`Tel: 571-272-7822
`
`
`Paper 16
`Entered: November 3, 2020
`
`UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
`____________
`
`BEFORE THE PATENT TRIAL AND APPEAL BOARD
`____________
`
`ORACLE CORP.,
`Petitioner,
`
`v.
`
`GUADA TECHNOLOGIES LLC,
`Patent Owner.
`____________
`
`IPR2020-00598
`Patent 7,231,379 B2
`____________
`
`
`Before MIRIAM L. QUINN, KIMBERLY McGRAW, and
`MATTHEW J. McNEILL, Administrative Patent Judges.
`
`McNEILL, Administrative Patent Judge.
`
`
`
`
`ORDER
`Conduct of the Proceeding
`35 U.S.C. § 317(b), 37 C.F.R. §§ 42.5, 42.74
`
`
`
`
`
`IPR2020-00598
`Patent 7,231,379 B2
`
`
`Patent Owner requested authorization to file a motion to expunge the
`collateral agreement filed as Exhibit 2002 as containing highly-sensitive
`confidential information of Patent Owner and third parties. Patent Owner
`also requested that if the Board denies Patent Owner’s request for
`authorization, the Board answer two questions: (1) Will the Board provide
`notice to the parties in the event a person requests access to the collateral
`agreement or if the Board decides to grant access to the collateral agreement
`under 35 U.S.C. § 317(b) and 37 C.F.R. § 42.74(c); and (2). More generally,
`can the Board direct us to any references explaining the Board’s
`procedure(s) in the event of such a request or grant?
`In light of 35 U.S.C. § 317(b) and DTN, LLC v. Farms Tech., LLC,
`IPR2018-01412, Paper 21 (precedential) (denying motion to expunge
`collateral agreements filed as exhibits to motion to terminate), we deny
`Patent Owner’s request for authorization to file a motion to expunge Exhibit
`2002 for containing highly-sensitive confidential information of Patent
`Owner and third parties.
`In response to Patent Owner’s two questions regarding confidentiality,
`we note that the procedures regarding third-party requests for access to the
`confidential agreement are outlined in 35 U.S.C. § 317(b) and 37 C.F.R.
`§ 42.74(c). In particular, 35 U.S.C. § 317(b) states that the agreement “shall
`be made available only to Federal Government agencies on written request,
`or to any person on a showing of good cause.” Thus, the requirement for
`access by a third party (not a Federal Government agency) is a showing of
`good cause. This “good cause” showing is a high burden, such that showing
`need or an alleged nexus to the substance of an ongoing post-grant review is
`insufficient. Except for being the basis for regulatory and statutory
`
`
`
`2
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`IPR2020-00598
`Patent 7,231,379 B2
`
`termination of the proceeding, confidential settlement agreements are
`irrelevant to issues raised in post-grant reviews, and, as such, the Board
`generally denies third-party requests for their disclosure. To date, a
`confidentially maintained settlement agreement filed with the Board has
`never been disclosed to a third party. In the rare event that the Board were to
`consider granting a request by a third party (not a Federal Government
`agency), the Board will notify the parties to the agreement and will provide
`an opportunity to respond to the request.
`
`Accordingly, it is
`ORDERED that Patent Owner’s request for authorization to file a
`motion to expunge Exhibit 2002 is denied.
`
`
`
`
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`3
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`
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`IPR2020-00598
`Patent 7,231,379 B2
`
`For PETITIONER:
`James M. Heintz
`Alireza Babaei
`DLA PIPER LLP
`jim.heintz@dlapiper.com
`alireza.babaei@us.dlapiper.com
`
`
`For PATENT OWNER:
`Isaac Rabicoff
`RABICOFF LAW
`isaac@rabilaw.com
`
`
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`4
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