Attorney Docket No. POLY187IPR
`
`
`
`UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
`_____________
`
`BEFORE THE PATENT TRIAL AND APPEAL BOARD
`_____________
`
`Polygroup Limited (MCO),
`Petitioner,
`
`v.
`
`Willis Electric Company, Limited,
`Patent Owner.
`____________
`
`Case IPR2016-00801
`Patent 8,454,187
`__________________
`
`Expert Declaration of Mike Wood in Support of
`Petition for Inter Partes Review
`
`Mail Stop Patent Board
`Patent Trial and Appeal Board
`P.O. Box 1450
`Alexandria, VA 22313-1450
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`POLYGROUP EX. 1006
`POLYGROUP V. WILLIS
`Page 1
`
`Willis Exhibit 1016 - 1
`
`

`
`
`
`
`
`TABLE OF CONTENTS
`
`Page
`
`
`I.(cid:3)
`Background Qualifications ............................................................................. 1(cid:3)
`Documents Relied Upon ................................................................................. 5(cid:3)
`II.(cid:3)
`Person of Ordinary Skill in the Art ................................................................. 6(cid:3)
`III.(cid:3)
`IV.(cid:3) Legal Assumptions ......................................................................................... 7(cid:3)
`V.(cid:3)
`Background ..................................................................................................... 9(cid:3)
`A.(cid:3)
`Introductory Timeline of Artificial Christmas Trees .......................... 10(cid:3)
`B.(cid:3) Mechanical Connections Between Trunk Sections ............................. 19(cid:3)
`C.(cid:3)
`Electrical Connections Between Trunk Sections ................................ 23(cid:3)
`D.(cid:3)
`Plug-Socket Mechanical and Electrical Connectors ........................... 27(cid:3)
`E.(cid:3) Multi-Position Mechanical and Electrical Connectors ....................... 31(cid:3)
`F.(cid:3)
`Light Strings on Artificial Christmas Trees ........................................ 41(cid:3)
`VI.(cid:3) The ’187 Patent ............................................................................................. 44(cid:3)
`A.(cid:3) Overview ............................................................................................. 44(cid:3)
`B.(cid:3)
`File History .......................................................................................... 48(cid:3)
`VII.(cid:3) Other Willis Patents and Lawsuit ................................................................. 50(cid:3)
`VIII.(cid:3) Construction of Claim Terms ....................................................................... 51(cid:3)
`A.(cid:3)
`“light string” (all Challenged Claims) ................................................. 52(cid:3)
`B.(cid:3)
`“the electrical connection being made independent of the
`rotational orientation” (all Challenged Claims) .................................. 53(cid:3)
`“in at least four different rotational orientations” (Claim 1) ............... 55(cid:3)
`C.(cid:3)
`“wiring assembly” (Claim 1) ............................................................... 56(cid:3)
`D.(cid:3)
`IX.(cid:3) The Cited Prior Art ....................................................................................... 57(cid:3)
`A.(cid:3) Miller ................................................................................................... 57(cid:3)
`Otto ...................................................................................................... 61(cid:3)
`B.(cid:3)
`Jumo .................................................................................................... 64(cid:3)
`C.(cid:3)
`Pan ....................................................................................................... 69(cid:3)
`D.(cid:3)
`Conclusions Regarding Patentability ........................................................... 71(cid:3)
`A.(cid:3) Ground 1: Claims 1, 10, and 20 are Obvious Over Miller in
`View of Pan, Otto, and Jumo .............................................................. 71(cid:3)
`Reasons to Combine Miller, Pan, Otto, and Jumo .................. 78(cid:3)
`1.(cid:3)
`
`X.(cid:3)
`
`i
`
`Page 2
`
`Willis Exhibit 1016 - 2
`
`

`
`TABLE OF CONTENTS
`(continued)
`
`Page
`
`
`
`2.(cid:3)
`
`(c)(cid:3)
`
`(d)(cid:3)
`(e)(cid:3)
`
`(f)(cid:3)
`
`(g)(cid:3)
`
`Claim 7 is Obvious Over Miller in View of Pan, Otto,
`and Jumo .................................................................................. 85(cid:3)
`(a)(cid:3)
`[7.P] A lighted artificial tree .......................................... 85(cid:3)
`(b)(cid:3)
`[7.1] A first tree portion including a first trunk
`portion ............................................................................ 86(cid:3)
`[7.2] A first plurality of branches joined to the
`first trunk portion ........................................................... 87(cid:3)
`[7.3] A first light string . . . ............................................ 87(cid:3)
`[7.4] [A first light string] . . . Affixed to a
`portion of the first plurality of branches ........................ 88(cid:3)
`[7.5] The first trunk portion having a first trunk
`body ............................................................................... 90(cid:3)
`[7.6] A trunk connector assembly, at least a
`portion of the trunk connector assembly housed
`within the first trunk body and . . . ................................ 90(cid:3)
`[7.7] [A trunk connector assembly]
`.
`.
`.
`electrically connected to the first light string ................ 92(cid:3)
`[7.8] A second tree portion including a second
`trunk portion .................................................................. 94(cid:3)
`[7.9] A second plurality of branches joined to
`the second trunk portion ................................................ 95(cid:3)
`[7.10] A second light string . . . ..................................... 95(cid:3)
`[7.11] [A second light string] . . . Affixed to a
`portion of the second plurality of branches ................... 96(cid:3)
`[7.12] The second trunk portion having a trunk
`body ............................................................................... 97(cid:3)
`[7.13] A trunk connector assembly, at least a
`portion of the trunk connector assembly housed
`within the second trunk portion . . . ............................... 98(cid:3)
`[7.14] [A trunk connector assembly] . . .
`electrically connected to the second light string ......... 100(cid:3)
`[7.15] Wherein the second tree portion is
`mechanically and electrically connectable to the
`first tree portion by coupling a lower end of the
`second trunk body to an upper end of the first
`trunk body along a common vertical axis at a
`rotational orientation of the first trunk portion
`
`(h)(cid:3)
`
`(i)(cid:3)
`
`(j)(cid:3)
`
`(k)(cid:3)
`(a)(cid:3)
`
`(b)(cid:3)
`
`(c)(cid:3)
`
`(d)(cid:3)
`
`(e)(cid:3)
`
`ii
`
`Page 3
`
`Willis Exhibit 1016 - 3
`
`

`
`TABLE OF CONTENTS
`(continued)
`
`Page
`
`
`
`3.(cid:3)
`
`(f)(cid:3)
`
`(g)(cid:3)
`
`(h)(cid:3)
`
`relative the second trunk portion about the
`common vertical axis . . . ............................................. 103(cid:3)
`[7.16] . . . Thereby causing the trunk connector
`of the first trunk portion to make an electrical
`connection with the trunk connector of the
`second trunk portion within a trunk interior
`defined by the first trunk body and the second
`trunk body .................................................................... 106(cid:3)
`[7.17] The electrical connection being made
`when the lower end of the second trunk body is
`coupled to the upper end of the first trunk body ......... 108(cid:3)
`[7.18] The
`electrical
`connection
`being
`independent of the rotational orientation of the
`first trunk portion relative the second trunk
`portion about the common vertical axis ...................... 110(cid:3)
`Claim 1 is Obvious Over Miller in View of Pan, Otto,
`and Jumo ................................................................................ 112(cid:3)
`(a)(cid:3)
`[1.P] A lighted artificial tree ........................................ 113(cid:3)
`(b)(cid:3)
`[1.1] A first tree portion including a first trunk
`portion .......................................................................... 113(cid:3)
`[1.2] A first plurality of branches joined to the
`first trunk portion ......................................................... 113(cid:3)
`[1.3] A first light string . . . .......................................... 114(cid:3)
`[1.4] [A first light string] . . . Affixed to a
`portion of the first plurality of branches ...................... 114(cid:3)
`[1.5] The first trunk portion having a first trunk
`wall defining a first trunk interior ............................... 114(cid:3)
`[1.6] A first trunk electrical connector . . . the
`first trunk electrical connector including a first
`electrical contact and a second electrical contact ........ 115(cid:3)
`[1.7] A first trunk wiring assembly . . . the first
`trunk wiring assembly electrically connectable
`to the first light string and the first trunk
`electrical connector ...................................................... 115(cid:3)
`[1.8] . . . Wherein at least a portion of the first
`trunk wiring assembly is located within the first
`trunk interior ................................................................ 117(cid:3)
`
`(c)(cid:3)
`
`(d)(cid:3)
`(e)(cid:3)
`
`(f)(cid:3)
`
`(g)(cid:3)
`
`(h)(cid:3)
`
`(i)(cid:3)
`
`iii
`
`Page 4
`
`Willis Exhibit 1016 - 4
`
`

`
`
`
`TABLE OF CONTENTS
`(continued)
`
`Page
`
`(j)(cid:3)
`
`(k)(cid:3)
`
`(l)(cid:3)
`(m)(cid:3)
`
`(n)(cid:3)
`
`(o)(cid:3)
`
`(p)(cid:3)
`
`(q)(cid:3)
`
`(r)(cid:3)
`
`(s)(cid:3)
`
`(t)(cid:3)
`
`[1.9] A second tree portion including a second
`trunk portion ................................................................ 118(cid:3)
`[1.10] A second plurality of branches joined to
`the second trunk portion .............................................. 118(cid:3)
`[1.11] A second light string . . . ................................... 118(cid:3)
`[1.12] [A second light string] . . . Affixed to a
`portion of the second plurality of branches ................. 118(cid:3)
`[1.13] The second trunk portion having a
`second trunk wall defining a second trunk
`interior .......................................................................... 119(cid:3)
`[1.14] A second trunk electrical connector . . .
`the second trunk connector include a first
`electrical contact and a second electrical contact ........ 119(cid:3)
`[1.15] A second trunk wiring assembly . . . the
`second
`trunk wiring assembly electrically
`connectable to the second light string and the
`second trunk electrical connector ................................ 120(cid:3)
`[1.16] . . . Wherein at least a portion of the
`second trunk wiring assembly is located within
`the second trunk interior .............................................. 122(cid:3)
`[1.17] Wherein the second tree portion is
`mechanically coupleable to the first tree portion
`about a central vertical axis ......................................... 123(cid:3)
`[1.18] Wherein the lower end of the second
`trunk portion is configured to couple the upper
`end of the first trunk portion in at least four
`different rotational orientations of the first trunk
`portion relative to the second trunk portion
`about the central vertical axis ...................................... 124(cid:3)
`[1.19] The second tree portion is electrically
`connectable to the first tree portion such that a
`portion of the first trunk electrical connector of
`the first trunk portion contacts a portion of the
`second trunk electrical connector of the second
`trunk portion when the first tree portion and the
`second tree portion are mechanically coupled............. 128(cid:3)
`
`iv
`
`Page 5
`
`Willis Exhibit 1016 - 5
`
`

`
`TABLE OF CONTENTS
`(continued)
`
`Page
`
`(u)(cid:3)
`
`(v)(cid:3)
`
`(w)(cid:3)
`
`(x)(cid:3)
`
`(y)(cid:3)
`
`[1.20] The second electrical contact of the first
`trunk connector makes an electrical connection
`with the second electrical contact of the second
`trunk connector . . . ...................................................... 130(cid:3)
`[1.21] . . . At a point along the central vertical
`axis ............................................................................... 132(cid:3)
`[1.22] The first electrical contact of the trunk
`connector of the first tree portion makes an
`electrical connection with the first electrical
`contact of the trunk connector of the second
`tree portion . . . ............................................................. 134(cid:3)
`[1.23] . . . Thereby creating an electrical
`connection between the first wiring assembly
`and the second wiring assembly .................................. 136(cid:3)
`[1.24] The electrical connection between the
`first electrical contacts of the first and second
`tree portions and the electrical connection
`between the second electrical contacts of the
`first and second
`tree portions are made
`independent of the rotational orientations of the
`first trunk portion relative the second trunk
`portion about the central vertical axis when the
`lower end of the second trunk portion is
`coupled to the upper end of the first trunk
`portion. ......................................................................... 138(cid:3)
`
`
`
`
`
`v
`
`Page 6
`
`Willis Exhibit 1016 - 6
`
`

`
`
`
`
`
`Exhibit
`No.2
`
`Description
`
`TABLE OF EXHIBITS1
`
`1001
`
`USPN 8,454,187 to Chen (the ’186 Patent)
`(Patent under Inter Partes Review)
`
`1002
`
`File History for USPN 8,454,187
`
`1003
`
`1004
`
`1005
`
`1006
`
`Petition for Inter Partes Review from
`IPR2014-01264
`
`Patent Owner Preliminary Response from
`IPR2014-01264
`
`Decision on Institution from
`IPR2014-01264
`
`Declaration of Mike Wood in Support of
`Petition for Inter Partes Review of
`the ’187 Patent
`
`Publication
`Date (unless
`otherwise
`noted)
`May 20, 2011
`(filing date)
`
`N/A
`
`N/A
`
`N/A
`
`N/A
`
`N/A
`
`Type of
`Prior Art
`(Pre-AIA
`35 U.S.C.)
`
`N/A
`
`N/A
`
`N/A
`
`N/A
`
`N/A
`
`N/A
`
`1007
`
`USPN 4,020,201 to Miller (Miller)
`
`Apr. 26, 1977
`
`§ 102(b)
`
`1008
`
`DE 84 36328.2 to Otto (Otto)
`(with German version; English translation;
`and Translation Certification of Wheatleigh
`Dunham per 37 C.F.R. § 42.63(b))
`
`Apr. 4, 1985
`
`§ 102(b)
`
`
`1 For the Board’s convenience, this Table of Exhibits includes all references cited
`in this Expert Declaration and the corresponding Petition. Accordingly, the Table
`of Exhibits in the Petition and Declaration are identical.
`2 For ease of review, Petitioner adopts the following citation convention for this
`Petition and accompanying Declaration. U.S. patent references, English-language
`foreign references, and the concurrently filed Declaration are cited by the
`reference’s internal column:line, page:line, or ¶ number (not stamped pagination).
`Foreign-language patent references/translations and supporting papers (file history,
`Prior IPR papers, definitions, C.V.) are cited by stamped pagination number.
`
`
`
`ix
`
`Page 7
`
`Willis Exhibit 1016 - 7
`
`

`
`
`
`Exhibit
`No.2
`
`Description
`
`Publication
`Date (unless
`otherwise
`noted)
`
`Type of
`Prior Art
`(Pre-AIA
`35 U.S.C.)
`
`Apr. 15, 1960
`
`§ 102(b)
`
`FR 1,215,214 to Jumo (Jumo)
`(with French version; English translation;
`and Translation Certification of
`Wheatleigh Dunham
`per 37 C.F.R. § 42.63(b))
`
`1009
`
`1010
`
`1011
`
`1012
`
`1013
`
`1014
`
`1015
`
`1016
`
`1017
`
`1018
`
`1019
`
`1020
`
`1021
`
`1022
`
`1023
`
`1024
`
`USPN 6,752,512 to Pan (Pan)
`
`June 22, 2004
`
`§ 102(b)
`
`USPN 7,132,139 to Yang (Yang)
`
`Nov. 7, 2006
`
`USPN 7,066,739 to McLeish (McLeish)
`
`June 27, 2006
`
`USPN 2,563,713 to Frei et al. (Frei)
`
`USPN 735,010 to Zahl (Zahl)
`
`Aug. 7, 1951
`
`July 28, 1903
`
`§ 102(b)
`
`§ 102(b)
`
`§ 102(b)
`
`§ 102(b)
`
`USPN 1,495,695 to Karr (Karr)
`
`May 27, 1924
`
`§ 102(b)
`
`USPN 1,656,148 to Harris (Harris)
`
`Jan. 10, 1928
`
`§ 102(b)
`
`USPN 1,974,472 to Seghers (Seghers)
`
`Sept. 25, 1934
`
`§ 102(b)
`
`USPN 2,188,529 to Corina (Corina)
`
`Jan. 30, 1940
`
`USPN 2,857,506 to Minteer (Minteer)
`
`Oct. 21, 1958
`
`§ 102(b)
`
`§ 102(b)
`
`USPN 3,131,112 to Abramson
`(Abramson)
`
`Apr. 28, 1964
`
`§ 102(b)
`
`USPN 3,970,834 to Smith (Smith)
`
`USPN 3,985,924 to Pritza (Pritza)
`
`July 20, 1976
`
`Oct. 12, 1976
`
`USPN 4,072,857 to DeVicaris (DeVicaris) Feb. 7, 1978
`
`US 2007/0253191 to Chin et al. (Chin)
`
`Nov. 1, 2007
`
`§ 102(b)
`
`§ 102(b)
`
`§ 102(b)
`
`§ 102(b)
`
`§ 102(b)
`
`Page 8
`
`1025 WO 96/26661 to Lala (Lala)
`
`Sept. 6, 1996
`
`
`
`x
`
`Willis Exhibit 1016 - 8
`
`

`
`
`
`Exhibit
`No.2
`
`1026
`
`1027
`
`Description
`
`USPN 5,776,559 to Woolford (Woolford)
`
`Publication
`Date (unless
`otherwise
`noted)
`July 7, 1998
`
`Type of
`Prior Art
`(Pre-AIA
`35 U.S.C.)
`§ 102(b)
`
`US 2007/0230174 to Hicks et al. (Hicks) Oct. 4, 2007
`
`§ 102(b)
`
`1028
`
`USPN 8,053,042 to Loomis (Loomis)
`
`July 14, 2009
`(earliest claimed
`priority date)
`
`§ 102(e)
`
`1029
`
`USPN 3,521,216 to Tolegian (Tolegian)
`
`July 21, 1970
`
`§ 102(b)
`
`1030
`
`1031
`
`1032
`
`1033
`
`1034
`
`1035
`
`1036
`
`1037
`
`1038
`
`1039
`
`1040
`
`1041
`
`
`
`US 2010/0099287 to Colburn et al.
`(Colburn)
`
`US 2010/0159713 to Nishihira et al.
`(Nishihira)
`
`USPN 3,107,966 to Bonhomme
`(Bonhomme 966)
`
`USPN 3,470,527 to Bonhomme
`(Bonhomme 527)
`
`Oct. 2, 2008
`(earliest claimed
`priority date)
`
`Dec. 19, 2008
`(earliest claimed
`priority date)
`
`§ 102(e)
`
`§ 102(e)
`
`Oct. 22, 1963
`
`§ 102(b)
`
`Sept. 30, 1969
`
`§ 102(b)
`
`USPN 3,585,564 to Skjervoll (Skjervoll)
`
`June 15, 1971
`
`§ 102(b)
`
`USPN 5,091,834 to Kao et al. (Kao)
`
`Feb. 25, 1992
`
`USPN 5,409,403 to Falossi et al. (Falossi) Apr. 25, 1995
`
`EP 1,049,206 to Nania et al. (Nania)
`
`Nov. 2, 2000
`
`§ 102(b)
`
`§ 102(b)
`
`§ 102(b)
`
`USPN 7,207,844 to Peng (Peng)
`
`Apr. 24, 2007
`
`§ 102(b)
`
`USPN 438,310 to Edison (Edison)
`
`Oct. 14, 1890
`
`§ 102(b)
`
`USPN 7,311,566 to Dent (Dent)
`
`Dec. 25, 2007
`
`§ 102(b)
`
`GB 2 169 198 to Fung (Fung)
`
`July 9, 1986
`
`§ 102(b)
`
`xi
`
`Page 9
`
`Willis Exhibit 1016 - 9
`
`

`
`
`
`Exhibit
`No.2
`
`Description
`
`1042
`
`1043
`
`1044
`
`1045
`
`
`Publication
`Date (unless
`otherwise
`noted)
`N/A
`
`Type of
`Prior Art
`(Pre-AIA
`35 U.S.C.)
`N/A
`
`USPN 8,454,186 to Chen (’186 Patent)
`
`USPN 8,974,072 to Chen (’072 Patent)
`
`N/A
`
`Declaration of Mike Wood in Support of
`Petition for Inter Partes Review from
`IPR2014-01264
`
`Curriculum Vitae of Mike Wood
`
`N/A
`
`N/A
`
`N/A
`
`N/A
`
`N/A
`
`
`
`xii
`
`Page 10
`
`Willis Exhibit 1016 - 10
`
`

`
`
`
`C.
`
`“in at least four different rotational orientations” (Claim 1)
`
`102. After consulting with Polygroup’s counsel, and in my opinion, the
`
`plain meaning of these terms should control, since there is no special definition or
`
`clear limitations of these terms in the ’187 Patent.
`
`103. A POSA would have interpreted these terms in light of the
`
`specification to mean that the mechanical coupling can occur in at least four
`
`different relative rotational positions of the first and second trunks about a
`
`central vertical axis. In other words, a mechanical coupling occurs in four or more
`
`rotational positions of the trunks relative to one another. Thus, this claim covers
`
`trunks that couple in four, five, six, etc. relative rotational positions. This includes
`
`trunks that connect in a discrete number of positions (as long as that number is four
`
`or more), and trunks that connect with an infinite number of rotational alignments.
`
`104. The specification of the ’187 Patent uses this term in a way that’s
`
`consistent with the plain meaning above. Ex. 1001, 14:32–35 (describing a square
`
`trunk connector as having “four coupling positions” about an axis); 15:40–54
`
`(describing a trunk connector that can rotate and connect in any alignment); Figs.
`
`5–10, 15a–b (depicting circular trunks and connectors that inherently disclose an
`
`infinite number of alignments).
`
`105.
`
`I see nothing in the claims that limits the meaning of this term to
`
`“discrete mechanical orientations,” as Patent Owner argued in the Prior IPR. Ex.
`
`
`
`55
`
`Page 65
`
`Willis Exhibit 1016 - 11