`Trials@uspto.gov
`571-272-7822
` Entered: October 24, 2014
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`
`
`UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
`____________
`
`BEFORE THE PATENT TRIAL AND APPEAL BOARD
`____________
`
`
`
`THE GILLETTE COMPANY,
`Petitioner,
`
`v.
`
`ZOND, LLC,
`Patent Owner.
`____________
`
`Case IPR2014-00991
`Patent 7,811,421 B2
`____________
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Before KEVIN F. TURNER, DEBRA K. STEPHENS, JONI Y. CHANG,
`SUSAN L. C. MITCHELL, and JENNIFER M. MEYER,
`Administrative Patent Judges.
`
`
`STEPHENS, Administrative Patent Judge.
`
`
`
`DECISION
`Institution of Inter Partes Review
`37 C.F.R. § 42.108
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`IPR2014-00991
`Patent 7,811,421 B2
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`
`I. INTRODUCTION
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`On June 19, 2014, The Gillette Company (“Gillette”) filed a Petition
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`requesting an inter partes review of claims 1, 2, 8, 10–13, 15–17, 22–25,
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`27–30, 33, 34, 38, 39, 42, 43, and 46–48 (“the challenged claims”) of U.S.
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`Patent No. 7,811,421 B2 (“the ’421 patent”). Paper 1 (“Pet.”). Zond, LLC
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`(“Zond”) filed a Patent Owner Preliminary Response. Paper 8 (“Prelim.
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`Resp.”). We have jurisdiction under 35 U.S.C. § 314.
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`The standard for instituting an inter partes review is set forth in
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`35 U.S.C. § 314(a), which provides:
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`THRESHOLD.—The Director may not authorize an inter
`partes review to be instituted unless the Director determines
`that the information presented in the petition filed under section
`311 and any response filed under section 313 shows that there
`is a reasonable likelihood that the petitioner would prevail with
`respect to at least 1 of the claims challenged in the petition.
`
`Taking into account Zond’s Preliminary Response, and based on the
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`information presented in the Petition, we are persuaded a reasonable
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`likelihood exists that Gillette would prevail in challenging claims 1, 2, 8,
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`10–13, 15–17, 22–25, 27–30, 33, 34, 38, 39, 42, 43, and 46–48 as
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`unpatentable. Pursuant to 35 U.S.C. § 314, we hereby authorize an inter
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`partes review as to claims 1, 2, 8, 10–13, 15–17, 22–25, 27–30, 33, 34, 38,
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`39, 42, 43, and 46–48 of the ’421 patent.
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`A. Related District Court Proceedings
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`
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`Gillette indicates that the ’421 patent was asserted in Zond, LLC v.
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`The Gillette Company, No.1:13-cv-11567-DJC (D. Mass.). Pet. 1; Paper 5.
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`2
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`IPR2014-00991
`Patent 7,811,421 B2
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`Gillette also identifies other proceedings in which Zond asserted the ’421
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`patent. Id.
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`B. Related Inter Partes Review
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`Intel Corporation (“Intel”) filed a Petition to institute an inter partes
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`review in Intel Corp. v. Zond, LLC., Case IPR2014-00468 (PTAB)
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`(“IPR2014-00468”), challenging the same claims based on the same grounds
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`of unpatentability as those in the instant proceeding. Compare IPR2014-
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`00468, Paper 4 (“’468 Pet.”), 2–58, with Pet. 3–59. On September 2, 2014,
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`we instituted an inter partes review of claims 1, 2, 8, 10–13, 15–17, 22–25,
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`27–30, 33, 34, 38, 39, 42, 43, and 46–48 of the ’421 patent in IPR2014-
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`00468 (Paper 12, “’468 Dec.”), based on the following grounds of
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`unpatentability:
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`Claims
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`Basis
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`References
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`1, 2, 8, 10–13, 16, 17, 22–25,
`28–30, 33, 34, 39, 42, 43, 46–48
`15, 27, 38
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`§ 102 Wang
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`§ 103 Wang and Mozgrin
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`
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`The trial, however, was terminated in light of the Written Settlement
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`Agreement, made in connection with the termination of the proceeding in
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`accordance with 35 U.S.C. § 317(b) and 37 C.F.R. § 42.74(b), between Intel
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`and Zond. IPR2014-00468, Papers 14, 15. Gillette has filed a Motion for
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`Joinder, seeking to join the instant proceeding with IPR2014-00468. Paper 7
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`(“Mot.”).
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`The following Petitions for inter partes review also challenge the
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`3
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`IPR2014-00991
`Patent 7,811,421 B2
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`same claims based on the same grounds of unpatentability as those in
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`IPR2014-00468 and in the instant proceeding: Taiwan Semiconductor
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`Manufacturing Co., Ltd. v. Zond, LLC, Case IPR 2014-00800 (PTAB),
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`Paper 1; Fujitsu Semiconductor Ltd. v. Zond, LLC, Case IPR2014-00844
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`(PTAB), Paper 1; and Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. v. Zond, LLC,
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`Case IPR2014-01037 (PTAB), Paper 2.
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`Gillette also filed a revised Motion for Joinder, seeking to join the
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`instant proceeding with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd. v.
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`Zond, LLC., Case IPR2014-00800 (PTAB) (“IPR2014-00800”). Paper 10
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`(“Mot.”). In a separate decision, we grant Gillette’s revised Motion for
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`Joinder, joining the instant proceeding with IPR2014-00800, and terminating
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`the instant proceeding.
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`C. The Prior Art Relied Upon
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`Gillette relies upon the following prior art references:
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`July 2, 2002
`Feb. 20, 2001
`
`(Ex. 1004)
`(Ex. 1005)
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` US 6,413,382 B1
` US 6,190,512 B1
`
`Wang
`Lantsman
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`D.V. Mozgrin, et al., High-Current Low-Pressure Quasi-Stationary
`Discharge in a Magnetic Field: Experimental Research, 21 PLASMA
`PHYSICS REPORTS 400–409 (1995) (Ex. 1003) (hereinafter “Mozgrin”).
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`IPR2014-00991
`Patent 7,811,421 B2
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`D. The Asserted Grounds of Unpatentability
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`Gillette asserts the following grounds of unpatentability:
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`Claims
`
`Basis
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`References
`
`1, 2, 8, 10–13, 15, 16, 34, 38,
`39, 43, and 46–48
`1, 2, 8, 10–13, 16, 17, 22–25,
`28–30, 33, 34, 39, 42, 43, and
`46–48
`
`§ 102 Mozgrin
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`§ 102 Wang
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`17, 22–25, 27–30, 33, and 42
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`§ 103 Mozgrin and Lantsman
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`15, 27, and 38
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`§ 103 Wang and Mozgrin
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`
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`II. DISCUSSION
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`A. Claim Interpretation
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`The parties make the same claim interpretation arguments that Taiwan
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`Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd. And TSMC North America
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`Corporation (collectively, “TSMC”) and Zond made in IPR2014-00800.
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`Compare Pet. 11–14, with ’800 Pet. 12–14; compare Prelim. Resp. 13–15,
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`with ’800 Prelim. Resp. 13–15.
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`We construed the claim terms identified by TSMC and Zond in
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`IPR2014-00800. See ’800 Dec. 5-8. For the purposes of the instant
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`decision, we incorporate our previous analysis and apply those claim
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`constructions here.
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`B. Anticipation over Wang
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`In its Petition, Gillette asserts the same ground of unpatentability based
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`on Wang, as that on which a trial was instituted in IPR2014-00800. See Pet.
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`5
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`IPR2014-00991
`Patent 7,811,421 B2
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`33–50; ’800 Dec. 22. Gillette’s arguments are substantively identical to the
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`arguments made by TSMC in IPR2014-00800. Compare Pet. 33–50, with
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`’800 Pet. 33–50. Gillette also proffers the same Declaration of Dr. Uwe
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`Kortshagen that TSMC submitted in support of its Petition. Compare Ex.
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`1002, with IPR2014-00800, Ex. 1002. Zond’s arguments in the Preliminary
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`Response are essentially identical to those arguments that it made in
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`IPR2014-00800. Compare Prelim. Resp. 26–29, with ’800 Prelim. Resp.
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`26–29.
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`We incorporate our previous analysis regarding the asserted ground of
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`unpatentability based on Wang (’800 Dec., 11–17), and determine that
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`Gillette has demonstrated a reasonable likelihood of prevailing on that
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`ground of unpatentability.
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`C. Obviousness over Wang and Mozgrin
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`In its Petition, Gillette asserts the same ground of unpatentability
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`based on Wang and Mozgrin, as that on which a trial was instituted in
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`IPR2014-00800. See Pet. 56–59; ’800 Dec. 22. Gillette’s arguments are
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`substantively identical to the arguments made by TSMC in IPR2014-00800.
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`Compare Pet. 56–59, with ’800 Pet. 56–59. Gillette also proffers the same
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`Declaration of Dr. Kortshagen that TSMC submitted in support of its
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`Petition. Compare Ex. 1002, with IPR2014-00800, Ex. 1002.
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`Zond’s arguments in the Preliminary Response are essentially
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`identical to those arguments that it made in IPR2014-00800. Compare
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`Prelim. Resp. 33–34, with ’800 Prelim. Resp. 33–34.
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`6
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`IPR2014-00991
`Patent 7,811,421 B2
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`We incorporate our previous analysis regarding the asserted ground of
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`unpatentability based on Wang and Mozgrin (’800 Dec. 17–21), and
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`determine that Gillette has demonstrated a reasonable likelihood of
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`prevailing on that ground of unpatentability.
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`D. Other Asserted Grounds of Unpatentability
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`Gillette also asserts the following grounds of unpatentability:
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`Claims
`
`Basis
`
`References
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`1, 2, 8, 10–13, 15, 16, 34, 38, 39,
`43, and 46–48
`
`§ 102
`
`Mozgrin
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`17, 22–25, 27–30, 33, and 42
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`§ 103
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`Mozgrin and Lantsman
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`
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`The Board’s rules for inter partes review proceedings, including those
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`pertaining to institution, are “construed to secure the just, speedy, and
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`inexpensive resolution of every proceeding.” 37 C.F.R. § 42.1(b); see also
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`35 U.S.C. § 316(b), (regulations for inter partes review take into account
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`“the efficient administration of the Office” and “the ability of the Office to
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`timely complete [instituted] proceedings”). Therefore, we exercise our
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`discretion and do not institute a review based on the other asserted grounds
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`for reasons of administrative necessity to ensure timely completion of the
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`instituted proceeding. See 37 C.F.R. § 42.108(a).
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`
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`III. CONCLUSION
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`For the foregoing reasons, we determine based on the information
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`presented in the Petition, taking into account Zond’s Preliminary Response,
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`7
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`IPR2014-00991
`Patent 7,811,421 B2
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`Gillette has demonstrated a reasonable likelihood that the challenged claims
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`are unpatentable based on the grounds set forth in the ORDER. Therefore,
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`we authorize an inter partes review of claims 1, 2, 8, 10–13, 15–17, 22–25,
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`27–30, 33, 34, 38, 39, 42, 43, and 46–48. At this stage in the proceeding, we
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`have not made a final determination with respect to the patentability of the
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`challenged claims, including the claim construction.
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`For the foregoing reasons, it is hereby:
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`IV. ORDER
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`ORDERED that pursuant to 35 U.S.C. § 314(a), an inter partes
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`review is hereby authorized for the following grounds of unpatentability for
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`the ’421 patent:
`
`Claims
`
`Basis
`
`References
`
`1, 2, 8, 10–13, 16, 17, 22–25, 28–
`30, 33, 34, 39, 42, 43, and 46–48
`
`§ 102
`
`Wang
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`15, 27, and 38
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`§ 103
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`Wang and Mozgrin
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`FURTHER ORDERED that no other ground of unpatentability
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`asserted in the Petition is authorized for this inter partes review; and
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`FURTHER ORDERED that pursuant to 35 U.S.C. § 314(c) and
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`37 C.F.R. § 42.4, notice is hereby given of the institution of a trial; the trial
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`will commence on the entry date of this decision.
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`IPR2014-00991
`Patent 7,811,421 B2
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`For PETITIONER:
`
`Michael Diener
`Larissa Park
`WILMER CUTLER PICKERING HALE AND DORR LLP
`michael.diener@wilmerhale.com
`larissa.park@wilmerhale.com
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`
`
`For PATENT OWNER:
`
`Bruce J. Barker
`CHAO HADIDI STARK & BARKER LLP
`bbarker@chsblaw.com
`
`Gregory J. Gonsalves
`gonsalves@gonsalveslawfirm.com
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