`
`UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
`________________
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`
`
`BEFORE THE PATENT TRIAL AND APPEAL BOARD
`________________
`
`BRIGHT HOUSE NETWORKS, LLC
`WIDEOPENWEST FINANCE, LLC
`KNOLOGY OF FLORIDA, INC.
`BIRCH COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
`
`Petitioner
`
`v.
`
`FOCAL IP, LLC,
`
`Patent Owner
`
`________________
`
`Case IPR2016-01263
`Patent Number: 8,155,298
`________________
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`PATENT OWNER FOCAL IP, LLC’S RESPONSE TO PETITION
`FOR INTER PARTES REVIEW
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`Case IPR2016-01263
`Patent 8,155,298
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`Paper No. 36
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`I. 
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`II. 
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`III. 
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`A. 
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`B. 
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`IV. 
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`A. 
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`B. 
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`C. 
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`D. 
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`V. 
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`A. 
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`B. 
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`C. 
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`D. 
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`TABLE OF CONTENTS
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`INTRODUCTION .................................................................................. 1
`
`SUMMARY OF ARGUMENT .............................................................. 1
`
`DISCUSSION OF THE PSTN AND OVERVIEW OF THE ’298
`PATENT ................................................................................................. 4
`
`Overview of the PSTN ......................................................................... 4
`
`The ’298 Patent .................................................................................... 9
`
`The ’298 Patent Contains an Unmistakable Disclaimer of Subject Matter
`and Claim Scope for Call Controllers Connected to an Edge Switch or
`Edge Device. ......................................................................................... 10
`
`Disparaging the Prior Art is Sufficient to Disclaim Claim Scope. .... 10
`
`Disclaimer in the ’298 Patent. ............................................................ 14
`
`The Prosecution History Confirms and Reinforces the Disclaimer, and
`Does Not Provide a Basis to Rescind the Plain Disclaimer from the
`Specification. ...................................................................................... 20
`
`Scope of General Disclaimer ............................................................. 28
`
`CLAIM CONSTRUCTION .................................................................. 29
`
`Legal Standards for Claim Construction - Broadest Reasonable
`Interpretation (“BRI”) ........................................................................ 29
`
`“Switching Facility” ........................................................................... 30
`
`“Coupled To” ..................................................................................... 35
`
`“Web-Enabled Processing System” ................................................... 38
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`SUMMARY OF THE REFERENCES ................................................. 39
`
`State of the Art ................................................................................... 39
`
`Summary of Archer ............................................................................ 43
`
`Summary of Chang ............................................................................ 46
`
`ARGUMENTS ...................................................................................... 48
`
`Archer Does Not Disclose that the Web-Enabled Processing System
`Completes a Communications Link ................................................... 48
`
`Archer Does Not Disclose a Web-Enabled Processing System Coupled
`to a Switching Facility. ...................................................................... 51
`
`Archer’s Converters are Edge Devices, Not Switching Facilities. ........ 52
`
`Archer Does Not Inherently Disclose that Archer’s Converter is Coupled
`to a Switching Facility. .......................................................................... 55
`
`It Would Not Be Obvious to a POSA to Couple Archer’s Converters to a
`Switching Facility. ................................................................................. 56
`
`Chang Fails to Cure Archer’s Deficiencies. ...................................... 57
`
`Chang Does Not Disclose a Web-Enabled Processing System Coupled to
`a Switching Facility. .............................................................................. 57
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`There Is No Reason to Combine Chang with Archer ............................ 60
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`CONCLUSION ..................................................................................... 61 
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`VI. 
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`A. 
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`B. 
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`C. 
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`VII. 
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`A. 
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`B. 
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`1. 
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`2. 
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`3. 
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`C. 
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`1. 
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`2. 
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`VIII. 
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`TABLE OF AUTHORITIES
`
`
`Cases:
`
`Akamai Techs., Inc. v. Limelight Networks, Inc.,
`629 F.3d 1311 (Fed. Cir. 2010) ........................................................................... 13
`
` 
`Akamai Techs., Inc. v. Limelight Networks, Inc.,
`419 F. App’x 989 (Fed. Cir. 2011) ................................................................ 13-14
`
`
`Akamai Techs., Inc. v. Limelight Networks, Inc.,
`805 F.3d 1368 (Fed. Cir. 2015) ........................................................................... 14
`
`
`Bicon, Inc. v. Straumann Co.,
`441 F.3d 945 (Fed. Cir. 2006) ............................................................................. 32
`
`
`Biogen, Inc. v. Berlex Labs., Inc.,
`318 F.3d 1132 (Fed. Cir. 2003) ........................................................................... 14
`
`
`Chi. Bd. Options Exch., Inc. v. Int’l Secs. Exch., LLC,
`677 F.3d 1361 (Fed. Cir. 2014) ................................................................ 11-12, 30
`
`
`Edmund Optics, Inc. v. Semrock, Inc.,
`Case IPR2014-00599, Paper 72 (PTAB Sept. 16, 2015) .................................... 11
`
`
`Epistar Corp. v. Int’l Trade Comm’n,
`556 F.3d 1321 (Fed. Cir. 2009) ........................................................................... 13
`
`
`GE Lighting Solutions, LLC v. AgiLight, Inc.,
`750 F.3d 1304 (Fed. Cir. 2014) ........................................................................... 29
`
`
`Hakim v. Cannon Avent Group, PLC,
`479 F.3d 1313 (Fed. Cir. 2007) ........................................................................... 26
`
`
`Honeywell Int’l, Inc. v. ITT Indus., Inc.,
`452 F.3d 1312 (Fed. Cir. 2006) ..................................................................... 12, 14
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`In re Baker Hughes, Inc.,
`215 F.3d 1297 (Fed. Cir. 2000) ........................................................................... 30
`
`
`In re CSB-Sys. Int’l,
`832 F.3d 1335 (Fed. Cir. 2016) ........................................................................... 29
`
`
`In re Man Mach. Interface Techs. LLC,
`822 F.3d 1282 (Fed. Cir. 2016) ................................................................. 2, 12, 30
`
`
`Kingston Tech. Co., Inc. v. Imation Corp.,
`Case IPR2015-00066, Paper 19 (PTAB March 24, 2016) .................................. 11
`
`
`LG Electronics., Inc. v. Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.,
`Case IPR2015-00324, Paper 39 (PTAB May 23, 2016) ..................................... 11
`
`
`Microsoft Corp. v. Proxyconn, Inc.,
`789 F.3d 1292 (Fed. Cir. 2015) ........................................................................... 30
`
`
`Openwave Sys., Inc. v. Apple Inc.,
`808 F.3d 509 (Fed. Cir. 2015) ............................................................................. 12
`
`
`Poly-America, L.P. v. API Indus., Inc.,
`839 F.3d 1131 (Fed. Cir. 2016) ........................................................................... 11
`
`
`PPC Broadband, Inc. v. Corning Optical Commc’ns. RF, LLC,
`815 F.3d 747 (Fed. Cir. 2016) ............................................................................. 30
`
`
`Saffran v. Johnson & Johnson,
`712 F.3d 549 (Fed. Cir. 2013) ........................................................................ 11-12
`
`
`SAS Institute, Inc. v. ComplementSoft, LLC,
`825 F.3d 1341 (Fed. Cir. 2016) ........................................................................... 30
`
`
`SciMed Life Sys., Inc. v. Advanced Cardiovascular Sys., Inc.,
`242 F.3d 1337 (Fed. Cir. 2001) ................................................................ 11-13, 30
`
`
`Scotts Co. LLC v. Encap, LLC,
`Case IPR2013-00110, Paper 79 (PTAB June 24, 2014) ..................................... 11
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`Sony Corp. v. Memory Integrity, LLC,
`Case IPR2015-00158, Paper 35 (PTAB May 19, 2016) ..................................... 11
`
`
`Telcordia Techs., Inc. v. Cisco Sys.,
`612 F.3d 1365 (Fed. Cir. 2010) ........................................................................... 14
`
`
`Trs. of Columbia Univ. v. Symantec Corp.,
`811 F.3d 1359 (Fed. Cir. 2016) ........................................................................... 11
`
`
`Statutes:
`
`35 U.S.C. § 314(a) .................................................................................................... 1
`
`Regulations:
`
`37 C.F.R. § 42.100(b) ............................................................................................. 29
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`7,764,777
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`of U.S. Patent No.
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`UPDATED LIST OF EXHIBITS
`
`Declaration of Regis J. “Bud” Bates filed with Preliminary
`Response
`Ray Horak, Communications Systems & Networks, (2nd ed. 2000)
`Ray Horak, Webster’s New World Telecom Dictionary (2008)
`Ray Horak, Telecommunications and Data Communications
`(2007)
`Prosecution History
`(“’777ProsHist”)
`Harry Newton, Newton’s Telecom Dictionary, (23rd ed. 2007)
`Declaration of John P. Murphy in Support of Unopposed Motion
`for Pro Hac Vice Admission
`Declaration of Hanna F. Madbak in Support of Unopposed Motion
`for Pro Hac Vice Admission
`Corrected Declaration of Hanna F. Madbak in Support of
`Unopposed Motion for Pro Hac Vice Admission
`U.S. Patent No. 6,574,328
`Opening Claim Construction Expert Declaration of Dr. Eric
`Burger filed by certain Defendants in the underlying district court
`litigation Case No. 3:15-cv-00742-TJC-MCR, Dkt No. 89-2, filed
`08/12/16.
`Deposition Transcript of Dr. La Porta, Feb. 24, 2017, for
`IPR2016-01259, -01261, -01262, and 01263
`Deposition Transcript of Dr. La Porta, Feb. 23, 2017, for
`IPR2016-01259, -01261, -01262, and 01263 (“La Porta Dep.”)
`Excerpts of Deposition Transcript of Mr. Willis, Mar. 1, 2017, for
`IPR2016-01254 and -01257. (“Willis Dep.”)
`Declaration of Regis J. “Bud” Bates in Support of Response
`(“BatesDec”)
`Excerpts of Petition filed in IPR2016-01261 (“-01261 Pet.”)
`Excerpts of Petition filed in IPR2016-01254 (“-01254 Pet.”)
`Excerpts of Petition filed in IPR2016-01260 (“-01260 Pet.”)
`Excerpts of Declaration of Dr. La Porta in support of the Petition,
`Ex. 1002 of IPR2016-01262 (“La Porta Dec. of IPR2016-01262”)
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`vii
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`2001
`
`2002
`2003
`2004
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`2005
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`2006
`2007
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`2008
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`2009
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`2010
`2011
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`2019
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`2020
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`2021
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`2022
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`2023
`2024
`2025
`2026
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`2027
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`2028
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`2029
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`2030
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`2046
`2050
`2051
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`Excerpts of Declaration of Mr. Willis in support of the Petition,
`Ex. 1002 of IPR2016-01254 (“Willis Dec. of IPR2016-01254”)
`Excerpts of Declaration of Dr. Lavian in support of the Petition,
`Ex. 1002 of IPR2016-01258 (“Lavian Dec. of IPR2016-01258”)
`Excerpts of Deposition Transcript of Dr. Lavian, March 29, 2017,
`for IPR2016-01256, -01258, and -01260 (“Lavian Dep.”)
`Excerpts of Declaration of Dr. Lavian in support of the Petition,
`Ex. 1002 of IPR2016-01256 (“Lavian Dec. of IPR2016-01256”)
`U.S. Patent No. 6,381,323 to Schwab, et al. (“Schwab”)
`U.S. Patent No. 6,353,660 to Burger et al. (“Burger”)
`U.S. Patent No. 6,798,767 to Alexander et al. (“Alexander”)
`
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`I.
`INTRODUCTION
`On December 19, 2016, the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (the “Board”)
`
`instituted an inter partes review (the “IPR”) and trial, pursuant to 35 U.S.C. § 314(a),
`as to Claim 1 of U.S. Patent No. 8,155,298 (the “Challenged Claim” and the “’298
`Patent”, respectively) on the following ground: Claim 1 is obvious over U.S. Pat.
`No. 6,683,870 to Archer (“Archer”), U.S. Pat. No. 5,958,016 to Chang (“Chang”),
`and the Admitted Prior Art. See Decision Granting Institution of Inter Partes
`Review, Dec. 19, 2016, Paper No. 26.
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`II.
`
`SUMMARY OF ARGUMENT
`The Board’s institution decision was erroneous because it failed to give effect
`to the ’298 Patent’s disclaimer of subject matter and claim scope that is plain and
`unmistakable from the face of the ’298 Patent itself. The Board’s claim
`constructions have the effect of expanding the scope of the claims to cover known
`prior art network configurations that the patent specification thoroughly criticizes,
`distinguishes, and disclaims. Where a disclaimer of claim scope is apparent on the
`face of the patent, it is inappropriate to rely on after-the-fact statements made during
`prosecution as a basis for ignoring the disclaimer in the specification and for
`broadening the scope of the claims to encompass the disclaimed subject matter. It
`is particularly inappropriate here, where the entirety of the prosecution history
`reinforces the disclaimer from the specification.
`The ’298 Patent specification is clear that the inventive concept of the ’298
`Patent relates to modifying a known telecommunications network configuration in a
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`way that relocates call control operations away from “edge” devices and switches.
`This is accomplished in the ’298 Patent by connecting the Tandem Access Controller
`(“TAC”) to a PSTN tandem switch, rather than edge switches and edge devices.
`Thus, broadly speaking, the subject matter of the ’298 Patent relates to novel (and
`claimed) network configurations that were invented specifically to overcome the
`technical limitations of the edge switch configuration and to improve call control
`functionality as compared to prior art solutions configured via edge switches and
`edge devices. This architecture further allows the TAC to manage two calls (e.g., a
`first incoming call and a second outgoing call) from within the PSTN. When a patent
`specification criticizes or disparages the prior art in this manner, and discloses that
`the invention modifies the prior art to overcome technical limitations in the art, the
`law states that the patent has disclaimed or disavowed claim coverage for the
`disparaged prior art configurations. See Section IV, infra (collecting and discussing
`Federal Circuit cases).
`In light of the clarity of the ’298 Patent specification, Patent Owner
`respectfully contends that the Board’s claim constructions in the Institution Decision
`are erroneous. Simply stated: “[t]he broadest reasonable interpretation of a claim
`term cannot be so broad as to include a configuration expressly disclaimed in the
`specification.” In re Man Mach. Interface Techs. LLC, 822 F.3d 1282, 1286 (Fed.
`Cir. 2016) (emphasis added).
`
`Based on proper constructions, the Challenged Claims are patentable over the
`prior art. Archer is a prior art reference that discloses application of call processing
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`features using an edge device, which is the configuration disclaimed by Applicants.
`Moreover, Archer is devoid of any teaching, suggestion, or disclosure of “the web-
`enabled processing system coupled to at least one of the switching facilities,” as
`required by Claim 1. Chang does not cure the deficiencies of Archer for numerous
`reasons (e.g., Chang’s purported “call processing system” is not configured to “route
`a communication from a specific one of the users to an intended recipient of the
`users”). Additionally, the proposed Archer–Chang combination is fatally deficient
`because Petitioner failed to articulate the requisite “how” or “why” a POSA would
`combine these references.
`
`In addition to the foregoing, Archer does not disclose the step of the “the web-
`enabled processing system is configured to perform the following operations to
`execute the control criteria: . . . complete a communications link between the user
`initiating the communication and the intended recipient of the users.” This argument
`was not presented in Patent Owner’s Preliminary Response (Paper No. 11) in this
`matter. Archer, the only reference used to disclose this step, does not disclose that
`the connecting is done at the web enabled processing system, as required by the
`Challenged Claim 1. This lack of disclosure in Archer is fatal to Petitioner’s
`allegations of invalidity with respect to Challenged Claim 1.
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`III. DISCUSSION OF THE PSTN AND OVERVIEW OF THE ’298
`
`PATENT
`A. Overview of the PSTN
`The PSTN employs various equipment to route calls. This equipment
`includes switches and databases, and is arranged in a hierarchical fashion:
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`BatesDec, ¶36 (Ex. 2022). Notably, the same hierarchical levels/equipment may be
`referred to by a variety of names. In both examples above, the class 4 level refers to
`both a “toll center” and a “tandem switch.” This understanding is important because
`the ’298 Patent and prior art references sometimes use different terminology to refer
`to the same hierarchical level. Id.
`At the top of the hierarchy are regional toll centers (class 1 offices). These
`offices are interconnected with sectional toll centers (class 2 offices), which in turn
`connect to primary centers (class 3 offices). Class 4 and 5 levels comprise the rest
`of the hierarchy and are of particular relevance to the ’298 Patent. Class 4 centers
`contain tandem switches. Id. Class 4 centers are also referred to as toll centers, and
`tandem switches are also referred to as Class 4 switches or toll switches.
`Accordingly, the ’298 Patent refers to “PSTN tandem switches” as “exchanges that
`direct telephone calls (or other traffic) to central offices [] or to other tandem
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`switches.” ’298 Pat., 4:64-66; BatesDec, ¶37. These “PSTN tandem switches” are
`in the PSTN. Id. (citing Lavian Dec. of IPR2016-01258 (Ex. 2028), ¶¶39-45).
`Class 5 offices contain edge switches and are interconnected by tandem
`switches. BatesDec, ¶38. Edge switches are sometimes referred to as central offices
`(“COs”). Id. Central offices have been defined as:
`[Offices] which serve end users through local loop connections [local
`loops are the actual copper wires that run from a customer’s premises
`to the central office].
`Ex. 2002 at 159. They have also been described as:
`. . . a CO traditionally houses one or more voice-optimized circuit
`switches to interconnect subscriber lines within a local area known as
`the carrier serving area (CSA) and to connect subscriber local loops to
`network trunks.
`Ex. 2003 at 102; BatesDec, ¶38. The ’298 Patent’s description of edge switches is
`consistent with the above:
`The [PSTN] consists of a plurality of edge switches connected to
`telephones on one side and to a network of tandem switches on the
`other. The tandem switch network allows connectivity between all of
`the edge switches, and a signaling system is used by the PSTN to allow
`calling and to transmit both calling and called party identity.
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`’298 Pat., 1:42-48 and Fig. 2; BatesDec, ¶38. The extrinsic and intrinsic evidence
`confirm that (1) edge switches are connected directly to subscribers or edge devices
`via end-lines (i.e., there are copper wires (or other media) that run directly between
`the edge switches and subscribers); and (2) tandem switches are not directly
`connected to subscribers or edge devices, but are instead connected to edge switches
`and other tandem switches. BatesDec, ¶38; Lavian Dec. of IPR2016-1256 (Ex.
`2030), ¶¶105-106; Lavian Dep. (Ex. 2029) at 31:5-32:16.
`Petitioners largely agree with how a tandem switch functions in the PSTN. In
`a Related IPR, Petitioner BHN states, “[t]he PSTN consists of switches known as
`
`tandem switches or class 4 switches (switching facilities in the claims) which serve
`to interconnect between different geographical regions and edge switches or class 5
`switches, which connect to end-user devices, like telephones, within a local
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`geographic area.” -01261 Pet. (Ex. 2023) at 29 (emphasis added). In a different
`Related IPR, Petitioner Cisco states, “[c]lass 3 switches are also known as tandem
`
`switches and generally provide long distance calling links by interconnecting
`between edge switches and other tandem switches.” -01254 Pet. (Ex. 2024) at 7
`(emphasis added). In yet another Related IPR, Petitioner YMax states that “[w]hen
`a telephone call is placed on the PSTN, the call typically travels from the caller’s
`phone to the edge switch in the caller’s local central office. Unless the recipient is
`in the same geographical area and directly connected to the same central office, the
`
`call is then typically routed to one or more tandem switches (in sequence), until it
`reaches the edge switch that is directly connected to the recipient’s phone, and
`finally to the recipient’s phone.” -01260 Pet. (Ex. 2025) at 13 (emphasis added);
`BatesDec, ¶39; Lavian Dec. of IPR2016-1256 (Ex. 2030), ¶¶41-43; Lavian Dep. (Ex.
`2029) at 23:11-25:11.
`At the time of the invention, the PSTN utilized the Signaling System 7 (“SS7”)
`protocol to set up calls.1 SS7 signaling flows between one CO and another, including
`all switches in between (e.g., tandem switches). SS7 signaling does not flow past
`COs to edge devices, as edge devices are not equipped to process and respond to
`SS7 signaling. BatesDec, ¶40.
`
`
`1 “Setting up” calls refers to the exchange of control signaling that causes the
`establishment of a path over which voice data can flow. BatesDec, ¶40.
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`B.
`The ’298 Patent
`Generally, the ’298 Patent relates to the provision of call control features in
`the PSTN. Call forwarding (e.g., transferring a voice call originally directed to 703-
`555-1212 to an alternate telephone number) is an exemplary call control feature.
`The ’298 Patent discloses a Tandem Access Controller (“TAC”) that implements
`call control features. The TAC is a combination of computing hardware and
`software that is appropriately programmed to process calls. ’298 Pat., 4:52-59;
`BatesDec, ¶41.
`The Background section acknowledges that, at the time of the invention,
`various devices existed to provide call control features. One novel and important
`aspect of the ’298 Patent concerns where in the PSTN such call control features are
`implemented. As discussed in more detail below, the ’298 Patent expressly
`recognizes that prior art call control devices were attached to an edge device (e.g.,
`phones and PBXs) or an edge switch located in a CO. ’298 Patent 1:49-64 and 2:37-
`51. These prior art edge devices received and answered a call on one line, then
`dialed out on another line, and then connected the two lines together. BatesDec, ¶42.
`By contrast, the ’298 Patent discloses connecting the TAC to a tandem switch
`(hence the name Tandem Access Controller). Id., ¶43. This arrangement allows
`calls to be intercepted and processed before they are handed off to the CO (edge
`switch) associated with the called party. Stated differently, instead of a call being
`passed to a destination CO, then on to a controller connected to the CO that would
`perform a call control feature, the TAC processes the call at a tandem switch before
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`it is ever routed to the destination CO. Further, the TAC “is not an edge device such
`as a PBX or central office (CO) switch . . . .” ’298 Pat., 5:21-23; BatesDec, ¶43.
`This novel arrangement has several advantages. The first advantage concerns
`costs. Calls coming into and out of controllers connected to COs incurred charges
`for each incoming and outgoing call. See ’298 Pat., 2:14-19 (discussing this
`scenario). BatesDec, ¶44. Using a TAC instead avoids these costs. See ’298 Pat.,
`5:5-20; BatesDec, ¶44.
`Another advantage regarding the TAC’s placement at a tandem switch
`concerns call quality. BatesDec, ¶45. Running an analog voice signal from an edge
`switch to an edge device over copper wire degrades the quality of the signal. An
`edge device is a device connected to an edge switch, typically on a customer’s
`premises, such as a private branch exchange (PBX) or a generic telephone. See ’298
`Pat., 5:21-23. Handling calls at the tandem level maintains the quality of the call, as
`it is processed within the PSTN, where the signal may be in digital form and/or
`carried over high-quality lines (as compared to the end lines that carry a call from a
`CO to a phone). ’298 Pat., 1:49-67, 2:37-51; BatesDec, ¶45.
`
`IV. The ’298 Patent Contains an Unmistakable Disclaimer of Subject
`Matter and Claim Scope for Call Controllers Connected to an Edge
`Switch or Edge Device.
`A. Disparaging the Prior Art is Sufficient to Disclaim Claim Scope.
`The PTAB follows Federal Circuit authority and legal standards when
`determining whether a patentee has made a disclaimer (or disavowal) of subject
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`matter or claim scope. See, e.g., Sony Corp. v. Memory Integrity, LLC, Case
`IPR2015-00158, Paper 35 (PTAB May 19, 2016); Scotts Co. v. Encap, LLC, Case
`IPR2013-00110, Paper 79 (PTAB June 24, 2014); LG Electronics., Inc. v. Advanced
`Micro Devices, Inc., Case IPR2015-00324, Paper 39 (PTAB May 23, 2016);
`Kingston Tech. Co. v. Imation Corp., Case IPR2015-00066, Paper 19 (PTAB March
`24, 2016); Edmund Optics, Inc. v. Semrock, Inc., Case IPR2014-00599, Paper 72
`(PTAB Sept. 16, 2015).
`Under the applicable Federal Circuit authority, a disclaimer of claim scope
`that is plainly set forth in the patent specification trumps all other evidence - even
`unambiguous claim language that has a broader ordinary meaning. “Where the
`specification makes clear that the invention does not include a particular feature, that
`feature is deemed to be outside the reach of the claims of the patent, even though the
`language of the claims, read without reference to the specification, might be
`considered broad enough to encompass the feature in question.” Chi. Bd. Options
`Exch., Inc. v. Int’l Secs. Exch., LLC, 677 F.3d 1361, 1372 (Fed. Cir. 2014) (emphasis
`added); see also SciMed Life Sys., Inc. v. Advanced Cardiovascular Sys., Inc., 242
`F.3d 1337, 1341 (Fed. Cir. 2001).
`“While disavowal must be clear and unequivocal, it need not be explicit.”
`Poly-America, L.P. v. API Indus., Inc., 839 F.3d 1131, 1136 (Fed. Cir. 2016); see
`also Trs. of Columbia Univ. v. Symantec Corp., 811 F.3d 1359, 1363-64 (Fed. Cir.
`2016); Saffran v. Johnson & Johnson, 712 F.3d 549, 559 (Fed. Cir. 2013)
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`(“applicants rarely submit affirmative disclaimers along the lines of ‘I hereby
`disclaim the following . . .’”).
`Where the patent specification discloses certain prior art configurations,
`criticizes or disparages those configurations, and discloses modifications to the prior
`art configurations to overcome technical deficiencies of the prior art, the Federal
`Circuit has held that the patent specification amounts to a disclaimer or disavowal
`of claim coverage for the prior art configuration. See, e.g., In re Man Mach.
`Interface Tech’s, 822 F.3d 1282, 1286 (Fed. Cir. 2016) (finding disclaimer and
`rejecting a broader claim construction based on statements in the specification
`disparaging and distinguishing the prior art); Openwave Sys., Inc. v. Apple Inc., 808
`F.3d 509, 514 (Fed. Cir. 2015) (finding disclaimer where the specification was “rife
`with remarks that disparage and, therefore, disclaim mobile devices that incorporate
`computer modules” and holding that a disclaimer clearly set forth in the specification
`“is regarded as dispositive”) (emphasis added); Chi. Bd. Options, 677 F.3d at 1372
`(affirming a finding of disavowal based on disparagement of the prior art in the
`patent specification, distinguishing the prior art from the invention, and holding that
`“[t]here is no other way to interpret the listing in the specification of the many
`reasons why manual and partially automated exchanges cannot sustain the growing
`demands of the market.”); Honeywell Int’l, Inc. v. ITT Indus., Inc., 452 F.3d 1312,
`1315-16 (Fed. Cir. 2006) (reversing a district court’s refusal to find disclaimer
`because the specification contained statements disparaging the prior art that
`amounted to a disclaimer); SciMed Life Sys., Inc., 242 F.3d 1337 (Fed. Cir. 2001),
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`(affirming a finding of disclaimer based on statements in the specification
`disparaging and distinguishing the prior art).
`In one of Petitioner’s Replies to POPR, Petitioners argue that “[d]isavowal
`does not arise merely by criticizing a particular embodiment that is encompassed in
`the plain meaning of the prior art.” See IPR2016-01262, Paper No. 17 at 2 (citing
`Epistar Corp. v. Int’l Trade Comm’n, 556 F.3d 1321, 1335 (Fed. Cir. 2009). Epistar,
`however, does not undercut or contradict any of the cases cited in the previous
`paragraph. In Epistar, the patent specification criticized a specific prior art
`configuration “that is not relevant to the ’718 patent [the patent-in-suit]” because the
`patent did not modify the prior art configuration to arrive at the invention. Epistar,
`566 F.3d at 1335. The Federal Circuit in Epistar merely held that the particular
`patent specification involved did not amount to a disavowal because the art being
`criticized was not even relevant to the invention, the art was not criticized strongly
`enough to amount to a disavowal, the patentee did not modify this art to arrive at the
`invention, and the patentee did not clearly distinguish the invention from this art.
`See id. Thus, Epistar is a fact-bound decision that is entirely consistent with the
`legal standards set forth in the cases cited in the previous paragraph.
`Moreover, where a disclaimer or disavowal of subject matter is plain from the
`four-corners of the patent, statements or evidence from the prosecution history
`cannot broaden the scope of the claims to cover the disclaimed subject matter. See,
`e.g., Akamai Techs., Inc. v. Limelight Networks, Inc., 629 F.3d 1311, 1328 (Fed. Cir.
`2010), vacated on other grounds, 419 F. App’x 989 (Fed. Cir. 2011), reinstatement
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`confirmed, 805 F.3d 1368, 1381-82 (Fed. Cir. 2015); Telcordia Techs., Inc. v. Cisco
`Sys., 612 F.3d 1365, 1375 (Fed. Cir. 2010); Honeywell, 452 F.3d 1312, 1319 (Fed.
`Cir. 2006); Biogen, Inc. v. Berlex Labs., Inc., 318 F.3d 1132, 1140 (Fed. Cir. 2003).
`In each of these four cases, the Federal Circuit found plain evidence of disclaimer
`on the face of the patent, and refused to even consider evidence from the prosecution
`history that was offered to contradict the disclaimer and broaden the scope of the
`claims.
`
`B.
` Disclaimer in the ’298 Patent.
`The ’298 Patent specification recognizes and criticizes prior art systems and
`methods that apply call control features through an edge switch or an edge device.
`The ’298 Patent disparages these prior art attempts as suffering from various
`shortcomings that the present inventions specifically seek to remedy. Indeed,
`Applicants, both in the specification and the prosecution history, repeatedly
`criticized applying call control features through an edge switch or an edge device,
`and in fact distinguished their inventions over such prior art. By making such
`statements, Applicants unequivocally disclaimed controllers that applied call control
`features through an edge switch, or controllers that were themselves an edge device,
`from the scope of their inventions. BatesDec, ¶46.
`Applicants’ disparaging statements begin in the Background of the Invention
`section of the ’298 Patent. In discussing various prior art systems and their perceived
`disadvantages, Applicants specifically