throbber
UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
`________________
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`BEFORE THE PATENT TRIAL AND APPEAL BOARD
`________________
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`VOLKSWAGEN GROUP OF AMERICA, INC.
`Petitioner,
`v.
`JOAO CONTROL & MONITORING SYSTEMS, LLC
`Patent Owner
`________________
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`Case IPR2015-01610
`Patent 6,542,076
`________________
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`
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`PATENT OWNER’S RESPONSE TO PETITION
`FOR INTER PARTES REVIEW UNDER 37 C.F.R. § 42.107
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`Patent Owner’s Response to Petition
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`TABLE OF CONTENTS
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`Page
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`I. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................... 1
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`II. BACKGROUND ................................................................................................. 2
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` A. Overview of the ‘076 Patent .......................................................................... 2
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` B. Prosecution History of the ‘076 Patent .......................................................... 3
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` C. Representative Claims .................................................................................... 4
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`III. CLAIM CONSTRUCTION ............................................................................... 8
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` A. Legal Standards .............................................................................................. 8
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` B. “control device” ............................................................................................ 10
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` C. “first signal,” “second signal” and “third signal” ......................................... 11
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` A. Ground 1 is Deficient ................................................................................... 12
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`IV. RESPONSE TO PROPOSED GROUNDS OF INVALIDITY ....................... 12
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` 1. Kniffin fails to disclose an “A to B to C” system/method for controlling a
` vehicle system/component in response to a signal from a control device
` located remote from the vehicle .............................................................. 13
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` B. Ground 2 is Deficient ................................................................................... 25
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` C. Ground 3 is Deficient ................................................................................... 29
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` 1. Ryoichi fails disclose the “A to B to C” control system/method of claims
` 3 and 73 and 205 ..................................................................................... 30
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` D. Ground 4 is Deficient ................................................................................... 29
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` E. Ground 5 is Deficient ................................................................................... 37
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` F. Ground 6 is Deficient .................................................................................... 38
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`VII. CONCLUSION .............................................................................................. 38
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`LIST OF EXHIBITS
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`Case IPR2015-01610
`Patent 6,542,076
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`Exhibit
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`EX2001
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`EX2002
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`EX2004
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`Description
`“Preliminary Remarks” filed by Applicant on November 26, 2006
`during prosecution of the patent application that issued as related U.S.
`Patent No. 7,277,010
`“Supplement to the Remarks for the Amendment filed on October 24,
`2007” filed on November 23, 2007 during prosecution of the patent
`application that issued as related U.S. Patent No. 7,397,363
`EX2003 Declaration of Steven W. Ritcheson
`August 26, 2015 Opinion and Order Construing Disputed Claim Terms
`in the matter of JCMS v. Chrysler Group LLC, Case No. 13-cv-13957
`(E.D. Mich.)
`EX2005 Transcript of April 20, 2016 Deposition of Scott Andrews
`EX2006 Transcript of April 21, 2016 Deposition of Scott Andrews
`“The Internet Report,” Morgan Stanley Global Technology Group,
`EX2007
`February 1996.
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`iii iii
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`Patent Owner’s Response to Petition
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`I.
`INTRODUCTION
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`In response to the Petition for Inter Partes Review (“Petition”) filed by
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`Petitioner, the Board has instituted inter partes review (Paper 7, the “Decision”)
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`of claims 3, 18, 65, 67, 68, 70, 73, 91, 103, 116, 119, 120 and 205 (“Challenged
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`Claims”) of U.S. Patent No. 6,542,076 (“the ‘076 Patent”) based on the following
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`grounds:
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`Ground
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`Proposed Rejections
`anticipated by Kniffin
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`Claims
`3, 18, 65, 67,
`68, 70, 73, 91,
`103, 116, 119,
`120 and 205
`94 and 110
`96
`3, 18, 65, 67,
`70, 73, 91, 103,
`116, 119 and
`205
`obvious in view of Ryochi
`94 and 110
`68, 96 and 120 obvious in view of Ryochi and Neely
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`obvious in view of Kniffin
`obvious in view of Kniffin and Neely
`anticipated by Ryochi
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`1
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`2
`3
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`4
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`5
`6
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`The six proposed grounds of rejection are substantively flawed, in that
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`none of the cited references teach important properly construed claim limitations.
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`For example, none of the cited references teach an “A to B to C” control
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`system/method, as required by the challenged claims and as will be explained in
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`more detail below.
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`Accordingly, Joao Control & Monitoring Systems, LLC (“JCMS” or
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`“Patent Owner”) submits this Response to Petitioner’s Petition and the Board’s
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`Decision.
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`II. BACKGROUND
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`A. Overview of the ‘076 Patent
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`The ‘076 Patent is directed to a novel and unconventional system for, inter
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`alia, remotely-controlling and/or monitoring systems located at vehicles and
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`premises. EX1001 at 23. The Challenged Claims are directed to a specially
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`assembled and programmed distributed control system/method for vehicles,
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`wherein control functions for a vehicle or for a vehicle system, vehicle equipment
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`system, vehicle component, vehicle device, vehicle equipment, or vehicle
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`appliance, of a vehicle, can be distributed among three separate and distinct
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`control devices, each of which can generate or transmit a separate and distinct
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`signal in order to control a separate fourth device of or at the vehicle, which is
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`the respective vehicle system, vehicle equipment system, vehicle component,
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`vehicle device, vehicle equipment, or vehicle appliance.
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`A separate
`interface device can be optionally used
`to facilitate
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`communications between one of the control devices and the separate fourth
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`device of or at the vehicle, which is the respective vehicle system, vehicle
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`equipment system, vehicle component, vehicle device, vehicle equipment, or
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`vehicle appliance.
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`B.
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`Prosecution History of the ‘076 Patent
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`The patent application that issued as the ‘076 patent was filed on April, 17,
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`2000. EX1001. The ‘076 patent issued on April 1, 2003. Id. The ‘076 patent
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`expired on June 8, 2013.
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`During prosecution of related U.S. Patent Applications that issued as U.S.
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`Patent Nos. 7,397,363 and 7,277,010 (hereinafter “the ‘363 Patent” and “the ‘010
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`Patent,” respectively), the Applicant chose to be his own lexicographer and
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`provided explicit definitions for, inter alia, the terms “control device,” “remote,”
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`and “located at” in “Preliminary Remarks” filed by Applicant on November 26,
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`2006 during prosecution of the patent application that issued as the ‘010 patent
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`(see EX2001, hereinafter “Preliminary Remarks”) and in “Supplement to the
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`Remarks for the Amendment filed on October 24, 2007” filed on November 23,
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`2007 during prosecution of the patent application that issued as the ‘363 Patent
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`(see EX2002, hereinafter “First Remarks”).
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`C. Representative Claims
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`Claims 3, 73 and 205 are the only independent claims being challenged.
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`They are reproduced below:
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`3.
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`A control apparatus, comprising:
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`a first control device, wherein the first control device at least one of
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`generates a first signal and transmits a first signal for at least one of activating,
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`de-activating, disabling, and re-enabling, at least one of a vehicle system, a
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`vehicle equipment system, a vehicle component, a vehicle device, a vehicle
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`equipment, and a vehicle appliance, of a vehicle, wherein the first control device
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`is located at the vehicle,
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`wherein the first control device at least one of generates the first
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`signal and transmits the first signal in response to a second signal, wherein the
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`second signal is at least one of generated by a second control device and
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`transmitted from a second control device, wherein the second control device is
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`located at a location which is remote from the vehicle, wherein the second signal
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`is transmitted from the second control device to the first control device, wherein
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`the second signal is automatically received by the first control device, and further
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`wherein the second control device at least one of generates the second signal and
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`transmits the second signal in response to a third signal,
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`wherein the third signal is at least one of generated by a third control
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`device and transmitted from a third control device, wherein the third control
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`device is located at a location which is remote from the vehicle and remote from
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`the second control device, wherein the third signal is transmitted from the third
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`control device to the second control device, and further wherein the third signal is
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`automatically received by the second control device.
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`73. A control apparatus, comprising:
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`a first control device, wherein the first control device is capable of at
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`least one of activating, de-activating, disabling, and re-enabling, one or more of a
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`plurality of at least one of a vehicle system, a vehicle equipment system, a
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`vehicle component, a vehicle device, a vehicle equipment, and a vehicle
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`appliance, of a vehicle, wherein the first control device at least one of generates a
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`first signal and transmits a first signal for at least one of activating, de-activating,
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`disabling, and re-enabling, the at least one of a vehicle system, a vehicle
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`equipment system, a vehicle component, a vehicle device, a vehicle equipment,
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`and a vehicle appliance, wherein the first control device is located at the vehicle,
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`wherein the first control device at least one of generates the first
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`signal and transmits the first signal in response to a second signal, wherein the
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`second signal is at least one of generated by a second control device and
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`transmitted from a second control device, wherein the second control device is
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`located at a location which is remote from the vehicle, wherein the second signal
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`is transmitted from the second control device to the first control device, and
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`further wherein the second signal is automatically received by the first control
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`device,
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`wherein the second control device at least one of generates the
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`second signal and transmits the second signal in response to a third signal,
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`wherein the third signal is at least one of generated by a third control device and
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`transmitted from a third control device, wherein the third control device is
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`located at a location which is remote from the vehicle and remote from the
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`second control device, wherein the third signal is transmitted from the third
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`control device to the second control device, and further wherein the third signal is
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`automatically received by the second control device.
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`205. A control method, comprising:
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`transmitting a first signal from a first control device to a second
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`control device, wherein the first control device is located at a location remote
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`from the second control device and remote from a vehicle, and further wherein
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`the first signal is automatically received by the second control device;
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`transmitting a second signal from the second control device to a
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`third control device, wherein the third control device is capable of at least one of
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`activating, de-activating, disabling, and re-enabling, one or more of a plurality of
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`at least one of a vehicle system, a vehicle equipment system, a vehicle
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`component, a vehicle device, a vehicle equipment, and a vehicle appliance, of the
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`vehicle, wherein the third control device is located at the vehicle, and further
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`wherein the second control device is located at a location remote from the
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`vehicle, and further wherein the second signal is automatically received by the
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`third control device;
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`at least one of generating a third signal with the third control device
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`and transmitting a third signal from the third control device, wherein the third
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`control device is located at the vehicle, and further wherein the third signal is at
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`least one of generated and transmitted in response to the second signal; and
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`at least one of activating, de-activating, disabling, and re-enabling,
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`the at least one of a vehicle system, a vehicle equipment system, a vehicle
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`component, a vehicle device, a vehicle equipment, and a vehicle appliance.
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`III. CLAIM CONSTRUCTION
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`Legal Standards
`A.
`The ‘076 Patent is expired. Claim terms in an expired patent are generally
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`given their “ordinary and customary meaning” as understood by a person of
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`ordinary skill in the art in question at the time of the invention. Phillips v. AWH
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`Corp., 415 F.3d 1303,1327 (Fed. Cir. 2005). However, it is important to note that
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`the Manual of Patent Examining Procedure (MPEP) and controlling case law
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`make it clear that the determination of the ordinary and customary meaning of a
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`term or phrase does not occur in a vacuum, but instead it must be made in light of
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`the patent’s specification and the intrinsic evidence. MPEP §2111.01 is clear and
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`unequivocal on this point. The pertinent portion of the MPEP §2111.01 recites:
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`The ordinary and customary meaning of a term may be
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`evidenced by a variety of sources, including “the words
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`of
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`the claims
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`themselves,
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`the remainder of
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`the
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`specification, the prosecution history, and extrinsic
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`evidence concerning relevant scientific principles, the
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`meaning of technical terms, and the state of the art.”
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`Phillips v. AWH Corp., 415 F.3d at 1314, 75 USPQ2d
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`at 1327. If extrinsic reference sources, such as
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`dictionaries, evidence more than one definition for the
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`term, the intrinsic record must be consulted to identify
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`which of the different possible definitions is most
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`consistent with Applicant’s use of the terms. Brookhill-
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`Wilk 1, 334 F.3d at 1300, 67 USPQ2d at 1137; see also
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`Renishaw PLC v. Marposs Societa' per Azioni, 158
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`F.3d 1243, 1250, 48 USPQ2d 1117, 1122 (Fed. Cir.
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`1998) (“Where there are several common meanings for
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`a claim term, the patent disclosure serves to point away
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`from the improper meanings and toward the proper
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`meanings.”) and Vitronics Corp. v. Conceptronic Inc.,
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`90 F.3d 1576, 1583, 39 USPQ2d 1573, 1577 (Fed. Cir.
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`1996) (construing the term “solder reflow temperature”
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`to mean “peak reflow temperature” of solder rather than
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`the “liquidus temperature” of solder in order to remain
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`consistent with the specification.). (Emphasis added).
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`“[A] patentee may choose to be his own lexicographer” and assign special
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`definitions to the words in the claim, as long as those definitions are clearly
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`stated in the patent specification or file history. Vitronics Corp. v. Conceptronic,
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`Inc., 90 F.3d 1576, 1582 (Fed. Cir. 1996) (citing Hoechst Celanese Corp. v. BP
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`Chems. Ltd., 78 F.3d 1575, 1578 (Fed. Cir. 1996)). Therefore, “it is always
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`necessary to review the specification to determine whether the inventor has used
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`any terms in a manner inconsistent with their ordinary meaning. The
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`specification acts as a dictionary when it expressly defines terms used in the
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`claims or when it defines terms by implication.” Id. Because the specification
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`must contain a description sufficient to those of ordinary skill in the art to make
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`and use the invention, the specification “is the single best guide to the meaning of
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`a disputed claim term.” Id.
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`B.
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`“control device”
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`For purposes of its Decision, the Board adopted the express definition of
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`“control device” provided during prosecution of the patent application that issued
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`as related U.S. Patent No. 7,397,363, which is “a device or a computer, or that
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`part of a device or a computer, which performs an operation, an action, or a
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`function, or which performs a number of operations, actions, or functions.”
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`Decision at 9.
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`JCMS respectfully submits that this construction should be adopted for the
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`remainder of this IPR.
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`C.
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`“first signal,” “second signal” and “third signal”
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`JCMS respectfully submits that construction of these terms is necessary at
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`this time, as will become apparent below.
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`In litigation involving the ‘076 Patent, the U.S. District Court for the
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`Eastern District of Michigan issued an Opinion and Order Construing Disputed
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`Claim Terms in which they construed the terms “first signal,” “second signal”
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`and “third signal” as follows:
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`“The Court does, however, find that Defendant’s
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`proposed alternative constructions are consistent with
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`the normal understanding of the claim terms. In fact,
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`the parties agree that the “first signal” is a signal sent
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`by the first device, the “second signal” is sent by the
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`second device, and the “third signal” is sent by the
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`third device.” EX2004 at 23. (emphasis added).
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`JCMS respectfully submits that, for purposes of this proceeding, these
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`constructions should be adopted, as they are required to evaluate the merits of
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`Petitioner’s arguments, namely:
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`• “first signal” is “a signal sent by a first device”
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` •
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` “second signal” is “a signal sent by a second
` device”
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` •
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` “third signal” is “a signal sent by a third
` device”
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`IV. RESPONSE TO PROPOSED GROUNDS OF INVALIDITY
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`A. Ground 1 is Deficient
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`Ground 1 alleges that claims 3, 18, 65, 67, 68, 70, 73, 91, 103, 116, 119,
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`120 and 205 are anticipated by Kniffin. However, Patent Owner respectfully
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`submits that Kniffin fails to disclose every claimed element and feature of claims
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`3, 18, 65, 67, 68, 70, 73, 91, 103, 116, 119, 120 and 205, as required under § 102,
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`when the claim elements are properly construed.
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`At the outset, Patent Owner disagrees with the Petitioner’s interpretation of
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`“control device” that would allow the “access control device 64” of Kniffin to
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`serve as the “first control device” of claims 3 and 73 and the “third control
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`device” of claim 205. Patent Owner also maintains that the “access control device
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`64” is the vehicle system being controlled and is not, and does not contain the
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`“first control device” of claims 3 and 73, and the “third control device” of claim
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`205.
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`Kniffin fails to disclose an “A to B to C” system for
`1.
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` controlling a vehicle system/component in response to a
` signal from a control device located remote from the vehicle
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`Independent claim 3 recites, inter alia, “a first control device . . . [that] at
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`least one of generates a first signal and transmits a first signal for at least one of
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`activating, de-activating, disabling, and re-enabling, at least one of a vehicle
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`system, a vehicle equipment system, a vehicle component, a vehicle device, a
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`vehicle equipment, and a vehicle appliance, of a vehicle, wherein the first control
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`device is located at the vehicle . . . in response to a second signal [that] . . . is at
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`least one of generated . . . and transmitted from a second control device [that] is
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`located at a location which is remote from the vehicle . . .” (emphasis added).
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`Claim 73 similarly recites, inter alia, “a first control device . . . [that] at
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`least one of generates a first signal and transmits a first signal for at least one of
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`activating, de-activating, disabling, and re-enabling, at least one of a vehicle
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`system, a vehicle equipment system, a vehicle component, a vehicle device, a
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`vehicle equipment, and a vehicle appliance, wherein the first control device is
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`located at the vehicle . . . in response to a second signal [that] . . . is at least one
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`of generated . . . and transmitted from a second control device [that] is located at
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`a location which is remote from the vehicle . . .” (emphasis added).
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`Claim 205 recites, inter alia, “transmitting a second signal from [a] . . .
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`second control device to a third control device . . . [that] is capable of at least one
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`of activating, de-activating, disabling, and re-enabling, . . . at least one one of
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`vehicle system, a vehicle equipment system, a vehicle component, a vehicle
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`device, a vehicle equipment, and a vehicle appliance, of the vehicle . . . in
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`response to the second signal . . .” (emphasis added). Claim 205 also recites,
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`inter alia, that “the third control device is located at the vehicle, and further
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`wherein the second control device is located at a location remote from the
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`vehicle . . .” (emphasis added).
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`Kniffin fails to disclose at least the above elements and features of each of
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`claims 3, 73 and 205, as required under 35 U.S.C. § 102.
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`Petitioner asserts that the “first control device” of claims 3 and 73, and the
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`“third control device” of claim 205, are satisfied by Kniffin’s “access control
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`device 64.” See Paper 1 at 13-22. Petitioner further asserts
`that
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`the
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`“clearinghouse” of Kniffin (element 18 in Fig. 1 of Kniffin and element 66 in
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`Fig. 4 of Kniffin) corresponds to the claimed “second control device” of each of
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`claims 3, 73, and 205 and that the combination of the telephone 22 and
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`communications link 16 of Kniffin (shown in Fig. 1 of Kniffin) corresponds to
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`the claimed “third control device” of claims 3 and 73, and the claimed “first
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`control device” of claim 205. Figs. 1 and 4 of Kniffin are reproduced below:
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`Kniffin states that the access control device 64 in Fig. 4 can take the form
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`as the lock 12 in Fig. 1. EX1010 at 8:45-48 (“[a]lthough the access control device
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`64 is not particularly detailed in FIG. 4, it can take the same form as lock 12 of
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`FIG. 1 (but with a lock mechanism adapted to secure the doors of a delivery
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`truck)”).
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`In their analysis of claim 3, Petitioner asserts that:
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`“Kniffin states that the access control device 64 is
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`adapted to secure the doors of the truck and guard against
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`unauthorized opening. 8:11-14 and 46-48. Kniffin states
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`that the access control device 64 includes a lock
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`mechanism adapted to secure the doors of the truck and
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`that the lock 12 includes a lock microprocessor CPU 30
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`that instructs (the first signal) a lock mechanism 32 to
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`unlock (again activating a vehicle component). 8:46-48;
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`3:64-4:3; EX.1002,¶¶ 11-13.” Petition at 14. (citations in
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`original).
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`In their analysis of claim 73, Petitioner similarly asserts that:
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`“Kniffin states the access control device 64 includes a
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`lock mechanism adapted to secure the doors of the truck
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`and that the lock 12 includes a lock microprocessor CPU
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`16 16
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`30 that instructs a lock mechanism 32 to unlock (again
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`activating a vehicle component). 8:46-48; 3:64-4:3;
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`EX.1002,¶¶ 11-13.” Id. at 17. (citations in original).
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`In their analysis of claim 205, Petitioner similarly asserts that:
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`“the access control device 64 includes a lock mechanism
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`adapted to secure the doors of the truck and that the lock
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`12 includes a lock microprocessor CPU 30 that instructs
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`a lock mechanism 32 to unlock (again activating a
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`vehicle component). 8:46-48; 3:64-4:3; see also 8:21-33;
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`EX.1002,¶¶ 11-13.” Id. at 22. (citations in original).
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`However, what Petitioner fails to mention is that the access control device
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`64 of Kniffin does not generate a signal (the claimed “first signal” in claims 3
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`and 73 and the claimed “third signal” in claim 205) for instructing the lock
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`mechanism 32 to unlock the doors in response to a signal from the clearinghouse
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`66 (which Petitioner asserts corresponds to the claimed “second control device”
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`of each of claims 3, 73 and 205). The signal from the clearinghouse 66 is a signal
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`that contains an authorized schedule of stops for the truck. EX1010 at 8:15-24.
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`This authorized schedule of stops does not trigger the transmission of a signal
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`from the access control device 64 for unlocking the lock mechanism 12, but
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`rather this schedule of stops is transmitted from the clearinghouse 66 to the
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`access control device 64 and stored in memory 68. Id. at 8:21-24 (“[a]fter
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`suitable verification checks, the clearinghouse transmits to the targeted truck
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`access control device 64 the authorized schedule of stops, which data is received
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`and stored in memory 68). It is important to note that Mr. Andrews confirmed
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`that embodiment #4 of Kniffin is the only embodiment which pertains to
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`vehicles. See EX2005 at p. 54, line 23 to p. 55, line 2.
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`In fact, the signal that triggers the access control device 64 of Kniffin to
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`generate a signal for instructing the lock mechanism 32 to unlock the doors is a
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`signal from an “identification device 70” that is present at one of the authorized
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`locations stored in memory 68. EX1010 at 8:25-33. The signal from the
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`“identification device 70” is received by the sensor 36 of Kniffin. If the truck
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`stops at an authorized destination (as determined by the authorized schedule of
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`stops stored in memory 68), then the signal from the identification device 70,
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`which is received by sensor 36, will trigger the access control device 64 to
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`generate a signal for unlocking the lock mechanism 12. Id.
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`Kniffin explains this functionality unequivocally:
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`“when the truck arrives at its first delivery stop, the truck
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`access control device 64 senses this fact by detecting an
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`identification device 70 maintained at that location. The
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`identification device may be a proximity card mounted at
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`the loading dock, or may be an electronic key carried by
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`a manager employed at the first delivery stop. If the
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`detected identification device corresponds to the first
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`expected stop that had been earlier programmed, the
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`truck access control device unlocks, permitting access to
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`the truck’s contents.” Id. At 8:25-33. (emphasis added).
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`Indeed, Petitioner’s expert, Scott Andrews, confirmed this functionality
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`during his cross-examination testimony:
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`EX2006 at p. 143, lines 6-12
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`Q: Okay. So the information that we’ve described, then,
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`going back to Figure 1, that’s being transmitted from the
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`clearinghouse to the lock 12, is the schedule information
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`that may include time and place?
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`A: That’s right. I think that’s a fair characterization.
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`EX2006 at p. 145, line 5 to p. 146, line 3
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`Q: Okay. Let’s assume for the sake of this next round of
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`questions that the schedule information that is sent from
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`the clearinghouse to the locked – or the element 12, the
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`lock, through receiver 14 is – that information is stored in
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`memory. Okay?
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`A: Okay.
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`Q: And let’s assume also that that is for a plurality of
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`stops, that is, for some stops exceeding one.
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`A: Fine.
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`Q: Okay. We’re at the second stop. What happens?
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`A: Okay. So we arrive at the second stop. The sensor 36
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`detects that we are at the second stop, it tells the CPU.
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`The CPU has a conditional statement in its code that
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`says, if you are at this stop or, you know, you’re allowed
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`to open at these particular stops, and it’s going to
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`compare the stop you’re at to the second that you are
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`allowed to open at, and if they match, if one of them
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`matches, you will open the lock. And I think Kniffin also
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`describes that you can specify the particular order of
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`stops so that you have to unlock – you have to go to the
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`stops in the order that that was specified. (emphasis
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`added).
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`EX2006 at p. 149, line 17 to p. 151, line 24
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`Q: How does the sensor communicate with a CPU? And
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`is that – is it fair to call that communication a signal?
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`A: I would think that the sensor – if I were building this,
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`you know, the sensor – today the sensor would probably
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`be a, you know, some RFID tag reader with a USB
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`connection or something like that.
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`Q: Again, the communication between element 36 and
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`element 30 that is between the sensor and the CPU, is
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`that communication described as a signal properly in
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`your business?
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`A: Yeah. It would probably be a signal. It would be a
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`signal on some kind of serial I/O port or something.
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`(emphasis added).
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`. . .
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`Q: Okay. Let’s move forward. Then that the sensor is
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`triggered, the CPU has become instantaneously aware of
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`whether it’s at the right place. What happens then,
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`assuming that it’s at the right place? What happens?
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`A: Assuming that it is at the right place so that the
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`information that has been provided by the sensor matches
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`a location that has been provided from the clearinghouse,
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`the CPU then activates the lock mechanism and opens the
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`lock or locks.
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`Q: Okay. So the CPU sends another signal at that point
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`to the lock mechanism 32; correct? (emphasis added).
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`A: That’s correct.
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`Q: And the door – assuming all the conditions are met,
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`the door unlocks?
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`A: Unlocks.
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`Thus, it is unequivocally clear, even by Mr. Andrews’ own testimony, that
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`the signal that triggers the transmission of a signal from the access control device
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`64 for unlocking the lock mechanism 12 originates from and is transmitted from
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`the sensor 36 of Kniffin in response to a signal received from the “identification
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`device 70” and is not triggered by the signal from clearinghouse 66, which
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`Petitioner asserts corresponds to the claimed “second control device” of each of
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`claims 3, 73 and 205.
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`Put simply, in Kniffin, the schedule information which is sent from the
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`telephone to the clearinghouse 66, and the resulting schedule information which
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`is transmitted from the clearinghouse 66 to the access control device 64, merely
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`programs or provides the access control device 64 with schedule information,
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`which the access control device 64 can thereafter utilize only after its operation is
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`activated (con

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