throbber
UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
`
`____________
`
`
`BEFORE THE PATENT TRIAL AND APPEAL BOARD
`
`____________
`
`
`NETFLIX, INC.,
`Petitioner
`
`v.
`
`REALTIME ADAPTIVE STREAMING LLC,
`Patent Owner
`____________
`
`Case IPR2018-01169
`Patent 8,934,535
`____________
`
`
`PATENT OWNER’S SUR-REPLY
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`

`

`
`
`Table of Contents
`
`IPR2018-01169 Sur-reply
`U.S. Patent No. 8,934,535
`
`I. Petitioner’s combination theory rests on a single, unsupported point:
`that a POSITA would use frequency of access of the entire digital
`signal to select encoders for individual pieces cut from the signal. ................... 1
`II. Petitioner’s arguments in reply do not show otherwise: there is still
`insufficient evidence that Ishii’s frequency of access would be
`applied Imai’s system that cuts digital signals into units of frame. ................... 3
`A. Petitioner’s “simple example” is attorney argument and
`regardless does not show why and how POSITA would do it. .................. 3
`B. Petitioner’s arguments about “implementation detail” and the
`alleged level of disclosure in the ’535 patent miss the point. ..................... 6
`III. Regardless, there is insufficient evidence for “why” a POSITA would
`modify Imai to track access frequency of digital signals and use it to
`individually encode units of frame. .................................................................... 7
`IV. Petitioner’s theory also fails because the proposed combination does
`not satisfy the limitations of claim 1. ............................................................... 10
`A. Claim 1 requires selecting an access profile based on
`determining a parameter or attribute of at least a portion of a
`data block. ................................................................................................. 11
`B. Claim 1 requires that “information” derived from a data block be
`used to select a compressor for the same data block. ............................... 12
`V. Petitioner’s theory fails under any construction of “access profile.” ............... 14
`VI. Conclusion ....................................................................................................... 18
`
`
`
`i
`
`

`

`
`I.
`
`IPR2018-01169 Sur-reply
`U.S. Patent No. 8,934,535
`
`Petitioner’s combination theory rests on a single, unsupported point:
`that a POSITA would use frequency of access of the entire digital signal
`to select encoders for individual pieces cut from the signal.
`Although Petitioner’s Imai and Ishii obviousness combination fails for several
`
`reasons, the lynchpin of its theory depends on a single point. In granting institution,
`
`the Board preliminarily found under the reasonable likelihood standard that:
`
`Ishii’s teaching of using access frequency as a factor in selecting an
`
`encoder would suggest to a person of ordinary skill that the frequency
`
`that a particular audio signal is requested (i.e. accessed) could be used
`
`as a factor in selecting the appropriate compression algorithm for the
`
`frames created from the audio signals.
`
`Inst. Dec. (Paper 20) at 18. Now, under the full record and the heightened evidentiary
`
`standard of trial, the Board should determine that this preliminary finding has not
`
`been proven by a preponderance of the evidence.
`
`
`
`On this critical point—whether a POSITA would have modified Imai to track
`
`frequency of access of the entire digital signal, cut the signal into myriad units of
`
`frame, and then use the access frequency of the entire signal to individually select
`
`an encoder for each unit of frame—Petitioner offers no reasoned analysis or
`
`evidentiary support. For example, Petitioner fails to discuss: (1) the relationship
`
`between Imai’s digital signals and units of frame and how the frequency of access
`
`of one may correspond to the other; (2) why tracking and using the frequency of
`
`
`
`1
`
`

`

`
`access of the entire signal would be beneficial for selecting encoders for individual
`
`IPR2018-01169 Sur-reply
`U.S. Patent No. 8,934,535
`
`units of frame; and (3) how Imai’s system would account for the access frequency
`
`of the entire signal in its decision to select encoders for each unit of frame. In sum,
`
`Petitioner fails to show why and how a POSITA would track access frequency for
`
`one thing (the entire digital signal) and use that information to select an encoder for
`
`a different thing (the individual units of frame created from the signal).
`
`
`
`In contrast, Patent Owner and its expert, Dr. Zeger, provide detailed opinions
`
`and evidence rebutting this exact point. In Imai, the frequency of access of digital
`
`signals is different from the frequency of access of units of frame. POR (Paper 26)
`
`at 21–22; Zeger Decl. (Ex. 2001) ¶¶ 68–71. Ishii only teaches tracking access
`
`frequency of the same data block to be compressed. POR at 22–23; Zeger Decl. ¶¶
`
`74–80. Thus, a POSITA would not know based on Ishii how to design a system that
`
`tracks frequency of access of Imai’s entire digital signal (not a data block as Ishii is
`
`directed to) and use that information to select encoders to individually compress data
`
`blocks created from cutting the signal. POR at 23–25; Zeger Decl. ¶¶ 71–72.
`
`
`
`Neither Imai nor Ishii teach anything about the relationship between the
`
`frequency of access of a digital signal and units of frame that result from cutting the
`
`signal. POR at 24; Zeger Decl. ¶ 71. And any such relationship would be unknown
`
`and not obvious to a POSITA. Id. Thus, a POSITA would not be motivated to design
`
`a system that chooses a compressor for each unit of frame based on the access
`
`
`
`2
`
`

`

`
`frequency of the original signal. POR at 25; Zeger Decl. ¶ 72. Such a system would
`
`IPR2018-01169 Sur-reply
`U.S. Patent No. 8,934,535
`
`go beyond the teachings of Imai or Ishii, and certainly not be obvious. See id.
`
`II.
`
`Petitioner’s arguments in reply do not show otherwise: there is still
`insufficient evidence that Ishii’s frequency of access would be applied
`Imai’s system that cuts digital signals into units of frame.
`Petitioner makes several arguments in reply (Reply, Paper 31, at 11–17), but
`
`none save its theory. Petitioner does not dispute Dr. Zeger’s detailed opinions that a
`
`POSITA would not use access frequency of the entire digital signal to select
`
`encoders for each unit of frame. Instead, Petitioner asserts that the “access frequency
`
`[of the digital signal] is used to select the compression algorithm applied to a given
`
`data block, e.g., a faster algorithm for data blocks for data blocks from files with
`
`higher access frequency.” Reply at 13. But Petitioner offers no evidence that such a
`
`system would be desirable or actually work. Dr. Zeger explains that it would not.
`
`Thus, the evidence remains one-sided in favor of Patent Owner.
`
`A.
`
`Petitioner’s “simple example” is attorney argument and
`regardless does not show why and how POSITA would do it.
`
`Petitioner offers a “simple example” involving two digital signals: The Star
`
`Spangled Banner and Bohemian Rhapsody. Reply at 13–14. As an initial matter, this
`
`example is new attorney argument. Neither the Petition nor its expert Dr. Storer give
`
`any examples of a digital signal cut into data blocks or show it would be beneficial
`
`to associate the frequency of the digital signal with individual blocks. This highlights
`
`
`
`3
`
`

`

`
`the lack of detailed expert evidence needed to support Petitioner’s theory. See Estee
`
`IPR2018-01169 Sur-reply
`U.S. Patent No. 8,934,535
`
`Lauder v. L’Oreal, 129 F.3d 588, 595 (Fed. Cir. 1997) (“Arguments of counsel
`
`cannot take the place of evidence lacking in the record.”).
`
`Regardless, nothing in the example disturbs Dr. Zeger’s opinions. As the
`
`example acknowledges, each digital signal (e.g., Song 1) is divided into a myriad
`
`number of data blocks (Block 1.a, Block 1.b, . . . Block 1.n). The example assumes
`
`that a POSITA would automatically attach the access frequency of the song to each
`
`individual data block, but Dr. Zeger explains that a POSITA would not do this. As
`
`Dr. Zeger explains, within any digital signal the access frequency of each data block
`
`may be different from each other and different from the access frequency of the
`
`digital signal. POR at 22; Zeger Decl. ¶ 70.
`
`To the contrary, a POSITA would readily understand that a particular data
`
`block could repeat many within a digital signal as well as within other signals, thus
`
`significantly skewing the frequency of access of the data blocks. Zeger Decl. ¶¶ 70–
`
`71. Dr. Zeger illustrates this through a figure (id. ¶¶ 71–72):
`
`
`
`4
`
`
`
`

`

`As the figure shows, even if access frequency of Signal #2 is high and the
`
`IPR2018-01169 Sur-reply
`U.S. Patent No. 8,934,535
`
`
`
`
`frequency of Signal #1 is low, it would be erroneous to attach the same access
`
`frequency to each data block within the signal. That would result in associating
`
`Block C with high frequency and Block A with low frequency. But regardless of
`
`how often Signals #1 and #2 are requested, Block A has at least the same actual
`
`frequency as Block C—and perhaps substantially higher.
`
`
`
`Thus, a POSITA would recognize that the frequency of access of a particular
`
`digital signal does not indicate nor allow calculation of the frequencies of access of
`
`the data blocks contained in that signal. Id. ¶ 72. Imai and Ishii does not teach
`
`anything about the relationship between the frequency of access of the signal and
`
`the constituent data blocks. Id. ¶ 71. And any such relationship would be unknown
`
`and not obvious to a POSITA. Id.
`
`Dr. Zeger’s opinions apply directly to Petitioner’s “simple example.” What is
`
`missing from the example—and indeed the entire record—is any showing that a
`
`POSITA would be motivated to build such a system and know it would be beneficial.
`
`There is no evidence that a POSITA would recognize that the frequency of access
`
`of data blocks can be ascertained or even estimated based on the frequency of the
`
`digital signal. Nor is there any evidence about how many data blocks are created
`
`from each signal, whether the data blocks are unique or repetitive, and whether the
`
`same blocks exist in other signals. Petitioner and Dr. Storer are silent as to all these
`
`
`
`5
`
`

`

`
`points. And without this explanation and evidence, Petitioner cannot meet its burden
`
`IPR2018-01169 Sur-reply
`U.S. Patent No. 8,934,535
`
`to prove the combination would be obvious.
`
`B.
`
`Petitioner’s arguments about “implementation detail” and the
`alleged level of disclosure in the ’535 patent miss the point.
`
`Petitioner also criticizes Patent Owner
`
`for
`
`requiring excessive
`
`“implementation detail” and asserts that the ’535 patent itself has limited disclosure
`
`about how to calculate/use access frequency. See Reply at 14–17. These arguments
`
`miss the point because they do not address Petitioner’s actual combination. The
`
`question is whether a POSITA would be motivated and know how to design a system
`
`that (a) tracks access frequency of entire digital signals, (b) cut the digital signal into
`
`myriad pieces, and (c) then use the access frequency of the entire signal to
`
`individually select an encoder for each piece.
`
`None of the prior art references or the ’535 patent teach or suggest Petitioner’s
`
`combination. Imai does not discuss access frequency at all. And both Ishii and the
`
`’535 patent describe determining the access frequency of a particular data block (or
`
`file) and then using that access frequency to select an encoder to compress the same
`
`data block (or file). See Zeger Decl. ¶¶ 74–82 (Ishii’s encoder selection is based on
`
`the frequency of access of the data block to be compressed, not any other data block);
`
`’535 patent (Ex. 1001) at 13:1–6 (“the access profile of a give[n] data set is known
`
`
`
`6
`
`

`

`
`a priori or determined prior to compression so to that the optimum category of
`
`IPR2018-01169 Sur-reply
`U.S. Patent No. 8,934,535
`
`compression algorithm can be selected”); see also ’535 patent, cl. 1.
`
`There is no teaching or suggestion in the ’535 patent (or any prior art) about
`
`determining the access frequency of a data block and using it to select encoders for
`
`a different data block. Indeed, the ’535 patent’s disclosures about access frequency
`
`are plainly inapplicable to the modified Imai system. In Imai, the access frequency
`
`of data blocks (or units of frame), cannot be “known a priori” or even “determined
`
`prior to compression.” ’535 patent at 13:1–6. This is because Imai’s data blocks are
`
`dynamically generated by the frame cutting circuit and immediately compressed
`
`using the encoding selecting circuit. See Imai (Ex. 1005) at Fig. 5, [0066], [0102].
`
`Thus, Petitioner’s cited cases and arguments about the level of disclosure in
`
`the ’535 patent are inapposite. See Reply at 14–16. The ’535 patent provides enough
`
`implementation details for using access frequency for a given data block, as does
`
`Ishii. But nothing in the record provides any implementation details for using access
`
`frequency of a digital signal to encode individual pieces of that signal. Such a
`
`technique is not enabled and would not be obvious to a POSITA.
`
`III. Regardless, there is insufficient evidence for “why” a POSITA would
`modify Imai to track access frequency of digital signals and use it to
`individually encode units of frame.
`Even if POSITA could conceivably modify the Imai system to track access
`
`frequency of the digital signal as Petitioner asserts, there is still zero evidence that a
`
`
`
`7
`
`

`

`
`POSITA would be motivated to do so. See POR at 35–38; Zeger Decl. ¶¶ 107–111.
`
`IPR2018-01169 Sur-reply
`U.S. Patent No. 8,934,535
`
`The Federal Circuit has found insufficient and rejected arguments that a POSITA
`
`“could combine these references, not that they would have been motivated to do so.”
`
`InTouch Tech., Inc. v. VGO Comm., Inc., 751 F.3d 1327, 1352 (Fed. Cir. 2014)
`
`(emphasis added). Here, there is insufficient evidence about “why” a POSITA would
`
`be motivated to modify Imai to track access frequency of digital signals and use that
`
`information to individually select encoders for pieces of the signal.
`
`Such a modification would only be desirable if a POSITA knew that the
`
`perceived benefit outweighed the attendant costs. As to the benefit, Petitioner makes
`
`no showing that the access frequency of the digital signal is a useful criterion for
`
`encoding each unit of frame. Petitioner does not assert that the access frequencies of
`
`the signal and units of frame are likely to be the same. Only then might the access
`
`frequency of the digital signal be a relevant factor for selecting encoders for units of
`
`frame. Petitioner does not address these issues, but Dr. Zeger does. He explains that
`
`given the differences between digital signals and units of frame, a POSITA would
`
`not consider access frequency of the signal to be a useful factor for selecting
`
`encoders for each unit of frame. Zeger Decl. ¶¶ 69–72. In his opinion, there are no
`
`perceived benefits from using access frequency in this way. See id.
`
`At most, Petitioner’s arguments for why a POSITA would want to add access
`
`frequency of the digital signal as a factor for encoding units of frame boil down to
`
`
`
`8
`
`

`

`
`generalities without detail. See POR at 36–38, Zeger Decl. ¶¶ 109–111. Petitioner
`
`IPR2018-01169 Sur-reply
`U.S. Patent No. 8,934,535
`
`asserts that “more” criteria (regardless of what those criteria are) is a good thing and
`
`would lead to “better” encoder selection. See id.1 This lacks reasoned support and is
`
`non-specific to what Petitioner’s theory actually requires—using access frequency
`
`of the entire signal as a criterion for selecting encoders for individual units of frame.
`
`Petitioner’s assertions are akin to opinions that the Federal Circuit has found
`
`deficient. See, e.g., ActiveVideo Networks, Inc. v. Verizon Comms. Inc., 694 F.3d at
`
`1328 (motivation “to build something better,” “more efficient, cheaper, or”
`
`something that “had more features” were too generic to show obviousness); See In
`
`re Nuvasive, Inc., 842 F.3d 1376, 1384 (Fed. Cir. 2016) (reversing PTAB’s finding
`
`of motivation to combine where there was no articulation why combining references
`
`to gain “additional information” would benefit a POSITA).
`
`As to the costs of the proposed modification, Petitioner is silent. But Dr. Zeger
`
`is not. As he explains, “adding more selection criteria has drawbacks, including
`
`adding computational complexity and overload to the system.” Zeger Decl. ¶ 111.
`
`This is especially true since Petitioner’s theory requires modifying Imai’s encoding
`
`
`1 See also Pet. (Paper 4) at 19 (to create a “system that is better at optimizing
`compression algorithm selection”), 20 (“a more complete set of compression
`algorithm selection criteria that will improve the system’s ability to choose the most
`suitable algorithm”), 20 (“a POSITA would have considered using a broad variety
`of selection criteria”), 20–21 (“A POSITA would have looked to [Ishii] to learn of
`additional criteria for selecting a suitable compression algorithm.”).
`
`
`
`9
`
`

`

`
`selecting circuit that processes units of frame to somehow track access frequency of
`
`IPR2018-01169 Sur-reply
`U.S. Patent No. 8,934,535
`
`digital signals. A POSITA would not want this capability unless it a provided
`
`predictable benefits that outweighed the additional complexity. See id.
`
`Petitioner does not consider the cost of tracking and using access frequency
`
`in the Imai system or assert that it outweighs the generic benefit of having just one
`
`more encoder selection criterion. This furthers confirms that Petitioner has shown a
`
`POSITA would be motivated to do it. See Winner Int’l Royalty Corp. v. Wang, 202
`
`F.3d 1340, 1349 & n.9 (Fed. Cir. 2000) (Motivation to combine requires trade-offs
`
`that are “on balance, desirable.” Thus, “the benefits, both lost and gained, should be
`
`weighed against one another” before motivation to combine can be found).
`
`IV. Petitioner’s theory also fails because the proposed combination does not
`satisfy the limitations of claim 1.
`Petitioner’s theory fails for additional, independent reasons. Even if the
`
`proposed Imai-Ishii combination were made, it would not satisfy various limitations
`
`of claim 1 of the ’535 patent. See POR at 26–30; Zeger Decl. ¶¶ 83–93. Petitioner
`
`does not respond to these arguments in reply. Thus, the Board should credit Patent
`
`Owner’s unrebutted arguments and opinions and find that Petitioner has not met its
`
`burden to prove unpatentability of challenged claims 1–14.2
`
`
`2 Claims 2–13 are depend directly or indirectly from claim 1. Independent claim 14
`has similar limitations as claim 1. Petitioner’s theory for claim 14 refers back to
`claim 1 (see Pet. at 35) and fails for the same reasons.
`
`
`
`10
`
`

`

`
`
`IPR2018-01169 Sur-reply
`U.S. Patent No. 8,934,535
`
`A. Claim 1 requires selecting an access profile based on determining
`a parameter or attribute of at least a portion of a data block.
`
`Petitioner’s combination fails to satisfy claim 1 because it relies on a different
`
`“parameter or attribute” of “at least a portion of a data block” in Claims 1[a] and
`
`1[b]. Claim 1[a] requires “determining a parameter or attribute of at least a portion
`
`of a data block.” Claim 1[b] requires “selecting an access profile . . . based upon the
`
`determined parameter or attribute.” Claim 1[b] takes antecedent basis from Claim
`
`1[a], so the “parameter or attribute” must be the same thing.
`
`But Petitioner points to different things to satisfy the claimed “parameter or
`
`attribute.” For Claim 1[a], Petitioner needs the parameter or attribute to be of Imai’s
`
`unit of frame because that is the alleged “at least a portion of a data block.” Thus,
`
`Petitioner points to Imai’s determination of whether a unit of frame contains voice
`
`or instrument sounds as the “parameter or attribute.” Zeger Decl. ¶ 84. But Petitioner
`
`does not point to anything that involves access frequency of Imai’s digital signals.
`
`Id. Thus, when it comes to Claim 1[b], there is no showing that the parameter or
`
`attribute (of the unit of frame) is used to select an access profile. Id. ¶ 86. Under
`
`Petitioner’s theory, the access profile is the access frequency of the digital signal.
`
`For Claim 1[b], Petitioner points to Ishii’s use of file type and number of
`
`accesses as the “determined parameter or attribute.” Id. ¶ 89. This is different from
`
`any parameter or attribute of Imai’s unit of frame in Claim 1[a]. Further, Ishii’s
`
`
`
`11
`
`

`

`
`teaching is about a parameter or attribute of the data block to be compressed. It does
`
`IPR2018-01169 Sur-reply
`U.S. Patent No. 8,934,535
`
`not involve a parameter or attribute of Imai’s digital signals, such as access
`
`frequency. Thus, there is no showing that the access profile (access frequency of the
`
`signal) is selected “based upon the determined parameter or attribute.” Id. ¶ 90.
`
`B. Claim 1 requires that “information” derived from a data block be
`used to select a compressor for the same data block.
`
`Petitioner’s combination also fails to satisfy claim 1’s requirement that
`
`information derived from “at least a portion of the data block” be used to select a
`
`compressor for the same “at least a portion of the data block.” Claims 1[a] and 1[b]
`
`make clear that access profile information is determined based on “at least a portion
`
`of the data block.” See ’535 cl. 1 (“determining a parameter or attribute of at least a
`
`portion of a data block . . . selecting an access profile . . . based upon the determined
`
`parameter or attribute.”). An access profile is information, as everyone agrees.
`
`Further, claim 1[c] makes clear that the access profile information is used to
`
`select a compressor to compress the same “at least the portion of the data block.”
`
`See ’535 cl. 1 (“compressing the at least the portion of the data block with . . .
`
`information from the selected access profile . . . the information being indicative of
`
`the one or more compressors to apply to the at least the portion of the data block.”).
`
`Thus, under the plain language of claim 1, access profile “information” is
`
`derived from “at least a portion of a data block” and used to select a compressor for
`
`
`
`12
`
`

`

`
`the same “at least a portion of the data block.” Importantly, such information does
`
`IPR2018-01169 Sur-reply
`U.S. Patent No. 8,934,535
`
`not come from something outside the data block being compressed, such as a
`
`superset of the data block or other data blocks. Zeger Decl. ¶ 92.
`
`Petitioner’s proposed combination cannot satisfy these requirements. Under
`
`Petitioner’s theory, access profile “information” is access frequency of the entire
`
`digital signal and thus must be derived from the entire signal. This is inconsistent
`
`with the claimed “at least a portion of the data block” to be compressed, which is
`
`Imai’s units of frame. Under Petitioner’s theory, access profile information is
`
`derived from one thing (the entire signal) but used to select a compressor for a
`
`different thing (the units of frame). But claim 1 requires the “at least a portion of the
`
`data block” to be the same thing.
`
`In the proposed combination, the digital signals are not the same as units of
`
`frame, and there is no evidence that information about the access frequency of the
`
`entire signal is contained or reproduced within (or can be derived from) each unit of
`
`frame. Zeger Decl. ¶ 93. Imai’s frame cutting circuit merely cuts the digital signal
`
`into pieces without creating or modifying the data. Id. At least, Petitioner would have
`
`to present an entirely new theory (wholly absent from the record) about how the
`
`access frequency of the entire signal is stored with some portion of each unit of
`
`frame. Id. Such a system would be unknown and certainly not obvious. See id.
`
`
`
`
`
`13
`
`

`

`
`V.
`
`IPR2018-01169 Sur-reply
`U.S. Patent No. 8,934,535
`
`Petitioner’s theory fails under any construction of “access profile.”
`The foregoing arguments apply to any proposed construction of “access
`
`profile.” In this IPR, Petitioner and Patent Owner propose different constructions for
`
`“access profile,” and the Board in an IPR on a related patent (IPR2019-00209 on
`
`the’046 patent) preliminary adopted a third construction (Inst. Dec., Paper 7 at 10):
`
`Patent Owner’s Proposal
`
`
`Constructions for “Access Profile”
`Petitioner’s Proposal
`“information regarding the number or frequency of
`
`reads or writes”
`
`“information that enables the controller to select a
`suitable compression algorithm that provides a
`desired balance between execution speed (rate of
`compression) and efficiency (compression ratio)”
`
`“information, such as the number or frequency of
`reads or writes, that enables the controller to select a
`suitable compression algorithm”
`
`Board’s Preliminary
`Construction for Related
`’046 Patent
`
`
`Everyone agrees that an “access profile” is a type of “information.” And under
`
`
`
`any construction, Petitioner’s obviousness theory remains the same: that access
`
`frequency of digital signals in the Imai-Ishii combination is the claimed “access
`
`profile.” See Pet. at 28 (“Thus, Ishii’s use of a “file type” and “number of accesses”
`
`(which are each an “attribute or parameter”) of a file to select an “access frequency”
`
`(which is an “access profile”) of either high, medium, or low satisfies the limitation
`
`of “selecting an access profile from among a plurality of access profiles based on the
`
`determined parameter or attribute.”).
`
`
`
`14
`
`

`

`Indeed, Petitioner’s entire theory is that a POSITA would have applied Ishii’s
`
`IPR2018-01169 Sur-reply
`U.S. Patent No. 8,934,535
`
`
`
`teachings about access frequency to Imai’s digital signals in the combined system.
`
`See Pet. at 18 (“The combined system would improve upon Imai’s system by adding
`
`the capability to track the frequency with which Imai’s digital signals are
`
`requested by the client[.]”). Petitioner’s expert Dr. Storer testified to the same. Storer
`
`Dep. (Ex. 2002) at 118:6–118:12 (“Q: when you’re talking about capability to track
`
`the frequency, you’re talking about the frequency of the digital signal, for example
`
`a song is requested, correct, or video? A: Yeah.”). The Board correctly recognized
`
`the point in its Institution Decision. See Inst. Dec. at 17 (“Petitioner appears to be
`
`relying on the frequency of requests for Imai’s digital signals, not requests for the
`
`frames that are created from those signals, in its combination.”).
`
`The Petition and Dr. Storer do not point to anything else in Imai or Ishii as
`
`satisfying the claimed “access profile.” Nor do they point to anything else that would
`
`satisfy “access profile” in the context of other claim limitations. See ’535 cl. 1
`
`(“determining a parameter or attribute of at least a portion of a data block . . .
`
`selecting an access profile . . . based upon the determined parameter or attribute”).
`
`Nor do they propose any other Ishii-Imai combination (much less show motivation
`
`to combine) where the “access profile” is something else.
`
`Thus, regardless of Board’s construction for “access profile,” Petitioner’s
`
`theory remains the same. Petitioner asserts that access frequency digital signals in
`
`
`
`15
`
`

`

`
`the proposed Imai-Ishii combination is the claimed “access profile.” And for the
`
`IPR2018-01169 Sur-reply
`U.S. Patent No. 8,934,535
`
`reasons discussed above, Petitioner’s theory fails.
`
`In reply, Petitioner attempts to offer a new argument for why Ishii satisfies
`
`“access profile” under Patent Owner’s construction. See Reply at 7–11. Although
`
`the Board need not delve into this argument in rejecting Petitioner’s theory, it fails
`
`for several independent reasons. First, it is new attorney argument that is missing
`
`from either the Petition or Dr. Storer’s declaration. See Wasica Finance GMBH v.
`
`Continental Auto. Systems, 853 F.3d 1272, 1286 (Fed. Cir. 2017) (“Rather than
`
`explaining how its original petition was correct, Continental’s subsequent arguments
`
`amount to an entirely new theory of prima facie obviousness absent from the
`
`petition. Shifting arguments in this fashion is foreclosed by statute, our precedent,
`
`and Board guidelines.”) (internal citations omitted).
`
`Second, Petitioner asserts that Patent Owner’s construction is “broader” than
`
`Petitioner’s construction and that Patent Owner’s construction includes “data type.”
`
`See Reply at 7–10. Neither are correct. Although Patent Owner’s construction is
`
`different from Petitioner’s construction, Patent Owner never asserted it is broader or
`
`includes Petitioner’s construction. Nor has Patent Owner argued that its construction
`
`necessarily encompasses data type. Patent Owner merely explained that “an access
`
`profile may comprise a data type” if, in a particular system, it satisfies the limitations
`
`of Patent Owner’s construction. POR at 14 (emphasis added). Neither Patent Owner,
`
`
`
`16
`
`

`

`
`Petitioner, or the Board in IPR2019-00209 includes “data type” in the construction
`
`IPR2018-01169 Sur-reply
`U.S. Patent No. 8,934,535
`
`for access profile. To the extent Petitioner wants to argue that data type alone is an
`
`access profile, it waived that argument by failing to propose a construction or offer
`
`opinions or evidence under that construction.
`
`Third, Ishii’s use of “file type” cannot be the claimed “access profile.” The
`
`Petition is absolutely clear that Ishii’s file type is the claimed “parameter or
`
`attribute”—not the access profile. See Pet. at 28 (“Thus, Ishii’s use of a “file type”
`
`and “number of accesses” (which are each an “attribute or parameter”) of a file to
`
`select an “access frequency” (which is an “access profile”)[.]). The “parameter or
`
`attribute” and “access profile” must be different because the access profile is selected
`
`based on the determined attribute or parameter. Ishii’s file type cannot be both.
`
`Further, Petitioner offers no theory for why and how a POSITA would be
`
`motivated to combine Ishii’s use of file type into the proposed Imai-Ishii
`
`combination. This is especially necessary because Imai already describes selecting
`
`encoder based on properties of the audio data block, such as whether it contains
`
`voice or instrument sounds. Imai at [102]. There is no showing that Ishii’s use of file
`
`type, such as “whether it is text data or binary data,” would be applicable to Imai’s
`
`audio system. And Petitioner has never pointed to anything in Imai as satisfying the
`
`claimed “access profile.” See Pet. at 27–28.
`
`
`
`
`
`17
`
`

`

`
`VI. Conclusion
`For the reasons above, the Board should find that Petitioner has not met its
`
`IPR2018-01169 Sur-reply
`U.S. Patent No. 8,934,535
`
`burden to prove that claims 1–14 of the ’535 patent are unpatentable and should find
`
`the claims patentable over the single instituted ground.
`
`
`
`
`Dated: July 5, 2019
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`/s/ Neil A. Rubin
`
`Respectfully submitted,
`
`Neil A. Rubin (Reg. No. 67,030)
`Kent Shum (Reg. No. No. 61,117)
`Philip X. Wang (Reg. No. 74,621)
`Reza Mirzaie (Reg. No. 69,138)
`C. Jay Chung (Reg. No. 71,007)
`Attorneys for Patent Owner
`Russ August & Kabat
`12424 Wilshire Blvd., 12th Fl.
`Los Angeles, CA 90025
`Phone: (310) 826-7474
`Fax: (310) 826-6991
`nrubin@raklaw.com
`kshum@raklaw.com
`pwang@raklaw.com
`rmirzaie@raklaw.com
`jchung@raklaw.com
`rak_realtimedata@raklaw.com
`
`
`
`
`
`18
`
`

`

`IPR2018-01169 Sur-reply
`U.S. Patent No. 8,934,535
`
`CERTIFICATION REGARDING WORD COUNT
`
`Pursuant to 37 C.F.R. §42.24(d), Patent Owner certifies that there are 4,420
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`words in the paper excluding the portions exempted under 37 C.F.R. §42.24(a)(1).
`
`
`
`Dated: July 5, 2019
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`/s/ Neil A. Rubin
`
`Neil A. Rubin (Reg. No. 67,030)
`Kent Shum (Reg. No. No. 61,117)
`Philip X. Wang (Reg. No. 74,621)
`Reza Mirzaie (Reg. No. 69,138)
`C. Jay Chung (Reg. No. 71,007)
`Attorneys for Patent Owner
`
`Russ August & Kabat
`12424 Wilshire Blvd., 12th Fl.
`Los Angeles, CA 90025
`Phone: (310) 826-7474
`Fax: (310) 826-6991
`nrubin@raklaw.com
`kshum@raklaw.com
`pwang@raklaw.com
`rmirzaie@raklaw.com
`jchung@raklaw.com
`rak_realtimedata@raklaw.com
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`

`

`
`
`IPR2018-01169 Sur-reply
`U.S. Patent No. 8,934,535
`
`CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE (37 C.F.R. § 42.6(e)(1))
`
`The undersigned hereby certifies that the above document was served on July
`
`5, 2019, by filing this document through the Patent Trial and Appeal Board End to
`
`End system as well as delivering a copy via electronic mail upon the following
`
`attorneys of record for the Petitioner:

This document is available on Docket Alarm but you must sign up to view it.


Or .

Accessing this document will incur an additional charge of $.

After purchase, you can access this document again without charge.

Accept $ Charge
throbber

Still Working On It

This document is taking longer than usual to download. This can happen if we need to contact the court directly to obtain the document and their servers are running slowly.

Give it another minute or two to complete, and then try the refresh button.

throbber

A few More Minutes ... Still Working

It can take up to 5 minutes for us to download a document if the court servers are running slowly.

Thank you for your continued patience.

This document could not be displayed.

We could not find this document within its docket. Please go back to the docket page and check the link. If that does not work, go back to the docket and refresh it to pull the newest information.

Your account does not support viewing this document.

You need a Paid Account to view this document. Click here to change your account type.

Your account does not support viewing this document.

Set your membership status to view this document.

With a Docket Alarm membership, you'll get a whole lot more, including:

  • Up-to-date information for this case.
  • Email alerts whenever there is an update.
  • Full text search for other cases.
  • Get email alerts whenever a new case matches your search.

Become a Member

One Moment Please

The filing “” is large (MB) and is being downloaded.

Please refresh this page in a few minutes to see if the filing has been downloaded. The filing will also be emailed to you when the download completes.

Your document is on its way!

If you do not receive the document in five minutes, contact support at support@docketalarm.com.

Sealed Document

We are unable to display this document, it may be under a court ordered seal.

If you have proper credentials to access the file, you may proceed directly to the court's system using your government issued username and password.


Access Government Site

We are redirecting you
to a mobile optimized page.





Document Unreadable or Corrupt

Refresh this Document
Go to the Docket

We are unable to display this document.

Refresh this Document
Go to the Docket