by controlling the activities of its
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`subsidiaries, makes, sells, offers for sale, uses, and imports the Accused Products
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`in the United States. And, each Nissan entity engages in the designing, developing,
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`15
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`Case 2:22-md-03034-TGB ECF No. 31, PageID.1062 Filed 07/20/22 Page 16 of 40
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`testing, and manufacturing of the Accused Products sold, used, and offered for sale
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`in the United States, as well as the sale of the Accused Products.
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`56. For example, Nissan NA, directly or by controlling the activities of its
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`subsidiaries, manufactures, makes, sells, offers for sale, uses, and imports vehicles
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`outfitted with instrumentalities that infringe the Asserted Patents in the United
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`States.
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`57. Nissan NA makes, sells, offers for sale, uses, and imports vehicles
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`outfitted with instrumentalities that infringe the Asserted Patents to its customers,
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`subsidiaries, distributors, retailers, dealerships and/or end users in the United
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`States.
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`58. For example, Nissan NA owns and operates four manufacturing
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`facilities in the United States responsible for designing, building, assembling,
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`manufacturing, offering for sale, and selling the Accused Products sold throughout
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`the United States. Similarly, Nissan NA owns and operates the Nissan USA
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`Official Website that offers for sale infringing vehicles outfitted with
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`instrumentalities that infringe the Asserted Patents in the United States.
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`59. Nissan NA also owns and operates the official Nissan website for the
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`United States that offers for sale infringing vehicles outfitted with instrumentalities
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`16
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`Case 2:22-md-03034-TGB ECF No. 31, PageID.1063 Filed 07/20/22 Page 17 of 40
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`that infringe the Asserted Patents to subsidiaries, dealerships, distributors, retailers,
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`and end-user customers.2
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`60. Nissan NA imports foreign-made vehicles outfitted with
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`instrumentalities that infringe the Asserted Patents for use, sale, offer for sale, and
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`other distribution throughout the United States.
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`61. NMAC sells, offers for sale, and uses the Accused Products in the
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`United States. For example, NMAC offers for sale and sells the lease returns for
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`the Accused Products at wholesale auction.
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`62. Each Nissan entity has indirectly infringed the Asserted Patents under
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`35 U.S.C. § 271(b) by actively inducing infringement by others, such as its
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`subsidiaries, dealerships, distributors, retailers, and end-user customers, by, for
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`example, implementing the infringing features in its cellular-capable products,
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`encouraging its users to take advantage of LTE and/or NR features within the
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`United States, and/or instructing, dictating, or training its dealerships and
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`customers to use the infringing features. Because they performed these acts with
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`full knowledge of the Asserted Patents and their infringement thereof, as set forth
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`in detail below, each Nissan entity has specifically intended others, such as its
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`subsidiaries, dealerships, distributors, retailers, and end-user customers, to infringe
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`2 See https://www.nissanusa.com/.
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`17
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`Case 2:22-md-03034-TGB ECF No. 31, PageID.1064 Filed 07/20/22 Page 18 of 40
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`Neo’s Asserted Patents knowing its subsidiaries, dealerships, distributors, retailers,
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`and end-user customers’ acts constitute infringement.
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`63. For example, Nissan NA’s advertising, sales, design, development
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`and/or technical materials related to the 3GPP LTE/4G and/or 5G/NR standards
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`associated with the Nissan Accused Products contained and continue to contain
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`instructions, directions, suggestions, and/or invitations that invite, entice, lead on,
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`influence, encourage, prevail on, move by persuasion, and/or cause their
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`subsidiaries, distributors, retailers, dealerships, customers, and the public to
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`directly infringe at least one claim of each of the Patents-in-Suit, either literally or
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`under the doctrine of equivalents.
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`64. Similarly, NMAC’s advertising, sales, and technical materials related
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`to the 3GPP LTE/4G and/or 5G/NR standards associated with the Nissan Accused
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`Products contained and continue to contain instructions, directions, suggestions,
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`and/or invitations that invite, entice, lead on, influence, encourage, prevail on,
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`move by persuasion, and/or cause its subsidiaries, distributors, retailers,
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`dealerships, customers, and the public to directly infringe at least one claim of each
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`of the Patents-in-Suit, either literally or under the doctrine of equivalents.
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`65. Each Nissan entity has further provided the above-mentioned
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`technical documentation and training materials to its subsidiaries, distributors,
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`retailers, dealerships, customers, and the public that cause end users of the Accused
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`18
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`Case 2:22-md-03034-TGB ECF No. 31, PageID.1065 Filed 07/20/22 Page 19 of 40
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`Products to utilize the products in a manner that directly infringe on one or more
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`claims of the Asserted Patents, and engaged in such inducement to promote the
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`sales of the Accused Products (e.g. through user manuals, product support,
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`marketing materials, technical materials, and training materials) to actively induce
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`the end users of the Accused Products to infringe the Asserted Patents.
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`66. Nissan NA advertises on its website to its customers and other end
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`users Nissan’s NissanConnect with Wi-Fi Hotspot technological capabilities for
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`the Accused Products meant to use the Accused Features as a means to entice sales
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`and use of the Accused Instrumentalities.3 These advertisements, among others,4
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`further describe to a customer or end user how to use the Accused
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`Instrumentalities.
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`67. Nissan NA further advertises and provides its customers and end users
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`with specifications describing the Accused Instrumentalities and how they are used
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`in the Accused Products.
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`68. NMAC, as the reseller for its customers’ lease returns, also provides
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`the above-mentioned specs and encourages its customers and end users to use
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`Nissan’s NissanConnect and other infringing features in the resold Accused
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`3 See https://www.nissanusa.com/connect/features-apps/car-wifi-hotspot.html.
`4 See https://www.nissanusa.com/connect.html.
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`19
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`Case 2:22-md-03034-TGB ECF No. 31, PageID.1066 Filed 07/20/22 Page 20 of 40
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`Products with a deliberate disregard for its known infringement of the Asserted
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`Patents.
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`69. Nissan took the above actions intending to cause infringing acts by
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`others.
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`70. Further, Nissan has made, used, sold, offered to sell, imported and/or
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`encouraged the making, using, selling, offering to sell, or importing of Nissan’s
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`Accused Products despite knowing of an objectively high likelihood that its actions
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`constituted infringement of the Asserted Patents at all times relevant to this suit.
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`Alternatively, each Nissan entity subjectively believed there was a high probability
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`that others would infringe the Asserted Patents but took deliberate steps to avoid
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`confirming that it was actively inducing infringement by others.
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`71. Neo sent a letter to Nissan NA on November 29, 2021 that Nissan
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`received no later than December 1, 2021 informing Nissan of Neo Wireless’s
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`relevant patent portfolio, including listing the patents-in-suit and how the patents-
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`in-suit cover certain 3GPP wireless standards used in Nissan’s Accused Products in
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`an attempt to initiate commercial licensing discussions. NMAC, who shares the
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`same address as Nissan NA, obtained actual knowledge of the patents-in-suit and
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`how the patents-in-suit cover certain 3GPP wireless standards used in Nissan’s
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`Accused Products through Nissan NA. Nissan did not respond, refused to engage
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`in any good-faith licensing negotiations, and continued infringing the Asserted
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`20
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`Case 2:22-md-03034-TGB ECF No. 31, PageID.1067 Filed 07/20/22 Page 21 of 40
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`Patents. In any event, Nissan NA and NMAC were on actual notice of the Asserted
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`Patents and its infringement on the date of service of this Complaint. Therefore,
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`each Nissan entity was or is now aware of the Asserted Patents or has willfully
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`blinded itself as to the existence of the Asserted Patents and the Accused Products’
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`infringement thereof and has deliberately and wantonly continued to infringe on
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`Neo’s patent rights.
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`72. For the reasons described above, Nissan’s infringement of the
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`Asserted Patents has been willful and egregious.
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`73. Nissan’s acts of infringement have caused damage to Neo Wireless.
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`Neo Wireless is entitled to recover from Nissan the damages incurred by Neo
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`Wireless as a result of Nissan’s wrongful acts.
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`COUNT ONE: INFRINGEMENT OF THE ’366 PATENT
`74. Plaintiff incorporates the allegations of all of the foregoing paragraphs
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`as if fully restated herein.
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`75. As described above, each Nissan entity has infringed and continues to
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`infringe the ’366 Patent by implementing, using, offering for sale, and selling
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`4G/LTE and/or 5G/NR cellular functionality according to one or more 3GPP
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`standard releases from 8 through 17 in the Accused Products, and performing the
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`acts of infringement described above.
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`21
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`Case 2:22-md-03034-TGB ECF No. 31, PageID.1068 Filed 07/20/22 Page 22 of 40
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`76. Nissan’s Accused Products are configured to operate across the
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`various modes, formats, and schemes defined in the 4G/LTE and NR/5G 3GPP
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`standards. Nissan’s Accused Products are configured to operate within 4G/LTE
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`and/or NR/5G cellular networks that are controlled and configured by various
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`carriers and implemented using a variety of hardware and/or software.
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`Additionally, each base station may operate differently based on the wireless
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`conditions, location, and/or network configuration. Accordingly, Nissan’s Accused
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`Products are configured to accommodate those differences and implement the
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`3GPP standards holistically, and do not exclude particular modes or schemes in
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`which a serving base station may be configured to operate.
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`77. Each of Nissan’s Accused Products implements the portions of the
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`3GPP LTE standard specification that read on at least claim 1 of the ’366 patent.
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`See Exhibit 7. Exhibit 7 illustrates how implementing and carrying out certain
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`portions of the 3GPP LTE standard (“covered functionality”) requires the
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`practicing of at least claim 1 of the ’366 patent. Id. On information and belief, each
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`portion of the standard cited in Exhibit 7 is implemented to provide LTE
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`functionality in the Accused Products. For example, the covered functionality of
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`the ’366 patent is present in the 3GPP LTE standard from the earliest release
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`number 8 through the last LTE release number 17. As further illustrated in Exhibit
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`7, third-party industry experts through textbooks and articles confirm the inclusion
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`22
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`Case 2:22-md-03034-TGB ECF No. 31, PageID.1069 Filed 07/20/22 Page 23 of 40
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`of the covered functionality within the 3GPP LTE standard. Further, industry
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`experts consulted by Neo have confirmed that, based on their experience with and
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`knowledge of the 3GPP standards and their implementation, the Accused Products
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`are configured to practice the covered functionality when they provide LTE
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`connectivity. The technology covered by claim 1 of the ’366 patent and reflected in
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`the 3GPP standard portions set out in Exhibit 7 is a core part of communications on
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`an LTE network, and would be required in any device operating on said network.
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`For example, the covered functionality related to the random-access procedure is
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`integral to the establishment of connections between Nissan’s Accused Products
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`and the serving base stations for LTE networks. Additionally, based on FCC filings
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`and corroborating public information, Defendants’ Accused Products are compliant
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`with various 3GPP LTE releases, including release 8 and later releases, and are
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`configured with the covered functionalities. Finally, on information and belief, due
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`to the features Nissan advertises as enabled by the 4G/LTE functionality, including
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`but not limited t