`Entered: August 24, 2016
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`Trials@uspto.gov
`571-272-7822
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`UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
`____________
`
`BEFORE THE PATENT TRIAL AND APPEAL BOARD
`____________
`
`BAKER HUGHES INCORPORATED and
`BAKER HUGHES OILFIELD OPERATIONS, INC.,
`Petitioners,
`
`v.
`
`PACKERS PLUS ENERGY SERVICES, INC.,
`Patent Owner.
`____________
`
`Case IPR2016-00596
`Patent 7,134,505 B2
`____________
`
`
`
`Before SCOTT A. DANIELS, NEIL T. POWELL and
`CARL M. DEFRANCO, Administrative Patent Judges.
`
`POWELL, Administrative Patent Judge.
`
`
`SCHEDULING ORDER
`
`
`
`
`
`
`IPR2016-00596
`Patent 7,134,505 B2
`
`This Order sets a schedule for trial, including due dates for the parties
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`to take action upon institution of the trial. See Appendix. The trial will be
`administered in a just, speedy and inexpensive manner such that pendency
`before the Board is no more than one year after institution. 37 C.F.R.
`§§ 42.1(b) and 42.100(c).
`
`
`
`A. INITIAL CONFERENCE
`An initial conference call will be scheduled only upon request by
`
`either party within thirty (30) days after entry of this Order. To request a
`conference call, the parties should consult with each other and submit a list
`of proposed dates and times for the call. If an initial conference call is
`scheduled, the parties are directed to the Office Patent Trial Practice Guide,
`77 Fed. Reg. 48,756, 48,765–66 (Aug. 14, 2012), for guidance in preparing
`for the call, and should be prepared to discuss any proposed changes to the
`schedule and any motions the parties anticipate filing during the trial.
`
`
`
`B. MEET AND CONFER REQUIREMENT
`The parties are encouraged to engage in meaningful discussions
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`before seeking authorization under 37 C.F.R. § 42.20(b) to file a motion for
`relief with the Board. At a minimum, before requesting authorization, the
`parties shall confer with each other in a good-faith effort to resolve the issue
`for which relief is to be sought. Only if the parties cannot resolve the issue
`on their own may a party request a conference call with the Board in order to
`seek authorization to move for relief. In any request for a conference call
`with the Board, the requesting party shall: (1) certify that it has in good-
`faith conferred (or attempted to confer) with the other parties in an effort to
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`IPR2016-00596
`Patent 7,134,505 B2
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`resolve the issue; (2) identify with specificity the issue for which agreement
`has not been reached; (3) state the precise relief to be sought; and (4)
`propose specific dates and times at which both parties are available for the
`conference call.
`
`C. DUE DATES
`The Appendix specifies due dates for the parties to take action in this
`
`trial. The parties may stipulate to different dates for DUE DATES 1 through
`5 (earlier or later, but no later than DUE DATE 6). A notice of any
`stipulation, specifically identifying the changed due dates, must be filed
`promptly with the Board. The parties may not stipulate to an extension of
`DUE DATES 6 and 7.
`
`In stipulating to different dates, the parties should consider the effect
`of the stipulation on times to object to evidence (37 C.F.R. § 42.64(b)(1)), to
`supplement evidence (37 C.F.R. § 42.64(b)(2)), to conduct cross-
`examination (37 C.F.R. § 42.53(d)(2)), and to draft papers depending on the
`evidence and cross-examination testimony (see section D, below).
`
`
`
`DUE DATE 1
`1.
`The patent owner may file—
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`a. A response to the petition (37 C.F.R. § 42.120), and
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`b. A motion to amend the patent (37 C.F.R. § 42.121).
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`The patent owner must file any such response or motion to amend by
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`DUE DATE 1. If the patent owner elects not to file anything, the patent
`owner must arrange a conference call with the parties and the Board. The
`patent owner is cautioned that any arguments for patentability not raised and
`fully briefed in the response will be deemed waived.
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`IPR2016-00596
`Patent 7,134,505 B2
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`DUE DATE 2
`2.
`The petitioner must file any reply to the patent owner’s response and
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`opposition to the motion to amend by DUE DATE 2.
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`
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`DUE DATE 3
`3.
`The patent owner must file any reply to the petitioner’s opposition to
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`patent owner’s motion to amend by DUE DATE 3.
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`
`
`DUE DATE 4
`4.
`a. Each party must file any motion for an observation on the cross-
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`examination testimony of a reply witness (see section E, below) by DUE
`DATE 4.
`
`b. Each party must file any motion to exclude evidence (37 C.F.R
`§ 42.64(c)) and any request for oral argument (37 C.F.R. § 42.70(a)) by
`DUE DATE 4.
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`
`
`DUE DATE 5
`5.
`a. Each party must file any response to an observation on cross-
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`examination testimony by DUE DATE 5.
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`b. Each party must file any opposition to a motion to exclude
`evidence by DUE DATE 5.
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`
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`
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`6.
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`DUE DATE 6
`Each party must file any reply for a motion to exclude evidence by
`DUE DATE 6.
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`7.
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`DUE DATE 7
`Oral argument (if requested by either party) is set for DUE DATE 7.
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`IPR2016-00596
`Patent 7,134,505 B2
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`D. CROSS-EXAMINATION
`Except as the parties might otherwise agree, for each due date—
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`1. Cross-examination begins after any supplemental evidence is due.
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`37 C.F.R. § 42.53(d)(2).
`
`2. Cross-examination ends no later than a week before the filing date
`for any paper in which the cross-examination testimony is expected to be
`used. Id.
`
`The parties are reminded that the Testimony Guidelines appended to
`the Trial Practice Guide, 77 Fed.Reg. at 48,772 (App. D), apply to this
`proceeding. Pursuant to 37 C.F.R. § 42.12, the Board may impose an
`appropriate sanction on any party who fails to adhere to the Testimony
`Guidelines, including reasonable expenses and attorney fees incurred by a
`party affected by another party’s misconduct.
`
`
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`E. MOTION FOR OBSERVATION ON CROSS-EXAMINATION
`A motion for observation on cross-examination provides the parties
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`with a mechanism to draw the Board’s attention to relevant cross-
`examination testimony of a reply witness, because no further substantive
`paper is permitted after the reply. See Trial Practice Guide, 77 Fed. Reg. at
`48,768. The observation must be a concise statement of the relevance of
`precisely identified testimony to a precisely identified argument or portion
`of an exhibit. Each observation should not exceed a single, short paragraph.
`The opposing party may respond to the observation. Any response must be
`equally concise and specific.
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`IPR2016-00596
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`APPENDIX
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`INITIAL CONFERENCE CALL……….…..…..…..…..…..... Upon Request
`DUE DATE 1………………………………………...…... December 2, 2016
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`Patent owner’s response to the petition
`
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`Patent owner’s motion to amend the patent
`DUE DATE 2…………………………………………….…... March 3, 2017
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`Petitioner’s reply to patent owner’s response to the petition
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`Petitioner’s opposition to motion to amend
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`DUE DATE 3………………………………….......…..……. March 31, 2017
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`Patent owner’s reply to petitioner’s opposition to motion to amend
`DUE DATE 4……………………………………………….... April 14, 2017
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`Motion for observation regarding cross-examination of reply witness
`Motion to exclude evidence
`Request for oral argument
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`DUE DATE 5………………………………….....……..……. April 28, 2017
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`Response to observation
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`Opposition to motion to exclude
`DUE DATE 6…………………………………….…….………. May 5, 2017
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`Reply to opposition to motion to exclude
`DUE DATE 7……………………………………………..…... May 17, 2017
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`Oral argument (if requested)
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`IPR2016-00596
`Patent 7,134,505 B2
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`
`FOR PETITIONER:
`
`Mark T. Garrett
`Eagle H. Robinson
`NORTON ROSE FULBRIGHT US LLP
`mark.garrett@nortonrosefulbright.com
`eagle.robinson@nortonrosefulbright.com
`
`
`
`FOR PATENT OWNER:
`
`Michael B. Ray
`Lori A. Gordon
`Kyle Conklin
`STERNE, KESSLER, GOLDSTEIN & FOX PLLC
`mray-PTAB@skgf.com
`lgordon-PTAB@skgf.com
`kconklin-PTAB@skgf.com
`ptab@skgf.com
`
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