Patent No. 8,565,346 - Petition For Inter Partes Review
`IPR2015-00221
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`Paper No. ________
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`UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
`_______________
`
`BEFORE THE PATENT TRIAL AND APPEAL BOARD
`_____________
`
`
`HUAWEI DEVICE USA, INC.
`Petitioner
`v.
`
`SPH AMERICA, LLC
`Patent Owner
`
`
`
`Patent No. 8,565,346
`Filing Date: Jan. 20, 2012
`Issue Date: Oct. 22, 2013
`
`Title: Apparatus for Transmitting and Receiving Data to Provide High-Speed Data
`Communication and Method Thereof
`_______________
`
`Inter Partes Review No. IPR2015-00221
`____________________________________________________________
`
`PETITION FOR INTER PARTES REVIEW
`UNDER 35 U.S.C. §§ 311-319 AND 37 C.F.R. § 42.100 ET. SEQ.
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`Patent No. 8,565,346 - Petition For Inter Partes Review
`IPR2015-00221
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`TABLE OF CONTENTS
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`
`
`LIST OF EXHIBITS ...................................................................................... iii 
`
`NOTICE OF LEAD AND BACKUP COUNSEL .......................................... 1 
`
`NOTICE OF EACH REAL-PARTY-IN-INTEREST .................................... 1 
`
`NOTICE OF RELATED MATTERS ............................................................. 1 
`
`NOTICE OF SERVICE INFORMATION ..................................................... 2 
`
`STATEMENT OF MATERIAL FACTS ......................................................... 2 
`
`GROUNDS FOR STANDING ....................................................................... 3 
`
`STATEMENT OF PRECISE RELIEF REQUESTED ................................... 3 
`
`THRESHOLD REQUIREMENT FOR INTER PARTES REVIEW ............. 4 
`
`STATEMENT OF REASONS FOR RELIEF REQUESTED ........................ 4 
`
`I. 
`
`Technical Introduction ..................................................................................... 4 
`A. 
`
`Expert Discussion of the Technology ..................................................... 4 
`
`B. 
`
`C. 
`
`Brief Description of the ’346 Patent ....................................................... 5 
`
`Brief Description of the Prior Art ........................................................... 5 
`
`II. 
`
`Construction of the Claims ............................................................................... 9 
`A. 
`
`Claim Term: “signal symbol” .................................................................. 9 
`
`B. 
`
`C. 
`
`Claim Term: “long preamble” ............................................................... 10 
`
`Claim Term: “space time block coding” ............................................... 10 
`
`D. 
`
`Claim Term: “guard interval” ................................................................ 11 
`III.  Claim-By-Claim Explanation of Challenges .................................................... 11 
`A.  Ground 1. Claims 23 and 30 are unpatentable under 35 U.S.C. §103
`over N‘085 (Ex. 1009) in view of Alamouti (Ex. 1003). ........................ 11 
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`Patent No. 8,565,346 - Petition For Inter Partes Review
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`B.  Ground 2. Claims 24, 25, 31, 32, 37, and 38 are unpatentable under 35
`U.S.C. §103 over N‘085 in view of Alamouti and the 802.11a Standard.17 
`C.  Ground 3. Claims 1, 27-29, 34, and 40-42 are unpatentable under 35
`U.S.C. §103 over N‘085 in view of Alamouti, the 802.11a Standard and
`Aoki. ..................................................................................................... 26 
`D.  Ground 4. Claims 1, 27, 34, and 40 are unpatentable under 35 U.S.C. §
`103 over N’085 in view of Alamouti, the 802.11a Standard, and
`Gummadi ............................................................................................. 36 
`E.  Ground 5. Claims 23 and 30 are unpatentable under 35 U.S.C. § 103
`over Liu (Ex. 1012) in view of Jeon (Ex. 1006) ..................................... 42 
`F.  Ground 6. Claims 24, 25, 31, 32, 37, and 38 are unpatentable under 35
`U.S.C. § 103 over Liu in view of Jeon and the 802.11a Standard ........... 46 
`G.  Ground 7. Claims 1, 27-29, 34, and 40-42 are unpatentable under 35
`U.S.C. § 103 over Liu in view of Jeon, the 802.11a Standard and Aoki . 51 
`IV.  Conclusion ...................................................................................................... 59 
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`CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE ........................................................................ 1 
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`Patent No. 8,565,346 - Petition For Inter Partes Review
`IPR2015-00221
`
`LIST OF EXHIBITS
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`1004
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`1005
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`1006
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`1007
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`Exhibit No. Exhibit
`1001
`U.S. Patent No. 8,532,231 (“the ’231 patent”)
`1002
`Declaration of Dr. Timothy Williams (“Williams Declaration”)
`S. M. Alamouti, "A Simple Transmit Diversity Technique For Wireless
`1003
`Communications," IEEE J. on Select Areas in Communications, Vol. 16,
`No. 8, October 1998. (“Alamouti”)
`Rosdahl, “High Throughput Study Group WG Report and Meeting Slides”,
`IEEE 802.11-02/532r0 (Sep. 2002) (“Rosdahl”)
`Hillman, “Minutes of High Throughput Study Group Meetings”, IEEE
`802.11-02/607r0 (Sept. 2002) (“Hillman”)
`Jeon, et al., "Optimal Combining of STBC and Spatial Multiplexing for
`MIMO-OFDM," IEEE 802.11-03/0513r0 (Jul. 2003) (“Jeon”)
`Boer, et al., “Backwards compatibility – How to make a MIMO-OFDM
`system backwards compatible and coexistence with 11a/g at the link level”, IEEE
`802.11-03/714r0 (Sept. 2003) (“Boer”)
`Aoki, et al., "New preamble structure for AGC in a MIMO-OFDM system,"
`IEEE 802.11-04/046r1 (Jan. 2004) (“Aoki”)
`U.S. Patent 7,577,085 to Narasimhan (“N‘085”)
`IEEE 802.11a Standard (1999)
`U.S. Patent Publication No. 2005/0054313 (“Gummadi”)
`Liu & Li, “A MIMO System with Backwards Compatibility for OFDM based
`WLANs”, 4th IEEE Workshop on Signal Processing Advances in
`Wireless Communications, 2003. (“Liu”)
`First Amended Complaint for Patent Infringement. SPH America,
`LLC v. Huawei Technologies, Co. Ltd., et al., Case 13-CV-2323-CAB-NLS
`
`1008
`
`1009
`1010
`1011
`1012
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`1013
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`Patent No. 8,565,346 - Petition For Inter Partes Review
`IPR2015-00221
`
`(U.S. Dist. Ct. S. Cal.) filed January 3, 2014 (“Huawei Complaint”)
`First Amended Complaint for Patent Infringement. SPH America,
`LLC v. ZTE (USA), Inc., Case 13-CV-2326-CAB-NLS (U.S. Dist. Ct.
`S. Cal.) filed January 9, 2014 (“ZTE Complaint”)
`U.S. Provisional No. 60/500,438
`U.S. Patent No. 8,565,346 (“the ’346 patent”)
`Ware, et al., “HTSG Requirements – Scope and Purpose”, IEEE 802.11-
`02/5670r0, pp. 1-8 (Sept. 2002)
`Tarokh, et al., “Space–time codes for high data rate wireless communication:
`Performance criterion and code construction", IEEE Transactions on
`Information Theory, v.44, issue 2, pp. 744-765 (Mar. 1998)
`Foschini “Layered Space-Time Architecture for Wireless Communication in a
`Fading Environment When Using Multi-Element Antennas”, Bell Laboratories
`Technical Journal: 41–59 (Oct. 1996).
`Gorokhov, et al., “MIMO-OFDM for high throughput WLAN:
`experiemental results”, IEEE 802.11-02-708rl, pp. 1-23 (Nov. 2002)
`Mahadevappa, et al. “Receiver Sensitivity Tables for MIMO-OFDM
`802.11n,” IEEE 802.11-03/845r0, pp. 1-39 (Nov. 2003)
`Yu, et al., “ETRI Proposal to IEEE 802.11 TGn”, IEEE 802.11-
`04/0922r0, pp. 1-54 (Aug. 2004)
`Yu, et al., “ETRI proposal specification for IEEE 802.11 TGn”, IEEE
`802.11-04/0923r0, pp. 1-27 (Aug. 2004)
`
`1014
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`1015
`1016
`1017
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`1018
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`1019
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`1020
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`1021
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`1022
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`1023
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`Patent No. 8,565,346 - Petition For Inter Partes Review
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`NOTICE OF LEAD AND BACKUP COUNSEL
`
`Lead Counsel: Paul S. Hunter (Reg. No. 44,787); Tel: 858.847.6733
`
`Backup Counsel: Christopher C. Bolten (Reg. No. 61,531); Tel: 858.847.6887
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`Backup Counsel: Troy Smith (Reg. No. 62,349); Tel: 312.832.5389
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`Address: Foley & Lardner LLP, 3579 Valley Centre Dr., Suite 300, San Diego, CA
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`92130. FAX: 858.792.6773.
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`Backup Counsel: Steven A. Moore (Reg. No. 55,462); Tel: 619.544.3112
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`Backup Counsel: Richard W. Thill (Reg. No. 53,686); Tel: 619.544.3124
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`Address: Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP, 501 W. Broadway Suite 1100, San
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`Diego, CA 92101. FAX: 619.236.1995.
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`NOTICE OF EACH REAL-PARTY-IN-INTEREST
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`Real-party-in-interests for this Petition are Huawei Device USA, Inc., 5700
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`Tennyson Parkway, Suite #600, Plano, Texas 75024 and ZTE (USA), Inc., 2425
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`North Central Expressway, Suite 323, Richardson, Texas 75080 (“Petitioner”).
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`NOTICE OF RELATED MATTERS
`
`The ’346 patent is presently the subject of several lawsuits brought by SPH
`
`America, LLC in the Southern District of California: SPH America, LLC (“SPH”) v.
`
`AT&T Mobility, LLC, Case No. 3:13-cv-02318-CAB, SPH v. Sprint Spectrum L.P., Case
`
`No. 3:13-cv-02319-CAB, SPH v. Research in Motion, Ltd., Case No. 3:13-cv-02320-
`
`CAB, SPH v. Huawei Technologies, Co., LTD et al., Case No. 3:13-cv-02323-CAB, SPH v.
`
`T-Mobile US, Inc., Case No. 3:13-cv-02324-CAB, SPH v. Verizon Communications et al.,
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`Patent No. 8,565,346 - Petition For Inter Partes Review
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`Case No. 3:13-cv-02325-CAB, SPH v. ZTE (USA), Inc., Case No. 3:13-cv-02326-
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`CAB. A separate IPR, IPR2015-00203, is being filed for U.S. 8,532,231, which is
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`related to the ’346 patent and is also in these litigations.
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`NOTICE OF SERVICE INFORMATION
`
`Please address correspondence to counsel at the address above. Petitioner
`
`consents to electronic service at HuaweiSPHIPR@foley.com and
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`docket_ip@pillsburylaw.com.
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`STATEMENT OF MATERIAL FACTS
`1. The coding scheme “space time block coding” (STBC) is prior art to the ’346
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`patent. (Ex. 1003, pp. 1451-1458.)
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`2. In 2002, IEEE formed a high throughput study group (HTSG) for increasing
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`data rates beyond those of 802.11a/g. (Ex. 1004, pp. 1-47.) HTSG held a
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`meeting in Sept., 2002 and Heejung Yu from ETRI, an inventor of the ’346
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`patent, attended. (Ex. 1005, pp. 1-10.)
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`3. In July 2003, ETRI and KAIST submitted a presentation to IEEE showing
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`MIMO transmission with spatial multiplexing, MIMO transmission with STBC,
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`and a combination of both. The three ETRI authors of the presentation are
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`named inventors of the ’346 patent. (Ex. 1006, pp. 1-14.)
`
`4. In September 2003, Agere submitted a presentation to IEEE showing a frame
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`configuration including a short preamble (ST), a first long preamble with a 1.6
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`µsec guard interval, a legacy signal symbol (Signal), a second signal symbol
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`(Sign2) with MIMO information, and a second long preamble with a 1.6 µsec
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`guard interval. (Ex. 1007, pp. 1-26)
`
`5. In January 2004, Toshiba submitted a presentation to IEEE showing a
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`modified version of Agere’s frame where a second short preamble is added
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`between the second signal symbol and the second long preamble. (Ex. 1008, p.
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`5) The Toshiba presentation shows guard intervals precede each long
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`preamble that follows the second signal (Sig2). (Ex. 1008, pp. 3-4.)
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`GROUNDS FOR STANDING
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`SPH alleged that the real-parties-in-interest infringed certain claims of the ’346
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`patent on January 3 and 9, 2014. (Ex. 1013, Ex. 1014). The real-parties-in-interest
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`have not, prior to the filing of this petition, filed a civil action challenging the validity
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`of the ’346 patent. Petitioner hereby certifies that the patent for which review is
`
`sought is available for inter partes review and the petitioner is not barred or estopped
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`from challenging the patent claims on the grounds identified herein.
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`STATEMENT OF PRECISE RELIEF REQUESTED
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`Petitioner requests that Claims 1, 23-25, 27-32, 34, 37, 38, and 40-42 of U.S. Patent
`
`No. 8,565,346 (Ex. 1016) be canceled based on the following grounds:
`
`Ground 1. Claims 23 and 30 are unpatentable under 35 U.S.C. §103 over
`
`Narasimhan (“N‘085”) (Ex. 1009) in view of Alamouti (Ex. 1003).
`
`Ground 2. Claims 24, 25, 31, 32, 37, and 38 are unpatentable under 35 U.S.C. §103
`
`over N’085 in view of Alamouti and the 802.11a Standard (Ex. 1010).
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`Ground 3. Claims 1, 27-29, 34, and 40-42 are unpatentable under 35 U.S.C. §103
`
`over N’085 in view of Alamouti, the 802.11a Standard, and Aoki (Ex. 1008).
`
`Ground 4. Claims 1, 27, 34, and 40 are unpatentable under 35 U.S.C. §103 over
`
`N‘085 in view of Alamouti, the 802.11a Standard, and Gummadi (Ex. 1011).
`
`Ground 5. Claims 23 and 30 are unpatentable under 35 U.S.C. §103 over Liu (Ex.
`
`1012) in view of Jeon (Ex. 1006).
`
`Ground 6. Claims 24, 25, 31, 32, 37, and 38 are unpatentable under 35 U.S.C. §103
`
`over Liu in view of Jeon and the 802.11a Standard.
`
`Ground 7. Claims 1, 27-29, 34, and 40-42 are unpatentable under 35 U.S.C. §103
`
`over Liu in view of Jeon, the 802.11a Standard, and Aoki.
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`THRESHOLD REQUIREMENT FOR INTER PARTES REVIEW
`
`A petition for inter partes review must demonstrate “a reasonable likelihood that the
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`petitioner would prevail with respect to at least 1 of the claims challenged in the
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`petition.”1 The Petition meets this threshold. Each of the elements of Claims 1, 23-
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`25, 27-32, 34, 37, 38, and 40-42 of the ’346 patent are taught as explained below in the
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`proposed challenges, with an appropriate motivation to combine where the proposed
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`rejection is under 35 U.S.C. § 103(a).
`
`STATEMENT OF REASONS FOR RELIEF REQUESTED
`
`I.
`
`Technical Introduction
`
`A.
`Expert Discussion of the Technology
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`1 Public Law 112-29, § 6(a), amending 35 U.S.C. § 314(a).
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`Patent No. 8,565,346 - Petition For Inter Partes Review
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`A technical introduction is provided in the Williams Declaration (Ex. 1002, ¶¶ 32-65).
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`B.
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`Brief Description of the ’346 Patent
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`The ’346 patent describes “an apparatus for transmitting and receiving data while
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`being compatible with the conventional 802.11a orthogonal frequency divisional
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`multiplexing (OFDM) method.” (Ex. 1016, 1:42-45) The ’346 patent describes a
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`frame generator that generates a “signal symbol [that] is configured by combining 24
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`bits in a like manner of the conventional [IEEE 802.11a] signal symbol.” (Ex. 1016,
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`10:49-50) However, “[a]n R4 bit of four rate bits is used for distinguishing between
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`the conventional IEEE 802.11a mode and the multiple antenna OFDM mode.” (Ex.
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`1016, 10:5-7) If the R4 bit is set to the multiple antenna mode, “a reserved bit in the
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`conventional [signal] symbol configuration is redefined as an antenna bit A, and the
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`bit is used for discerning between [spatial division multiplexing] SDM and the [space
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`time block coding] STBC.” (Ex. 1016, 10:1-4)
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`C.
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`Brief Description of the Prior Art
`
`Prior art discussed includes N’085 (Ex. 1009), Alamouti (Ex. 1003), Jeon (Ex.
`
`1006), the IEEE 802.11a Standard (Ex. 1010), Aoki (Ex. 1008), Gummadi (Ex. 1011),
`
`and Liu (Ex. 1012).
`
`1.
`
`The N’085 Reference (Ex. 1009)
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`N’085 has a priority date of June 3, 2002, which is more than 30 months prior to the
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`Korean application filing date of December 23, 2004, to which the ’346 patent claims
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`Patent No. 8,565,346 - Petition For Inter Partes Review
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`priority. N’085 is directed to the very same problem and solution as the ’346 patent.
`
`N’085, 2:6-14 states (with emphasis added):
`
`The present high speed data wireless transmission standards in the
`802.11 family, including the commercially important IEEE 802.11a &
`802.11g standards do not account for transmit diversity. Therefore, it
`would be advantageous to incorporate transmit diversity in a wireless
`transmission system that is backwards compatible with the IEEE
`802.11a & 802.11g standards, as well as provide for a wireless diversity
`system capable of operating in multicarrier encoding environments
`generally.
`The problem of incorporating “transmit diversity in a wireless system that is
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`backwards compatible with the IEEE 802.11a” and g is the same problem that the
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`’346 patent attempts to solve. Further, N’085 uses the same solution as the ’346
`
`patent to insure backwards compatibility with IEEE 802.11a. N’085, 5:2-15 states
`
`(with emphasis added):
`
`… the Signal field 215 also includes a binary semaphore or flag TXDIV
`217, which occupies the currently Reserved bit of the standards
`compliant Signal field 115. A TXDIV=TRUE setting indicates that the
`data packet follows the diversity data packet format 200. The
`advantage of using the Reserved bit ensures that legacy standards
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`compliant transceivers encountering or intercepting a data packet
`formatted in accordance with the format 200 will correctly train to
`the PLCP preamble 110 and perceive the Signal field 215, but ignore it if
`the TXDIV flag 217 is set, because these legacy devices will perceive
`such packet as being erroneous and, consistent with existing IEEE
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`Patent No. 8,565,346 - Petition For Inter Partes Review
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`802.11a & 802.11g standards, will not attempt further decoding or
`recovery operations.
`2.
`The Alamouti Reference (Ex. 1003)
`
`The Alamouti Reference published in October 1998. Alamouti, which is
`
`incorporated by reference in N’085 (Ex. 1009, 1:55-59), first described space-time
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`block coding and recognized that space frequency encoding and space-time block
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`coding are interchangeable (“the encoding is done in space and time (space–time
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`coding). The encoding, however, may also be done in space and frequency. Instead of
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`two adjacent symbol periods, two adjacent carriers may be used (space–frequency
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`coding).”) (Ex. 1003, p. 1453)
`
`3.
`
`The Jeon Reference (Ex. 1006)
`
`The Jeon Reference was submitted to IEEE on July 2003, which is 17 months
`
`prior to the Korean priority filing of the ’346 patent. The authors of Jeon include
`
`three employees from ETRI, all named inventors of the ’346 patent, and two
`
`employees from KAIST. Jeon shows MIMO transmission with spatial multiplexing,
`
`MIMO transmission with STBC, and a combination of both.
`
`4.
`
`The IEEE 802.11a Standard (Ex. 1010)
`
`The ’346 patent acknowledges the IEEE 802.11a wireless data communication
`
`standard as “conventional.” (Ex. 1016, 1:35) The ’346 patent states that the “present
`
`invention provides an apparatus for transmitting and receiving data while being
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`Patent No. 8,565,346 - Petition For Inter Partes Review
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`compatible with the conventional IEEE 802.11a orthogonal frequency division
`
`multiplexing (OFDM) method.” (Ex. 1016, 1:42-45)
`
`5.
`
`The Aoki Reference (Ex. 1008)
`
`Aoki is a presentation given by employees of Toshiba Corp. to the IEEE in
`
`January 2004, more than 11 months prior to the Korean priority filing of the ’346
`
`patent and more than 12 months before the filing date of the ’346 patent’s
`
`corresponding PCT application. The presentation was directed to increasing data
`
`speed while maintaining backwards compatibility with 802.11a. (Ex. 1008, p. 2) The
`
`presentation offered a “new preamble structure” for MIMO systems. (Ex. 1008, p. 4)
`
`6.
`
`The Gummadi Reference (Ex. 1011)
`
`Gummadi claims priority to September 5, 2003, which is more than 15 months
`
`prior to the Korean priority filing of the ’346 patent. Gummadi is entitled “Scalable
`
`and Backwards Compatible Preamble for OFDM Systems.” It is directed to
`
`estimating channels in a MIMO system. (Ex. 1011, Para. 0008) More specifically, it
`
`describes the use of a “legacy signal field” and long sequences from MIMO
`
`transmitters. (Ex. 1011, Para. 0034)
`
`7.
`
`The Liu Reference (Ex. 1012)
`
`Liu is an IEEE paper dated June 2003, which is 18 months prior to the Korean
`
`priority filing of the ’346 patent. Liu describes a preamble design for a MIMO system
`
`“that is backwards compatible with its single-input single-output (SISO) counterpart
`
`as specified by the IEEE 802.11a standard.” (Ex. 1012, p. 130)
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`II.
`Construction of the Claims2
`
`For purposes of this petition, the claim terms are presumed to take on their
`
`ordinary and customary meaning, except as pointed out in the following. The ’346
`
`patent specifically states: “The present invention provides an apparatus for
`
`transmitting and receiving data while being compatible with the conventional
`
`IEEE 802.11a orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) method.” (Ex.
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`1016, 1:42-45, emphasis added.) Thus, the terms of the ’346 patent should be read in
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`context of the “conventional” IEEE 802.11a standard. (Ex. 1002, ¶¶ 68-75)
`
`A.
`
`Claim Term: “signal symbol”
`
`The ’346 patent directly refers to a “signal symbol” by the same convention used
`
`in the 802.11a Standard, which is “SIGNAL” in all capital letters. (See, e.g., Ex. 1016,
`
`Figs. 5 and 6, and 7:61.) According to the ’346 patent:
`
`The signal symbol generated by the frame generator comprises a
`transmit mode identifier for determining whether a transmit mode is a
`single antenna transmit mode or a multiple-input/multiple-output
`(MIMO) mode.
`(Ex, 1016, 3:54-57, emphasis added.)
`
`The transmit mode identifier uses an R4 bit of the signal symbols in a
`frame of IEEE 802.11a. A reserved bit of the signal symbol is used as
`
`
`2 Petitioner reserves the right to propose different terms for claim construction and
`
`different claim constructions in the related district court cases listed above.
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`Patent No. 8,565,346 - Petition For Inter Partes Review
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`a bit for determining whether the transmit mode uses a spatial division
`multiplexing (SDM) method or a space-time block code (STBC) method.
`(Ex, 1016, 3:58-63, emphasis added)
`
`Thus, in the context of the claims of the ’346 patent, the term “signal symbol”
`
`would be understood by a person of skill in the art to mean the SIGNAL of the
`
`802.11a standard with the reserved bit R redefined as an antenna bit A and encoded
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`to indicate whether space time block coding or space division multiplexing is used.
`
`(Ex. 1002, ¶¶ 76-84; See, Ex. 1010, p. 13)
`
`B.
`
`Claim Term: “long preamble”
`
`The claims of the ’346 patent recite “long preamble,” including both a “first long
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`preamble” and a “second long preamble.” The term “long preamble” is a term of art
`
`used in the 802.11a standard. (Ex. 1002, ¶85) In the context of the patent, a “first”
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`long preamble refers to an 802.11a frame structure used for channel estimation of
`
`signals from an antenna. (Ex. 1002, ¶¶86-88) A second long preamble refers to a
`
`frame structure used for multiple-input/multiple-output (MIMO) channel estimation
`
`on subcarriers of signals from a second antenna. (Ex. 1002, ¶89; Ex. 1016, 6:24-27)
`
`C.
`
`Claim Term: “space time block coding”
`
`All of the subject claims use the term “space time block coding” (STBC). STBC is
`
`a term of art in telecommunications. A STBC system transmits multiple copies of the
`
`same stream over multiple antennas. The copies are received by one or more
`
`antennas and combined to generate an optimal signal. (Ex. 1002, ¶91)
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`Patent No. 8,565,346 - Petition For Inter Partes Review
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`D.
`
`Claim Term: “guard interval”
`
`A guard interval is a term of art in telecommunications that refers to one or more
`
`bits in a frame used to ensure that distinct transmissions do not interfere with one
`
`another. (Ex. 1002, ¶¶93-96)
`
`III. Claim-By-Claim Explanation of Challenges
`
`A.
`
`Ground 1. Claims 23 and 30 are unpatentable under 35 U.S.C. §103
`over N‘085 (Ex. 1009) in view of Alamouti (Ex. 1003).
`
`As detailed below, Claims 23 and 30 are unpatentable under 35 U.S.C. §103 by
`
`N’085 in view of Alamouti. Annotated Fig. 2 of N’085, provided below, shows the
`
`correspondence to claim terms of Claims 23 and 30. The claim charts that follow
`
`provide additional details of how N’085 and Alamouti show the features recited by
`
`Claims 23 and 30.
`
`Fig. 2 of N’085
`
`
`“Short preamble”
`and “1st long
`
`preamble”
`
`
`
`
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`“signal symbol”
`
`“2nd long preamble”
`
`“data field”
`
`
`
`
`
`Claim Terms
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`Patent No. 8,565,346 - Petition For Inter Partes Review
`IPR2015-00221
`The N’085 reference discusses space frequency encoding, but does not use the
`
`term “space time block coding.” Alamouti, however, describes space-time block
`
`coding. One of skill in the art would appreciate the ability to select either space
`
`frequency encoding or space-time block coding. Alamouti, which is incorporated by
`
`reference in N’085 (Ex. 1009, 1:55-59), recognized such as a choice (“the encoding is
`
`done in space and time (space–time coding). The encoding, however, may also be
`
`done in space and frequency. Instead of two adjacent symbol periods, two adjacent
`
`carriers may be used (space–frequency coding).”) (Ex. 1003, p. 1453; Ex. 1002, ¶¶108-
`
`110) Accordingly, one of skill in the art would have been motivated to combine the
`
`N’085 reference with the space-time block coding of Alamouti. (Ex. 1002, ¶¶139-143)
`
`’346 Claim 23
`23. A transmitting
`apparatus in a wireless
`communication system,
`the apparatus comprising:
`
`a frame generator
`configured to generate a
`frame comprising:
`
`N’085 and Alamouti
`“FIG. 5 shows a transceiver 500 adapted for wireless
`data transmission consistent with the present invention
`as well as IEEE 802.11a & 802.11g standards,
`incorporating the transmitter 300 and receiver 400.”
`(Ex. 1009, 9:61-64; Ex. 1002, ¶129)
`Fig. 3 shows transmitter 300. Fig. 2 shows a data packet
`that is generated by a frame generator.
`“As shown in FIG. 3, a space frequency encoder 315
`such as that detailed in the aforementioned Alamouti
`reference is used to accomplish this transformation.”
`(Ex. 1009, 7:19-21, Ex. 1002, ¶129).
`
`
`a short preamble
`
`
`The PLCP preamble110 has “10 short training
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`Patent No. 8,565,346 - Petition For Inter Partes Review
`IPR2015-00221
`
`’346 Claim 23
`comprising
`synchronization
`information,
`
`a first and a second long
`preambles subsequent to
`the short preamble,
`
`a signal symbol positioned
`between the first long
`preamble and the second
`long preamble,
`wherein the signal symbol
`comprises information
`about space time block
`coding, and
`
`N’085 and Alamouti
`symbols.” (Ex. 1009, 3:48-54; Ex. 1002, ¶¶131,136)
`“The PLCP preamble 110 in this embodiment is used
`for the same receiver training purposes as described
`above with reference to FIG. 1.” (Ex. 1009, 4:64-66)
`“The PLCP preamble 110 includes 10 short training
`symbols in order for an incident receiver to self-adjust
`the gain of the received baseband signal so that the
`received signal's amplitude is within the optimal range
`for analog-to-digital conversion, recover OFDM symbol
`timing and initiate coarse carrier signal frequency
`acquisition as is well known in the art.” (Ex. 1009, 3:48-
`54)
`The PLCP preamble110 has “two long training
`symbols” (Ex. 1009, 3:54-58; Ex. 1002, ¶¶131, 133-134)
`“Immediately following the Signal field 215 is the packet
`format 200 is a second training preamble 218.” (Ex.
`1009, 5:56-57)
`“In the present embodiment, though not required, the
`second preamble 218 includes two long training symbols
`in sequence.” (Ex. 1009, 6:1-3)
`“The Signal field 215, which immediately follows the
`standards compliant PLCP preamble 110, is generally
`similar to the Signal field 115 described above.” (Ex.
`1009, 4:66-5:2; Ex. 1002, ¶132)
`“The Signal field 215 also includes a binary semaphore
`or flag TXDIV 217, which occupies the currently
`Reserved bit of the standards compliant Signal field 115.
`A TXDIV=TRUE setting indicates that the data packet
`follows the diversity data packet format 200.” (Ex. 1009,
`5:2-9; Ex. 1002, ¶137-143)
`“As shown in FIG. 4, a receiver logic unit 422 is
`communicatively coupled to the output of the
`conversion unit 415 to monitor the frequency domain
`composite signal 417 to recognize and even decode
`certain portions of a data packet or PLCP frame, such as
`the PLCP preamble 110 and the Signal field 115 or 215.
`… The receiver 400 next receives the Signal field 115
`shown in FIG. 1 or 215 shown in FIG. 2. The receive
`logic unit 422 perceives and decodes the Signal field, and
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`Patent No. 8,565,346 - Petition For Inter Partes Review
`IPR2015-00221
`
`’346 Claim 23
`
`N’085 and Alamouti
`if it fails to detect the TXDIV 217 flag being set in the
`Signal field (step 705), the receiver logic unit 422
`assumes that a standards compliant PLCP frame
`according to frame format 100 is being received and
`conventional reception and processing techniques
`consistent with the IEEE 802.11a & 802.11g standards
`will be employed. …
`If, however, the TXDIV flag 705 is perceived as set by
`the receiver logic unit 422, it assumes the inbound data
`packet presented by the frequency domain composite
`signal 417 emanates from a TX diversity transmitter and
`assumes the inbound data packet is formatted in
`accordance with format 200 (FIG. 2), and begins second
`transmission unit retraining (steps 710-728 of FIG. 7)
`and recovery of the Service field 120 using space-
`frequency encoding.” (Ex. 1009, 9:4-34)
`“[T]he encoding is done in space and time (space–time
`coding). The encoding, however, may also be done in
`space and frequency. Instead of two adjacent symbol
`periods, two adjacent carriers may be used (space–
`frequency coding).” (Ex. 1003, p. 1453)
`“Referring to FIG. 2, immediately following the second
`preamble is the data field 250 of the data packet 200 of
`the present embodiment.” (Ex. 1009, 6:14-16; Ex. 1002,
`¶135) See also 120 and 220 in Figure 2 of N’085.
`Thus, as shown in the above chart, N’085 describes a data generator that generates
`
`a data field positioned
`subsequent to the second
`long preamble; and
`
`a frame with a short preamble, a first long preamble, a signal symbol, a second long
`
`preamble, and a data field, as required by Claim 23. Claim 23 also recites “the signal
`
`symbol comprises information about space time block coding.” N’085 discloses that
`
`signal field 215 has a “semaphore” or “flag” that when set indicates the data packet
`
`follows a “diversity data packet format.” (Ex. 1009, 5:2-9 and 9:4-34) Hence, exactly
`
`as Claim 23, N’085 determines transmission diversity, e.g., use of MIMO transmitters,
`
`based on information in the “signal symbol.” (Ex. 1002, ¶132)
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`Patent No. 8,565,346 - Petition For Inter Partes Review
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`Independent Claim 30 includes features that are similar to those in Claim 23.
`
`Independent Claim 30 is directed to a wireless communication method of generating
`
`the frame described in Claim 23.
`
`’346 Claim 30
`30. A wireless
`communication method,
`comprising:
`generating a frame
`comprising:
`
`N’085 and Alamouti
`“This application is directed generally to wireless
`communications….” (Ex. 1009, 3:11-12)
`
`Fig. 3 shows transmitter 300. Fig. 2 shows a data packet
`that is generated by a frame generator.
`“As shown in FIG. 3, a space frequency encoder 315
`such as that detailed in the aforementioned Alamouti
`reference is used to accomplish this transformation.”
`(Ex. 1009, 7:19-21; Ex. 1002, ¶129)
`
`a short preamble
`comprising
`synchronization
`information,
`
`a first and a second long
`preambles positioned
`subsequent to the short
`preamble,
`
`
`“The PLCP preamble 110 includes 10 short training
`symbols in order for an incident receiver to self-adjust
`the gain of the received baseband signal so that the
`received signal's amplitude is within the optimal range
`for analog-to-digital conversion, recover OFDM symbol
`timing and initiate coarse carrier signal frequency
`acquisition as is well known in the art.” (Ex. 1009, 3:48-
`54; Ex. 1002, ¶¶131,136)
`“PLCP preamble 110 also includes two long training
`symbols following the 10 short training symbols which
`again allows the receiver to estimate the carrier channel
`being used, as well as any needed fine frequency
`acquisition.” (Ex. 1009, 3:54-58; Ex. 1002, ¶¶131, 133-
`134)
`“Immediately following the Signal field 215 is the packet
`format 200 is a second training preamble 218.” (Ex.
`1009, 5:56-57)
`“In the present embodiment, though not required, the
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`Patent No. 8,565,346 - Petition For Inter Partes Review
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`’346 Claim 30
`
`N’085 and Alamouti
`second preamble 218 includes two long training symbols
`in sequence. In particular, the first long training symbol
`is contemplated to be used by a TX diversity receiver for
`coarse AGC adjustment to quickly attenuate