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` Paper 10
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` Date: January 9, 2020
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`Trials@uspto.gov
`571-272-7822
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`UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
`____________
`
`BEFORE THE PATENT TRIAL AND APPEAL BOARD
`____________
`
`WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A.,
`Petitioner,
`v.
`UNITED SERVICES AUTOMOBILE ASSOCIATION,
`Patent Owner.
`____________
`
`IPR2019-01083
`Patent 8,699,779 B1
`____________
`
`
`
`Before JONI Y. CHANG, STACEY G. WHITE, and
`JULIET MITCHELL DIRBA, Administrative Patent Judges.
`
`CHANG, Administrative Patent Judge.
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`
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`SCHEDULING ORDER
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`IPR2019-01083
`Patent 8,699,799 B1
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`A. GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS
`1.
`Initial Conference Call
`The parties are directed to contact the Board within a month of this
`Order if there is a need to discuss proposed changes to this Scheduling Order
`or proposed motions that have not been authorized in this Order or other
`prior Order or Notice. See Office Patent Trial Practice Guide, 77 Fed. Reg.
`48,756, 48,765–66 (Aug. 14, 2012) (“Practice Guide”) (guidance in
`preparing for the initial conference call). A request for an initial conference
`call shall include a list of proposed motions, if any, to be discussed during
`the call.
`We refer the parties to the instructions on the Board’s website at
`https://www.uspto.gov/patents-application-process/patent-trial-and-appeal-
`board/trials/patent-trial-and-appeal-board-end regarding the proper use of
`email communication to the Board. Specifically, an email requesting a
`conference call should copy the other party, indicate generally the relief
`being requested or the subject matter of the conference call, state whether
`the opposing party opposes the request, and include multiple times when all
`parties are available. The email may not contain substantive argument and,
`unless otherwise authorized, may not include attachments. The parties also
`are reminded that they should discuss and attempt to resolve issues with
`each other first before requesting a conference call with the Board.
`2.
`Protective Order
`No protective order shall apply to this proceeding until the Board
`enters one. If either party files a motion to seal before entry of a protective
`order, a jointly proposed protective order shall be filed as an exhibit in
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`IPR2019-01083
`Patent 8,699,799 B1
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`accordance with 37 C.F.R. § 42.63, with the motion. The Board encourages
`the parties to adopt the Board’s default protective order if they conclude that
`a protective order is necessary. See Practice Guide, App’x B (Default
`Protective Order). If the parties choose to propose a protective order
`deviating from the default protective order, they must submit the proposed
`protective order jointly along with a marked-up comparison of the proposed
`and default protective orders showing the differences between the two and
`explain why good cause exists to deviate from the default protective order.
`The Board has a strong interest in the public availability of trial
`proceedings. Redactions to documents filed in this proceeding should be
`limited to the minimum amount necessary to protect confidential
`information, and the thrust of the underlying argument or evidence must be
`clearly discernible from the redacted versions. We also advise the parties
`that information subject to a protective order may become public if
`identified in a final written decision in this proceeding, and that a motion to
`expunge the information will not necessarily prevail over the public interest
`in maintaining a complete and understandable file history. See Practice
`Guide 48,761.
`3.
`Discovery Disputes
`The Board encourages parties to resolve disputes relating to discovery
`on their own. To the extent that a dispute arises between the parties relating
`to discovery, the parties must meet and confer to resolve such a dispute
`before contacting the Board. If attempts to resolve the dispute fail, a party
`may request a conference call with the Board.
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`IPR2019-01083
`Patent 8,699,799 B1
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`In any request for a conference call with the Board to resolve a
`discovery dispute, the requesting party shall: (a) certify that it has conferred
`with the other party in a good faith effort to resolve the dispute; (b) identify
`with specificity the issues for which agreement has not been reached; (c)
`identify the precise relief to be sought; and (d) propose specific dates and
`times at which both parties are available for the conference call.
`4.
`Testimony
`The parties are reminded that the Testimony Guidelines appended to
`the Trial Practice Guide, Appendix D, apply to this proceeding. The Board
`may impose an appropriate sanction for failure to adhere to the Testimony
`Guidelines. 37 C.F.R. § 42.12. For example, reasonable expenses and
`attorneys’ fees incurred by any party may be levied on a person who
`impedes, delays, or frustrates the fair examination of a witness.
`5.
`Cross-Examination
`Except as the parties might otherwise agree, for each due date:
`Cross-examination ordinarily takes place after any supplemental evidence is
`due. 37 C.F.R. § 42.53(d)(2).
`Cross-examination ordinarily ends no later than a week before the
`filing date for any paper in which the cross-examination testimony is
`expected to be used. Id.
`6. Motion to Amend
`Patent Owner may file a motion to amend without prior authorization
`from the Board. Nevertheless, Patent Owner must confer with the Board
`before filing such a motion. 37 C.F.R. § 42.121(a). To satisfy this
`requirement, Patent Owner should request a conference call with the Board
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`no later than two weeks prior to DUE DATE 1. See Section B below
`regarding DUE DATES.
`Patent Owner has the option to receive preliminary guidance from the
`Board on its motion to amend. See Notice Regarding a New Pilot Program
`Concerning Motion to Amend Practice and Procedures in Trial Proceedings
`under the America Invents Act before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board, 84
`Fed. Reg. 9497 (Mar. 15, 2019) (“MTA Pilot Program Notice”). If Patent
`Owner elects to request preliminary guidance from the Board on its motion,
`it must do so in its motion to amend filed on DUE DATE 1.
`Any motion to amend and briefing related to such a motion shall
`generally follow the practices and procedures described in MTA Pilot
`Program Notice unless otherwise ordered by the Board in this proceeding.
`The parties are further directed to the Board’s Guidance on Motions to
`Amend in view of Aqua Products (https://go.usa.gov/xU6YV), and
`Lectrosonics, Inc. v. Zaxcom, Inc., Case IPR2018-01129 (Paper 15) (PTAB
`Feb. 25, 2019) (precedential).
`As indicated in the MTA Pilot Program Notice, Patent Owner has the
`option at DUE DATE 3 to file a revised motion to amend (instead of a reply,
`as noted above) after receiving petitioner’s opposition to the original motion
`to amend and/or after receiving the Board’s preliminary guidance (if
`requested). A revised motion to amend must provide amendments,
`arguments, and/or evidence in a manner that is responsive to issues raised in
`the preliminary guidance and/or petitioner’s opposition.
`If Patent Owner files a revised motion to amend, the Board shall enter
`a revised scheduling order setting the briefing schedule for that revised
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`Patent 8,699,799 B1
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`motion and adjusting other due dates as needed. See MTA Pilot Program
`Notice, App’x B 1B.
`As also discussed in the MTA Pilot Program Notice, if the Board
`issues preliminary board guidance on the motion to amend and the Patent
`Owner does not file either a reply to the opposition to the motion to amend
`or a revised motion to amend at Due Date 3, Petitioner may file a reply to
`the Board’s preliminary guidance, no later than three (3) weeks after Due
`Date 3. The reply may only respond to the preliminary guidance. Patent
`Owner may file a sur-reply in response to Petitioner’s reply to the Board’s
`preliminary guidance. The sur-reply may only respond to arguments made
`in the reply and must be filed no later than three (3) weeks after the
`Petitioner’s reply. No new evidence may accompany the reply or the
`sur-reply in this situation.
`7.
`Oral Argument
`Requests for oral argument must comply with 37 C.F.R. § 42.70(a).
`To permit the Board sufficient time to schedule the oral argument, the
`parties may not stipulate to an extension of the request for oral argument
`beyond the date set forth in the Due Date Appendix.
`Unless the Board notifies the parties otherwise, oral argument, if
`requested, will be held at the USPTO headquarters in Alexandria. Seating in
`the Board’s hearing rooms may be limited, and will be available on a first-
`come, first-served basis. If either party anticipates that more than five (5)
`individuals will attend the argument on its behalf, the party should notify the
`Board as soon as possible, and no later than the request for oral argument.
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`Parties should note that the earlier a request for accommodation is made, the
`more likely the Board will be able to accommodate additional individuals.
`
`B. DUE DATES
`This Order sets due dates for the parties to take action after institution
`of the proceeding. The parties may stipulate different dates for DUE
`DATES 1, 2, 5, and 6, as well as the portion of DUE DATE 3 related to
`Patent Owner’s sur-reply (earlier or later, but no later than DUE DATE 7).
`The parties may not stipulate to a different date for the portion of DUE
`DATE 3 related to Patent Owner’s reply to an opposition to a motion to
`amend (or Patent Owner’s revised motion to amend) without prior
`authorization from the Board. In stipulating to move any due dates in the
`scheduling order, the parties must be cognizant that the Board requires four
`weeks after the filing of an opposition to the motion to amend (or the due
`date for the opposition, if none is filed) for the Board to issue its preliminary
`guidance, if requested by Patent Owner. A notice of the stipulation,
`specifically identifying the changed due dates, must be promptly filed. The
`parties may not stipulate an extension of DUE DATES 4, 7, and 8.
`In stipulating different times, the parties should consider the effect of
`the stipulation on times to object to evidence (37 C.F.R. § 42.64(b)(1)), to
`supplement evidence (§ 42.64(b)(2)), to conduct cross-examination
`(§ 42.53(d)(2)), and to draft papers depending on the evidence and
`cross-examination testimony.
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`IPR2019-01083
`Patent 8,699,799 B1
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`1. DUE DATE 1
`Patent Owner may file—
`a. A response to the petition (37 C.F.R. § 42.120). If Patent
`Owner elects not to file a response, Patent Owner must arrange a conference
`call with the parties and the Board. Patent Owner is cautioned that any
`arguments for patentability not raised in the response may be deemed
`waived.
`b. A motion to amend the patent (37 C.F.R. § 42.121).
`2. DUE DATE 2
`Petitioner may file a reply to the Patent Owner’s response.
`Petitioner may file an opposition to the motion to amend.
`3. DUE DATE 3
`Patent Owner may file a sur-reply to Petitioner’s reply.
`Patent Owner may also file either:
`a.
`a reply to the opposition to the motion to amend and
`preliminary board guidance (if provided); or
`b.
`a revised motion to amend.
`4. DUE DATE 4
`Either party may file a request for oral argument (may not be extended
`by stipulation).
`5. DUE DATE 5
`Petitioner may file a sur-reply to Patent Owner’s reply to the
`opposition to the motion to amend.
`Either party may file a motion to exclude evidence (37 C.F.R.
`§ 42.64(c)).
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`6. DUE DATE 6
`Either party may file an opposition to a motion to exclude evidence.
`Either party may request that the Board hold a pre-hearing conference.
`7. DUE DATE 7
`Either party may file a reply to an opposition to a motion to exclude
`evidence.
`8. DUE DATE 8
`The oral argument (if requested by either party) shall be held on this
`date. Approximately one month prior to the argument, the Board will issue
`an order setting the start time of the hearing and the procedures that will
`govern the parties’ arguments.
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`DUE DATE APPENDIX
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`DUE DATE 1 ............................................................... March 28, 2020
`Patent Owner’s response to the petition
`Patent Owner’s motion to amend the patent
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`DUE DATE 2 .................................................................. June 17, 2020
`Petitioner’s reply to Patent Owner’s response to petition
`Petitioner’s opposition to motion to amend
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`DUE DATE 3 .................................................................. July 23, 2020
`Patent Owner’s sur-reply to reply
`Patent Owner’s reply to opposition to motion to amend
`(or Patent Owner’s revised motion to amend)
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`IPR2019-01083
`Patent 8,699,799 B1
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`DUE DATE 4 .............................................................. August 13, 2020
`Request for oral argument (may not be extended by stipulation)
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`DUE DATE 5 ........................................................... September 3, 2020
`Petitioner’s sur-reply to reply to opposition to motion to amend
`Motion to exclude evidence
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`DUE DATE 6 ......................................................... September 10, 2020
`Opposition to motion to exclude
`Request for prehearing conference
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`DUE DATE 7 ......................................................... September 17, 2020
`Reply to opposition to motion to exclude
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`DUE DATE 8 ......................................................... September 23, 2020
`Oral argument (if requested)
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`IPR2019-01083
`Patent 8,699,799 B1
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`For PETITIONER:
`Louis L. Campbell
`Michael M. Murray
`WINSTON & STRAWN LLP
`llcampbell@winston.com
`mmurray@winston.com
`
`For PATENT OWNER:
`Michael R. Fleming
`Babak Redjaian
`Anthony Q. Rowles
`IRELL & MANELLA LLP
`mfleming@irell.com
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