throbber
NO: 423227US
`
`IN THE UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
`
`BEFORE THE PATENT TRIAL AND APPEAL BOARD
`
`TOYOTA MOTOR CORP.,
`
`Petitioner,
`
`V.
`
`LEROY G. HAGENBUCH,
`Patent Owner.
`
`Case IPR2013-
`
`Patent U.S. 8,532,867
`
`PETITION FOR INTER PARTES REVIEW OF
`
`CLAIMS 1-14 OF U.S. PATENT NO. 8,532,867
`
`UNDER 35 U.S.C. § 312 AND 37 C.F.R. § 42.104
`
`Mail Stop PATENT BOARD
`Patent Trial and Appeal Board
`US Patent and Trademark Office
`
`PO Box 1450
`
`Alexandria, Virginia 223 13-1450
`
`OWNER Ex. 2038, page 1
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent 8,532,867
`Petition for Inter Partes Review
`
`TABLE OF CONTENTS
`
`Page
`
`I.
`
`MANDATORY NOTICES PURSUANT TO 37 C.F.R. § 42.8 ................... ..1
`
`II.
`
`CERTIFICATION OF GROUNDS FOR STANDING ................................ ..2
`
`III. OVERVIEW OF CHALLENGE AND RELIEF REQUESTED .................. ..2
`
`A.
`
`Prior Art Patents and Printed Publications .......................................... ..2
`
`B.
`
`Grounds for Challenge ........................................................................ ..3
`
`IV. OVERVIEW OF THE ‘867 PATENT .......................................................... ..4
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`V.
`
`CLAIM CONSTRUCTION .......................................................................... ..6
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`VI.
`
`LEVEL OF ORDINARY SKILL IN THE ART ........................................... ..7
`
`VII.
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`IDENTIFICATION OF HOW CHALLENGED CLAIMS 1-14
`
`ARE UNPATENTABLE ............................................................................... .. 8
`
`A.
`
`B.
`
`C.
`
`D.
`
`E.
`
`F.
`
`Claims 1-7, 10, and 11 are Obvious Over Aoyanagi,
`Vollmer, and Steiner Under 35 U.S.C. § 103(a) ................................. ..8
`
`Claims 1-7, 10, and 11 are Obvious Over Aoyanagi,
`Vollmer, and Camhi Under 35 U.S.C. § 103(a) ................................ ..29
`
`Claims 8, 9, 13, and 14 are Obvious Over Aoyanagi,
`Vollmer, Steiner, and Fincham Under 35 U.S.C. § 103(a) ............... ..41
`
`Claims 8, 9, 13, and 14 are Obvious Over Aoyanagi,
`Vollmer, Camhi, and Fincham Under 35 U.S.C. § 103(a) ................ ..48
`
`Claim 12 is Obvious Over Aoyanagi, Vollmer, Steiner,
`and Sorden Under 35 U.S.C. § 103(a) .............................................. ..53
`
`Claim 12 is Obvious Over Aoyanagi, Vollmer, Camhi,
`and Sorden Under 35 U.S.C. § 103(a) .............................................. ..56
`
`VIII. CONCLUSION ............................................................................................ ..58
`
`OWNER Ex. 2038, page 2
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`

`
`U.S. Patent 8,532,867
`Petition for Inter Partes Review
`
`Cases
`
`TABLE OF AUTHORITIES
`
`figs
`
`In re GPAC Inc,
`57 F.3d 1573 (Fed. Cir. 1995) ................................................................. .. 7
`
`Phillips V. AWH Corp.,
`415 F.3d 1303 (Fed. Cir. 2005) .............................................................. .. 6
`
`Statutes
`
`35 U.S.C. § 102(b) ......................................................................................... .. 2, 3
`
`35 U.S.C. § 103(a) .................................................................................... ..passz'm
`
`35 U.S.C. § 314(a) ............................................................................................. .. 4
`
`Rules
`
`37 C.F.R. § 42.8 ................................................................................................. .. 1
`
`37 C.F.R. § 42.22 ............................................................................................... .. 2
`
`37 C.F.R. § 42.100 ............................................................................................ .. 6
`
`37 C.F.R. § 42.104 ........................................................................................ .. 2, 8
`
`ii
`
`OWNER Ex. 2038, page 3
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`

`
`U.S. Patent 8,532,867
`Petition for Inter Partes Review
`
`I. MANDATORY NOTICES PURSUANT TO 37 C.F.R. § 42.8
`
`Real Party-in-Interest: Toyota Motor Corporation (“Petitioner”)
`
`Related Matters: Patent Owner has asserted the U.S. Patent 8,532,867 (“the
`
`‘867 patent”) against a subsidiary of Petitioner in Hagenbuch v. Toyota Motor
`
`Sales, U.S.A., Inc., No. 13-cv-6713 (N.D. 111.). There are no patents or applications
`
`that claim the benefit of the filing date of the ‘867 patent.
`
`Petitioner is filing a petition for inter partes review challenging claims 15-
`
`26 of the ‘867 patent. If the petitions for review of the ‘867 patent result in
`
`institution, Petitioner anticipates filing a motion for joinder.
`
`Furthermore, Petitioner has filed two petitions for IPR challenging related
`
`U.S. Patent No. 8,014,917 (“the ‘917 patent”). See IPR2013-00483 and IPR2013-
`
`00638. To this end, the Board may wish to consider assigning all IPR proceedings
`
`for the ‘867 and ‘917 patents to a single panel of Administrative Patent Judges for
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`administrative efficiency.
`
`Counsel: Lead Counsel: Robert C. Mattson (Registration No. 42,850)
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`Backup Counsel: John S. Kern (Registration No. 42,719) and Thomas C.
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`Yebernetsky (Registration No. 70,418).
`
`Service Information : Email : CPdocketMattson@oblon.com
`
`Post: Oblon Spivak, 1940 Duke St., Alexandria, VA 22314
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`Telephone: 703-412-6466
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`Facsimile: 703-413-2220
`
`OWNER Ex. 2038, page 4
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`

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`U.S. Patent 8,532,867
`Petition for Inter Partes Review
`
`II. CERTIFICATION OF GROUNDS FOR STANDING
`
`Petitioner certifies pursuant to Rule 42.104(a) that the patent for which
`
`review is sought is available for inter partes review and that Petitioner is not
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`barred or estopped from requesting an inter partes review challenging the patent
`
`claims on the grounds identified in this Petition.
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`III. OVERVIEW OF CHALLENGE AND RELIEF REQUESTED
`
`Pursuant to Rules 42.22(a)(l) and 42.104(b)(1)—(2), Petitioner challenges
`
`claims 1-14 of the ‘867 patent. The ‘867 patent claims priority to several
`
`applications, the earliest of which was filed on Feb. 15, 1994 (“the priority date”).
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`(Ex. 1001, the ‘867 patent.)
`
`A.
`
`Prior Art Patents and Printed Publications
`
`Petitioner relies upon the following patents and printed publications:
`
`Exhibit 1002 — Japanese Patent Publication No. H03-085412 (“Aoyanagi”),
`
`published April 10, 1991, and available as prior art under 35 U.S.C. § 102(b).
`
`Exhibit 1003 — Certified Translation of Aoyanagi. Citations to Aoyanagi are
`
`made to the certified translation in the following format: <translation
`
`page:column:line>.
`
`Exhibit 1004 — International Patent Pub. No. WO 90/03 899 (“Vollmer”),
`
`published April 19, 1990, and available as prior art under 35 U.S.C. § 102(b).
`
`Exhibit 1005 — Certified Translation of Vollmer. Citations to Vollmer are
`
`OWNER Ex. 2038, page 5
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`

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`U.S. Patent 8,532,867
`Petition for Inter Partes Review
`
`made to the certified translation in the following format: <translation page:line>.
`
`Exhibit 1006 - U.S. Patent No. 4,939,652 (“Steiner”), issued July 3, 1990,
`
`and available as prior art under 35 U.S.C. § 102(b).
`
`Exhibit 1007 - U.S. Patent No. 5,430,432 (“Camhi”), which is a
`
`continuation of U.S. Patent Application No. 07/992,246 filed December 14, 1992,
`
`issued July 4, 1995, and available as prior art under 35 U.S.C. § 102(e).
`
`Exhibit 1008 - Fincham et al., “A Transient Recorder for Road Accidents,”
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`Automotive Electronics, 1991, Eighth International Conference on Automotive
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`Electronics, pp. 135-39, Oct. 28-31, 1991 (“Fincham”), is a printed publication
`
`that was publically available by at least December 31, 1991 and available as prior
`
`art under 35 U.S.C. § 102(b). Citations to Fincham are made in the following
`
`format: <page:column:line>.
`
`Exhibit 1009 - U.S. Patent No. 5,311,197 (“Sorden”), filed February 1,
`
`1993, issued May 10, 1994, and available as prior art under 35 U.S.C. § 102(e).
`
`B.
`
`Grounds for Challenge
`
`Petitioner requests cancellation of challenged claims 1-14 under the
`
`following statutory grounds:
`
`A. Claims 1-7, 10, and 11 are unpatentable under 35 U.S.C. § 103(a) as obvious
`
`over Aoyanagi (Ex. 1002), Vollmer (Ex. 1004), and Steiner (Ex. 1006).
`
`B. Claims 1-7, 10, and 11 are unpatentable under 35 U.S.C. § 103(a) as obvious
`
`OWNER Ex. 2038, page 6
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`

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`U.S. Patent 8,532,867
`Petition for Inter Partes Review
`
`over Aoyanagi (Ex. 1002), Vollmer (Ex. 1004), and Camhi (Ex. 1007).
`
`C. Claims 8, 9, 13, and 14 are unpatentable under 35 U.S.C. § 103(a) as obvious
`
`over Aoyanagi (Ex. 1002), Vollmer (Ex. 1004), Steiner (Ex. 1006), and
`
`Fincham (Ex. 1008).
`
`D. Claims 8, 9, 13, and 14 are unpatentable under 35 U.S.C. § 103(a) as obvious
`
`over Aoyanagi (Ex. 1002), Vollmer (Ex. 1004), Camhi (Ex. 1007), and
`
`Fincham (Ex. 1008).
`
`E. Claim 12 is unpatentable under 35 U.S.C. § 103(a) as obvious over Aoyanagi
`
`(Ex. 1002), Vollmer (Ex. 1004), Steiner (Ex. 1006), and Sorden (Ex. 1009).
`
`F. Claim 12 is unpatentable under 35 U.S.C. § 103(a) as obvious over Aoyanagi
`
`(Ex. 1002), Vollmer (Ex. 1004), Camhi (Ex. 1007), and Sorden (Ex. 1009).
`
`Section VII below demonstrates, for each of the statutory grounds, that there
`
`is a reasonable likelihood that Petitioner will prevail. See 35 U.S.C. § 314(a).
`
`Additional explanation and support for each ground of rejection is set forth in the
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`Expert Declaration of David McNamara (Exhibit 1010).
`
`IV. OVERVIEW OF THE ‘867 PATENT
`
`The ‘867 patent relates generally to an apparatus and method for recording
`
`data from a vehicle before and after detecting a collision. (Ex. 1001, 1:25-29,
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`3:23-28.) The method includes monitoring production-related and vital sign
`
`parameters, detecting a collision, automatically sending a wireless distress signal in
`
`OWNER Ex. 2038, page 7
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`

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`U.S. Patent 8,532,867
`Petition for Inter Partes Review
`
`response to a collision, capturing pre-collision production-related parameters, and
`
`capturing post-collision vital sign parameters. (Id. at 6:30-34, 7:39-49, 7:60-64,
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`25:22-38.)
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`Both production-related and vital sign parameters are monitored using “well
`
`known sensors that [are] commercially available.” (Id. at 6:66-7:3.) One such
`
`sensor is “crash sensor accelerometer 73L” shown in Figure 1C. The system of the
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`‘867 patent uses accelerometer 73L to detect whether a collision has occurred.
`
`(Id.
`
`at 11:66-67.)
`
`The system of the ‘867 patent captures production-related parameters and
`
`vital sign parameters during operation of the vehicle. Specifically, at intervals
`
`determined by a sampling cycle, production-related parameters are stored in
`
`memory 83.
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`(Id. at 7:53-60.) Additionally, vital sign parameters are captured in
`
`diagnostic memory 87 if their values are higher or lower than the historical ten
`
`highest or lowest readings. (Id. at 8:9-18.)
`
`If crash sensor 73L detects a collision, production-related and vital sign
`
`parameters are transferred to diagnostic memories 85 and 89. The historical
`
`production-related parameters stored in memory 83 are transferred to diagnostic
`
`memory 85.
`
`(Id. at 7:65-8:1, 11:57-12:3.) The identity of the crash sensor 73L,
`
`the value of crash sensor 73L’s data, and a chronology of some or all of the
`
`production-related parameters stored in memory 83 are recorded into diagnostic
`
`OWNER Ex. 2038, page 8
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`

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`U.S. Patent 8,532,867
`Petition for Inter Partes Review
`
`memory 89.
`
`(Id. at 811-7.)
`
`The system continues gathering and storing data following a collision until
`
`the value of the crash sensor 73L drops below a certain threshold value.
`
`(Id. at
`
`25:22-38.) In this manner, the system of the ‘867 patent gathers and stores data
`
`into diagnostic memories 85 and 89 after a collision.
`
`V. CLAIM CONSTRUCTION
`
`The claim terms are presumed to take on their ordinary and customary
`
`meaning.
`
`Prior to the February 15, 2014 expiration date of the ‘867 patent, the
`
`challenged claims are given their broadest reasonable interpretation in light of the
`
`specification. 37 C.F.R. § 42.l00(b). Subsequent to the expiration of the ‘867
`
`patent, the claims “are generally given their ordinary and customary meaning” as
`
`understood by a person of ordinary skill in the art in question at the time of the
`
`invention. Phillips V. AWH Corp., 415 F.3d 1303, 1316 (Fed. Cir. 2005).
`
`This Petition shows that the challenged claims of the ‘867 patent are
`
`unpatentable when the challenged claims are given either their broadest reasonable
`
`interpretation in light of the specification or their ordinary and customary meaning.
`
`See 37 C.F.R. § 42. 100(b). The terms below should be construed the same under
`
`either standard. (Ex. 1010 11 29.)
`
`OWNER Ex. 2038, page 9
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`

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`U.S. Patent 8,532,867
`Petition for Inter Partes Review
`
`“Monitoring Production-Related Parameters”: This term in claims 1-14
`
`refers to sampling data from sensors that provide indicia of the work done by a
`
`vehicle. For example, the ‘867 specification states that “the processor 41
`
`periodically samples the data from the production-related sensors.” (Ex. 1001,
`
`7:54-57; see also id. at 1:45-47, 2:67-3:3, 6:32-49; EX. 1010 1] 30.)
`
`“Monitoring Vital Sign Parameters”: This term in claims 1-14 refers to
`
`sampling data from sensors indicative of the state of health of the vehicle. (Ex.
`
`1001,1:33—44, 6:30-32, 6:50-65, 7:50-53, 7:60-62, 8:11-14; Ex. 1010 1] 31.)
`
`“A Permanent Memory”: This term in claims 1-14 refers to any set of
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`memory addresses that are preserved so that they are not overwritten. The
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`specification describes permanent memory 89 as “a number of address locations in
`
`the RAM 47 that preserves the data until an operator of the system removes it.”
`
`(Ex.1001, 9:57-63;Ex.1010 1] 32.)
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`VI.
`
`LEVEL OF ORDINARY SKILL IN THE ART
`
`The level of ordinary skill in the art is evidenced by the references. See
`
`In re GPAC Inc., 57 F.3d 1573, 1579 (Fed. Cir. 1995) (determining that the Board
`
`did not err in adopting the approach that the level of skill in the art was best
`
`determined by the references of record). The ‘867 patent acknowledges that, by
`
`the priority date of the ‘867 patent, “it has become increasingly common for
`
`heavy-duty vehicles
`
`to include a plurality of sensors
`
`for the purpose of
`
`OWNER Ex. 2038, page 10
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`

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`U.S. Patent 8,532,867
`Petition for Inter Partes Review
`
`monitoring certain important performance and vital sign parameters.” (Ex. 1001,
`
`6: 1-5.) Further, the vital sign and production-related sensors described in the ‘867
`
`patent were well-known and commercially available. (Id. at 6:66-7:3.) One of
`
`ordinary skill in the art would have also known that those types of sensors were
`
`commonly used in systems to monitor vehicle-operating parameters, provide
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`external signals when certain conditions were reached, and that wireless
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`technology could be used to transmit data and alert others of those conditions. (Id.;
`
`EX. 1010 11 20.)
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`VII.
`
`IDENTIFICATION OF HOW CHALLENGED CLAIMS 1-14 ARE
`
`UNPATENTABLE
`
`Pursuant to Rule 42.104(b)(4)-(5), this section demonstrates that the
`
`challenged claims are unpatentable.
`
`A.
`
`Claims 1-7, 10, and 11 are Obvious Over Aoyanagi, Vollmer, and
`Steiner Under 35 U.S.C. § 103(a)
`
`Claims 1-7, 10, and 11 of the ‘867 patent are unpatentable because it would
`
`have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify Aoyanagi’s
`
`system for recording vehicle running conditions to include an automatic distress
`
`signal and two-memory recording system. Aoyanagi describes “a recording
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`apparatus for vehicle running conditions
`
`that records running data at the time
`
`when the vehicle has received shocks due to an accident or the like, while
`
`protecting those data.” (EX. 1003, 70:2:3-8.) Vollmer describes “[a]n emergency
`
`OWNER Ex. 2038, page 11
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`

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`U.S. Patent 8,532,867
`Petition for Inter Partes Review
`
`call system for vehicles [that] sends an automatic emergency call in the event of
`
`danger, accident or breakdown. . ..” (Ex. 1005, Abstract.) The apparatus disclosed
`
`in Vollmer monitors and captures production-related parameters like “speed and
`
`deceleration measurement 49.” (Id. at 6:27.) Likewise, Steiner describes a system
`
`that monitors and permanently records vehicle-operating parameters “if the vehicle
`
`is involved in an accident.” (EX. 1006, Abstract, 8:17-47.) Thus, Aoyanagi,
`
`Vollmer, and Steiner are directed to the same field of endeavor. (Ex. 1010 1] 54.)
`
`A claim element-by-claim element analysis of these grounds for unpatentability
`
`follows.
`
`Claim 1.a1: “A method for recording operation of a vehicle and facilitating
`emergency response in the event of a collision of the vehicle, the method
`comprising:”
`
`Aoyanagi describes recording operations of a vehicle with recording
`
`apparatus 12. (Ex. 1003, 71:1:6—9, 72:1:6—12.) Aoyanagi detects a collision
`
`“when a shock occurs and then the vehicle speed becomes zero in a short time.”
`
`(Id. at 72:2:21—23.)
`
`Similarly, Vollmer describes an emergency call device that monitors and
`
`captures information about vehicle operation such as airbag deployment and
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`“speed and deceleration.” (Ex. 1005, 5:21, 6:27.) The device facilitates
`
`1 The claims are subdivided into elements, 1.a, 1.b, 1.c, etc. corresponding to the
`
`rows in the claim charts, infra, for each ground for challenge.
`
`OWNER Ex. 2038, page 12
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`

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`U.S. Patent 8,532,867
`Petition for Inter Partes Review
`
`emergency response in the event of a collision of the vehicle by making emergency
`
`calls that are “triggered automatically.” (Id. at Abstract, 2: 14, 6: 14-21.) “In order
`
`to be able to initiate the necessary immediate measures in optimal fashion
`
`the
`
`emergency call includes all the important data with respect to the emergency
`
`situation.” (Id. at 6:21-23.)
`
`It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, at the
`
`time of the ‘867 patent’s priority date, to use recorded information about a
`
`vehicle’s operation to facilitate an emergency response in the event of a collision
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`because Vollmer teaches that such information can be transmitted to an accident
`
`reporting station so that the emergency situation can be recognized and emergency
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`procedures can be initiated more rapidly.
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`(Id. at 3:5-13, 6:21-23; Ex. 1010 1] 34.)
`
`Claim 1.b to .f: “monitoring production-related parameters of the vehicle,
`including a ground speed of the vehicle, a position of a throttle for an
`engine of the vehicle, an on/off status of a braking system of the vehicle,
`and a status of a seat belt;”
`
`Aoyanagi teaches that “[t]he recording apparatus uses sensors to record data
`
`of the running conditions of the vehicle ....” (Ex. 1003, 71:1:6—7.) Those
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`conditions are sampled and recorded “every 0.1 to 0.2 seconds.” (Id. at 72: 1 :30.)
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`They include “vehicle speed” (id. at 71:1:65), “acceleration pedal position” (id. at
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`71:2: 18-27, describing a sensor to determine the position of a butterfly valve on
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`the intake manifold of the vehicle), “brake pedal position” (id. at 71 12:28), “engine
`
`10
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`OWNER Ex. 2038, page 13
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`

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`U.S. Patent 8,532,867
`Petition for Inter Partes Review
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`speed” (id. at 71:2: 12), “steering wheel position (rotation angle)” (id. at 71:2:45),
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`and “seat belt fastened/unfastened state” (id. at 71:2:62).
`
`Aoyanagi monitors the braking system by “detecting the hydraulic pressure
`
`of a hydraulic pressure cylinder brake 32 by a hydraulic pressure sensor 28
`
`provided at the hydraulic pressure cylinder brake 32 activated by a brake 30.” (Id.
`
`at 71:2:28—35.) A person of ordinary skill in the art would have understood that
`
`the amount of hydraulic pressure detected indicates whether the braking system is
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`on or off. (Ex. 1010 1111 36-38.)
`
`Claim 1.g: “monitoring vital sign parameters of the vehicle, including
`information indicative of a change in the velocity of the vehicle;”
`
`Aoyanagi’s system also monitors “vehicle acceleration and deceleration.”
`
`(Ex. 1003, 71:2:3.) Acceleration and deceleration are changes in velocity. (Ex.
`
`1010 11 39.) Aoyanagi’s system monitors acceleration using acceleration sensor 18.
`
`(Ex. 1003, 71 :2:3—6.) Additionally, Aoyanagi teaches sampling vehicle data,
`
`including speed, at fixed 0.1-second intervals, which would reflect changes in
`
`velocity. (Id. at 72:1:9—12.)
`
`Claim 1.h: “capturing into a volatile memory values of the production-
`related parameters of the vehicle;”
`
`Aoyanagi teaches that the recording apparatus with integrated CPU (central
`
`processing unit), “captures [into memory] respective data that are input from
`
`respective sensors, for example, about every 0.1 seconds.” (Id. at 72: 1 162-64.)
`
`11
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`OWNER Ex. 2038, page 14
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`

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`U.S. Patent 8,532,867
`Petition for Inter Partes Review
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`Aoyanagi records the production-related and vital sign parameters in “a 64-
`
`kilobyte C-MOS SRAM,” which is a type of volatile memory. (Id. at 72: 1 :9—12;
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`EX.1010 11 40.)
`
`Claim 1.i: “detecting a collision of the vehicle based on information
`obtained by monitoring one or more of the vital sign parameters;”
`
`Aoyanagi’s system monitors acceleration/deceleration data to detect a
`
`collision “when a shock occurs and then the vehicle speed becomes zero in a short
`
`time.” (EX. 1003, 72:2:21—23; EX. 1010 11 41.) As noted above, vehicle
`
`acceleration and deceleration are vital signs indicative of a change in velocity.
`
`Claim 1.j: “automatically sending a wireless distress signal from the vehicle
`in response to detecting the collision, the distress signal indicating that the
`vehicle has been in a collision; and”
`
`Vollmer describes “[a]n emergency call system for vehicles [that] sends an
`
`automatic emergency call in the event of danger, accident or breakdown...” (EX.
`
`1005, Abstract.) Vollmer teaches that the emergency call device makes emergency
`
`calls that are “triggered automatically.” (Id. at 2: 14.) Additionally, Vollmer
`
`teaches that the “control unit 3” sends the distress signal wirelessly “via cellular
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`telephone 1.” (Id. at 6:18-19.) Furthermore, Vollmer teaches that “[i]n order to be
`
`able to initiate the necessary immediate measures in optimal fashion
`
`the
`
`emergency call includes all the important data with respect to the emergency
`
`situation.” (Id. at 6:21-23.)
`
`12
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`OWNER Ex. 2038, page 15
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`

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`U.S. Patent 8,532,867
`Petition for Inter Partes Review
`
`It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, at the
`
`time of the ‘867 patent’s priority date, to combine the automatic distress signal
`
`feature of Vollmer with the recording apparatus of Aoyanagi for several reasons.
`
`(Ex. 1010 1111 44-48.) For example, Vollmer teaches that automatically sending a
`
`distress signal and relevant sensor data upon detection of an accident decreases the
`
`time before emergency services are notified relative to a manually-made
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`emergency call. (Ex. 1005, 113-9.) Also, the automatic distress signal avoids
`
`problems that a person may have in making a call manually.
`
`(Id. at 113-213.)
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`Further, by automatically providing information about the accident to the accident
`
`reporting station, Vollmer avoids a situation where emergency services receive
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`incomplete information from a person manually making a call to report an
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`accident.
`
`(Id. at Abstract, 1116-18, 315-13.) Accordingly, a person of ordinary
`
`skill in the art would have been motivated to modify the system of Aoyanagi to
`
`automatically send a wireless distress signal from a vehicle in response to detecting
`
`the collision.
`
`Claim 1.k to .1: “recording into a permanent memory values of three or
`more of the production-related parameters of the vehicle captured over a
`finite period of time before detection of the collision and values of one or
`more of the vital sign parameters over a finite period of time after
`detection of the collision.”
`
`As noted above, Aoyanagi records three or more production-related
`
`parameters prior to the collision. (Ex. 1003, 7111147-721113.) Those production-
`
`13
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`OWNER Ex. 2038, page 16
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`

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`U.S. Patent 8,532,867
`Petition for Inter Partes Review
`
`related parameters include “vehicle speed” (id. at 71 : 1 :65), “acceleration pedal
`
`position” (id. at 71:2:18—27), “brake pedal position” (id. at 71:2:28), “engine
`
`speed” (id. at 71:2: 12), “steering wheel position (rotation angle)” (id. at 71:2:45),
`
`“seat belt fastened/unfastened state” (id. at 71:2:62), and “brake pedal position”
`
`(id. at 71:2:28—3 5). Furthermore, as noted above, Aoyanagi’s system also records
`
`the vital sign parameters of “vehicle acceleration and deceleration.” (Id. at 71:2:3.)
`
`Aoyanagi records both production-related and vital sign parameters before
`
`and after the collision. Aoyanagi records the production-related and vital sign
`
`parameters over a finite period of time before the collision by “captur[ing]
`
`respective data that are input from respective sensors. . .and [then] sequentially
`
`delet[ing] old data when the capacity of memory is full so as to take in the latest
`
`data.” (Id. at 72: 1 :62—67.) This results in a finite period “of about 1.5 minutes to a
`
`little over 3 minutes” of the latest data stored in memory.
`
`(Id. at 72:1:28—32.)
`
`Additionally, Aoyanagi’s system continues to record both production-related and
`
`vital sign parameters after a collision: “when an accident occurs, the recording
`
`apparatus can keep recording for a specific period of time after receiving shocks
`
`and the like.” (Id. at 72:1:33—36.) The specific period of time is a “finite period of
`
`time,” as claimed.
`
`Aoyanagi preserves recorded data in the memory by ceasing to update it.
`
`(Id. at 72:1:67—72:2:4.) Aoyanagi does not state whether preserving the data
`
`14
`
`OWNER Ex. 2038, page 17
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`

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`U.S. Patent 8,532,867
`Petition for Inter Partes Review
`
`includes storing it in a second, permanent memory location. However, Steiner
`
`discloses a system that monitors and permanently records vehicle-operating
`
`parameters “if the vehicle is involved in an accident.” (EX. 1006, Abstract, 8:17-
`
`47.) Steiner’s system teaches a data memory 506 having first and second memory
`
`areas for capturing vehicle operation parameters. The first memory “is
`
`implemented by using a 60 byte area in data memory 506, as a circular buffer.”
`
`(Id. at 8: 1-3.) The second, permanent memory is a “separate area in data memory
`
`506, [which] is allocated for retaining the contents of the circular buffer [i.e., the
`
`first memory]” when there is a collision to preserve the contents of the circular
`
`buffer for subsequent analysis.
`
`(Id. at 8: 17-30.)
`
`It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, at the
`
`time of the ‘867 patent’s priority date, to further modify Aoyanagi to include a
`
`second, permanent memory to receive information from the first memory, as taught
`
`by Steiner, for several reasons. (Ex. 1010 1111 53-56.) For example, Steiner’s
`
`circular buffer (first memory) reduces the amount of memory required to record
`
`data by permitting data to be overwritten, and recording the data from the circular
`
`buffer into the second memory permits data from the circular buffer, which is
`
`normally overwritten, to be preserved for “subsequent analysis” after a collision.
`
`(Ex. 1006, 217-13, 8: 1-47.) Furthermore, recording data into a separate memory
`
`to preserve it, as taught by Steiner, was a known and predictable alternative to
`
`15
`
`OWNER Ex. 2038, page 18
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`

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`U.S. Patent 8,532,867
`Petition for Inter Partes Review
`
`Aoyanagi’s technique of preserving the data in the same memory locations by not
`
`overwriting it, as taught by Aoyanagi. (Ex. 1010 111] 53-56.)
`
`Claim 2: “The method of claim 1 wherein: the production-related
`parameters are monitored after detection of the collision; and values of the
`production-related parameters following detection of the collision are
`captured.”
`
`Aoyanagi’s system continues to monitor and record production-related
`
`parameters after a collision: “when an accident occurs, the recording apparatus can
`
`keep recording for a specific period of time after receiving shocks and the like.”
`
`(Ex. 1003, 72: 1:33-36.) As noted above with respect to claim elements 1.k and
`
`1.1, Steiner captures vehicle operation parameters by preserving them in the second
`
`memory. (Ex. 1010 1111 51-52.)
`
`Claim 3: “The method of claim 1 wherein the distress signal includes
`additional information indicating whether aid may be required.”
`
`Vollmer teaches that “[i]n order to be able to initiate the necessary
`
`immediate measures in optimal fashion
`
`the emergency call includes all the
`
`important data with respect to the emergency situation.” (Ex. 1005, 6:21-23.) A
`
`person of ordinary skill in the art would have understood that this data indicates
`
`whether aid may be required. (Ex. 1010 1] 64.)
`
`Claim 4: “The method of claim 3 wherein: the production-related
`parameters are monitored after detection of the collision; and values of the
`production-related parameters following detection of the collision are
`captured.”
`
`16
`
`OWNER Ex. 2038, page 19
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent 8,532,867
`Petition for Inter Partes Review
`
`Aoyanagi’s system continues to monitor and record both production-related
`
`and vital sign parameters after a collision: “when an accident occurs, the recording
`
`apparatus can keep recording for a specific period of time after receiving shocks
`
`and the like.” (Ex. 1003, 72: 1 133-36.) As noted above with respect to claim
`
`elements 1.k and 1.1, Steiner captures vehicle operation parameters by preserving
`
`them in the second memory.
`
`(EX. 1010 111] 51-52.)
`
`Claim 5: “The method of claim 3 wherein the additional information
`
`indicating whether aid may be required includes the status of a seat belt
`prior to detecting the collision.”
`
`As noted above, Aoyanagi’s system records vehicle operation parameters
`
`before and after a collision. Vollmer describes transmitting the “data with respect
`
`to the passengers, [and] their seating position. . . [, which is] advantageously
`
`ascertained by contacts on the seat or on the seat belt.” (Ex. 1005, 3:7—13.) A
`
`person of ordinary skill in the art would have understood that seatbelt status
`
`indicates whether aid may be required because seatbelt status is an example of
`
`what Vollmer refers to as “important data with respect to the emergency situation.”
`
`(Id. at 6:21-23; Ex. 1010 1] 72.)
`
`Claim 6: “The method of claim 3 wherein the additional information
`
`indicating whether aid may be required includes the ground speed of the
`vehicle prior to detecting the collision.”
`
`As noted above, Aoyanagi’s system records vehicle operation parameters
`
`before and after a collision. Vollmer teaches transmitting vehicle speed
`
`17
`
`OWNER Ex. 2038, page 20
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`

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`U.S. Patent 8,532,867
`Petition for Inter Partes Review
`
`information in order to ascertain whether aid may be required. (Ex. 1005, 6:27.) A
`
`person of ordinary skill in the art would have understood that the ground speed of
`
`the vehicle indicates whether aid may be required because vehicle speed is an
`
`example of what Vollmer refers to as “important data with respect to the
`
`emergency situation.” (Id. at 6:21-23; Ex. 1010 1] 76.)
`
`Claim 7: “The method of claim 3 wherein the additional information
`
`indicating whether aid may be required includes information indicative of
`a change in the velocity of the vehicle after detecting the collision.”
`
`As noted above, Aoyanagi’s system records vehicle operation parameters
`
`before and after a collision. Vollmer teaches transmitting vehicle deceleration
`
`information in order to ascertain whether aid may be required. (Ex. 1005, 6:27.) A
`
`person of ordinary skill in the art would have understood that information
`
`indicative of a change in the velocity of the vehicle indicates whether aid may be
`
`required because a change in vehicle speed is an example of what Vollmer refers to
`
`as “important data with respect to the emergency situation.” (Id. at 6:21-23; Ex.
`
`101011 80.)
`
`Claim 10: “The method of claim 3 wherein the additional information
`
`indicating whether aid may be required includes the ground speed at the
`time of the collision.”
`
`As noted above, Aoyanagi’s system records vehicle operation parameters
`
`before and after a collision. Vollmer teaches transmitting vehicle speed
`
`information in order to ascertain whether aid may be required.
`
`(EX. 1005, 6:27.)
`
`18
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`OWNER Ex. 2038, page 21
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`

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`U.S. Patent 8,532,867
`Petition for Inter Partes Review
`
`With respect to transmitting speed information, Vollmer further describes
`
`transmitting “the impact speed onto an obstacle,” which Vollmer teaches is “the
`
`travel speed being previously ascertained and put in relation to the braking
`
`duration.” (Id. at 7:6—8.) A person of ordinary skill in the art would have
`
`understood that the ground speed indicates whether aid may be required because
`
`vehicle speed is an example of what Vollmer refers to as “important data with
`
`respect to the emergency situation.” (Id. at 6:21-23; Ex. 1010 1] 84.)
`
`Claim 11: “The method of claim 3 wherein the additional information
`
`indicating whether aid may be required includes the maximum ground
`speed during a period of time immediately preceding and following the
`collision.”
`
`As noted above, Aoyanagi’s system records vehicle operation parameters
`
`before and after a collision. Vollmer teaches transmitting vehicle speed
`
`information in order to ascertain whether aid may be required. (Ex. 1005, 6:27.)
`
`With respect to transmitting speed information, Vollmer further descri

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