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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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`ALIGN TECHNOLOGY, INC.
`Petitioner
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`v.
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`3SHAPE A/S
`Patent Owner
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`Case No. IPR2019-00118
`Patent 9,962,244
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`PETITION FOR INTER PARTES REVIEW
`OF U.S. PATENT No. 9,962,244
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`Mail Stop PATENT BOARD
`Patent Trial and Appeal Board
`U.S. Patent & Trademark Office
`P.O. Box 1450
`Alexandria, VA 22313-1450
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`Petition for IPR2019-00118
` U.S. Patent No. 9,962,244
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`TABLE OF CONTENTS
`Introduction ..................................................................................................... 1
`I.
`Identification of challenge (37 C.F.R. §42.104(b)) ........................................ 2
`II.
`III. The Board should not unjustly prevent Align from challenging the ’244
`Patent. ............................................................................................................. 4
`IV. The Board should institute trial notwithstanding 35 U.S.C. § 325(d). ........... 5
`V. Overview of the ’244 Patent ......................................................................... 10
`VI. POSITA ........................................................................................................ 14
`VII. Ground 1: The combination of Fisker and Tanaka renders claims 31 and 32
`obvious. ......................................................................................................... 14
`A. Claim 31 ...................................................................................................... 14
`1.
`[31.P]: “A focus scanner for recording surface geometry and surface
`color of an object” ............................................................................................. 14
`2.
`[31.1]: “a multichromatic light source configured for providing a
`multichromatic probe light for illumination of the object” ............................... 15
`3.
`[31.2.a]: “a color image sensor comprising an array of image sensor
`pixels for capturing one or more 2D images of light received from said object”
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`16
`4.
`[31.2.b]: “where the color image sensor comprises a color filter array
`comprising at least three types of colors filters, each allowing light in a known
`wavelength range, W1, W2, and W3 respectively, to propagate through the
`color filter” ........................................................................................................ 16
`5.
`[31.3.a]: “wherein the focus scanner is configured to operate by
`translating a focus plane along an optical axis of the focus scanner” ............... 17
`6.
`[31.3.b]: “wherein the focus scanner is configured to operate
`by…capturing a series of the 2D images, each 2D image of the series is at a
`different focus plane position such that the series of captured 2D images forms
`a stack of 2D images” ....................................................................................... 18
`7.
`[31.4.a]: “a data processing system configured to derive surface geometry
`information for a block of said image sensor pixels from the 2D images in the
`stack of 2D images captured by said color image sensor”................................ 18
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`[31.4.b]: “the data processing system also configured to derive surface
`8.
`color information for the block of said image sensor pixels from at least one of
`the 2D images used to derive the surface geometry information” .................... 19
`9.
`[31.5.a]: “where the data processing system further is configured to
`derive the surface geometry information is derived from light in a selected
`wavelength range of the spectrum provided by the multichromatic light
`source” ............................................................................................................... 21
`10.
`[31.5.b]: “where the color filter array is such that its proportion of pixels
`with color filters that match the selected wavelength range of the spectrum is
`larger than 50%.”............................................................................................... 21
`a)
`Fisker ..................................................................................................... 21
`b) Tanaka ................................................................................................... 22
`c) Motivation to Combine: Fisker and Tanaka ......................................... 23
`B. Claim 32 ...................................................................................................... 25
`1.
`[32.P]-[32.5.a] .......................................................................................... 25
`2.
`[32.5.b]: “the filters are arranged in a plurality of cells of 6×6 color
`filters, where the color filters in positions (2,2) and (5,5) of each cell are of the
`W1 type, the color filters in positions (2,5) and (5,2) are of the W3 type.” ..... 26
`a)
`Fisker ..................................................................................................... 26
`b) Tanaka ................................................................................................... 26
`c) Motivation to Combine: Fisker and Tanaka ......................................... 28
`VIII. Grounds 2 and 3: The combinations of Fisker and Suzuki (Ground 2) and
`Fisker and Cai (Ground 3) render claim 34 obvious. ................................... 29
`A. Claim 34 ...................................................................................................... 29
`1.
`Limitations [34.P]-[34.4.b] ....................................................................... 29
`2.
`[34.4.c]: “where deriving the surface geometry information and surface
`color information comprises calculating for several 2D images a correlation
`measure between the portion of the 2D image captured by said block of image
`sensor pixels and a weight funcion, where the weight function is determined
`based on information of the configuration of the spatial pattern” .................... 29
`3.
`[34.4.d]: “identifying the position along the optical axis at which the
`corresponding correlation measure has a maximum value” ............................. 30
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`[34.4.e]: “where the data processing system further is configured for
`4.
`determining a sub-scan color for a point on a generated sub-scan based on the
`surface color information of the 2D image in the series in which the correlation
`measure has its maximum value for the corresponding block of image sensor
`pixels.” ............................................................................................................... 32
`5.
`[34.4.f]: “where the data processing system further is configured
`for…computing an averaged sub-scan color for a number of points of the sub-
`scan, where the computing comprises an averaging of sub-scan colors of
`surrounding points on the sub-scan” ................................................................. 33
`a)
`Fisker ..................................................................................................... 33
`b)
`Suzuki (Ground 2) ................................................................................. 34
`c) Cai (Ground 3) ...................................................................................... 35
`d) Motivation to Combine: Fisker and Suzuki (Ground 2) and Fisker and
`Cai (Ground 3) ............................................................................................... 35
`IX. Ground 4: The combination of Thiel425, Thiel 576, and Tanaka renders
`claims 31 and 32 obvious. ............................................................................ 39
`A. Claim 31 ...................................................................................................... 39
`1.
`Limitation [31.P] ...................................................................................... 39
`a) Thiel425 ................................................................................................ 39
`b) Thiel576 ................................................................................................ 40
`c) Motivation to Combine: Thiel425 with Thiel576 ................................. 41
`2.
`Limitation [31.1] ...................................................................................... 44
`3.
`Limitation [31.2.a] .................................................................................... 45
`4.
`Limitation [31.2.b] ................................................................................... 45
`a) Thiel425/Thiel576 ................................................................................. 45
`b) Tanaka ................................................................................................... 46
`c) Motivation to Combine: Thiel425, Thiel576, and Tanaka ................... 46
`5.
`Limitation [31.3.a] .................................................................................... 48
`6.
`Limitation [31.3.b] ................................................................................... 48
`7.
`Limitation [31.4.a] .................................................................................... 49
`8.
`Limitation [31.4.b] ................................................................................... 50
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`a) Thiel425 ................................................................................................ 50
`b) Thiel576 ................................................................................................ 50
`c) Motivation to Combine: Thiel425 and Thiel576 .................................. 51
`9.
`Limitations [31.5.a]-[31.5.b] .................................................................... 51
`a) Thiel425/Thiel576 ................................................................................. 51
`b) Tanaka ................................................................................................... 52
`c) Motivation to Combine: Thiel425, Thiel576, and Tanaka ................... 53
`B. Claim 32 ...................................................................................................... 54
`1.
`Limitations [32.P]-[32.4.b] ....................................................................... 54
`2.
`Limitation [32.5.a]-[32.5.b] ...................................................................... 54
`a) Thiel425/Theil576 ................................................................................. 54
`b) Tanaka ................................................................................................... 55
`c) Motivation to Combine: Thiel425, Thiel576, and Tanaka ................... 56
`X. Grounds 5 and 6: The combinations of Thiel425, Thiel576, Fisker, and
`Suzuki (Ground 5) and Thiel425, Thiel576, Fisker and Cai (Ground 6)
`render claim 34 obvious. .............................................................................. 57
`A. Claim 34 ...................................................................................................... 57
`1.
`Limitations [34.P]-[34.4.b] ....................................................................... 57
`2.
`Limitation [34.4.c] .................................................................................... 57
`a) Thiel425/Thiel576 ................................................................................. 57
`b)
`Fisker ..................................................................................................... 58
`c) Motivation to Combine: Thiel425, Thiel576, and Fisker ..................... 58
`3.
`Limitation [34.4.d] ................................................................................... 61
`a) Thiel425/Thiel576 ................................................................................. 61
`b)
`Fisker ..................................................................................................... 61
`c) Motivation to Combine: Thiel425, Thiel576, and Fisker ..................... 62
`4.
`Limitation [34.4.e] .................................................................................... 62
`a) Thiel425/Thiel576 ................................................................................. 62
`b)
`Fisker ..................................................................................................... 63
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`c) Motivation to Combine: Thiel425, Thiel576, and Fisker ..................... 64
`5.
`Limitation [34.4.f] .................................................................................... 65
`a) Thiel425/Thiel576 ................................................................................. 65
`b)
`Fisker ..................................................................................................... 65
`c)
`Suzuki (Ground 5) and Cai (Ground 6) ................................................ 66
`d) Motivation to Combine: Thiel425, Thiel576, Fisker, and Suzuki
`(Ground 5) and Thiel425, Thiel576, Fisker, and Cai (Ground 6) ................. 67
`XI. Mandatory Notices (37 C.F.R. §42.8(a)(1)) ................................................. 72
`XII. Conclusion .................................................................................................... 73
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`Exhibit
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`Petition for IPR2019-00118
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`EXHIBIT LIST
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`Description
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`1001 U.S. Patent No. 9,962,244 to Esbech et al. (“the ’244 patent”)
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`1002
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`Prosecution File History for the ’244 patent (“’244 patent file history”)
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`1003 Declaration of Dr. Chandra Bajaj, Ph.D. (“Bajaj Decl.”)
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`1004 Curriculum vitae of Dr. Chandra Bajaj, Ph.D.
`1005 U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2012/0092461 to Fisker et al.
`(earliest priority date: June 17, 2009; published: April 19, 2012)
`1006 U.S. Patent No. 6,097,854 to Szeliski et al. (earliest priority date:
`August 1, 1997; issued: August 1, 2000)
`1007 U.S. Patent No. 7,106,348 to Matsumoto et al. (earliest priority date:
`August 28, 1997; issued: September 12, 2006)
`1008 U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2007/0035641 to Yamada et al.
`(earliest priority date: April 25, 2005; published: February 15, 2007)
`1009 U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2013/0070128 to Suzuki et al.
`(earliest priority date: September 10, 2012; published: March 21, 2013)
`1010 U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015/0029367 to Tanaka
`(earliest priority date: July 29, 2011; published: January 29, 2015)
`1011 U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US 2010/0067789 to Cai
`(earliest priority date: September 18, 2008; published: March 18, 2010)
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`1012
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`1013
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`U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2012/0075425 to Thiel
`(“Thiel425”) (earliest priority date: February 23, 2010; published:
`March 29, 2012)
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`U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2011/0080576 to Thiel et al.
`(“Thiel576”) (earliest priority date: April 2, 2009; published: April 7,
`2011)
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`Petition for IPR2019-00118
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`Exhibit
`Description
`1014 Agini, Andreas, et al. Digital Dental Revolution: The Learning Curve.
`Quintessence Publishing, First edition, 2015.
`1015 U.S. Patent No. 6,750,873 to Bernardini et al. (“Bernardini”) (earliest
`priority date: June 27, 2000; issued: June 15, 2004).
`
`1016
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`1017
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`U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2013/0101176 to Park et al.
`(“Park”) (earliest priority date: August 24, 2012; published: April 25,
`2013).
`
`U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2012/0140243 to Colonna de
`Lega (“Colonna de Lega”) (earliest priority date: December 3, 2010,
`published: June 7, 2012).
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`1018
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`Karatas et al., “Three-dimensional imaging techniques: A literature
`review,” European Journal of Dentistry, Vol. 8, Issue 1, 2014; pp. 132-
`140.
`1019 Broadbent, B.H., “A New X-Ray Technique and Its Application to
`Orthodontia,” The Angle Orthodontist, Vol. 1, No. 2, 1931; pp. 45-66.
`1020 Hajeer et al., Current Products and Practices Applications of 3D
`imaging in orthodontics: Part II, Journal of Orthodontics, vol. 31 (2004).
`
`1021
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`1022
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`1023
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`1024
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`Yamany et al., “Free-Form Surface Registration Using Surface
`Signatures,” The Proceedings of the Seventh IEEE International
`Conference on Computer Vision, September 20-27, 1999; 7 pages.
`
`Ireland et al., “3D surface imaging in dentistry – what we are looking
`at,” British Dental Journal, Vol. 205, No. 7, October 11, 2008; pp. 387-
`392.
`
`Remondino et al., “Image-Based 3D Modelling: A Review,” The
`Photogrammetric Record, Vol. 21, No. 115, September 2006; pp. 269-
`291.
`
`Ting-Shu et al., “Intraoral Digital Impression Technique: A Review,” J.
`Prosthodontics, Vol. 24, No. 4, pp. 313-321.
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`Exhibit
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`1025
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`1026
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`1027
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`Petition for IPR2019-00118
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`Description
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`Zimmerman et al., “Intraoral scanning systems – a current overview,”
`Int. J. Comput. Dent., Vol. 18, No. 2, 2015, pp. 101-129.
`
`Imburgia et al., “Accuracy of four intraoral scanners in oral
`implantology: a comparative in vitro study,” BMC Oral Health, Vol. 17,
`No. 1, 2017, p. 92.
`
`Park et al., “Changes in views on digital intraoral scanners among dental
`hygienists after training in digital impression taking,” BMC Oral Health,
`Vol. 15, No. 1, 2015, p.151 (“Park Article”).
`
`1028
`
`Logozzo et al., “Recent advances in dental optics – Part I: 3D intraoral
`scanners for restorative dentistry,” Optics and Lasers in Engineering,
`Vol. 54, 2014, pp. 203-221.
`1029 U.S. Patent Prov. App. No. 61/764,178 to Esbech et al. (“the Provisional
`Application”)
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`Petition for IPR2019-00118
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`I.
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`Introduction
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`The ’244 Patent (U.S. Patent No. 9,962,244; Ex.1001) admits three-
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`dimensional scanners, such as three-dimensional intraocular dental scanners, were
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`well-known in the art. The ’244 Patent even identifies foreign and domestic prior
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`art references pertinent to the alleged invention (e.g., U.S. Patent No. 7,698,068
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`and Japanese Patent App. Pub. No. 2004/029373). Nonetheless, the ’244 Patent
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`alleges its protecting—for the first time—recording geometry and color data of an
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`object as 2D images and creating a three-dimensional image of the object based on
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`the data. Yet, in the only issued Office Action, the Examiner relied on prior art
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`submitted by 3Shape to reject this feature, while indicating a number of dependent
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`claims contained allowable subject matter. (Ex.1002, 875, 882-888.) 3Shape took
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`the allowable subject matter by incorporating it into independent claims. (Ex.1002,
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`890-904.) The ’244 Patent issued with the Examiner’s search and strategy results
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`containing few, if any, searches indicating a thorough search of the allowable
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`subject matter. (Ex.1002, 882-888, 924-925.)
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`As shown by the prior art and declaration in this petition, the allowed claim
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`features were well known in the prior art. If the Examiner had additional time to
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`perform adequate prior art searching, prior art would have been discovered.
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`Petitioner requests the Board institute inter partes review (IPR) and issue a
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`final written decision finding all challenged claims unpatentable.
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`II.
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`Petition for IPR2019-00118
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`Identification of challenge (37 C.F.R. §42.104(b))
`Petitioner respectfully submits two inter partes review petitions and requests
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`cancellation of the challenged claims based on 20 grounds as follows:
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`Petition 2 (the current petition):
`Ground
`References
`Fisker1 and Tanaka2
`1
`Fisker and Suzuki3
`2
`Fisker and Cai4
`3
`4
`Thiel5765, Thiel4256, and
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`Claims Challenged
`Basis
`§103 31-32
`§103 34
`§103 34
`§103 31-32
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`1 U.S. Pub. No. 2012/0092461 to Fisker et al. (“Fisker”), §§102(a) and (e)
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`(earliest priority date June 17, 2009; published April 19, 2012).
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`2 U.S. Pub. No. 2015/0029367 to Tanaka, §§102(a) and (e) (earliest priority
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`date July 29, 2011; published January 29, 2015).
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`3 U.S. Pub. No. 2013/0070128 to Suzuki et al. (“Suzuki”), §§102(a) and (e)
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`(earliest priority date September 10, 2012; published March 21, 2013).
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`4 U.S. Pub. No. 2010/0067789 to Cai et al. (“Cai”) §102(b) (earliest priority
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`date September 18, 2008; published March 18, 2010).
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`5 U.S. Pub. No. 2012/0075425 to Thiel (“Thiel425”), §§102(a) and (e)
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`(earliest priority date February 23, 2010; published March 29, 2012).
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`6 U.S. Pub. No. 2011/0080576 to Thiel (“Thiel576”), §102(b) (earliest
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`priority date April 2, 2009; published April 7, 2011).
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`Petition for IPR2019-00118
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`Tanaka
`Thiel576, Thiel425, Fisker, and
`Suzuki
`Thiel576, Thiel425, Fisker, and
`Cai
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`§103 34
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`§103 34
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`Petition 1 (the co-pending petition):
`Ground
`References
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`Claims Challenged
`Basis
`§ 103 1-5, 8-10, 15-16, 21-22,
`24, 26, and 28
`§ 103 1-5, 8-10, 15-16, 21-22,
`24, 26, and 28
`§ 103 29
`Fisker and Yamada
`§ 103 29
`Fisker and Suzuki
`§ 103 12
`Fisker, Szeliski, and Yamada
`§ 103 12
`Fisker, Szeliski, and Suzuki
`Fisker, Matsumoto, and Yamada § 103 12
`Fisker, Matsumoto, and Suzuki
`§ 103 12
`Thiel576, Thiel425, and Szeliski § 103 1, 22, and 24
`Thiel576, Thiel425, and
`Matsumoto
`Thiel425, Thiel576, and
`Yamada
`Thiel425, Thiel576, and Suzuki § 103 29
`Thiel576, Thiel425, Szeliski,
`§ 103 2-5, 8-10, 15-16, 18, 21,
`and Fisker
`26, and 28
`Thiel576, Thiel425, Matsumoto,
`§ 103 2-5, 8-10, 15-16, 18, 21,
`and Fisker
`26, and 28
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`§ 103 1, 22, and 24
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`§ 103 29
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`Fisker and Szeliski
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`Fisker and Matsumoto
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`5
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`Petition for IPR2019-00118
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`There are meaningful distinctions between the two petitions. Even though
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`there is overlapping prior art between the petitions, the petitions challenge the
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`patentability of different claims. Therefore, both petitions should be instituted.
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`III. The Board should not unjustly prevent Align from challenging the ’244
`Patent.
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`Petitioner has already filed two petitions for post-grant review against the
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`’244 Patent. If the Board agrees with the prior art Grounds, Petitioner requests
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`institution and consolidation of the four related inter partes review and post-grant
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`review petitions filed against the ’244 Patent. Granting institution for all four
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`petitions will allow for the most efficient use of judicial resources without unjustly
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`depriving petitioner of the ability to challenge the ’244 Patent for at least two
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`reasons. First, if the Board cannot determine until the final written decision
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`whether the ’244 Patent claims are PGR eligible, but has already denied institution
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`for the IPRs, Petitioner will unjustly be forbidden from challenging the ’244 Patent
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`at the PTAB. Second, the two IPR petitions include nearly identical arguments as
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`compared to the two PGR petitions.
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`Petitioner believes that the provisional application has no written description
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`support for at least claims 19, 25, and 32. The earliest effective priority date for at
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`least these claims is post-March 2013, requiring Petitioner to file a PGR. However,
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`Petitioner cannot foresee all evidence 3Shape may be able to provide during trial
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`that might dissuade the Board from holding that the ’244 Patent is PGR eligible. So
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`Petition for IPR2019-00118
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`until the Board can make a final determination regarding PGR eligibility, both the
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`PGRs and IPRs should remain active.
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`With regards to judicial efficiency, Petitioner has purposely filed nearly
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`identical prior art Grounds against the claims in the PGRs and IPRs knowing that
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`one of the two types of proceedings must fail under the law. In this way, as there
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`are identical issues except which proceeding type is proper, neither the Board nor
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`3Shape is prejudiced by instituting and consolidating the proceedings. And this
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`avoids Petitioner being unjustly deprived of challenging the ’244 Patent at the
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`PTAB. Thus, Petitioner respectfully requests that both PGRs and IPRs filed against
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`the ’244 Patent be instituted.
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`IV. The Board should institute trial notwithstanding 35 U.S.C. § 325(d).
`Section 325(d) provides the Director discretion to deny a petition for IPR if
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`“the same or substantially the same prior art or arguments previously were
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`presented to the Office.” 35 U.S.C. § 325(d). Here, however, all of the factors the
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`Board considers in applying § 325(d) point in favor of institution. Indeed, the
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`Board has previously instituted trial notwithstanding § 325(d) on nearly identical
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`facts to those presented here.
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`During prosecution, the Examiner rejected independent claims 1, 33, 35, 36,
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`and 38 as obvious over Fisker, but he allowed dependent claims 12, 14, 15, 20, and
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`5
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`22 based on his finding that neither Fisker nor the other prior art before him taught
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`the additional limitations of those claims. The patentee then incorporated the
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`limitations from the dependent claims into the independent claims in order to
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`obtain allowance. Yet, the Examiner performed only two prior-art searches: one in
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`July 2017 (before the only issued Office Action) and one in December 2017
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`(before the Notice of Allowance). (Ex.1002, 882-888, 924-925.) And the Examiner
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`limited his search for the limitations of the dependent claims to a search within
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`three references identified in IDSs for terms closely resembling some claimed
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`terms – for example, the terms “weight$3” and “averag$3.” (Id.) If the Examiner
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`had time to expand the initial search and/or the follow-up search, he likely would
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`have uncovered a litany of references teaching the allowed limitations. Moreover,
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`the Examiner did not consider any additional references in combination with Fisker
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`to teach the limitations of the allowed dependent claims, and he did not provide
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`any substantive rationale for allowance in the Notice of Allowance.
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`Here, Petitioner’s obviousness argument relies on Fisker for the features that
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`the Examiner found obvious over Fisker in the first Office Action, and on new
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`references not considered by the Examiner for the dependent-claim limitations that
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`the Examiner allowed.
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`In determining whether to deny institution under § 325(d), the Board takes
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`into account the following factors:
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`6
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`Petition for IPR2019-00118
` U.S. Patent No. 9,962,244
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`1) the similarities and material differences between the asserted art and
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`the prior art involved during examination;
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`2) the cumulative nature of the asserted art and the prior art evaluated
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`during examination;
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`3) the extent to which the asserted art was evaluated during examination;
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`4) the extent of the overlap between the arguments made during
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`examination and the manner in which a petitioner relies on the prior
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`art or a patent owner distinguishes the prior art;
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`5) whether a petitioner has pointed out sufficiently how the Office erred
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`in evaluating the asserted prior art; and
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`6) the extent to which additional evidence and facts presented in the
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`petition warrant reconsideration of the prior art or arguments.
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`Updated Trial Practice Guide (2018) at 12. Here, all factors weigh in favor of
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`institution.
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`With regard to the first three factors, Petitioner is relying on new art not
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`considered by the Examiner to show the obviousness of the limitations allowed by
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`the Examiner, and the art asserted in this IPR is not cumulative of the art evaluated
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`by the Examiner (with the exception of Fisker, which, again, is being used to show
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`the obviousness of the same limitations that the Examiner rejected as obvious over
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`Fisker). The first three § 325(d) factors thus weigh in favor of institution. See,
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`7
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`Luxshare Precision Industry Co., Ltd. v. Bing Xu Precision Co., Ltd., IPR2017-
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`Petition for IPR2019-00118
` U.S. Patent No. 9,962,244
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`01657 (P.T.A.B. Jan. 12, 2018) (Paper 17) at 8-10; Bestway (USA), Inc. v. Intex
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`Marketing Ltd, PGR2017-00003 (P.T.A.B. May 11, 2017) (Paper 9) at 7.
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`The fourth, fifth, and sixth factors—upon which the Board generally places
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`significant weight—strongly indicate in favor of institution as well. Petitioner’s
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`argument is that the Examiner correctly found the rejected claims obvious over
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`Fisker and that other references that were not considered by the Examiner render
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`the allowed dependent-claim limitations obvious as well. Thus, Petitioner is not
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`asking the Board to address arguments that were already considered and rejected
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`by the Examiner.
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`The Bestway and Luxshare decisions are on all fours with this case and show
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`why institution is appropriate here. In both of those cases, just as it is here, the
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`petitioners relied on a primary reference that was considered during prosecution,
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`along with secondary references that were not considered by the Examiner. And in
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`both of these cases, the Board rejected the patent owner’s argument that it should
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`deny institution under § 325(d), noting that the Examiners had allowed the
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`application without rejecting certain claim features that were challenged using new
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`prior art, and that there was insufficient evidence on record that the Examiner
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`considered the secondary references with respect to the dependent claims’
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`allowable subject matter. Bestway, Paper 9 at 7; Luxshare, Paper 17 at 8-10.
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`8
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`Petition for IPR2019-00118
` U.S. Patent No. 9,962,244
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`The Board’s decision in Trans Ova Genetics, LC. v. XY, LLC., IPR2018-
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`00250 (P.T.A.B. June 27, 2018) (Paper 9), is also instructive. There, the Petitioner
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`relied on two references cited and extensively considered during prosecution
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`(Factors 1-3). Id. at 18-19. Yet, the Board noted that the Petitioner provided
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`substantial evidence indicating the Examiner failed to appreciate the full scope of
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`the prior art’s disclosure; the Examiner’s appreciation of the prior art’s disclosure
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`was fundamental to allowance, and the Petitioner’s argument was significantly
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`different than the Examiner’s argument (Factors 4-5). Id. Thus, on the basis of
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`Factors 4-5 outweighing Factors 1-3, the Board instituted trial and declined to
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`dismiss on the basis of § 325(d), even when faced with prior art the Examiner
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`thoroughly considered during prosecution. Id. The case for institution in the case at
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`hand is even stronger than in Trans Ova because Factors 1-3 weigh in favor of
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`institution as well.
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`*
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`*
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`*
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`In sum, the Examiner allowed the claims in the application after only
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`searching within three references identified on Applicant-submitted IDSs for terms
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`included in allowed/allowable limitations. The Examiner did not perform any
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`additional searches beyond the Applicant-submitted IDSs or with text outside of
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`the allowed/allowable limitations’ claimed terminology. Additionally, the newly
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`cited prior art is only provided to teach the limitations that the Examiner failed to
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`9
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`reject. There is thus no overlap between the examination arguments and the instant
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`Petition for IPR2019-00118
` U.S. Patent No. 9,962,244
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`Petition. There is thus no compelling reason why § 325(d) would prevent
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`institution on the ground of unpatentability presented in the Petition here.
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`V. Overview of the ’244 Patent
`The ’244 Patent relates to “three dimensional (3D) scanning of the surface
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`geometry and surface color of objects,” particularly within dentistry and for
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`intraocular scanning (Ex.1001, 1:6-9.) The ’244 Patent provides a scanner system
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`and a method for recording surface geometry and surface color of an object in
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`order to generate a digital 3D representation of the object expressing both color
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`and geometry of the object. (Id., 2:5-13.)
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`The scanner system 100 comprises a multichromatic light source 101 that
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`emits light through an optical system 150, which provides 2D images having a
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`pattern onto an object 200 and comprises an adjustable focusing element 151for
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`shifting the focal imaging plane of the pattern on the object 200. (Id., 15:63-16:18.)
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`The scanner system 100 also comprises a data processing system for deriving
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`geome