UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
`
`BEFORE THE PATENT TRIAL AND APPEAL BOARD
`
`BUTAMAXTM ADVANCED BIOFUELS LLC
`Petitioner
`
`GEVO, INC.
`Patent Owner
`
`CASE IPR: Unassigned
`
`PETITION FOR INTER PARTES REVIEW OF U.S. PATENT NO.
`893789160 B2 UNDER 35 U.S.C. §§ 311-319 and 37 C.F.R. §§ 42.1-.809 42.100-
`.123
`
`Mail Stop "PA TENT BOARD"
`Patent Trial and Appeal Board
`U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
`P.O. Box 1450
`Alexandria, VA 22313-1450
`
`

`

`Petition for Inter Partes Review
`of U.S. Patent No. 8,378,160
`
`TABLE OF CONTENTS
`
`
`I.
`
`II. (cid:9)
`
`III. (cid:9)
`
`IV. (cid:9)
`
`V. (cid:9)
`
`Introduction..................................................................................................... 1
`
`Mandatory notices...........................................................................................2
`
`Grounds for standing (37 C.F.R. § 42.104(a))................................................3
`
`Procedural statements .....................................................................................3
`
`Statement of the precise relief requested and the reasons therefore (37
`C.F .R. § 42.104(b)).........................................................................................3
`
`VI. (cid:9) Overview.........................................................................................................4
`
`A. Person of ordinary skill in the art............................................................4
`State of the art.........................................................................................4
`B.
`C. The ’l60patent .......................................................................................9
`
`VII. (cid:9) Claim construction........................................................................................12
`
`VIII. Identification of challenge (37 C.F.R. § 42.104(b)).....................................13
`
`A. Ground 1: claims 1-10, 12, 15-18 1 20, and 21 are inherently anticipated
`byD’Amore ..........................................................................................15
`1. Independent claim 1 .........................................................................16
`2. Dependent claims 2-10, 20 and 21...................................................24
`3. Dependent claim 12 .........................................................................30
`4. Dependent claims 15-18 .................................................................. 31
`5. Summary..........................................................................................35
`B. Grounds 2-5: claims 1-10 and 12-21 would have been obvious ..........35
`1. Ground 2: claims 1-10, 12 1 15-18, 20, and 21 would have been
`obvious over D’Amore in view of ASTM D4184...........................36
`2. Ground 3: claims 1-10, 13, 15-18, 20, and 21 would have been
`obvious over D’Amore in view of ASTM D975.............................42
`3. Ground 4: claims 1-10, 14-18, 20, and 21 would have been obvious
`over D’Amore in view of ASTM D1655.........................................44
`
`11
`
`

`

`Petition for Inter Partes Review
`of U.S. Patent No. 8,378,160
`
`4. Ground 5: claims 1-10 and 15-21 would have been obvious over
`D’Amore in view of ASTM D910...................................................46
`C. Ground 6: claim 11 would have been obvious over D’Amore in view of
`Wilke.....................................................................................................48
`D. Ground 7: claim 11 would have been obvious over D’Amore in view of
`ASTM D4814, and further in view of Wilke........................................49
`E. Ground 8: claim 11 would have been obvious over D’Amore in view of
`ASTM D975, and further in view of Wilke..........................................50
`F. Ground 9: claim 11 would have been obvious over D’Amore in view of
`ASTM D1655, and further in view of Wilke........................................51
`G. Ground 10: claim 11 would have been obvious over D’Amore in view
`of ASTM D910, and further in view of Wilke .....................................52
`H. Secondary considerations do not favor the ’160 Patent........................52
`
`There is a reasonably likelihood that Petitioner will prevail with respect to
`at least one of the challenged claims ............................................................ 53
`
`Conclusion....................................................................................................55
`
`IX.
`
`X.
`
`111
`
`

`

`Petition for Inter Partes Review
`of U.S. Patent No. 8,378,160
`
`1 (cid:9)
`
`2 (cid:9)
`
`I. (cid:9)
`
`Introduction
`
`Butamax TM Advanced Biofuels LLC’s ("Petitioner") Petition for Inter
`
`3 Partes Review ("Petition") seeks cancellation of claims 1-21 of U.S. Patent No.
`
`4
`
`5
`
`6 (cid:9)
`
`7
`
`8,378,160 ("the ’160 patent") (13MX1001) as unpatentable under 35 U.S.C.
`
`§§ 102 and 103(a) in view of the prior art.
`
`By law, no patent should issue if it claims: "A prior art process X, meeting
`
`known government-adopted industry standards A, B, C, or D." Yet the ’160 patent
`
`8 claims just that. In their simplest form, the ’160 patent claims encompass nothing
`
`9 more than well-known (i) processes for preparing renewable hydrocarbons; and
`
`10 (ii) biofuels and biofuel precursors prepared using these well-known processes.
`
`11 And the alleged point of novelty(cid:151)meeting government-required American
`
`12
`
`13
`
`14
`
`15 (cid:9)
`
`16 (cid:9)
`
`17
`
`Society for Testing and Measurement ("ASTM") standards for transportation
`
`fuels(cid:151)was not invented by the inventors or the assignee, Gevo, Inc. Instead it is a
`
`practice that the fuels industry has followed since long before the ’160 patent was
`
`filed.
`
`It is a basic tenet of patent law that claims be both novel and non-obvious
`
`before they confer to the patent owner the right to exclude others from the claimed
`
`18 subject matter. Yet the ’160 patent claims are neither, as shown in this Petition. So
`
`19 there is a reasonable likelihood that Petitioner will prevail with respect to at least
`
`1
`
`(cid:9)
`(cid:9)
`(cid:9)
`(cid:9)
`(cid:9)
`

`

`Petition for Inter Partes Review
`of U.S. Patent No. 8,378,160
`
`1 one of the challenged claims in view of the prior art discussed herein, and inter
`
`2 partes review ("IPR") of the ’160 patent is warranted.
`
`3 (cid:9)
`
`To find otherwise and to maintain the ’160 patent, withdraws that which
`
`4 was in the public domain, and grants to Gevo an unwarranted monopoly for an
`
`5
`
`"invention" that was disclosed in the prior art and would have been obvious to a
`
`6 person of ordinary skill in the art ("POSA") before the ’160 patent was filed.
`
`7
`
`8 (cid:9)
`
`II. (cid:9) Mandatory notices
`
`Real party-in-interest (37 C.F.R. § 42.8(b)(1)): ButamaxTM Advanced
`
`9 Biofuels LLC is the real party-in-interest.
`
`10 (cid:9)
`
`Related matters (37 C.F.R. § 42.8(b)(2)): Administrative Matters: U.S.
`
`11 Patent No. 8,378,160 issued from U.S. Patent Appl. No. 13/441,459, filed April 6,
`
`12
`
`2012. The ’459 application is a continuation of U.S. Patent Appl. No. 12/327,723,
`
`13 filed December 3, 2008, now U.S. Patent No. 8,193,402. Petitioner’s Petition for
`
`14 IPR of the ’402 patent is filed concurrently herewith.
`
`15 (cid:9)
`
`Designation of lead and back-up counsel (37 C.F.R. § 42.8(b)(3)):
`
`Lead Counsel
`Deborah A. Sterling (Reg. No.
`621 732)
`STERNE, KESSLER, GOLDSTEIN & Fox
`P.L.L.C.
`1100 New York Avenue, NW
`Washington, DC 20005
`202.772.8501 (telephone)
`
`Back-Up Counsel
`John T. Haran (Reg. No. 58,010)
`STERNE, KESSLER, GOLDSTEIN & Fox
`P.L.L.C.
`1100 New York Avenue, NW
`Washington, DC 20005
`202.772.8643 (telephone)
`202.371.2540 (facsimile)
`
`

`

`Petition for Inter Panes Review
`of U.S. Patent No. 8,378,160
`
`Lead Counsel
`202.371.2540 (facsimile)
`skgf. corn
`dsterlin-PTAB (cid:9)
`Notice of service (37 C.F.R. § 42.8(b)(4)): Please direct all correspondence
`
`Back-Up Counsel
`jharan-PTABskgf.com
`
`1 (cid:9)
`
`2 to lead counsel at the above address. Petitioner consents to email service at:
`
`3 dsterlin-PTAB @skgf. corn and j haran-PTAB @skgf. corn.
`
`4
`
`5 (cid:9)
`
`III. Grounds for standing (37 C.F.R. § 42.104(a))
`
`Petitioner certifies that (1) the ’160 patent is available for IPR; and (2)
`
`6 Petitioner is not barred or estopped from requesting IPR of any claim of the ’160
`
`7 patent on the grounds identified in this Petition.
`
`8 IV. Procedural statements
`
`9 (cid:9)
`
`This Petition is filed in accordance with 37 C.F.R. § 42.106(a).
`
`10 Concurrently filed are a Power of Attorney and Exhibit List under 37 C.F.R.
`
`11 (cid:9)
`
`§ 42.10(b) and § 42.63(e), respectively. The required fee is paid through online
`
`12 credit card payment. The Office is authorized to charge any fee deficiency, or
`
`13 credit any overpayment, to Deposit Acct. No. 19-0036 (Cust. ID No. 45324).
`
`14 (cid:9) V. (cid:9)
`15 (cid:9)
`
`Statement of the precise relief requested and the reasons therefore (37
`C.F.R. § 42.104(b))
`
`16 (cid:9)
`
`Petitioner requests the Office initiate IPR under 35 U.S.C. §§ 311-319 and
`
`17 37 C.F.R. §§ 42.1-.80 and 42.100-42.123, and cancel claims 1-21 (cid:151)all claims(cid:151)of
`
`18 the ’160 patent as unpatentable under 35 U.S.C. §§ 102 and 103, as set forth
`
`19 (cid:9)
`
`herein.
`
`(cid:9)
`(cid:9)
`(cid:9)
`(cid:9)
`(cid:9)
`(cid:9)
`(cid:9)
`(cid:9)
`

`

`Petition for Inter Partes Review
`of U.S. Patent No. 8,378,160
`
`1 VI. Overview
`
`2 (cid:9)
`
`3 (cid:9)
`
`A. (cid:9)
`
`Person of ordinary skill in the art
`
`A POSA is presumed to be aware of all pertinent art, thinks along
`
`4 conventional wisdom in the art, and is a person of ordinary creativity. With
`
`5
`
`respect to the ’160 patent, a POSA typically would have a Ph.D. in chemistry,
`
`6 chemical engineering, or a similar related discipline; and have familiarity,
`
`7
`
`training, and experience in organic chemistry and/or fuel chemistry, as well as
`
`8 transportation fuel production. (BMX1030, ¶16.) Alternatively, a POSA would
`
`9 have a Bachelor’s degree in chemistry, chemical engineering, or a similar related
`
`10 discipline; and have substantial experience in an industry involving organic
`
`11 chemistry and/or fuel chemistry, as well as transportation fuel production.
`
`12 (BMX1030,{16.)
`
`13 (cid:9)
`
`14 (cid:9)
`
`B. (cid:9)
`
`State of the art
`
`ASTM International is an international organization founded to create and
`
`15 promote voluntary safety standards. (BMX 1036.) More than 12,000 ASTM
`
`16 standards are used as guidance worldwide to improve product quality, enhance
`
`17 safety, and facilitate trade.
`
`(Id.) Government regulators often give voluntary
`
`18 ASTM standards the force of law by citing them in laws, regulations, and codes.
`
`19 For example, the U.S. recognized the benefit of such standards in 1995 with the
`
`20 passage of the National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act, which
`
`in
`
`(cid:9)
`(cid:9)
`(cid:9)
`

`

`Petition for Inter Partes Review
`of U.S. Patent No. 8,378,160
`
`1 required government agencies to use privately developed standards whenever
`
`2 possible. (BMX 1024, at § 12(a)(3), 110 Stat. 775, 782.)
`
`3 (cid:9)
`
`By the late 1990s, government agencies such as the Environmental
`
`4 Protection Agency ("EPA") and Federal Aviation Administration ("FAA")
`
`5
`
`adopted ASTM standards as part of obtaining EPA or FAA approval to sell or use
`
`6 a fuel in the U.S. (See BMX1026, §79.56; BMX1027, §80.164(a)(5); BMX1031;
`
`7 BMX1032; BMX1033, Table 1.) For example, a new gasoline or diesel fuel (or
`
`8 gasoline or diesel fuel additive) seeking EPA registration for sale in the U.S. can
`
`9 either go through a lengthy and costly testing process, or simply show that it meets
`
`10 the appropriate ASTM standards. (BMX1026, §79.56; BMX1027, §80.164(a)(5).)
`
`11 It was standard practice in the fuel industry by December 2007 to prepare
`
`12 transportation fuels to meet the applicable ASTM standard, rather than going
`
`13 through the alternative testing process. (BMX 1030, ¶46.) Similarly, in order to
`
`14 obtain a "Type Certificate" for an aircraft, the FAA requires that the aircraft’s fuel
`
`15 (for example, aviation gasolines or jet fuels) meet the appropriate ASTM
`
`16 standards and has done so since long before December 2007. (BMX1031;
`
`17 BMX1032.)
`
`18 (cid:9)
`
`States are also indirectly governed by the standards set by the EPA under
`
`19 the Clean Air Act ("CAA"). For example, under §1 10(h)(l) in the 1990 CAA
`
`5
`
`(cid:9)
`(cid:9)
`

`

`Petition for Inter Partes Review
`of U.S. Patent No. 8,378,160
`
`1 Amendments, the Administrator of the EPA must assemble and publish a
`
`2 comprehensive document for each state setting forth all of the requirements of an
`
`3 applicable implementation plan. And each state is required to have a State
`
`4 Implementation Plan ("SIP") to identify how that state will attain and/or maintain
`
`5
`
`the standards set forth in § 109 of the CAA. Most SIP plans may also require
`
`6 gasoline, diesel fuel, or fuel additives to meet all, or a portion of, ASTM
`
`7
`
`specifications. (See, e.g., BMX1034.) And most U.S. states have weights and
`
`8 measures requirements that require retail products, including engine fuels, to meet
`
`9 a specified ASTM standard. (BMX1013, 17-29,
`
`45.) The ’160 patent also
`
`10 recognizes that the ASTM "defines testing procedures and specifications for all
`
`11 petroleum products manufactured and sold commercially." (BMX1001, 11:23-26;
`
`12 BMX1030, ¶19.) Simply put, fuel manufacturers would have good reason to meet
`
`13 these ASTM standards in order to receive EPA or FAA approval so that they may
`
`14 have a commercially viable product. (BMX 1O3O, ¶19.)
`
`15 (cid:9)
`
`Long before the EPA and FAA started incorporating these ASTM standards
`
`16 into their regulatory scheme, growing energy needs coupled with the decreasing
`
`17 supply of non-renewable fossil fuels made it necessary to investigate alternative
`
`18 energy sources. (BMX1006, 1:15-22; BMIX1030, ¶20.) For example, as far back
`
`19 as 1980, the fuel industry was looking at using energy sources derived from
`
`

`

`Petition for Inter Partes Review
`of U.S. Patent No. 8,3 78,160
`
`1 renewable cellulosic matter in biomass (such as agriculture and wood products)
`
`2 for biofuel productions. (BMX1006, 1:15-22; BMX1030, ¶20.) The production of
`
`3 biofuels from these sources is fairly straightforward(cid:151)enzymatic hydrolysis of
`
`4
`
`biomass provides microorganisms with a carbohydrate source, which the
`
`5 microorganisms ferment into an alcohol. The alcohol is then converted into liquid
`
`6 fuels. (BMX1006, 1:22-25; BMX1030, ¶20.)
`
`7 (cid:9)
`
`Indeed, each step in that process is well-known. For example, once the
`
`8 alcohol is produced, it is necessary to separate out the alcohol from the
`
`9 microorganism and fermentation medium. (BMX1030, ¶J22-24.) One common
`
`10 technique by which this is accomplished is by transferring fermentation medium
`
`ii from a fermenter to a distillation vessel to separate out the alcohol from the
`
`12 fermentation medium, followed by returning the alcohol-depleted fermentation
`
`13 medium back to the fermenter(cid:151)a process that has been known since at least the
`
`14 late 1800’s. (BMX1007, 45-54; BMX1006, 8:56-62; BMX1008, 1:57-2:12;
`
`is BMX1003, ¶[0039]; BMX1009, 1004:1, ¶3; BMX1010, ¶[0183]; BMX1030,
`
`16 ¶24.) This distillation process produces saturated liquid and vapor phases, to
`
`17
`
`18 (cid:9)
`
`separate components based on their relative volatilities. (BMX 1O3O, ¶24.)
`
`A well-known alcohol used in biofuel production is isobutanol. (BMIX1O1O.
`
`19 ¶[0078].) The benefit of isobutanol as a biofuel or fuel additive is that, when
`
`7
`
`

`

`Petition for Inter Partes Review
`of U.S. Patent No. 8,378,160
`
`1 burned, it results in only water and carbon dioxide, and produces little to no sulfur
`
`2 or nitrogen products. (BMX1010, ¶[0078]; BMX1030, ¶21.) Both sulfur and
`
`3 nitrogen compounds in finished fuel products produce harmful effects, such as
`
`4 engine corrosion or gum formation (BMX1028, pp.188, 191-192; BMX1030,
`
`5
`
`¶21.) So making isobutanol from a renewable source has the benefit of not relying
`
`6 on the ever decreasing supply of fossil fuels and also producing a less problematic
`
`7 fuel. (BIMIX1010, ¶[0078]-[0080]; BMX1030, ¶21.) But isobutanol, a C 4 alcohol,
`
`8 is not miscible in water at all concentrations. (BMX1003, ¶[0037]; BMIX1030,
`
`9 ¶24.) Therefore, additional downstream processing steps are necessary to separate
`
`10 isobutanol from water when distilling it from a fermentation medium. (BMX 1O3O,
`
`11 ¶24.) These downstream processing steps are (1) condensing the vapor phase
`
`12 leaving the distillation vessel to form an alcohol-rich liquid phase and a water-rich
`
`13 liquid phase, and (2) separating the two liquid phases from each other, using for
`
`14 example a decanter or liquid-liquid separator. (BMX1003, ¶[0057]; BMX1010,
`
`15 ¶[0184]; BMX1030, ¶24.)
`
`16 (cid:9)
`
`Separating the alcohol from the fermentation medium is necessary for the
`
`17 rest of the process. Once extracted, the alcohol is catalytically converted to make
`
`18 saturated alkanes (e.g., isooctane) that are useful as transportation fuels, either
`
`19 alone or when blended with other hydrocarbons. (BMX1004, 20:27-33 and 25:29-
`
`

`

`Petition for Inter Partes Review
`of U.S. Patent No. 8,378,160
`
`1 32-26:2; BMX1003, ¶f[0020] and [0076]; BMX1030,
`
`¶25.) To do this, the
`
`2 extracted alcohol is first dehydrated to make an olefin (e.g., butene). (;BMX 1003,
`
`3
`
`¶J[0050]-[0057], [0062], and [0114]; BMX1030, ¶25.) Second, that olefin is
`
`4 commonly oligomerized from a monomer
`
`(e.g., butene) to an oligomer (e.g.,
`
`5
`
`butene dimers, such as isooctene, etc.). (BMX1012, 1:34-36 and 57-66;
`
`6 BMX1003, ¶J[0053], [0064], and [0074]-[0075]; BMX1030, ¶25.) Third, the
`
`7 oligomerization reaction product (e.g., isooctene) is then hydrogenated to produce
`
`8 a saturated alkane (e.g., isooctane). (BMX1012, 1:40-42; BMX1003, ¶[0076];
`
`9 BMX1030,J25.)
`
`10 (cid:9)
`
`11 (cid:9)
`
`C. (cid:9)
`
`The ’160 patent
`
`Against this backdrop, the ’160 patent, which claims the process of
`
`12 converting renewable alcohols by dehydration, oligomerization, and
`
`13 hydrogenation techniques to generate transportation fuels, while simultaneously
`
`14 recognizing that those process steps were common and well-known (BMX1001,
`
`15 21:27-51; 22:38-61; and 28:39-44) issued on February 19, 2013. The ’160 patent
`
`16 asserts its earliest priority claim to December 3, 2007 and is assigned to Gevo,
`
`17 according to the Office’s electronic-assignment records.
`
`18 (cid:9)
`
`The ’160 patent specification is generally directed towards "renewable
`
`19 compositions derived from fermentation of biomass, and integrated methods of
`
`20 preparing such compositions." (BMX1001, Abstract.) The ’160 patent claims are
`
`

`

`Petition for Inter Partes Review
`of U.S. Patent No. 8,378,160
`
`1 directed to methods for preparing C 8-C24 saturated alkanes through fermentation
`
`2
`
`and subsequent processing steps, where the C 8-C24 saturated alkanes meet the
`
`3 requirements of at least one industry standard for transportation fuels as described
`
`4
`
`5
`
`in ASTM International specifications D4814 (gasoline), D975 (diesel fuels), D910
`
`(aviation gasoline), or D 165 5 (jet fuel), or where a blend of at least 10% of the C 8-
`
`6 C24 saturated alkanes with a mixture of hydrocarbons meet at least one of the
`
`7 standards. (BMX1001, 62:1164:23.)1
`
`8 (cid:9)
`
`Claim 1 specifies culturing microorganisms capable of producing
`
`9 isobutanol, forming a fermentation broth comprising the microorganisms and
`
`10 isobutanol. Once isobutanol is extracted, it is dehydrated to form one or more C 4
`
`’Notably, there are numerous versions of ASTM D4814 from various years and
`
`the ’160 patent does not differentiate between them. For example, the ASTM’s
`
`website, www.astm.org , shows several ASTM D4814 versions prior to December
`
`3, 2007, which is the earliest priority date available to the ’160 patent. The same is
`
`true for the other ASTM standards in the ’160 patent(cid:151)D975, D1655, and D910.
`
`For simplicity, any ASTM standard discussion will refer to the latest ASTM
`
`standard published before December 3, 2007. The differences between the various
`
`ASTM standards are not relevant to the ’160 patent discussion here. (BMX1030,
`
`¶38.)
`
`10
`
`

`

`Petition for Inter Partes Review
`of U.S. Patent No. 8,378,160
`
`1 olefins. The C 4 olefins are oligomerized to form a product comprising one or more
`
`2 C8-C24 unsaturated oligomers. The last process step of claim 1 is hydrogenating at
`
`3 least a portion of the product to form a product comprising one or more C 8-C24
`
`4 saturated alkanes. The following figure represents the process of the ’160 patent’s
`
`5 (cid:9)
`
`claim 1:
`
`Feedstock I
`
`Fermenterwith (cid:9)
`
`Microorganisms
`
`Dehydrating
`
`Isobutanol (cid:9)
`
`Catalyst
`
`(b)
`
`(ci
`
`One or more C 4
`Olefins
`
`Hydrogenating
`
`Catalyst (cid:9)
`
`saturated
`Oligomers (cid:9)
`
`Oligomeing
`
`Catalyst
`
`unsaturated (cid:9)
`Oligomers
`
`(’I
`
`(e)
`
`The ’160 patent recognizes that the claimed dehydration, oligomerization,
`
`I
`
`7 (cid:9)
`
`8 and hydrogenation techniques were common and well-known. (BMX1001, 21:27-
`
`9 (cid:9)
`
`51; 22:38-61; and 28:39-46.)
`
`11
`
`(cid:9)
`

`

`Petition for Inter Panes Review
`of U.S. Patent No. 8,378,160
`
`1 VII. Claim construction
`
`2 (cid:9)
`
`Petitioner asks that claims 1-21 be given their broadest reasonable
`
`3 interpretation, as understood by a POSA in view of the ’160 patent’s specification.
`
`4 See 37 C.F.R. § 42.100(b). The words and phrases in claims 1-21 are generally
`
`5
`
`plain on their face and should be given their ordinary meaning, with the exception
`
`6 of"ASTM D4814."
`
`7 (cid:9)
`
`Claims 1, 12, 16, and 18 of the ’160 patent recite one of a product, blend,
`
`8 biofuel, or biofuel precursor meeting the requirements of ASTM D4814. ASTM
`
`9 D4814 is the key specification for gasoline. (BMX1001,
`
`15:36-42.) Typically,
`
`10 ASTM D4814 requires that fuels meet specific distillation curve requirements.
`
`11 (BMX 1014, Table 1.) But in the ’160 patent, the inventors acted as their own
`
`12 lexicographer regarding ASTM D4814. This is important because the ’160
`
`13 patentees expressly disavowed ASTM D4814’s distillation curve being a
`
`14
`
`requirement for gasoline produced by their claimed process. The patentees defined
`
`15 ASTM D4814 as follows:
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`16 (cid:9)
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`17 (cid:9)
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`18 (cid:9)
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`19 (cid:9)
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`20 (cid:9)
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`21 (cid:9)
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`The distillation curve of a gasoline mixture is measured using ASTM
`
`method D86, and the specification is calibrated by how the typical
`
`hydrocarbon mixtures that comprise gasoline behave in an engine.
`
`When a substantial amount of the hydrocarbon component in a
`
`gasoline mixture is replaced with a different type of organic
`
`compound, i.e. an alcohol such as n-butanol or isobutanol, the
`
`12
`
`(cid:9)
`(cid:9)
`(cid:9)
`(cid:9)
`(cid:9)
`(cid:9)
`(cid:9)
`(cid:9)
`

`

`Petition for Inter Panes Review
`of U.S. Patent No. 8,378,160
`
`1 (cid:9)
`
`2 (cid:9)
`
`3 (cid:9)
`
`4 (cid:9)
`
`5 (cid:9)
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`distillation curve will differ from what is specified in ASTM D4814,
`
`even though the blend has similar, if not identical, engine
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`performance compared to unblended gasoline. For this reason, the
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`distillation curve specification is not used to describe the gasoline
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`compositions of the present invention.
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`6 (BMX1001, 16:4-15.) The distillation curve temperatures, distillation residue
`
`7
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`percentages, and the drivability indices listed in Table 1 of ASTM D4814 are
`
`8 derived from the distillation curve. (BMX1030, ¶37.) Based on the ’160 patent’s
`
`9 disclosure, a POSA would have understood that a product, blend, biofuel, or
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`10 biofuel precursor recited in the ’160 patent claims can meet ASTM D4814’s
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`11 requirements without meeting the distillation curve temperatures, distillation
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`12 residue percentages, and the drivability indices listed in Table 1 of ASTM D4814.
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`13
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`(BMX1030, ¶37.) See In re Paulson, 30 F.3d 1475, 1480 (Fed. Cir. 1994)
`
`14 (recognizing the long-established principle that patentees can be their own
`
`15 (cid:9)
`
`lexicographers).
`
`16 VIII. Identification of challenge (37 C.F.R. § 42.104(b))
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`17 (cid:9)
`
`IPR of all claims of the ’160 patent is requested on the unpatentability
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`18 grounds listed in the table below. Per 37 C.F.R. § 42.6(d), copies of the references
`
`19 accompany the Petition. In support of the proposed grounds for unpatentability,
`
`20 this Petition is accompanied by the declaration of Dr. Joseph T. Joseph
`
`21 (BMX1030), an expert in the fields of organic chemistry and fuel chemistry, as
`
`13
`
`(cid:9)
`(cid:9)
`(cid:9)
`(cid:9)
`(cid:9)
`(cid:9)
`(cid:9)
`

`

`Petition for Inter Partes Review
`of U.S. Patent No. 8,378,160
`
`well as transportation fuel production. Dr. Joseph’s declaration explains what the
`
`2 art would have conveyed to a POSA.
`
`Ground 35 U.S.C.
`
`claims
`
`[Index of References
`
`§ 102(e)
`
`1-10, 12, 15- D’Amore (BMX1003)
`18,20, and 2l
`
`§ 103(a)
`
`1-10, 12, 15- D’Amore (BMIX1003) in view of ASTM
`18,20, and 2l D4814(BMX1014)
`
`1-10, 13, 15- D’Amore (BMX 1003) in view of ASTM
`18 9 20, and 21 D975 (BMX1015)
`
`1-10, 14-18 9 D’Amore (BMX 1003) in view of ASTM
`D1655(BMX1017)
`20,and2l
`
`1-10 and 15- D’Amore (BMX 1003) in view of ASTM
`D910 (BMIX1016)
`21
`
`11
`
`11
`
`11
`
`11
`
`11
`
`D’Amore (BMX 1003) in view of Wilke
`(BMIX1006)
`
`D’Amore (BMX 1003) in view of ASTM
`D4814 (BMX 1O14) and further in view
`of Wilke (BMX 1006)
`
`D’Amore (BMX 1003) in view of ASTM
`D975 (BMX1O15) and further in view of
`Wilke (BMX1 006)
`
`D’Amore (BMX 1003) in view of ASTM
`D 165 5 (BMX 1O17) and further in view
`of Wilke (BMIX1006)
`
`D’Amore (BMX 1003) in view of ASTM
`D910 (BMX 1O16) and further in view of
`Wilke (BMX1006)
`
`14
`
`1
`
`2
`
`3
`
`4
`
`5
`
`6
`
`7
`
`8
`
`§ 103(a)
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`§ 103(a)
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`§ 103(a)
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`§ 103(a)
`
`§ 103(a)
`
`§ 103(a)
`
`9
`
`§ 103(a)
`
`10
`
`§ 103(a)
`
`

`

`Petition for Inter Partes Review
`of U.S. Patent No. 8,378,160
`
`1 (cid:9)
`
`Although these ten grounds challenge the patentability of overlapping
`
`2 claims, they are not cumulative. The ’160 patent claims a product that can meet
`
`3 any of eight different scenarios. For example, a product of step (f) in claim 1 can
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`4 meet one of the four ASTM standards(cid:151)D4814, D975, D910, or D1655. Or a
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`5
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`blend of that product and a mixture of hydrocarbons can meet one of those four
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`6 ASTM standards. The ten grounds detailed in this Petition differently address each
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`7
`
`of those eight scenarios. So they are not cumulative grounds and IPR should be
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`8 instituted on all ten grounds.
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`9 (cid:9)
`10 (cid:9)
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`11 (cid:9)
`
`A. (cid:9) Ground 1: claims 1-10, 12, 15-18, 20, and 21 are inherently
`anticipated by D’Amore
`
`The ’160 patent asserts its earliest priority claim to December 3, 2007. U.S.
`
`12 Patent Appl. Publ. No. 2008/0132741 Al ("D’Amore") (BMX1003) was filed by
`
`13 another on June 13, 2007, was published on June 5, 2008, and claims priority to
`
`14 U.S. Prov. Appl. No. 60/814,137 ("the ’137 application") (B]\/1X1004), filed June
`
`15 (cid:9)
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`16, 2006. Thus, D’Amore qualifies as prior art to the ’160 patent claims under 35
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`16 U.S.C. § 102(e) as of the ’137 application’s June 16, 2006 filing date. D’Amore
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`17 and the ’137 application either explicitly or inherently disclose each and every
`
`18 (cid:9)
`
`limitation of claims 1-10, 12 5 15-18, 20, and2l of the ’160 patent.
`
`2 For ease of reading, D’Amore and the ’137 application will be referred to
`
`15
`
`(cid:9)
`(cid:9)
`(cid:9)
`(cid:9)
`(cid:9)
`(cid:9)
`

`

`Petition for Inter Partes Review
`of U.S. Patent No. 8,378,160
`
`1 (cid:9)
`
`2
`
`As shown by the following claim charts and discussion herein, and as
`
`supported by Dr. Joseph, each and every element of claims 1-10, 12, 15-18, 20,
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`3 and 21 is explicitly or inherently disclosed in D’Amore, arranged as claimed, so as
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`4 to enable a POSA to make and use the claimed invention without undue
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`5
`
`6
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`experimentation in light of the general knowledge available in the art. (BMX 1O3O,
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`¶J40-84.) Because D’Amore provides an enabling disclosure of every element of
`
`7 claims 1-10, 12, 15-18, 20, and 21, D’Amore anticipates those claims. So it is
`
`8 reasonably likely that Petitioner will prevail with regard to at least one challenged
`
`9
`
`claim on the basis of Ground 1.
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`10 (cid:9)
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`11 (cid:9)
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`12
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`13 (cid:9)
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`14 (cid:9)
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`15 (cid:9)
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`16 (cid:9)
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`17 (cid:9)
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`18 (cid:9)
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`19 (cid:9)
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`1. (cid:9)
`
`Independent claim 1
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`D’Amore discloses, an embodiment that practices the steps of claim 1 as
`
`they are arranged in claim 1. For example:
`
`Another embodiment of the invention is a process for making at least
`
`one isooctane comprising:
`
`(a) obtaining a fermentation broth comprising isobutanol;
`
`(b) separating dry isobutanol from said fermentation broth to form
`
`separated dry isobutanol;
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`(c) contacting the separated dry isobutanol of step (b), optionally in
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`the presence of a solvent, with at least one acid catalyst at a
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`collectively as D’Amore.
`
`16
`
`(cid:9)
`(cid:9)
`(cid:9)
`(cid:9)
`(cid:9)
`(cid:9)
`(cid:9)
`(cid:9)
`(cid:9)
`(cid:9)
`

`

`Petition for Inter Partes Review
`of U.S. Patent No. 8,378,160
`
`1 (cid:9)
`
`2 (cid:9)
`
`3 (cid:9)
`
`4 (cid:9)
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`5 (cid:9)
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`6 (cid:9)
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`7 (cid:9)
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`8 (cid:9)
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`9 (cid:9)
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`10 (cid:9)
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`11 (cid:9)
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`12 (cid:9)
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`13 (cid:9)
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`14 (cid:9)
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`15 (cid:9)
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`temperature of about 50 degrees C. to about 450 degrees C. and a
`
`pressure from about 0.1 MPa to about 20.7 MPa to produce a first
`
`reaction product comprising at least one butene;
`
`(d) recovering said at least one butene from said first reaction
`
`product to obtain at least one recovered butene;
`
`(e) contacting said at least one recovered butene with at least one
`
`acid catalyst to produce a second reaction product comprising at least
`
`one isooctene;
`
`(f) contacting said second reaction product with hydrogen in the
`
`presence of at least one hydrogenation catalyst to produce a third
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`reaction product comprising at least one isooctane; and
`
`(g) optionally recovering the at least one isooctane from the third
`
`reaction product to obtain at least one recovered isooctane.
`
`The third reaction product or the at least one recovered isooctane can
`
`then also be added to a transportation fuel.
`
`16 (BMX1003, ¶J[0101]-[0109]; BMX 1030, ¶42.)
`
`17 (cid:9)
`
`Throughout its specification, D’Amore provides a detailed explanation of
`
`18 the steps outlined in the embodiment above. For example, D’Amore discloses a
`
`19 process for making renewable hydrocarbons.
`
`(See BMX1003, Abstract and
`
`20 ¶{0004; BMX1004, Abstract and 1:16-24; BMX1030, ¶43.) D’Amore’s process
`
`21 begins with treating a biomass to form a feedstock (claim 1, step (a)). (BMX 1003,
`
`22
`
`¶[0056]; BMX1004, 12:32-33; BMX1030, ¶43.) Using a feedstock, a
`
`17
`
`(cid:9)
`(cid:9)
`(cid:9)
`(cid:9)
`(cid:9)
`(cid:9)
`(cid:9)
`(cid:9)
`(cid:9)
`(cid:9)
`(cid:9)
`(cid:9)
`(cid:9)
`(cid:9)
`(cid:9)
`(cid:9)
`

`

`Petition for Inter Partes Review
`of U.S. Patent No. 8,378,160
`
`1 microorganism produces a fermentation broth comprising isobutanol (claim 1,
`
`2 step (b)). (See BMIX1003, ¶[0056]; BMX1004, 12:33-13:2; BMX1030, ¶43.)
`
`3 D’Amore discloses dehydrating the isobutanol to produce butene, a C4 olefin,
`
`4 using an acid catalyst (claim 1, step (c)), which is then recovered (claim 1, step
`
`5
`
`(d)). (See BMX1003, ¶J[0021], [0057], and [0063]; BMX1004, 3:19-24, 14:6-9,
`
`6 and 21:4-12; BMX1030, ¶43.)
`
`7 (cid:9)
`
`The butene can be dimerized (i.e., oligomerized) to isooctene, which is a C 8
`
`8 unsaturated oligomer (claim 1, step (e)). (See BMX1003, ¶[0064] and [0074];
`
`9 BMX1004, 21:21-23 and 23:31-33; BMX1030, ¶43.) The isooctene is then
`
`10 contacted with a hydrogenation catalyst to produce isooctane, which is a C 8
`
`11 saturated alkane (claim 1, step (f)). (See BMX1003, ¶[0076]; BMX1004, 24:28-
`
`12 31; BMX1030, ¶43.) Thus, D’Amore teaches steps (a)-(f) of claim 1. All of these
`
`13 steps could be readily practiced by a POSA in view of D’Amore’s teachings and
`
`14 knowledge in the art without undue experimentation. (BMX1030, ¶43.)
`
`15 (cid:9)
`
`The claim chart below provides examples of where D’Amore discloses the
`
`16 process discussed above and recited in claim 1 steps (a)-(f), arranged as claimed:
`
`18
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`

`

`Petition for Inter Partes Review
`of U.S. Patent No. 8,378,160
`
`’160 patent claim
`
`D’Amore3
`
`1. A process for
`preparing renewable
`hydrocarbons
`comprising:
`
`(a) treating biomass to
`form a feedstock;
`
`"The present invention relates to a process for
`making butenes using dry isobutanol derived from
`fermentation broth. The butenes so produced may
`be converted to isoalkanes, alkyl-substituted
`aromatics, isooctanes, isooctanols, and octyl
`ethers, which are usef