PaperNo. 1
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`Filed on behalf of Qualcomm Incorporated
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`By: Nathan Rees
`Richard Zembek
`Eric Hall
`R. Ross Viguet
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`Norton Rose Fulbright US LLP
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`2200 Ross Avenue, Suite 3 600
`Dallas, Texas 7520 1-7932
`Tel: (21 4) 855-7 1 64
`Fax: (214) 8 5 5-8200
`
`UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
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`BEFORE THE PATENT TRIAL AND APPEAL BOARD
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`PETITION FOR INTER PARTES REVIEW
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`OF U.S. PATENT NO. 7,477,624
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`Mail Stop "PATENT BOARD"
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`Patent Trial and Appeal Board
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`U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
`P.O. Box 1 450
`Alexandria, VA 2231 3- 1 450
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`41779738.1
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`TABLE OF CONTENTS
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`... . ............ 1 I. Mandatory Notices (37 C.F.R. § 42.8(a)(1 )) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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`............................. 2 ..................II. Grounds for Standing (37 C.F.R. § 42.104(a))
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`................. 3 III. Identification of Challenge (37 C.F.R. § 42.104(b)) .....................
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`A. Statutory grounds for the challenge . ............................. . . . . . . . . . . . .. . .......... 3
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`B. Citation of Prior Art .................................... . . . . . . . . . . . . . ............................. 3
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`. . . . . . . . . . . . ............ 4 .......................................................IV. The ' 624 Patent ................
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`4 A. Overview of the ' 624 Patent. ................................................................
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`7 B. Level of Ordinary Skill in the Art ............ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..................
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`C. Claim Construction ............................................................................... 7
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`9 D. Prosecution History of Related Patents ................................................
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`V. Grounds of Rej ection .......................................... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..................... 1 0
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`A. Ground 1 : Gerten anticipates claims 9, 1 2, 2 1 , and 24 . . . . . . . .. . ...... . ...... 1 0
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`1 . Overview of Gerten .................................................................. 1 0
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`2. Gerten anticipates independent claim 9 ................................... 1 3
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`le medium a. Gerten discloses "[a] computer-readab
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`carrying instructions for managing the use of
`communications channels for a communications
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`system, wherein processing of the instructions by
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`one or more processors causes" [9P] a set of
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`actions to occur .............................................................. 1 3
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`b. Gerten discloses "selecting, based upon
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`performance of a plurality of communications
`channels at a first time, a first set of two or more
`communications channels from the plurality of
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`communications channels" [9A]. ... . . . . . . . .. . . ... ........... ....... 1 5
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`c. Gerten discloses "the first set of two or more
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`communications channels to be used for
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`communications between a pair of participants"
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`[9B] ................................................................................. 1 6
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`d. Gerten discloses "selecting, based upon
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`performance of the plurality of communications
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`channels at a second time that is later than the first
`time, a second set of two or more communications
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`channels from the plurality of communications
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`channels'' [9C] . ....................... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . ................... 1 6
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`e. Gerten discloses "the second set of two or more
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`communications channels to be used for
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`communications between the pair of participants
`instead of the first set of two or more
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`communications channels" [90] . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .................. 1 7
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`f. Gerten discloses "wherein the pair of participants
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`includes a first participant and a second
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`participant, wherein a default set of two or more
`communications channels is associated with a
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`hopping sequence and is not changed based on the
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`performance of the plurality of communications
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`channels'' [9E] . ............................................................... 1 8
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`g. Gerten discloses "the computer-readable medium
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`further comprising instructions, which when
`processed by the one or more processors, cause:
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`the first participant communicating with a third
`participant over the default set of two or more
`communications channels while communicating
`with the second participant over the first set of two
`or more communications channels and while
`communicating with the second participant over
`the second set of two or more communications
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`channels'' [9F] . .. . . . . . . .. . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . .. . .. . .. . . 1 9
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`3 . Gerten anticipates claim 1 2 .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . 20
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`a. Gerten discloses "[the] computer-readable
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`medium . . . further comprising instructions, which
`when processed by the one or more processors,
`causes: after selecting the first set of two or more
`communications channels, causing the first set of
`two or more communications channels to be
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`loaded into a register of each participant of the pair
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`of participants" [ 1 2A] .. . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . 20
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`b. Gerten discloses "[the] computer-readable
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`medium . . . further comprising instructions, which
`when processed by the one or more processors,
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`causes: . . . after selecting the second set of two or
`more communications channels, causing the
`second set of two or more communications
`channels to be loaded into the register of each
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`participant of the pair of participants" [ 1 2B] . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
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`4. Gerten anticipates independent claim 2 1 and dependent
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`claim 24 .. . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . .. . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
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`Cuffaro renders B . Ground 2: The cotnbination o f Gerten and
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`claims 1 0, 1 1, 22, and 23 obvious . ... ..... ...... .... ..... ...... .. . .. . . . . . .. . . . ....... .. 25
`1 . The combination of Gerten and Cuffaro renders claims
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`1 0 and 22 obvious ....... ...........................................
`... ....... ......... 25
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`a. The combination of Gerten and Cuffaro discloses
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`the hopping sequence claim limitations of claims
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`1 0 and 22 . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . 25
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`b. The combination of Gerten and Cuffaro discloses
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`"the performance of the plurality of
`communications channels is based on channel
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`performance data that is transmitted over one or
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`more of the plurality of communications channels
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`based on the hopping sequence according to the
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`frequency hopping protocol" of claims 1 0 and 22 . .. . . . . . . 28
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`skill in the art would have c. A person of ordinary
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`combined Gerten and Cuffaro . .. . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . .. . .. . . . . . .. . . . 3 0
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`claims 2. The combination of Gerten and Cuffaro renders
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`1 1 and 23 obvious . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 1
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`renders A. Ground 3 : The combination of Gendel and Haartsen
`. ............ .... ..... ... . ..... ..... . .... ... 3 7 claims 9, 1 1, 1 2, 2 1 , 23, and 24 obvious
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`1 . Overview of Gendel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . .. . .. . . . . . 3 7
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`3 . The combination of Gendel and Haartsen renders claim 9
`obvious . ...............................
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`3 8
`a. The combination of Gendel and Haartsen discloses
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`"[a] computer-readable medium carrying
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`41779738.1
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`instructions for managing the use of
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`communications channels for a communications
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`system, wherein processing of the instructions by
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`one or more processors causes" [9P] a set of
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`actions to occur . ... ..... ... . .. .. ..... . . .. . . .. ..... . . .. ... . . .. .... ...... ... . .. 3 8
`b. Gendel discloses "the first set of two or more
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`communications channels to be used for
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`communications between a pair of participants"
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`... ... .... ........[9B] . ... .... ...... . . ..... .. .. .. .. ... ..... .... .... .... ...... .. ...... 43
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`c. Gendel discloses "selecting, based upon
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`performance of the plurality of communications
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`channels at a second time that is later than the first
`time, a second set of two or more communications
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`channels from the plurality of communications
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`. .... ... .... .... ......channels'' [9C] . .. .. ..... ........... . . .. . . . . . . .. ...... ... 44
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`d. Gendel discloses "the second set of two or more
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`communications channels to be used for
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`communications between the pair of participants
`instead of the first set of two or more
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`[9D] .. ....communications channels" ... . . . . .. .. .. ......... .. .... .. 45
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`e. Gendel discloses "wherein the pair of participants
`includes a first participant and a second
`participant, wherein a default set of two or more
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`communications channels is associated with a
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`hopping sequence and is not changed based on the
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`performance of the plurality of communications
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`.. ....channels'' [9E] . ...... .... .... ....... ... ... ...... .... ...... .. ...... .. .... 45
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`f. Gendel discloses "the computer-readable medium
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`further comprising instructions, which when
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`processed by the one or more processors, cause:
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`the first participant communicating with a third
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`participant over the default set of two or more
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`communications channels while communicating
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`with the second participant over the first set of two
`or more communications channels and while
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`communicating with the second participant over
`the second set of two or more communications
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`[9F] .. ......channels" .. ..... ... ... .......... . . . . . . . .. ....... ...... ...... ... .. 46
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`41779738.1
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`-IV-
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`renders claim 4. The combination of Gendel and Haartsen
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`1 2 obvious .. . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . .. . .. . . . .. . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
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`a. The combination of Gendel and Haartsen discloses
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`" [the] computer-readable medium . . . further
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`comprising instructions, which when processed by
`the one or more processors, causes: after selecting
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`the first set of two or more communications
`channels, causing the first set of two or more
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`communications channels to be loaded into a
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`register of each participant of the pair of
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`participants" [ 12A] . .. . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . 47
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`discloses b. The combination of Gendel and Haartsen
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`" [the] computer-readable medium . . . further
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`comprising instructions, which when processed by
`the one or more processors, causes: . . . after
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`selecting the second set of two or more
`communications channels, causing the second set
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`of two or more communications channels to be
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`loaded into the register of each participant of the
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`pair of participants" [ 1 2B] .. . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . 49
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`renders 5 . The combination of Gendel and Haartsen
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`independent claim 2 1 and dependent claim 24 obvious . . . . . . . . . . . 50
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`renders claims 6. The combination of Gendel and Haartsen
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`1 1 and 23 obvious . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 1
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`C. Ground 4: The combination of Gendel, Haartsen, and Sage
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`renders claims 1 0 and 22 obvious . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
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`1 . The combination of Gendel, Haartsen, and Sage discloses
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`the hopping sequence claim limitations of claims 1 0 and
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`22 .. . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
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`2. The combination of Gendel, Haartsen, and Sage discloses
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`"the performance of the plurality of communications
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`channels is based on channel performance data that is
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`transmitted over one or more of the plurality of
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`communications channels based on the hopping sequence
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`according to the frequency hopping protocol" of claims
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`1 0 and 22 . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
`. . 56
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`4 1779738.1
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`...................
`VI. Conclusion
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`60
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`ii
`41779738.1 \i,
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`-VI-
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`Qualcomm Incorporated petitions for inter partes review of claims 9-1 2 and
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`2 1 -24 of United States Patent No. 7,477,624 to Gan, eta!., titled "Approach for
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`Managing the Use of Communications Channels Based on Performance"
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`(hereinafter "the '624 patent"). The '624 patent is provided as Exhibit 1 00 1 .
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`I. Mandatory Notices (37 C.F.R. § 42.8(a)(l))
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`REAL PARTY IN INTEREST: The real parties-in-interest of Petitioner are
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`Qualcomm Incorporated, Qualcomm Atheros, Inc., Qualcomm Innovation Center,
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`Inc.
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`RELATED MATTERS: The '624 Patent is involved in the fol lowing
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`proceedings that may affect or be affected by a decision in this proceeding:
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`B ands peed, Inc. v. STMicroelectronics
`NV, et a/., 1 : 1 4-cv-0043
`7, B ands peed, Inc.
`v. B roadcom Corporation,
`Inc. v. Texas Instruments
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`1 : 1 4-cv-00433, B andspeed,
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`1 : 14-cv-00438, B andspeed,
`Incorporated,
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`Inc. v. Qualcomm Incorporated, eta!.,
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`1 : 1 4-cv-00436, B ands peed, Inc. v. M arvell Semiconductor, Inc., 1 : 1 4-cv-00434,
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`Inc. v. MediaTek,
`and B andspeed,
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`Inc. eta/., 1 : 1 4-cv-00435, all in the Western
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`District of Texas.
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`Three petitions for inter partes review of the claims of the ' 624 patent were
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`previously filed by Marvell Semiconductor, Inc., MediaTek, Inc., and MediaTek
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`USA, Inc. on November 26, 201 4 and all were instituted on June 1 1, 201 5 : Case
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`No. IPR20 1 5-0031 4 challenging claims 1 -4, 1 3- 1 6 and 25-29; Case No. IPR20 1 5-
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`0031 5 challenging claims 5-8 and 1 7-20; and Case No. IPR20 1 5-0031 6
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`challenging claims 9-1 2 and 2 1 -24. Petitioner is also filing with this petition two
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`other petitions for inter partes review of the remaining claims in the '624 patent.
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`LEAD AND BACKUP COUNSEL: Pursuant to 3 7 C.F.R. § 42.8(b)(3) and
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`42.1 O(a), Petitioner appoints Nathan Rees (Reg. No. 63,820) as its lead counsel,
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`and RichardS. Zem bek (Reg. No. 43,306), Eric Hall (Reg. No. 46,751 ), and R.
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`Ross Viguet (Reg. No. 42,203) as its back-up counsel.
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`SERVICE INFORMATION: Service may be delivered to: NORTON ROSE
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`FULBRIGHT US LLP, 2200 Ross Avenue, Suite 3600, Dallas, Texas 75201-7932,
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`phone number (21 4) 855-71 64 and facsimile (21 4) 855-8200. Petitioner consents
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`to electronic servtce by email at the email addresses:
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`nate.rees@nortonrosefulbright.com, richard.zembek@nortonrosefulbright.com,
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`eric.hall@nortonrosefulbright.com, and ross.viguet@nortonrosefulbright.com.
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`II. Grounds for Standing (37 C.F.R. § 42. 104(a))
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`The undersigned, Qualcomm Incorporated certifies that the '624 patent is
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`available for inter partes review. Qualcomm Incorporated has concurrently filed a
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`motion for joinder to join the present case with
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`M arvell Semiconductor, Inc. v.
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`B ands peed, Inc., Case IPR20 1 5-0031 6. Qualcomm certifies that it is not barred or
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`estopped from requesting this inter partes review on the grounds identified herein,
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`so long as the motion for joinder is granted.
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`III. Identification of Challenge (37 C.F.R. § 42. 104(b))
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`A. Statutory grounds for the challenge.
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`Petitioner requests review of claims 9-1 2 and 2 1 -24 on four grounds:
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`GROUND 1 : Claims 9, 1 2, 2 1 , and 24 are anticipated under 3 5 U.S .C. § 1 02(e) by
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`Gerten. GROUND 2 : Claims 1 0, 1 1, 22, and 23 are obvious over the combination
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`ofGerten and Cuffaro. GROUND 3 : Claims 9, 1 1, 1 2, 2 1 , 23, and 24 are obvious
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`over Gendel in view of Haartsen. GROUND 4: Claims 1 0 and 22 are obvious over
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`Gendel in view of Haartsen and Sage.
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`B. Citation of Prior Art
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`In support of the grounds of unpatentability cited above, Petitioner cites the
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`following prior art references:
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`et al. , provided as Exhibit 1 003, U.S. Patent No. 6,760,31 9 to Gerten,
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`qualifies as prior art under at least 35 U.S.C. § 1 02( e) because it was filed on July
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`5, 2000 prior to the earliest possible priority date of the ' 624 patent (January 25,
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`2001 ).
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`U.S. Patent No. 6,418,31 7 to Cuffaro, et al., provided as Exhibit 1 004,
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`qualifies as prior art under at least 35 U.S.C. § 102(e) because it was filed on
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`December 1 , 1 999 prior to the earliest possible priority date of the '624 patent
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`(January 25, 2001 ).
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`U.S. Patent No. 6,115,407 to Gendel, et a!., provided as Exhibit 1 005,
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`qualifies as pnor art under at least 35 U.S.C. § 1 02(a) because it issued on
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`September 5, 2000 prior to the earliest possible priority date of the '624 patent
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`(January 25, 200 1 ).
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`ent No. 7,280,580 to Haartsen, provided as Exhibit 1 006, qualifies
`U.S. Pat
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`as prior art under at least 3 5 U.S.C. § 102(e) because it was filed on October 1 5,
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`1 999 prior to the earliest possible priority date of the ' 624 patent (January 25,
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`2001 ).
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`U.S. Patent No. 5,781,582 to Sage, et al., provided as Exhibit 1 007,
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`qualifies as prior art under at least 3 5 U .S.C. § 1 02( e) because it was filed on May
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`4, 1 995 prior to the earliest possible priority date of the ' 624 patent (January 25,
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`2001 ).
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`IV. The '624 Patent
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`A. Overview of the '624 Patent
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`The '624 patent relates to "managing the
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`use of communications channels based on
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`UASTER�O
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`FIG. 2 of the ' 624 patent (reproduced below)
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`I �ylli I 1�1
`I TIWISCErt'ER
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`channel performance." ('624 patent, I :46-48.)
`I
`llE
`I
`I
`SlAVE220
`SlAYE230
`l,'fMORY
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`depicts a communications network having a
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`I r.a.�vm I
`I
`ill I
`I PROCESSCR I 22-1
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`PRCCE�� I
`��v��
`I Tm�CEM;.'? I
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`number of communications devices labeled
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`master 2 1 0, slave 220 and slave 230. Each of the
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`communications devices includes a memory, a processor that may execute
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`instructions stored in memory, and a transceiver that is configured to transmit and
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`receive communications with other devices of the communications network. (!d.,
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`9:53-59.)
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`To manage the communications channels, the system of the ' 624 patent
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`selects a first set of communications channels "based on the performance of the
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`communications channels and channel selection criteria." (/d., 4 :11 - 13 .) "For
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`example, the selection criteria may be to select the good channels but not the bad
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`channels." (/d., 6:53-55 .) At start-up of the communications network, the system
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`selects an initial set of channels. (!d., 6: 1 9-2 1.) The system then periodically
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`selects sets of channels based on later performance of the communications
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`channels. (!d., 4: 1 4- 16.)
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`The '624 patent describes various well-known techniques for measuring
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`performance of communications channels. (See id., 1 0: 1 9- 14:59.) The disclosed
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`techniques utilize special test packets ( 10:33-1 2 :35), received signal strength
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`indicators (RSSI) ( 12 : 3 7- 1 3:2), cyclic redundancy checks (CRC) ( 1 3:50- 1 4:6), and
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`forward error correction (FEC) ( 1 4: 1 9-41 ). The system ofthe ' 624 patent classifies
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`a communication channel based on channel performance and one or more
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`classification criteria. (/d., 1 4:63-65.) "For example, a channel may be classified as
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`'good' or 'bad' based on the results of the channel performance testing by applying
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`one or more performance measurements to specified performance criteria." (Id.,
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`1 4:65-1 5:2.)
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`(e.g., "Chanpel testing and classification may be performed by a master"
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`master 2 1 0) "or other participants, such as slaves" (e.g., slaves 220 or 230). (!d.,
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`1 6:42-43.) "In addition, channel testing and classifications from multiple
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`participants may be combined and/or weighted to determine an overall, or final,
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`classification for the channels of interest." (!d., 1 6:43-46.)
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`The ' 624 patent describes one technique for a "'referendum' approach"
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`involving voting by participants. (!d., 1 6:47-49.) In the exemplary voting
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`technique, a participant has a '"vote' on whether to use the channel or not." (!d.,
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`1 6:65-66.) For example, a vote may indicate that the participant prefers not to use
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`the channel (e.g., participant finds channel "bad") or a vote may indicate that the
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`participant prefers to use the channel (e.g., participant finds channel "good"). (!d.,
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`1 6:66- 1 7:4.) A certain number of total votes "is required for the channel to be
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`judged 'good' and therefore available for use by the FH communications system."
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`(ld., 1 7:5-7.) "Not every participant needs to have input for each channel under
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`consideration." (Id., 1 7:29-30.) As explained in the '624 patent, participants "may
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`collect and combine the channel performance information, or votes, to determine
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`the final channel classifications." (Id., 1 7:30-34.)
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`In embodiments, the devices of the ' 624 patent communicate ustng a
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`frequency hopping (FH) protocol such as used in Bluetooth communications. The
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`'624 patent explains that a FH protocol "uses a frequency hopping signal
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`transmission technique in which information or data is transmitted over a set of
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`frequency band." (/d.,
`frequencies in a communications
`2 :5-9.) These frequencies
`are often referred to as channels. (/d.,
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`sequence, which is "[t]he order in which the communications network hops among
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`2: 1 9-20.) A FH protocol utilizes a hopping
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`the set of frequencies." (/d., 2:11 - 1 3 .) For example, " [t]he FH system transmits
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`data on one channel, hops to the next channel in the hopping sequence to transmit
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`more data, and continues by transmitting data on subsequent channels in the
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`hopping sequence." (/d., 2 :20-24.) "The use of an FH protocol helps
`to reduce
`problems with interference from other communications systems and other
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`interference sources." (/d.,
`2:25-27.)
`B. Level of Ordinary Skill in the Art
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`One of ordinary skill in the art would have a B . S . degree in Electrical and/or
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`Computer Eng., or an equivalent field, as wel l as at least 3-5 years of academic or
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`industry experience in the wireless communications field. (Ding Decl.1, ��1 4- 16.)
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`C. Claim Construction
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`Except for the exemplary terms set forth below, construed under the
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`broadest reasonable interpretation standard, the terms are to be given their plain
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`1 The Declaration of Dr. Zhi Ding is provided as Exhibit 1 002.
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`and ordinary meaning as understood by one of ordinary skil l in the art and
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`consistent with the disclosure. Petitioner reserves the right to present different
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`constructions in the District Court where a different claim construction standard
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`applies.
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`Hopping Sequence [claims 9, 1 0, 22, and 24]: The term "hopping
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`sequence"
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`2 should be construed as the order in which the network hops among a
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`set of frequencies. The term "hopping
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`sequence"
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`is a wel l-understood term of art.
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`(Ding Decl., �35 .) The specification uses the term in accordance with this
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`understood meaning: "The order in which the communication network hops among
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`the set of frequencies is known as the hopping sequence." ('624 patent, 2 :11 - 13 .)
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`Vote [claims 1 1 and 23] : The term "vote" is not explicitly defined in the
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`specification. However, a "vote" is a common term meaning an expression of a
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`choice (an indication). (Am. Her. Diet., 2nd Col. Ed., Exh. 1 0 11 , p. 1 356.)
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`Therefore, a "vote[s}
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`means at least
`to use the particular communications channef'
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`an indication whether to use (or not to use) the communications channel or an
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`indication whether the communication channel is good or bad. (See, e.g., '624
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`patent, 16:66-1 7:4.)
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`2 The term "the hopping
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`in claims 22 and 24 lacks antecedent
`sequence"
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`basis.
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`4 1779738.1
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`D. Prosecution History of Related Patents
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`The '624 patent IS one patent In a family of patents sharing the same
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`specification.3 The prosecution of these patents IS highly relevant because the
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`Patent Owner has pursued claims having substantially identical claim terms in the
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`'624 patent. For example, claim 1 of the '41 8 patent (reproduced below), drafted as
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`a method claim, shares limitations with claims 9 and 1 0 of the ' 624 patent
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`(reproduced below In part), drafted as computer-readable medium claims.
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`Although not shown below, claims 2 1 and 22 of the ' 624 patent also share these
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`same limitations with claim 1 of the '41 8 patent.
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