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`UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
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`BEFORE THE PATENT TRIAL AND APPEAL BOARD
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`APPLE INC.
`Petitioner
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`v.
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`VALENCELL, INC.
`Patent Owner
`_____________________
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`DECLARATION OF DR. MAJID SARRAFZADEH
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`Apple Inc.
`APL1003
`U.S. Patent No. 8,652,040
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`Inter Partes Review of
`U.S. Patent No. 8,652,040
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`
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`TABLE OF CONTENTS
`Introduction ...................................................................................................... 1
`I.
`Qualifications ................................................................................................... 3
`II.
`III. Legal Principles ............................................................................................... 5
`IV. Background and State of the Art ...................................................................10
`A. Wearable Optical Sensors .......................................................................11
`B. Wearable Acoustic Sensors .....................................................................14
`C. Data Transmission from Wearable Sensors ............................................16
`IV. The ’040 Patent ..............................................................................................16
`A. Overview .................................................................................................16
`B. Level of ordinary skill in the art ..............................................................19
`C. Claim construction ..................................................................................19
`“physiological information” ............................................................19
`1.
`2. “selectively remove … unwanted signals from footsteps” .............20
`3. “secondary optical energy” .............................................................22
`4. “real time” .......................................................................................23
`5. “potentially erroneous data” ..................................................................... 24
`V. Ground 1: Claims 1-3, 11-21, 23-25, 27, 29-32, 34-40, 43-46, and 48-53 are
`unpatentable under pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. § 103(a) over Aceti in view of
`Dettling, and further in view of Stivoric. ......................................................24
`A. Overview of Aceti ...................................................................................24
`B. Overview of Dettling ...............................................................................28
`C. Overview of Stivoric ...............................................................................29
`D. Motivation to combine Aceti, Dettling, and Stivoric ..............................31
`E.
`Independent Claim 1 ...............................................................................36
`[1.P] An earpiece module .......................................................................36
`[1.1] an earpiece fitting adapted to be positioned within an ear of a
`person...............................................................................................36
`[1.2] the earpiece fitting comprising: a speaker configured to provide
`sound transmission from a source ...................................................38
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`U.S. Patent No. 8,652,040
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`[1.3] the earpiece fitting comprising … an optical emitter, optical
`detector, and acoustic sensor ...........................................................38
`[1.4] wherein the optical emitter is configured to direct optical energy to
`a region of the ear of the person ......................................................39
`[1.5] wherein the optical detector is configured to sense secondary
`optical energy emanating from the ear region and to sense at least
`one environmental condition in a vicinity of the person .................40
`[1.6] wherein the acoustic sensor is configured to sense footsteps of the
`person...............................................................................................43
`[1.7] the earpiece fitting comprising … a first signal processor
`configured to receive and process signals produced by the optical
`detector ............................................................................................45
`[1.8] a second signal processor configured to process signals produced
`by the first signal processor, and by the acoustic sensor.................46
`[1.9] second signal processor configured to … selectively remove
`unwanted environmental signals and unwanted signals from
`footsteps to produce processed signals containing cleaner
`physiological information from the person .....................................47
`[1.10] a transmitter responsive to the second signal processor that is
`configured to transmit the processed signals containing cleaner
`physiological information to a remote terminal ..............................48
`F. Claim 2 ....................................................................................................49
`G. Claim 3 ....................................................................................................50
`H. Claim 11 ..................................................................................................51
`I. Claim 12 ..................................................................................................52
`J. Claim 13 ..................................................................................................53
`K. Claim 14 ..................................................................................................53
`L. Claim 15 ..................................................................................................54
`M. Claim 16 ..................................................................................................55
`N. Claim 17 ..................................................................................................56
`O. Claim 18 ..................................................................................................57
`P. Claim 19 ..................................................................................................57
`Q. Claim 20 ..................................................................................................58
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`U.S. Patent No. 8,652,040
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`R. Claim 21 ..................................................................................................58
`S. Claim 23 ..................................................................................................58
`T. Claim 24 ..................................................................................................59
`U. Claim 25 ..................................................................................................59
`V. Claim 27 ..................................................................................................60
`W. Claim 29 ..................................................................................................61
`X. Claim 30 ..................................................................................................62
`Y. Claim 31 ..................................................................................................63
`Z. Claim 32 ..................................................................................................64
`AA. Claim 34 ..................................................................................................65
`BB. Claim 35 ..................................................................................................66
`CC. Claim 36 ..................................................................................................67
`DD. Claim 37 ..................................................................................................68
`EE. Claim 38 ..................................................................................................68
`FF. Claim 39 ..................................................................................................69
`GG. Claim 40 ..................................................................................................71
`HH. Claim 43 ..................................................................................................72
`II. Claim 44 ..................................................................................................73
`JJ. Claim 45 ..................................................................................................74
`KK. Claim 46 ..................................................................................................74
`LL. Claim 48 ..................................................................................................75
`MM.
`Claim 49 ..........................................................................................76
`NN. Claim 50 ..................................................................................................77
`OO. Claim 51 ..................................................................................................78
`PP. Claim 52 ..................................................................................................79
`QQ. Claim 53 ..................................................................................................80
`Conclusion .....................................................................................................80
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`V.
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`Inter Partes Review of
`U.S. Patent No. 8,652,040
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`EXHIBIT LIST
`
`Description
`U.S. Patent No. 8,652,040 to LeBoeuf et al., issued February 18,
`2014
`U.S. Patent No. 8,652,040 File History
`INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK
`Curriculum Vitae of Dr. Majid Sarrafzadeh
`INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK
`John Allen, Photoplethysmography and its application in clinical
`physiological measurement, Physiological Measurement 28 (2007)
`INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK
`J. G. Webster, ed., Design of Pulse Oximeters, IOP Publishing Ltd.,
`1997
`International Patent Application Publication No. WO 2007/013054
`to Schwartz, published February 1, 2007
`INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK
`U.S. Patent No. 5,297,548 to Pologe, issued March 29, 1994
`INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK
`U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2008/0132798 to Hong et
`al., published June 5, 2008
`INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK
`U.S. Patent No. 5,807,267 to Bryars et al., issued September 15,
`1998
`INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK
`U.S. Patent No. 4,672,976 to Kroll, issued June 16, 1987
`U.S. Patent No. 7,539,533 to Tran, issued May 26, 2009
`U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2005/0059870 to Aceti,
`published March 17, 2005
`U.S. Patent No. 5,954,644 to Dettling et al., issued September 21,
`1999
`U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0039254 to Stivoric
`et al., published February 26, 2004
`U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2008/0076972 to
`Dorogusker et al., published March 27, 2008
`U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0004547 to Appelt et
`al., published January 8, 2004
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`Exhibit No.
`1001
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`1002
`1003
`1004
`1005-1011
`1012
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`1013-1016
`1017
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`1018
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`1019
`1020
`1021-1023
`1024
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`1025
`1026
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`1027-1044
`1045
`1046
`1047
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`1048
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`1049
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`1050
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`1051
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`Inter Partes Review of
`U.S. Patent No. 8,652,040
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`1052
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`1053
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`1054
`1055
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`1056
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`1057-1065
`1066
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`1067
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`1068
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`1069-1143
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`U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2007/0116314 to Grilliot et
`al., published May 24, 2007
`U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0242976 to Abreu,
`published December 2, 2004
`U.S. Patent No. 5,853,005 to Scanlon, issued December 29, 1998
`U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2009/0131761 to Moroney
`III et al., published May 21, 2009
`U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2006/0064037 to Shalon et
`al., published March 23, 2006
`INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK
`U.S. Patent No. 8,923,941 to LeBoeuf et al., issued December 30,
`2014
`H. Harry Asada et al., “Mobile Monitoring with Wearable
`Photoplethysmographic Biosensors,” IEEE Engineering in
`Medicine and Biology Magazine, May/June 2003, pp. 28-40
`Yuri Shevchenko et al., “90th Anniversary of the Development by
`Nikolai S. Korotkoff of the Ascultatory Method of Measuring
`Blood Pressure,” Circulation, Vol. 94, No. 2, July 15, 1996; pp.
`116-118
`INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK
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`I.
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`Introduction
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`I, Dr. Majid Sarrafzadeh, declare as follows:
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`Inter Partes Review of
`U.S. Patent No. 8,652,040
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`1.
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`I am currently a distinguished professor of computer science at the
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`University of California at Los Angeles (“UCLA”), director of the UCLA
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`Embedded and Reconfigurable Computing Laboratory (“ER Lab”), and a co-
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`director of the UCLA Center for SMART Health. I have been actively engaged in
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`research of Wearable Systems for 16 years and Embedded Systems, Design and
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`Analysis of Algorithms, and Health Analytics for about 29 years.
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`2.
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`I have been retained on behalf of Apple Inc. to provide expert
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`opinions in connection with a petition for Inter Partes Review before the United
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`States Patent and Trademark Office. I understand that this declaration involves my
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`expert opinions and expert knowledge related to U.S. Patent No. 8,652,040 (“the
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`’040 patent”), titled “Telemetric Apparatus for Health and Environmental
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`Monitoring,” and its field of endeavor.
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`3.
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`In preparing this declaration, I have reviewed and am familiar with the
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`’040 Patent (Ex. 1001) and its file history (Ex. 1002). The ’040 Patent relates to an
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`“apparatus for monitoring various physiological and environmental factors” where
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`“an earpiece functions as a physiological monitor, environmental monitor, and a
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`wireless personal communicator.” Ex. 1001, 1:46-48, 1:54-56. I am familiar with
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`the technology and the state of the art described in the ’040 Patent as of its June 12,
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`2007 filing date, as well as the technology and state of the art as of its earliest
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`Inter Partes Review of
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`claimed December 19, 2006 priority date.
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`4.
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`I have reviewed and am familiar with each exhibit cited herein. I
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`confirm that to the best of my knowledge the accompanying exhibits are true and
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`accurate copies of what they purport to be, and that an expert in the field would
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`reasonably rely on them to formulate opinions such as those set forth in this
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`declaration.
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`5.
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`I have been asked to provide my independent technical review,
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`analysis, insights, and opinions regarding the ’040 Patent and the references that
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`form the basis for the ground of unpatentability set forth in the Petition for Inter
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`Partes Review of the ’040 Patent.
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`Ground
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`References
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`Basis
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`Claims Challenged
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`1
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`Aceti, Dettling, & Stivoric
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`§ 103 1-3, 11-21, 23-25, 27,
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`29-32, 34-40, 43-46, 48-
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`53
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`II. Qualifications
`As indicated in my curriculum vitae (filed as Ex. 1004), I am
`6.
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`currently a professor of computer science at UCLA and have been in that position
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`for the last sixteen years. I am also the director of the UCLA Embedded and
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`Reconfigurable Computing Laboratory (“ER Lab”), a co-director of the UCLA
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`Center for SMART Health, a co-director of the BRITE Center on Minority Health
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`Disparities, and a co-founder of UCLA Wireless Health Institute.
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`7.
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`I earned a Bachelor of Science, Master of Science, and Ph.D. degrees
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`from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in Electrical and Computer
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`Engineering in 1982, 1984, and 1987, respectively.
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`8.
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`I became an Assistant Professor of Electrical and Computer
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`Engineering at Northwestern University in 1987, earned tenure in 1993, and
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`became a Full Professor in 1997.
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`9.
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`In 2000, I joined the Computer Science Department at UCLA as a
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`Full Professor. In 2008, I co-founded and became a director of the UCLA Wireless
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`Health Institute. I currently teach two core undergraduate courses (involving
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`implementing digital logic designs and advanced digital design techniques), a
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`course on Algorithms and Complexity, and a series of graduate courses in the area
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`of embedded systems and Wireless Health.
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`10.
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`I have experience as a system designer, circuit designer, and software
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`designer. This experience includes positions as a design engineer at IBM and
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`Motorola and a test engineer at Central Data Corporation. I was the main architect
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`of an Electronic Design Automation (“EDA”) software tool for Monterey Design
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`Systems, Inc. (“Monterey”). I co-founded and managed the technical team at
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`Hierarchical Design, Inc. (“Hier Design”), an EDA company that specialized in
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`reconfigurable Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) systems. Hier Design was
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`acquired by Xilinx in 2004. I have cofounded MediSens Wireless, Bruin
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`Biometrics, and WANDA Health.
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`11.
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`I am a Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers,
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`Inc. (“IEEE”) for my contributions to “Theory and Practice of VLSI Design.” I
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`have served on the technical program committees of numerous conferences in the
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`area of system design. I cofounded the International conference on Wireless Health
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`and have served in various committees of this conference.
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`12.
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`I have published approximately 500 papers, and have received a
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`number of best paper and distinguished paper awards. I am a co-author of the book
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`“Synthesis Techniques and Optimizations for Reconfigurable Systems” (2003 by
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`Springer) and a co-author of the papers such as:
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`• Adaptive Electrocardiogram Feature Extraction on Distributed
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`Embedded Systems, IEEE Transactions on Parallel and Distributed
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`Systems special issue on High Performance Computational Biology
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`(2006);
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`• A Remote Patient Monitoring System for Congestive Heart Failure,
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`Journal of Medical Systems (2011);
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`• SmartFall: An Automatic Fall Detection and Cause Identification
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`System, IEEE Sensors Journal (2013); and
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`• Designing a Robust Activity Recognition Framework for Health and
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`Exergaming using Wearable Sensors, IEEE Journal of Biomedical
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`and Health Informatics (2013).
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`13. A more detailed account of my work experience and qualifications,
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`including a list of all publications authored in the previous 10 years, can be found
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`in my curriculum vitae, which is identified as Ex. 1004.
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`14.
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`I am being compensated at my standard rate of $650 per hour for my
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`work on this case. My compensation is not dependent upon my opinions or
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`testimony or the outcome of this case.
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`III. Legal Principles
`I understand that my analysis requires an understanding of the scope
`15.
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`of the ’040 Patent claims. I understand that the disclosures of the ’040 Patent and
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`the prior art are judged from the perspective of a person of ordinary skill in the art
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`at the time of the purported invention. For the purposes of this declaration, I have
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`been instructed to consider the time of the purported invention of the ’040 Patent to
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`be December 19, 2006 for each challenged claim unless noted otherwise. I will
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`note, however, that my opinions would not change even if all the relevant
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`disclosures were judged from a later time period.
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`16.
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`I understand that terms of the ’040 Patent claims are, by rule, given
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`the broadest reasonable construction in light of its specification. Unless otherwise
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`noted, I have generally given the claim terms their plain and ordinary meaning as
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`understood by a person of ordinary skill in the art at the time of purported
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`invention.
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`17.
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`I understand that a claim is invalid if it is anticipated or obvious. My
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`opinions here relate to both anticipation and obviousness as detailed below.
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`18.
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`I understand that anticipation of a claim requires that every element of
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`a claim is expressly or inherently disclosed in a single prior art reference. I
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`understand that an anticipating reference need not use the exact terms of the
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`claims, but must describe the patented subject matter with sufficient clarity and
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`detail to establish that the claimed subject matter existed in the prior art and that
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`such existence would be recognized by persons of ordinary skill in the field of the
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`purported invention. I also understand that an anticipating reference must enable
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`one of ordinary skill in the art to reduce the purported invention to practice without
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`undue experimentation.
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`19.
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`I understand that an obviousness analysis involves comparing a claim
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`to the prior art to determine whether the claimed invention would have been
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`obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention in view
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`of the prior art and in light of the general knowledge in the art as a whole. I also
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`understand that obviousness is ultimately a legal conclusion based on underlying
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`facts of four general types, all of which must be considered: (1) the scope and
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`content of the prior art; (2) the level of ordinary skill in the art; (3) the differences
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`between the claimed invention and the prior art; and (4) any objective indicia of
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`nonobviousness.
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`20.
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`I also understand that obviousness may be established by combining
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`or modifying the teachings of the prior art. Specific teachings, suggestions, or
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`motivations to combine any first prior art reference with a second prior art
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`reference can be explicit or implicit, but must have existed before the date of
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`invention. I understand that prior art references themselves may be one source of a
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`specific teaching or suggestion to combine features of the prior art, but that such
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`suggestions or motivations to combine art may come from the knowledge of a
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`person of ordinary skill in the art. Specifically, a rationale to combine the teachings
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`of references may include logic or common sense available to a person of ordinary
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`skill in the art.
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`21.
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`I understand that a reference may be relied upon for all that it teaches,
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`including uses beyond its primary purpose. I understand that though a reference
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`may be said to teach away when a person of ordinary skill, upon reading the
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`reference, would be discouraged from following the path set out in the reference,
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`the mere disclosure of alternative designs does not teach away.
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`22.
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`I further understand that whether there is a reasonable expectation of
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`success from combining references in a particular way is also relevant to the
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`analysis. I understand there may be a number of rationales that may support a
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`conclusion of obviousness, including:
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`• Combining prior art elements according to known methods to yield
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`predictable results;
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`• Substitution of one known element for another to obtain predictable
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`results;
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`• Use of known technique to improve similar devices (methods, or
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`products) in the same way;
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`• Applying a known technique to a known device (method, or product)
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`ready for improvement to yield predictable results;
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`• “Obvious to try” – choosing from a finite number of identified,
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`predictable solutions, with a reasonable expectation of success;
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`• Known work in one field of endeavor may prompt variations of it for use
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`in either the same field or a different one based on design incentives or
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`other market forces if the variations are predictable to one of ordinary
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`skill in the art; or
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`• Some teaching, suggestion, or motivation in the prior art that would have
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`led one of ordinary skill to modify the prior art reference or to combine
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`prior art teachings to arrive at the claimed invention.
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`23.
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`I understand that it is not proper to use hindsight to combine
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`references or elements of references to reconstruct the invention using the claims
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`as a guide. My analysis of the prior art is made from the perspective of person of
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`ordinary skill in the art at the time of the purported invention.
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`24.
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`I understand that so-called objective considerations may be relevant to
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`the determination of whether a claim is obvious should the Patent Owner allege
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`such evidence. Such objective considerations can include evidence of commercial
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`success caused by an invention, evidence of a long-felt need that was solved by an
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`invention, evidence that others copied an invention, or evidence that an invention
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`achieved a surprising result. I understand that such evidence must have a nexus, or
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`causal relationship to the elements of a claim, in order to be relevant to the
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`obviousness or non-obviousness of the claim. I am unaware of any such objective
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`considerations having a nexus to the claims at issue in this proceeding.
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`25.
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`I understand that for a reference to be used to show that a claim is
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`obvious, the reference must be analogous art to the claimed invention. I understand
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`that a reference is analogous to the claimed invention if the reference is from the
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`same field of endeavor as the claimed invention, even if it addresses a different
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`problem, or if the reference is reasonably pertinent to the problem faced by the
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`inventor, even if it is not in the same field of endeavor as the claimed invention. I
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`understand that a reference is reasonably pertinent based on the problem faced by
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`the inventor as reflected in the specification, either explicitly or implicitly.
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`IV. Background and State of the Art
`26. The ’040 Patent describes and claims a wearable earpiece module that
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`includes a variety of hardware components. These components include processors,
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`an optical sensor, an acoustic sensor, a speaker, and a transmitter. But the
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`incorporation of these components into a wearable device, such as an earpiece, is
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`not a new concept and has been described in numerous publications for years prior
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`to the December 19, 2006 priority date of the ’040 Patent. In the following
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`sections, I will briefly describe the state of the art for wearable optical sensors,
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`wearable acoustic sensors, and data transmission for wearable sensors during the
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`time before the December 19, 2006 priority date of the ’040 Patent.
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`A. Wearable Optical Sensors
`27. One of the most common optical sensing technique employed in
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`wearable devices for detecting physiological conditions is known as
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`photoplethysmography (hereinafter also referred to as “PPG” or “pulse oximetry”).
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`Hong, Ex. 1024, ¶17, FIG. 1; Bryars, Ex. 1026, FIGs. 1, 6, 7; Asada Article, Ex.
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`1067, p. 28. The technique was introduced in 1937 and had become a ubiquitous
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`part of physiological monitoring long before the ʼ040 Patent was filed. Allen, Ex.
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`1012, § 2.3. By 2006, the earliest claimed priority date, PPG technology was in
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`widespread use and established as a simple, low-cost, readily-portable choice for
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`both clinical and non-clinical physiological measurements. Ex. 1012, § 2.3.
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`28. PPG is an optical technique whereby light is projected into living
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`tissue, and the reflected light is detected after its interaction with the skin, blood,
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`and other tissue. Ex. 1012, § 1. The intensity of the reflected light depends on the
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`volume of blood. Id. The volume of blood fluctuates proportionally with the
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`cardiac cycle. Id. As a result, a PPG sensor detects a time-varying pulsatile
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`waveform, or pulse wave, that is synchronized with each heartbeat. Id.
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`29. Hence, photoplethysmography (PPG) was an old, well-known optical
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`measurement technique used to detect blood volume changes in living tissue. Ex.
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`1012, § 1; Webster, Ex. 1017, pp. 240-241. The basic form of PPG technology
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`requires only a few opto-electronic components: a light source (often red or near
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`infrared) to illuminate the tissue (commonly at the ear, wrist, or finger) and a
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`photodetector to measure the small variations in light intensity associated with
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`changes in blood volume. Ex. 1012, §§ 1, 2.4; Ex. 1017, pp. 34-38.A simple,
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`appropriately programmed signal processor can extract heart rate, respiratory rate,
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`blood oxygen saturation (SpO2), and a variety of other physiological parameters.
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`Ex. 1012, § 3; Schwartz, Ex. 1018, 5:5-9, 10:7-20.
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`30. PPG had also found widespread use in pulse oximeters. A major
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`advance in the clinical use of PPG-based technology came with the introduction of
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`the pulse oximeter as a non-invasive method for monitoring patients’ arterial
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`oxygen saturation (SpO2). Ex. 1012, § 2.3; Ex. 1017, Preface. Oxygen saturation of
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`the hemoglobin in arterial blood is determined by the relative proportions of
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`oxygenated hemoglobin and reduced hemoglobin in the arterial blood. Pologe, Ex.
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`1020, 1:20-56; Ex. 1017, pp. 34-38. A pulse oximeter uses PPG signals to
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`determine the oxygen saturation of the hemoglobin by measuring the difference in
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`the light absorption of these two forms of hemoglobin. Ex. 1020, 1:20-56, FIG. 1
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`(displayed below).
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`31. The pulse oximeter typically includes a probe which contains two
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`U.S. Patent No. 8,652,040
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`light emitting diodes, one red and one infrared, and is placed in contact with the
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`skin. Ex. 1020, 1:20-56; Ex. 1017, pp. 34-38. There were conventionally two types
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`of probes for pulse oximetry: reflectance and transmittance. Ex. 1017, pp. 86-89.
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`FIGs. 7.1 and 7.2 from Webster have been provided below to illustrate the
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`differences between reflectance and transmittance pulse oximetry. Briefly, as the
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`names suggest, reflectance oximetry transmits light that is reflected after passing
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`through a portion of the body before being received by the detector, while
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`transmittance oximetry transmits light completely through a portion of the body
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`and the detector receives the light that has passed completely through the body. Ex.
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`1017, pp. 87-88, FIGs. 7.1, 7.2.
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`Reflectance Oximetry
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`Transmittance Oximetry
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`32.
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`In recent decades, the desire for small, reliable, low-cost and simple-
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`to-use noninvasive (cardiovascular) assessment techniques were key factors that
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`have propelled the use of photoplethysmography. Ex. 1012, § 2.3. Advances in
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`opto-electronics and clinical instrumentation have also significantly contributed to
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`Inter Partes Review of
`U.S. Patent No. 8,652,040
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`its advancement. Ex. 1012, § 2.3. The developments in semiconductor technology,
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`light emitting diodes (LED), photodiodes, and phototransistors have made
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`considerable improvements in the size, sensitivity, reliability and reproducibility of
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`PPG probe design. Ex. 1012, § 2.3. As this technology became ever smaller and
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`more robust, PPG sensors were integrated into wearable technology such as
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`wristwatches, earphones, headsets, etc. See, for example, Ex. 1024, FIGs. 1-2,
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`¶¶0024-0028 (integrating with headset); Ex. 1026, FIGs. 1, 6, 7; Ex. 1067, p. 30,
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`FIG. 9; Aceti, Ex. 1047, FIGs, 1-3, ¶27.
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`B. Wearable Acoustic Sensors
`33. Detecting sound from the body to determine various physiological
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`parameters is known as “auscultatory sensing” and had been performed for years
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`prior to the earliest priority date of the ’040 Patent. In fact, the use of sound to
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`determine physiological parameters, such as blood pressure, dates back as early as
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`1905 when Dr. Nikolai Korotkoff discovered a link between certain audible sounds
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`and a patient’s blood pressure. Shevchenko, Ex. 1068. These sounds are known as
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`“Korotkoff sounds” and are still used by physicians today.
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`34. Many wearable devices had been described that perform auscultatory
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`sensing. Even as early as 1987, devices were being developed that were worn on
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`the body and used acoustic transducers for sensing sound waves generated in the
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`patient’s body. Kroll, Ex. 1045, Abstract. Kroll’s device includes a cylindrical
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`Inter Partes Review of
`U.S. Patent No. 8,652,040
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`housing for retaining the sensing elements, and a securement belt for holding the
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`housing against the body of a patient. Ex. 1045, 1:33-43. An illustration of the
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`device is provided below and includes a diaphragm 21 that covers an aperture 20
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`of the housing structure 15. Ex. 1045, 4:3-5. The diaphragm is placed directly in
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`contact with the patient’s b