throbber
Patent No. 6,205,411
`Petition For Inter Partes Review
`
`
`
`
`UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
`______________________
`
`BEFORE THE PATENT TRIAL AND APPEAL BOARD
`______________________
`
`
`Mako Surgical Corp.
`Petitioner
`
`v.
`
`Blue Belt Technologies, Inc.
`Patent Owner
`
`Patent No. 6,205,411
`Issue Date: March 20, 2001
`Title: COMPUTER-ASSISTED SURGERY PLANNER AND
`INTRA-OPERATIVE GUIDANCE SYSTEM
`______________________
`
`Case IPR: Unassigned
`______________________
`
`PETITION FOR INTER PARTES REVIEW OF U.S. PATENT NO. 6,205,411
`
`UNDER 35 U.S.C. §§ 311-319 AND 37 C.F.R. §§ 42.1-.80, 42.100-.123
`
`
`
`
`
`sf-3468564
`
`

`

`Inter Partes Review of USPN 6,205,411
`
`
`TABLE OF CONTENTS
`
`
`Page
`
`
`NOTICES AND STATEMENTS ................................................................... 1
`I.
`INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................... 2
`II.
`III. THE ’411 PATENT ........................................................................................ 4
`A.
`Background and Summary of Patent .................................................... 4
`B.
`Prosecution History and Priority .......................................................... 7
`IV. DETAILED EXPLANATION OF GROUNDS FOR INVALIDITY ........... 9
`A. DiGioia. .............................................................................................. 10
`B. DiGioia II. .......................................................................................... 28
`CONCLUSION ............................................................................................. 47
`
`V.
`
`
`
`
`
`sf-3468564
`
`i
`
`

`

`
`
`Inter Partes Review of USPN 6,205,411
`
`Exhibit List for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 6,205,411
`
`Exhibit Description
`
`Exhibit #
`
`U.S. Patent No. 6,205,411 (“the ’411 patent”)
`
`Prosecution History of U.S. Patent No. 6,205,411
`
`Prosecution History of U.S. Patent No. 5,880,976
`
`Declaration of Robert D. Howe
`
`A.M. DiGioia et al., “HipNav: Pre-operative Planning and Intra-
`operative Navigational Guidance for Acetabular Implant
`Placement in Total Hip Replacement Surgery,” 2nd CAOS
`Symposium, 1996 (“DiGioia”)
`
`Anthony M. DiGioia III et al., “An Integrated Approach to
`Medical Robotics and Computer Assisted Surgery in
`Orthopaedics,” Proc. 1st Int’l Symposium on Medical Robotics
`and Computer Assisted Surgery, pp. 106-111, 1995 (“DiGioia II”)
`
`E.Y.S. Chao et al., “Simulation and Animation of Musculoskeletal
`Joint System,” Transactactions of the ASME, Vol. 115, pp. 562-
`568, Nov. 1993 (“Chao”)
`
`R.V. O’Toole III et al., “Towards More Capable and Less Invasive
`Robotic Surgery in Orthopaedics,” Computer Vision, Virtual
`Reality and Robotics in Medicine Lecture Notes in Computer
`Science, Vol. 905, pp. 123-130, 1995 (“O’Toole”)
`
`Russell H. Taylor et al., An Image-Directed Robotic System for
`Precise Orthopaedic Surgery, IEEE Transactions on Robotics and
`Automation, Vol. 10, No. 3, June 1994 (“Taylor”)
`
`
`1001
`
`1002
`
`1003
`
`1004
`
`1005
`
`1006
`
`1007
`
`1008
`
`1009
`
`sf-3468564
`
`ii
`
`

`

`
`
`Inter Partes Review of USPN 6,205,411
`
`Petitioner Mako Surgical Corp. (“Petitioner”) respectfully petitions for inter
`
`partes review of claims 1-17 (the “Challenged Claims”) of U.S. Patent
`
`No. 6,205,411 (“the ’411 patent”) (Ex. 1001) in accordance with 35 U.S.C. §§ 311-
`
`319 and 37 C.F.R. § 42.100 et seq.
`
`I.
`
`NOTICES AND STATEMENTS
`
`Pursuant to 37 C.F.R. § 42.8(b)(1), Petitioner identifies Mako Surgical Corp.
`
`and Stryker Corporation as the real parties-in-interest. Pursuant to 37 C.F.R.
`
`§ 42.8(b)(2), Petitioner discloses as a related matter Mako Surgical Corp. v. Blue
`
`Belt Technologies, Inc., No. 0:14-cv-61263-MGC (S.D. Fla.) (the “Concurrent
`
`Litigation”). Blue Belt Technologies, Inc. (“Patent Owner”) served Petitioner with
`
`counterclaims asserting infringement of the ’411 patent on September 2, 2014.
`
`Lead Counsel
`
`Back-Up Counsel
`
`Matthew I. Kreeger
`Registration No. 56,398
`Morrison & Foerster LLP
`425 Market Street
`San Francisco, CA 94105
`mkreeger@mofo.com
`Telephone: (415) 268-7000
`Facsimile: (415) 268-7522
`
`Pursuant to 37 C.F.R. § 42.8(b)(4), service information for lead and back-up
`
`Walter Wu
`Registration No. 50,816
`Morrison & Foerster LLP
`755 Page Mill Road
`Palo Alto, CA 94306
`wwu@mofo.com
`Telephone: (650) 813-5600
`Facsimile: (650) 494-0792
`
`counsel is provided above. Pursuant to 37 C.F.R. § 42.104(a), Petitioner certifies
`
`that the ’411 patent is available for inter partes review and that the Petitioner is not
`
`barred or estopped from requesting an inter partes review challenging the patent
`
`sf-3468564
`
`1
`
`

`

`
`
`claims on the grounds identified in this Petition.
`
`II.
`
`INTRODUCTION
`
`Inter Partes Review of USPN 6,205,411
`
`The ’411 patent was filed on November 12, 1998. It has three independent
`
`claims and 14 dependent claims, all directed to methods and systems for planning
`
`and guiding implantation of an artificial component into a joint (hip, knee, hand
`
`and wrist, elbow, shoulder, or foot and ankle). The same systems and methods,
`
`however, were described in detail by several of the named inventors in articles
`
`published at least as early as 1996 and 1995, both well over a year before the ’411
`
`patent was filed. As a result, the’411 patent claims are unpatentable.
`
`The ’411 patent is a continuation-in-part of an application filed February 21,
`
`1997, which issued as U.S. Patent No. 5,880,976 (“the ’976 patent”). The
`
`independent claims of the ’411 patent, however, specifically recite implantation in
`
`“a hip joint, a knee joint, a hand and wrist joint, an elbow joint, a shoulder joint,
`
`[or] a foot and ankle joint.” Other than the hip joint, this is new matter with no
`
`support in the parent application, as the parent merely disclosed a “joint” and only
`
`specifically discussed a hip joint. This new matter is included in each claim that
`
`remains in the ’411 patent. All of the claims are therefore entitled only to their
`
`actual filing date of November 12, 1998.
`
`The Examiner’s views on priority are unclear from the prosecution history.
`
`In an April 5, 2000, office action, the Examiner stated that because the scope of the
`
`sf-3468564
`
`2
`
`

`

`
`
`Inter Partes Review of USPN 6,205,411
`
`’976 patent was open-ended, it covered “joint” generally as recited in the ’976
`
`patent and also the specific joints recited in the ’411 patent claims. (Ex. 1002 at
`
`265.) On the next page of the same office action, the Examiner incorrectly and
`
`more broadly stated that the ’976 patent actually disclosed and claimed “[a]n
`
`apparatus for facilitating the implantation of an artificial component in one of a hip
`
`joint, a knee joint, a hand and wrist joint, an elbow joint, a shoulder joint, and a
`
`foot and ankle joint.” (Id. at 266.) In the September 21, 2000, Notice of
`
`Allowance, however, the Examiner pointed to the same specific language as the
`
`patentable improvement provided by the ’411 patent over the ’976 patent:
`
`The instant application is directed to a nonobvious
`
`improvement over the invention described in U.S. Patent
`
`No. 5,880,976 . . . . The improvement comprises an
`
`apparatus for facilitating the implantation of an artificial
`
`component in one of a hip joint, a knee joint, a hand and
`
`wrist joint, an elbow joint, a shoulder joint, and a foot
`
`and ankle joint. This patentable distinction is included in
`
`each of the independent claims 1, 10, and 29. (Id. at 287-
`
`88.)
`
`The Examiner’s September 21, 2000, view is partially correct: the specific
`
`list of joints is indeed a distinction between the ’411 patent and its parent. The
`
`distinction is not, however, patentable. The purported invention was thoroughly
`
`described years earlier, both in an article published at least as early as 1996, two
`
`sf-3468564
`
`3
`
`

`

`
`
`Inter Partes Review of USPN 6,205,411
`
`years before the continuation-in-part filing date, which is the earliest priority date
`
`to which the ’411 patent is entitled; and in an article published at least as early as
`
`1995, which is 1-2 years before even the filing date of the ’976 parent application.
`
`This Petition for inter partes review shows how DiGioia (Ex. 1005), an
`
`article published at least as early as 1996, and DiGioia II (Ex. 1006), an article
`
`published at least as early as 1995, anticipate or render obvious each of the
`
`Challenged Claims of the ’411 patent. Indeed, these references disclose nearly all
`
`of the ’411 claimed methods and systems, with only a few minor differences that
`
`would have been obvious in view of other art. Part III of this Petition summarizes
`
`the ’411 patent, its prosecution history, and priority, and Part IV sets forth the
`
`detailed grounds for invalidity of the ’411 patent’s challenged independent and
`
`dependent claims in view of DiGioia, DiGioia II plus Chao, and other prior art.
`
`Petitioner has established a reasonable likelihood that it will prevail on at least one
`
`claim of the ’411 Patent, if not all of them. Accordingly, Petitioner respectfully
`
`requests a Decision to institute inter partes review.
`
`III. THE ’411 PATENT
`
`A.
`
`Background and Summary of Patent
`
`The ’411 patent is directed to systems and methods for facilitating
`
`implantation of an artificial component in a hip joint, knee joint, hand and wrist
`
`joint, elbow joint, shoulder joint, or foot and ankle joint. The apparatus and related
`
`sf-3468564
`
`4
`
`

`

`
`
`Inter Partes Review of USPN 6,205,411
`
`method consist of essentially two pieces: a pre-operative geometric planner and a
`
`pre-operative kinematic biomechanical simulator that communicates with the
`
`geometric planner.
`
`The ’411 specification describes as background several challenges and
`
`concerns related to hip arthroplasty, which is a procedure to restore the function of
`
`a joint by resurfacing, remodeling, or complete replacement. Dislocation of the
`
`implanted component was known to be a major problem, but could be lessened
`
`with certain implantation angles. (Ex. 1001 at 1:37-55.) Variations in individual
`
`anatomies were also known to cause complications, as there is no single optimal
`
`component design and orientation. (Id. at 2:56-61.) According to the ’411
`
`specification, most prior operation planning methods for hip joint surgery used
`
`acetate templates and a single anterior-posterior x-ray, providing only a two-
`
`dimensional image of the pelvis. (Id. at 3:10-18.) The ’411 specification states
`
`that prior intra-operative positioning devices assumed that the pelvis and trunk
`
`were aligned in a known orientation and did not take into account individual
`
`anatomies. (Id. at 3:19-32.) Several other prior solutions assumed that a correct
`
`and precise implant position would be provided, and therefore did not solve the
`
`issue of determining or confirming a high-quality implant position. (Id. at 4:28-
`
`41.)
`
`sf-3468564
`
`5
`
`

`

`
`
`Inter Partes Review of USPN 6,205,411
`
`The ’411 applicants proposed to address these problems by combining a pre-
`
`operative geometric planner and a kinematic biomechanical simulator. (Ex. 1001
`
`at 4:59-65.) The geometric planner creates geometric models of both the target
`
`joint and the artificial components to be implanted. (Id. at 5:63-67.) The simulator
`
`simulates movement of the joint to assist in determining implant positions,
`
`including angular orientation. (Id. at 6:1-5.) In some embodiments, the positions
`
`and geometric models are used with intra-operative navigational software to guide
`
`the surgeon. (Id. at 6:45-48.) In others, all three pieces—the planner, the
`
`simulator, and the navigational software—are implemented using a computer
`
`system with a display monitor. (Id. at 6:8-12.) The computer system could include
`
`a tracking device so relative locations of objects can be tracked and displayed
`
`during the operation. (Id. at 6:21-26.)
`
`The ’411 patent has three independent claims and 14 dependent claims.
`
`Independent claim 1 specifies the joints into which an artificial component will be
`
`implanted and claims a pre-operative geometric planner and a pre-operative
`
`kinematic biomechanical simulator in communication with the geometric planner.
`
`Independent claim 10 claims a computer system with the components set out in
`
`claim 1, and adds a tracking device in communication with the system.
`
`Independent claim 17 is directed to a method of facilitating implantation of an
`
`artificial component into one of the specified joints, comprising the steps of:
`
`sf-3468564
`
`6
`
`

`

`
`
`Inter Partes Review of USPN 6,205,411
`
`creating a bone model; creating a component model; simulating movement of the
`
`joint with the implant; calculating a range of motion; determining an implant
`
`position based on a predetermined range of motion and the calculated range of
`
`motion; identifying the implant position in the bone model; aligning the bone
`
`model with the actual bone and placing the implant based on tracking data; and
`
`tracking the implant and bone to maintain alignment.
`
`B.
`
`Prosecution History and Priority
`
`The ’411 patent was filed on November 12, 1998. It is a continuation-in-
`
`part of application 08/803,993 (“the ’993 application”), which was filed on
`
`February 21, 1997, and issued as the ’976 patent. (Ex. 1003.) All three
`
`independent claims in the ’411 patent recite implantation in “a knee joint, a hand
`
`and wrist joint, an elbow joint, a shoulder joint, [or] a foot and ankle joint.”
`
`(Ex. 1001 at Abstract.) This specific list is in the preamble of each independent
`
`claim, and provides antecedent basis for “the joint” in the claim language of each.
`
`See Highmark, Inc. v. Allcare Health Mgmt. Sys., 687 F.3d 1300, 1311 (Fed. Cir.
`
`2012) (preamble limiting where “limitations in the body of the claim rely upon and
`
`derive antecedent basis from the preamble”) (quotations and citation omitted),
`
`rev’d on other grounds, 134 S. Ct. 1744 (2014).
`
`The specific joints set out in the preamble constitute subject matter not
`
`found in the ’993 application or ’976 patent, as that application and patent
`
`sf-3468564
`
`7
`
`

`

`
`
`Inter Partes Review of USPN 6,205,411
`
`disclosed “joint” generally with “hip” as the only specific example. (See, e.g., Ex.
`
`1003 at 21, 1:17-33 (discussing hip replacement operations).) Adding specificity
`
`to narrow claims after an earlier, broader disclosure constitutes new matter, and the
`
`’411 patent claims are therefore not supported by the disclosure of the ’993
`
`application. MPEP § 2163.05 Part II (“The introduction of claim changes which
`
`involve narrowing the claims by introducing elements or limitations which are not
`
`supported by the as-filed disclosure” constitutes new matter.). As a result, the ’411
`
`patent is only entitled to its own filing date for all claims—not the filing date of the
`
`’993 application. See Cordance Corp. v. Amazon.com, Inc., 658 F.3d 1330, 1333-
`
`35 (Fed. Cir. 2011) (continuation-in-part claims not entitled to parent filing date
`
`where parent lacks written description support for CIP claims).
`
`The Examiner issued a single non-final rejection on April 5, 2000, on the
`
`grounds that 1) the claims were invalid due to non-statutory double patenting over
`
`claims of the ’976 patent; 2) the claims (particularly claims 1 and 10) were directed
`
`to non-statutory subject matter under 35 U.S.C. § 101, because they were “devoid
`
`of any limitation to a practical application” (Ex. 1002 at 269); and 3) the claims
`
`were invalid due to statutory double patenting over claims that were exact
`
`duplicates of claims of the ’976 patent.
`
`To resolve the double patenting rejections, Patent Owner canceled the claims
`
`that were exact duplicates of claims of the ’976 patent and submitted a terminal
`
`sf-3468564
`
`8
`
`

`

`
`
`Inter Partes Review of USPN 6,205,411
`
`disclaimer for the remaining claims. To resolve the Section 101 rejection, Patent
`
`Owner amended claims 1 and 10 to claim that the “pre-operative geometric planner
`
`outputs at least one geometric model of the joint and the pre-operative kinematic
`
`biomechanical simulator outputs a position for implantation of the artificial
`
`component.” (Ex. 1002 at 282.) Notably, this language specifies “the joint” and
`
`thus relies on the new matter language in the preamble for antecedent basis.
`
`The Patent Office issued a notice of allowance on September 21, 2000, and
`
`the ’411 patent issued on March 20, 2001.
`
`IV. DETAILED EXPLANATION OF GROUNDS FOR INVALIDITY
`
`Pursuant to 37 C.F.R. §§ 42.22(a)(1) and 42.104(b), Petitioner respectfully
`
`requests the cancellation of claims 1-17 of the ’411 patent as they are unpatentable
`
`for the reasons set forth in this Petition. Specifically, Petitioner shows below that
`
`all of the claims of the ’411 patent are anticipated or rendered obvious by the ’411
`
`inventors’ own disclosures well over a year before the ’411 patent was filed. As
`
`demonstrated in Part IV.B, DiGioia is an article published at least as early as 1996
`
`that teaches nearly all of the elements of the claimed systems and methods, with
`
`only minor variations that would have been obvious to one of skill in the art.
`
`DiGioia II is an article published even earlier that teaches, in combination with
`
`another article by the same authors, the claimed systems and methods as well.
`
`sf-3468564
`
`9
`
`

`

`
`
`Inter Partes Review of USPN 6,205,411
`
`In each of the following sections, Petitioner sets forth the specific art and
`
`statutory grounds on which the challenge is based in a table at the beginning of the
`
`section. 37 C.F.R. §§ 42.22(a)(2) and 42.104(b)(2). Petitioner then presents a
`
`discussion of how the claims are unpatentable under the statutory grounds raised.
`
`37 C.F.R. § 42.104(b)(4). Finally, Petitioner sets forth a claim chart that specifies
`
`where each element of each of the Challenged Claims is met by the prior art for
`
`ease of reference. Id. The showing in these sections establishes more than a
`
`reasonable likelihood of prevailing as to each ground of invalidity.
`
`The grounds for invalidity set forth below are supported by the declaration
`
`of Robert Howe, who provides testimony regarding the prior art and the
`
`understanding of one of ordinary skill in the art. Robert Howe’s declaration is
`
`attached as Exhibit 1004. Petitioner notes that during inter partes review a claim is
`
`given the “broadest reasonable construction in light of the specification.” See 37
`
`C.F.R. § 42.100(b). Petitioner submits, for the purposes of this inter partes review
`
`only, that claim terms are presumed to take on their broadest reasonable ordinary
`
`and customary meaning to a person of ordinary skill in the art in light of the
`
`specification of the ’411 patent. Petitioner reserves the right to advocate a different
`
`claim construction in district court or any other forum.
`
`A. DiGioia.
`
`Ground 1 is based on DiGioia (Ex. 1005) and is addressed below.
`
`sf-3468564
`
`10
`
`

`

`
`
`Inter Partes Review of USPN 6,205,411
`
`Ground 35 U.S.C. §
`
`Claims
`
`References
`
`1
`
`103
`
`1-17
`
`A.M. DiGioia et al., “HipNav: Pre-
`operative Planning and Intra-
`operative Navigational Guidance
`for Acetabular Implant Placement
`in Total Hip Replacement Surgery,”
`2nd CAOS Symposium, 1996
`(“DiGioia”) (Ex. 1005), in view of
`“An Integrated Approach to
`Medical Robotics and Computer
`Assisted Surgery in Orthopaedics,”
`Proc. 1st Int’l Symposium on
`Medical Robotics and Computer
`Assisted Surgery, pp. 106-111, 1995
`(“DiGioia II”) (Ex. 1006) and
`knowledge of person of ordinary
`skill.
`
`
`
`DiGioia is an article published at least as early as 1996. (See Ex. 1002 at 96
`
`(Patent Owner admitting in IDS that DiGioia has a 1996 publication date).) As
`
`discussed above, the earliest priority date for claims 1-17 of the ’411 patent can be
`
`no earlier than November 12, 1998, two years later. Thus, DiGioia qualifies as
`
`prior art under § 102(b).
`
`DiGioia describes a system and methods to determine optimal implant
`
`placement during hip replacement surgery through the use of pre-operative
`
`planning, a range of motion simulator, and intra-operative navigational tracking
`
`and guidance. As it explains, a common problem causing complications after hip
`
`replacement surgery is poor positioning of the implant. The DiGioia system,
`
`sf-3468564
`
`11
`
`

`

`
`
`Inter Partes Review of USPN 6,205,411
`
`called HipNav, allowed the surgeon to specify a component position, after which
`
`the range of motion simulator would estimate femoral range of motion based on
`
`parameters provided by the pre-operative planner. The feedback from the
`
`simulator allowed the surgeon to determine patient-specific optimal implant
`
`placement. The intra-operative tracking and guidance helped place the implant in
`
`that optimal position, regardless of the position of the patient on the operating
`
`table.
`
`DiGioia is clearly relevant to the patentability of the claims of the ’411
`
`patent, as it describes in detail the systems and methods claimed in the ’411 patent
`
`over a year before the ’411 patent was filed. Like the system disclosed in the
`
`’411’s independent system claims 1 and 10, DiGioia discloses:
`
`(1) a computer system for facilitating implantation of an artificial
`
`component in one of the specified joint types (Ex. 1005 at 1 (HipNav “allows a
`
`surgeon to determine optimal patient specific acetabular implant placement and
`
`accurately achieve the desired acetabular implant placement during surgery”)) with
`
`(2) a pre-operative geometric planner (id. at 2 (“[P]re-operative planner
`
`allows the surgeon to manually specify the position of the acetabular component
`
`within the pelvis based upon pre-operative CT images,” and is therefore
`
`geometric)) and
`
`sf-3468564
`
`12
`
`

`

`
`
`(3) a pre-operative kinematic biomechanical simulator in
`
`Inter Partes Review of USPN 6,205,411
`
`communication with the geometric planner (id. at Fig. 3 (depicting range of
`
`motion simulator with arrows illustrating communication between simulator and
`
`planner)), where
`
`(4) the geometric planner outputs a geometric model of the joint (id. at 2
`
`(simulator receives from pre-operative planner implant placement parameters,
`
`which are necessarily based upon and described relative to geometric model of
`
`joint)), and
`
`(5) a tracking device communicating with the computer system (id. at 4
`
`(intra-operative system includes Optotrak optical tracking camera capable of
`
`tracking special LEDs)).
`
`Similarly, like the method disclosed in the ’411’s independent method claim
`
`17, DiGioia discloses a computerized method:
`
`(1) for facilitating implantation of an artificial implant in one of the
`
`specified joint types (Ex. 1005 at 1), comprising
`
`(2) creating a three-dimensional bone model (id. at 5-6, Fig. 8 (system
`
`uses pelvic surface model constructed from CT data using techniques discussed in
`
`three-dimensional modeling article)),
`
`sf-3468564
`
`13
`
`

`

`
`
`Inter Partes Review of USPN 6,205,411
`
`(3) creating a three-dimensional component model (id. at Fig. 4
`
`(depicting positioning of implant component across three orthogonal views of
`
`pelvis)),
`
`(4) simulating movement of the joint with the artificial implant in a test
`
`position (id. at 2 (discussing range of motion simulator)),
`
`(5) calculating a range of motion (id. at 3-4 (simulator performs kinematic
`
`analysis to determine envelope of safe range of motion)),
`
`(6) identifying the implant position in the bone model (id. at 3 (surgeon
`
`can position cross sections of implant upon orthogonal view of pelvis)),
`
`(7) aligning the bone model with the bone based on tracking data (id. at
`
`5 (disclosing registration process to align position of patient to pre-operative
`
`plan)), and
`
`(8) tracking the implant and bone to maintain alignment and determine
`
`the position of the implant relative to the bone (id. at 5-7 (discussing tracking of
`
`implant and bone and use of navigational feedback)).
`
`The few claim elements that are not explicitly disclosed by DiGioia are
`
`minor, obvious variations. For example, claim 1 requires the pre-operative
`
`kinematic biomechanical simulator to output a position for implantation of the
`
`artificial component. The DiGioia system discloses that feedback from the
`
`simulator can aid the surgeon in determining optimal implant placement.
`
`sf-3468564
`
`14
`
`

`

`
`
`Inter Partes Review of USPN 6,205,411
`
`(Ex. 1005 at 2.) It would have been obvious to utilize the feedback to modify the
`
`position of an implant, re-run the simulation to determine optimal position, and
`
`output that position to the pre-operative planner. (Ex. 1004 ¶ 38.) This is also
`
`suggested by DiGioia Figure 3, which depicts bi-directional communication
`
`between the pre-operative planner and the range of motion simulator. (Id.)
`
`Similarly, claim 17 requires the system to determine an implant position based on a
`
`predetermined range of motion and the calculated range of motion. DiGioia
`
`discloses calculation of a range of motion and states the surgeon may choose to
`
`modify a selected position to achieve optimal implant positioning. (Ex. 1005 at 3.)
`
`It would have been obvious to consider the specific patient’s functional needs and
`
`the range of motion needed to perform those functional needs, which could be
`
`predetermined, to help in determining optimal implant positioning. (Ex. 1004
`
`¶ 41.)
`
`DiGioia also matches the ’411 patent’s dependent claims:
`
`• Claims 2 and 15 add an intra-operative navigational module in
`
`communication with the pre-operative kinematic biomechanical
`
`simulator. DiGioia illustrates that the system also includes an “Intra-
`
`operative Tracking & Guidance” component. DiGioia indicates that
`
`this component includes an “intra-operative guidance system” which
`
`includes “registration of pre-operative information . . . to the position
`
`sf-3468564
`
`15
`
`

`

`
`
`Inter Partes Review of USPN 6,205,411
`
`of the patient. (Ex. 1005 at 5.) Once anatomical location is
`
`determined “via registration, navigational feedback can be provided to
`
`the surgeon on a television monitor, as seen in Figure 9.” (Id. at 6.)
`
`• Claim 3 requires a tracking device in communication with said intra-
`
`operative navigational module. DiGioia discloses that the intra-
`
`operative system includes “an ‘Optotrak’ optical tracking camera . . .
`
`which is capable of tracking the position of special light emitting
`
`diodes . . . to allow highly reliably tracking.” (Ex. 1005 at 4.) “In
`
`order to determine the location of the pelvis and the acetabular
`
`implant during surgery, Optotrak targets are attached to several
`
`conventional surgical tools, as seen in Figure 7.” (Id.) DiGioia
`
`indicates that “[o]nce the location of the pelvis is determined . . .
`
`navigational feedback can be provided to the surgeon.” (Id. at 6.)
`
`Thus, because the navigation module relies upon the tracking device,
`
`the navigation module is in communication with the tracking device.
`
`• Claim 4 requires the pre-operative geometric planner to be responsive
`
`to a skeletal data source. DiGioia states that the “first step in using
`
`the HipNav system is the pre-operative CT scan which is used to
`
`determine the patient’s specific bony geometry. The CT images are
`
`used in the pre-operative planner which allows the surgeon to
`
`sf-3468564
`
`16
`
`

`

`
`
`Inter Partes Review of USPN 6,205,411
`
`determine appropriate implant size and placement.” (Ex. 1005 at 3.)
`
`Therefore, the data source inherently is a skeletal data source.
`
`• Claim 5 adds that the skeletal data source includes geometric data.
`
`DiGioia states that “the pre-operative CT scan . . . is used to determine
`
`the patient’s specific bony geometry” (Ex. 1005 at 3) and therefore the
`
`skeletal data source inherently includes geometric data.
`
`• Claim 6 requires the geometric planner to output at least one
`
`geometric model of the component. DiGioia states that the “pre-
`
`operative planner allows the surgeon to manually specify the position
`
`of the acetabular component within the pelvis . . . [and then] [t]he
`
`range of motion simulator estimates femoral range of motion based
`
`upon the implant placement parameters provided by the pre-operative
`
`planner.” (Ex. 1005 at 2.) Thus, the pre-operative planner outputs a
`
`geometric model of the component to the range-of-motion simulator.
`
`• Claim 7 requires the pre-operative kinematic biomechanical simulator
`
`to be responsive to the geometric model and output an implant
`
`position. As noted under claim 6, “[t]he range of motion simulator
`
`estimates femoral range of motion based upon the implant placement
`
`parameters provided by the pre-operative planner” (Ex. 1005 at 2) and
`
`therefore is responsive to said geometric model. As discussed under
`
`sf-3468564
`
`17
`
`

`

`
`
`Inter Partes Review of USPN 6,205,411
`
`claim 1, it would have been obvious to a person of skill in the art to
`
`utilize the simulator feedback to modify the position of an implant, re-
`
`run the simulation to determine optimal position, and output that
`
`position to the pre-operative planner. (Ex. 1004 ¶ 38.)
`
`• Claim 8 requires the implant position to include an angular orientation
`
`of the component. DiGioia notes that using navigational feedback
`
`provided to the surgeon, “[o]nce aligned, the implant is in the pre-
`
`operatively planned position and orientation.” (Ex. 1005 at 6.) Thus,
`
`pre-operative planning involves determining both the position and
`
`orientation of the implant location.
`
`• Claim 9 adds that the tracking device must be selected from the group
`
`consisting of an acoustic tracking system, shape based recognition
`
`tracking system, video-based tracking system, mechanical tracking
`
`system, electromagnetic tracking system and radio frequency tracking
`
`system, and claim 13 requires that the tracking device include at least
`
`one camera. DiGioia discloses an Optotrak camera-based tracking
`
`system. (Ex. 1005 at 4.) Even if this was not considered a video-
`
`based tracking system, video-based tracking systems were widely
`
`used and known to those of skill in the art in the mid-1990s, and it
`
`would have been obvious to combine video-based capability with the
`
`sf-3468564
`
`18
`
`

`

`
`
`Inter Partes Review of USPN 6,205,411
`
`DiGioia system or substitute a video-based tracking system for the
`
`Optotrak camera system. (See Ex. 1004 ¶ 39.)
`
`• Claim 11 adds a display monitor in communication with the computer
`
`system of claim 10. DiGioia states that using “the planner, the
`
`surgeon can position cross sections of the acetabular implant upon
`
`orthogonal views of the pelvis, as seen in Figure 4.” (Ex. 1005 at 3.)
`
`This user interface of the pre-operative planner is a display monitor in
`
`communication with the computer of the pre-operative planner.
`
`• Claim 12 adds a controller in communication with the computer
`
`system. DiGioia states that the “pre-operative planner allows the
`
`surgeon to manually specify the position of the acetabular component
`
`within the pelvis.” (Ex. 1005 at 2.) A controller, such as a mouse,
`
`joystick or keyboard, or voice-activated control, would necessarily
`
`have been provided to allow the surgeon to manually specify the
`
`implant position.
`
`• Claim 14 adds that the tracking device includes at least one target.
`
`DiGioia states that “[i]n order to determine the location of the pelvis
`
`and the acetabular implant during surgery, Optotrak targets are
`
`attached to several conventional surgical tools, as seen in Figure 7.
`
`The pelvis is tracked by attaching a target to the pelvic portion of a
`
`sf-3468564
`
`19
`
`

`

`
`
`Inter Partes Review of USPN 6,205,411
`
`Harris leg length caliper . . . . The acetabular implant is tracked by
`
`attaching a second target to the handle of an HGP II acetabular cup
`
`holder and positioner . . . . A third Optotrak target is required by the
`
`HipNav system to determine operating room coordinates . . . .” (Ex.
`
`1005 at 4-5.)
`
`• Claim 16 adds the requirement of a robotic device and surgical tool.
`
`Several of the same authors, including DiGioia himself, previously
`
`published “An Integrated Approach to Medical Robotics and
`
`Computer Assisted Surgery in Orthopaedics,” Proc. 1st Int’l
`
`Symposium on Medical Robotics and Computer Assisted Surgery, pp.
`
`106-111, 1995 (“DiGioia II”) (Ex. 1006). DiGioia II discloses an
`
`approach to improved surgical techniques incorporating pre-operative
`
`planning with biomechanical analysis and computer or robot-assisted
`
`surgery. (Ex. 1006 at 3.) It depicts a c

This document is available on Docket Alarm but you must sign up to view it.


Or .

Accessing this document will incur an additional charge of $.

After purchase, you can access this document again without charge.

Accept $ Charge
throbber

Still Working On It

This document is taking longer than usual to download. This can happen if we need to contact the court directly to obtain the document and their servers are running slowly.

Give it another minute or two to complete, and then try the refresh button.

throbber

A few More Minutes ... Still Working

It can take up to 5 minutes for us to download a document if the court servers are running slowly.

Thank you for your continued patience.

This document could not be displayed.

We could not find this document within its docket. Please go back to the docket page and check the link. If that does not work, go back to the docket and refresh it to pull the newest information.

Your account does not support viewing this document.

You need a Paid Account to view this document. Click here to change your account type.

Your account does not support viewing this document.

Set your membership status to view this document.

With a Docket Alarm membership, you'll get a whole lot more, including:

  • Up-to-date information for this case.
  • Email alerts whenever there is an update.
  • Full text search for other cases.
  • Get email alerts whenever a new case matches your search.

Become a Member

One Moment Please

The filing “” is large (MB) and is being downloaded.

Please refresh this page in a few minutes to see if the filing has been downloaded. The filing will also be emailed to you when the download completes.

Your document is on its way!

If you do not receive the document in five minutes, contact support at support@docketalarm.com.

Sealed Document

We are unable to display this document, it may be under a court ordered seal.

If you have proper credentials to access the file, you may proceed directly to the court's system using your government issued username and password.


Access Government Site

We are redirecting you
to a mobile optimized page.





Document Unreadable or Corrupt

Refresh this Document
Go to the Docket

We are unable to display this document.

Refresh this Document
Go to the Docket