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`UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
`___________
`BEFORE THE PATENT TRIAL AND APPEAL BOARD
`___________
`APPLE, INC.,
`Petitioner,
`v.
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`ALIVECOR, INC.,
`Patent Owner.
`___________
`Case IPR2021-00972
`U.S. Patent No. 10,638,941
`___________
`
`DECLARATION OF DR. IGOR EFIMOV IN SUPPORT OF
`PATENT OWNER’S PRELIMINARY RESPONSE
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`AliveCor Ex. 2001 - Page 1
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`I.
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`INTRODUCTION
`1.
`I, Igor R Efimov, Ph.D., have been retained by AliveCor, Inc.
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`(“AliveCor” or “Patent Owner”) to provide certain expert opinions in connection
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`with AliveCor’s Patent Owner Preliminary Response to the Petition for Inter
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`Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 10,595,731 (“the ‘731 patent”), IPR2021-00971
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`(“the 971 Petition”) filed by Apple, Inc. (“Apple” or “Petitioner”).
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`II. BACKGROUND AND QUALIFICATIONS
`2.
`I am the Alisann and Terry Collins Professor of Biomedical
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`Engineering at the George Washington University, Washington, D.C. From
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`January 2015 to December 2019, I served as the founding chairman of the
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`Department of Biomedical Engineering at the George Washington University.
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`Previously, from 2004 to 2015, I served as the Lucy & Stanley Lopata
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`Distinguished Professor of Biomedical Engineering at Washington University in
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`Saint Louis, Missouri. I was also a Professor of Medicine, Professor of
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`Radiology, and Professor of Cell Biology & Physiology at the Washington
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`University School of Medicine. I also served on the faculty of the Department of
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`Cardiology of the Cleveland Clinic Foundation (1994-2000) and Department of
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`Biomedical Engineering of Case Western Reserve University (2000-2004),
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`Cleveland Ohio.
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`3.
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`I received my Master of Science degree in experimental nuclear
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`physics from the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, USSR in 1986. In
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`1992, I further received a Ph.D. in Biophysics from the Moscow Institute of
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`Physics and Technology, after completing a doctoral study on the mechanisms of
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`sudden cardiac death due to ventricular arrhythmias. I completed my postdoctoral
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`training in 1992-1994 in the field of cardiac electrophysiology and arrhythmia at
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`the University of Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Then, I started my
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`independent cardiac research career in the Department of Cardiology at the
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`Cleveland Clinic Foundation (1994-2000), where I established an NIH-funded
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`laboratory. Cleveland Clinic has been consistently ranked #1 Cardiology program
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`nationwide since 1994 by the U.S. News & World Report.
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`4.
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`For the past 21 years I have taught undergraduate and graduate
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`courses in Biomedical Engineering at Case Western Reserve University,
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`Washington University in St. Louis, and the George Washington University,
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`including BME 301B Quantitative Physiology, BME 573 Applied Bioelectricity,
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`BME 5909 Physiology of the Heart, BME 1010 Introduction to Biomedical
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`Engineering, BME 3907 Clinical Cardiovascular Engineering, and BME 6045
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`Cardiovascular Engineering & Technology. In these and other courses, I taught
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`sections on engineering and physiological principles of cardiac electrophysiology,
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`arrhythmia, and electrocardiography. Many of my trainees are currently working
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`at leading national medical device companies such as Medtronic, St. Jude
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`Medical, Philips Medical, and Boston Scientific, developing novel cardiac
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`antiarrhythmic therapy and diagnostics devices.
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`5.
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`I also mentored over 30 clinical fellows and postdoctoral research
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`fellows, many of whom are currently professors, cardiologists, cardiac surgeons,
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`and clinical engineers throughout the national and world Universities and
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`hospitals, including Harvard University, MA; University of California, CA; Ohio
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`State University, OH; University of Wisconsin, WI; University of Fukuoka,
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`Japan; University of Bordeaux, France; University of Brno, Czech Republic;
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`Imperial College London, U.K; etc.
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`6.
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`I have published a book in 2009 on cardiac bioelectric diagnostics
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`and therapy (Efimov I.R., Kroll, M.W., Tchou, P.J., Eds., Cardiac Bioelectric
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`Therapy: Mechanisms and Practical Implications, Springer, 2009. ISBN 978-0-
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`387-79402-0), and I have just published a second updated edition of this book in
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`2021 (Efimov I.R., Ng F.S., Laughner J.I., Eds., Cardiac Bioelectric Therapy:
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`Mechanisms and Practical Implications, Springer, 2nd Edition. 2021. ISBN 978-
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`3-030-63354-7).
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`7. Most of my 260+ peer-reviewed publications focus on the
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`physiological mechanisms of cardiac arrhythmias, its diagnostics and therapy. In
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`collaboration with Professor John A. Rogers, we have developed novel
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`implantable, interventional, and wearable electronics platform for monitoring
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`cardiac electrophysiology, diagnosis of heart rhythm disorders due to brady- and
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`tachyarrhythmias and antiarrhythmia therapy. Several high impact publications
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`have been published on that subject recently in leading scientific journals of
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`Nature family. For example, our recent paper on novel bioresorbable electronics
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`platform (Choi YS, Yin RT, Pfenniger A, Koo H, Avila R, Lee KB, Chen SW,
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`Lee G, Li G, Qiao Y, Murillo-Berlioz A, Kiss A, Han S, Lee SM, Li C, Xie Z,
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`Chen YY, Burrell A, Geist B, Jeong H, Kim J, Yoon HJ, Banks A, Kang SK,
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`Zhang ZJ, Haney CR, Sahakian AV, Johnson D, Efimova T, Huang Y, Trachiotis
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`GD, Knight BP, Arora RK, Efimov IR, Rogers JA. Fully implantable and
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`bioresorbable cardiac pacemakers without leads or batteries. Nature
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`Biotechnology, June 28, 2021, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41587-021-00948-x.) was
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`featured by over 150 international news outlets reaching at least 12 million
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`listeners/viewers from 5 continents, including PBS, Guardian, and NIH Research
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`Matters (NIH Director’s office online publication).
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`8.
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`I have also delivered 360+ invited lectures at prestigious professional
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`conferences and leading Universities worldwide, most of them on cardiac
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`arrhythmias and therapy.
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`9.
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`I am currently serving 5-year term as the Editor-in Chief of
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`Cardiovascular Engineering and Technology, journal of Biomedical Engineering
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`Society published by SpringerNature. I am responsible for review and publishing
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`decision making of approximately 200-250 manuscripts submitted for publication,
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`including cardiac electrophysiology, signal processing, arrhythmia therapy, etc. I
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`have served on the editorial board of the American Journal of Physiology: Heart
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`and Circulatory Physiology and Heart Rhythm Journal, where I manage and make
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`decisions on manuscripts related to cardiac electrophysiology and electrotherapy.
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`I have served or currently am serving on many editorial boards of leading cardiac
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`journals, where I review papers on cardiac electrophysiology and arrhythmia.
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`These journals include Circulation Research, Heart Rhythm, Journal of Cardiac
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`Electrophysiology, Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology, American
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`Journal of Physiology, IEEE Transactions in Biomedical Engineering,
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`Experimental Physiology, etc.
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`10.
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`I have served on numerous national and international expert panels,
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`which consider grant applications from the leading experts in the field of cardiac
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`electrophysiology and defibrillation, from many countries, including the USA,
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`Canada, the UK, France, Switzerland, Germany, the Netherlands, Russia,
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`Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Singapore, etc. From 2009-2013, I served
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`as a chartered member of the leading US panel at the National Institutes of Health,
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`the Electrical Signaling, Transporters and Arrhythmia (ESTA) Study section,
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`which is the major source of funding to leading US cardiac arrhythmia
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`investigators.
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`11. My research on heart rhythm disorders has been funded by the
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`National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health and
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`other federal and private foundations without interruptions since 1998, with an
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`average of approximately $1M per year during recent years. I am also funded by
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`the American Heart Association, National Science Foundation, Leducq
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`Foundation, etc.
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`12.
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`I have served on many international panels that consider policy,
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`research, and funding decisions in the field of cardiac electrophysiology and
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`therapy in numerous countries from most continents. Recently, I served on The
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`Expert Panel on the Medical and Physiological Impacts of Conducted Energy
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`Weapons of the Council of Canadian Academies.
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`13.
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`I have been designing medical devices, for over 25 years. With the
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`support of NIH funding, I have invented a method for low-voltage defibrillation of
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`cardiac arrhythmias by effectively unpinning anatomical reentry (U.S. Patent No.
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`8,175,702), a method for cardiac pacing using the inferior nodal extension (US
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`Patent US No 8,391,995 B2), and a method and device for low-energy termination
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`of atrial tachyarrhythmias (US Patent No US 8,509,889 B2). I founded Cardialen,
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`Inc. to develop clinical defibrillator based on this method, which received over
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`$30M in venture and NIH funding.
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`14.
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`In recognition of my research and innovation in the field of heart
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`rhythm disorders, I have been elected to the United States National Academy of
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`Inventors in 2019; and I have received 2021 Distinguished Scientist Award from
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`the leading clinical cardiac electrophysiology professional association - Heart
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`Rhythm Society.
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`15. My professional history is further detailed in the provided curriculum
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`vita (see Appendix).
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`16. My conclusions in this report and my compensation do not depend on
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`the outcome of the case. My hourly rate is $500/hour for report preparation and
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`$550 for testimony in deposition/trial/arbitration.
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`17.
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`In preparing this declaration, I have considered the claims and
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`specifications for the ‘731 patent as well as the claims and specifications for U.S.
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`Patent Nos. 9,572,499 (“the ‘499 patent”) and 10,638,941 (“the ‘941 patent”)
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`(collectively, “the AliveCor Patents”) from the vantage point of one of ordinary
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`skill in the art. I have also reviewed the 971 Petition, the Declaration of Dr.
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`Bernard R. Chaitman filed in support of the 971 Petition, and all exhibits cited
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`herein.
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`18.
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`I reserve the right to modify or supplement my Declaration or the
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`bases for my opinions in light of any additional documents, depositions and other
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`testimony, or other evidence that may become available to the extent the 971
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`Petition progresses. I also may be asked to respond to any declarations or
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`testimony submitted on behalf of Petitioner concerning the patents-in-suit, state of
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`the art or other matters, as well as any rulings of the Patent Trial and Appeal
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`Board related to the 971 Petition, and reserve the right to do so.
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`III. LEGAL STANDARDS
`A. Claim Construction
`19.
`I understand that the claims should be construed from the standpoint
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`of a hypothetical person of ordinary skill in the art (“POSITA”) as of the invention
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`date of the asserted patent. I understand that the following factors are relevant to
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`determining the level of ordinary skill in the art: (a) type of problems encountered
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`in the art, (b) prior art solutions to those problems, (c) rapidity with which
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`innovations are made, (d) sophistication of the technology, and (e) educational
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`level and/or experience of active workers in the field.
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`20.
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`I understand that the claims of a patent define its scope, and the
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`construction of claim terms is a question of law. I also understand that claim
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`construction is a process that begins with the claims of the patent that define the
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`invention. The claims are given their ordinary and customary meaning as
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`understood by a person of ordinary skill in the art when read in the context of the
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`specification and prosecution history. In determining the proper construction of
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`the claims, courts apply a hierarchy of intrinsic record: (1) the claim language, (2)
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`the specification, and (3) the prosecution history. It is my understanding that
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`extrinsic evidence, such as expert testimony, dictionaries, and learned treatises,
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`can be used if claim terms remain ambiguous but extrinsic evidence cannot be
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`used to contradict the intrinsic evidence.
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`21.
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`I understand that the written description of the invention in the patent
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`specification is of paramount importance in construing the claims. The
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`specification is the single best guide to the meaning of a disputed term and is
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`usually dispositive. While the specification is a guide when construing claims,
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`specific embodiments should not be read into claims.
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`22.
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`I understand that an inventor may act as his or her own lexicographer
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`and provide definitions for terms used in a patent. I also understand that when the
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`specification shows that the inventors gave a special definition to a claim term that
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`differs from the meaning it would otherwise possess, that definition controls the
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`meaning of the term.
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`23.
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`I understand that a claim construction should give meaning to all of
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`the terms in the claim. Constructions that render a claim term(s) superfluous are
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`generally rejected. Each claim term is also presumed to have a distinct meaning
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`and scope.
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`24.
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`I understand that an element in a claim for a combination may be
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`expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function (“means plus
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`function”) without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and
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`such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or
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`acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
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`25.
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`I also understand that there is a rebuttable presumption afforded the
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`patent drafter that claim language is not “means plus function” if it does not
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`include the word “means.” I also understand that the presumption can be
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`overcome only if the challenger demonstrates that the claim term fails to recite
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`sufficiently definite structure or else recites function without reciting sufficient
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`structure for performing that function. In such cases, a substitute term acts a
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`generic placeholder (or so-called “nonce” word) for the term “means.” I
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`understand that the standard is whether a person of ordinary skill in the art would
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`understand the claim language to refer to structure, assessed in light of the
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`presumption that flows from the drafter's choice not to employ the word “means.”
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`B. Anticipation
`26.
`I understand that a claim is anticipated only if each and every single
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`element as set forth in the claim is found, either expressly or inherently described,
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`in a single prior art reference.
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`27.
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`I understand that inherency may not be established by probabilities or
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`possibilities, and the mere fact that a certain thing may result from a given set of
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`circumstances is not sufficient for anticipation.
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`28.
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`I understand that to serve as an anticipating reference, the reference
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`must fully enable that which it is asserted to anticipate. I further understand that a
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`claimed invention cannot be anticipated by a prior art reference if the allegedly
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`anticipatory disclosures cited as prior art are not enabled. I further understand that
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`enablement requires that the prior art reference must teach one of ordinary skill in
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`the art to make or carry out the claimed invention without undue additional
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`experimentation.
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`29.
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`I understand that determination of whether the requisite amount of
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`experimentation is undue may include consideration of several factors (known as
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`the Wands factors). Those factors include: (1) the quantity of experimentation
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`necessary, (2) the amount of direction or guidance presented, (3) the presence or
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`absence of working examples, (4) the nature of the invention, (5) the state of the
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`prior art, (6) the relative skill of those in the art, (7) the predictability or
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`unpredictability of the art, and (8) the breadth of the claims.
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`30.
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`It is my understanding that neither Apple nor Dr. Chaitman are
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`asserting any anticipation invalidity positions against the ‘731 patent in the 971
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`Petition.
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`C. Obviousness
`31.
`I understand that an analysis of obviousness must include an analysis
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`of (1) the scope and content of the prior art; (2) the differences between the prior
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`art and the claims at issue; (3) the level of ordinary skill in the art at the time the
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`invention was made; and (4) objective evidence of nonobviousness, if any.
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`32.
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`I further understand that there must be some articulated reasoning
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`with some rational underpinning to support the legal conclusion of obviousness. I
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`further understand that the patent challenger must demonstrate a “reasonable
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`expectation of success” of combining the prior art references to achieve the
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`claimed invention.
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`33.
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`I also understand that a patent can be obvious in light of a single prior
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`art reference if it would have been obvious to modify that reference to arrive at the
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`patented invention.
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`34.
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`I understand that in evaluating prior art, a person of ordinary skill in
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`the art (“POSITA”) must avoid the trap of hindsight. I further understand that
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`even an obvious solution does not render an invention obvious if the problem
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`solved was previously unknown.
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`35.
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`I further understand that a reference that teaches away cannot serve
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`as a basis for obviousness. I further understand that a reference may be said to
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`teach away when a person of ordinary skill, upon reading the reference, would be
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`discouraged from following the path set out in the reference, or would be led in a
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`direction divergent from the path that was taken by the applicant.
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`36.
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`I further understand that evidence of “secondary considerations”
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`when present must always be considered in a determination of obviousness. I
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`understand that these objective considerations, when considered with the balance
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`of the obviousness evidence in the record, guard as a check against hindsight bias.
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`IV. BACKGROUND
`37. The ‘731 Patent explains that cardiovascular diseases are considered
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`to be one of the leading causes of death in the world. Ex. 1001 at 1:34-39. One
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`common cardiac condition identified in the ‘731 Patent is arrhythmia, which
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`occurs when the electrical activity of the heart is irregular and/or is faster or
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`slower than normal, known as tachyarrhythmia and bradyarrhythmia, respectively.
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`Id. at 1:40-44.
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`38. The ‘731 Patent explains that while certain forms of arrhythmia are
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`not considered life-threatening, some are known to cause cardiac arrest that could
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`lead to cardiac death. Id.
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`39. The ‘731 Patent also identifies atrial fibrillation as one of the most
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`common forms of cardiac arrhythmia—which occurs when electrical conduction
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`through the atria of the heart is irregular, fast, and disorganized, leading to
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`irregular activation of ventricles. Id. at 1:44-49. Atrial fibrillation is associated
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`with atrial blood clot formation, which can lead to clot migration and stroke. Id. at
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`1:49-51.
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`40. A photoplethysmogram (PPG) sensor can, among other things,
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`monitor heart rate using an optical detection of blood volume changes in the
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`microvascular bed of the tissue. The PPG sensor system consists of a light
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`source(s) and a detector(s). PPG sensor(s) monitor changes in the light intensity of
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`light reflected from or transmitted through the tissue. The changes in light
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`intensity are associated with small variations in blood perfusion of the tissue,
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`caused by cardiac contractions, and provide information on the cardiovascular
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`system.
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`41. PPG monitoring is reliable in measurements of oxygen saturation and
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`average heart rate, but historically has been found to be less reliable in detecting
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`arrhythmias, especially atrial arrhythmias. Compared to the traditional ECG data,
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`heart rate estimation is more challenging based on the PPG-signal.
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`See Ex. 2002.
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`42. As shown in the image above, motion artifacts, which are caused by
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`the user’s physical activity (e.g. arm movement), can create noisy signals resulting
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`in significantly reduced PPG-signal quality. Ex. 2002 at Figure 5. As a result, it is
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`difficult to obtain a clean signal and extract HR from contaminated PPG.
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`Therefore, increasing the accuracy and robustness of PPG-based heart rate
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`estimation remains at the forefront of research and development in this area even
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`to this day. See Ex 2003.
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`43. The ‘731 Patent explains the state of the art in arrhythmia detection,
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`the limitations in known techniques and equipment, and the need for the
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`inventors’ improvement in detection techniques and equipment. Ex. 1001 at 1:29-
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`2:13.
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`V. THE ‘731 PATENT
`44. The ‘731 Patent teaches systems and methods that allow for an
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`increased efficacy and convenience of heart monitoring for arrhythmias like atrial
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`fibrillation. Ex. 1001 at 2:17-38. The ‘731 Patent generally relates to methods and
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`devices AliveCor invented that enable a user to wear sensors that monitor the
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`heart and allow the user to record an ECG. Id. at 2:39-64, 10:10-28, 23:20-34,
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`24:66-25:12. The ‘731 Patent teaches sending the sensor data to a smartphone or a
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`smartwatch in order to determine whether a heart arrhythmia is occurring. Id.
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`45. The ‘731 Patent teaches that “when a measured heart rate increases
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`rapidly without a corresponding increase in activity monitored by, for example, an
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`accelerometer” found on a mobile device, then an “advisory condition” is
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`generated for recording an ECG reading on the device. Ex. 1001 at 25:25-30. As
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`the ‘731 Patent states, “[b]y comparing measured heart rate changes with
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`measured activity changes, the presently disclosed software or ‘app’ minimizes
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`false alarms” that would otherwise occur in prior art methods sensing only heart
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`rate. Id. at 25:30-33. The ECG sensors on the device include “an electrode
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`assembly configured to sense heart-related signals upon contact with a user’s skin,
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`and to convert the heart-related signals to an ECG electric signal.” Id. at 25:36-40.
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`46. The claims of the ‘731 Patent recite specific and novel
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`implementations of apparatuses and methods used for detecting possible
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`intermittent arrhythmias that address the limitations in the prior art including the
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`requirement that the users be made aware of the potentially life-threatening
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`arrhythmia and have ready access to specialized diagnostic equipment in a clinical
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`setting.
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`47. The claimed inventions thus offer a uniquely convenient heart
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`monitoring apparatus and methods that leverages wearability, specialized sensors,
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`and machine learning to generate more accessible and effective detection of
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`potentially dangerous arrhythmia conditions.
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`VI. LEVEL OF ORDINARY SKILL IN THE ART
`48.
`I disagree with Apple and Dr. Chaitman’s assertion that a Person of
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`Ordinary Skill in the Art (“POSITA”) would only need “a combination of
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`Bachelor’s Degree (or a similar Master’s Degree, or higher degree) in an
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`academic area emphasizing health science, or a related field, and two or more
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`years of work experience with cardiac monitoring technologies (e.g., a
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`cardiologist).” Petition at 7-8; see also Ex. 1003, ¶10.
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`49.
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`In my opinion, it is insufficient that a POSITA in the field of the ‘731
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`Patent be defined in the context of the general field of “health science.”
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`50. For example, the Summary of the Invention explains that the
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`invention includes “devices, systems, and methods for managing health and
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`disease such as cardiac diseases, including arrhythmia and atrial fibrillation” and
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`the use of “[a] portable computing device” that is specifically configured to
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`“measure one or more physiological signals of a user.” Ex. 1001 at 2:17-19, 39-
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`41.
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`51. A POSITA would need to understand the specific aspects of the
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`design, configuration, and operation of these devices requires, which specialized
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`engineering skills that a cardiologist may or may not possess in his or her
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`background.
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`52. As a result, a degree in biomedical or electrical engineering (or an
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`equivalent), and/or extensive experience working with arrhythmia detection tools
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`would also be necessary.
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`53. Dr. Chaitman only states in his declaration that his background
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`includes a “Bachelor of Science” degree, without specifying the field. Ex. 1003,
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`¶6. Dr. Chaitman’s described experience is also limited to “the use of the rest and
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`exercise ECG as a diagnostic instrument” and “matters related to ECG analysis
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`and the use of ECG analysis as a diagnostic and prognostic tool.” Id., ¶¶ 6-8
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`(emphases added).
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`54. Dr. Chaitman does not state that he has any background involving the
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`specialized engineering skills necessary for the design, configuration, and
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`operation of portable computing devices that are the subject of the ‘731 patent.
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`55.
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`I believe that Dr. Chaitman’s limited experience in the relevant field
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`leads to several misplaced assumptions in his declaration concerning the
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`limitations of PPG signal processing technology, what a POSITA would
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`understand to exist in the field prior to the filing of the ‘941 Patent, and the extent
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`to which a POSITA would be motivated to combine the asserted prior art
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`references without the use of hindsight derived from the disclosures of the ‘941
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`Patent itself.
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`VII. OVERVIEW OF THE PRIMARY ASSERTED PRIOR ART
`REFERENCES
`A.
`PCT Patent Publication WO2012/140559 (“Shmueli”)
`56. Shmueli is titled “Pulse Oximetry Measurement Triggering ECG
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`Measurement.” Ex. 1004 at 1.
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`57. The Abstract states the disclosed invention is a “method and a system
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`for triggering the measurement of electrocardiogram (ECG) signal of a user” by
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`“continuously measuring SpO2 at the wrist of the user, detecting an irregular heart
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`condition from the SpO2 measurement, notifying the user to perform an ECG
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`measurement, and initiating the ECG measurement at least partially at the wrist.”
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`Ex. 1004 at 1.
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`58. Shmueli explains that the problem it is seeking to solve is that the
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`prior art “does not consider a requirement to enable a patient to perform ECG
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`measurement as soon as an irregular heart activity develops and without requiring
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`the ECG to be constantly wired to the patient.” Ex. 1004 at 9. Shmueli states that
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`this problem is addressed “by providing a combined oximetry and
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`electrocardiogram measuring system and a method in which the oximetry
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`measurement is performed continuously and/or repeatedly, and the ECG
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`measurement is triggered upon detection of an intermittent irregular heart-related
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`event.” Id.
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`B. U.S. Patent Publication 2014/0275840 (“Osorio”)
`59. Osorio is titled “Pathological State Detection Using Dynamically
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`Determined Body Data Variability Range Values.” The Abstract states that the
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`invention disclosed is directed to detecting a “pathological body state of a patient”
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`by determining when a body data variability value, or “BDV,” is outside of a
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`“value range.” Ex. 1005 at Abstract.
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`60. Osorio’s summary of the field of the invention specifies that it
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`“relates to medical device systems and methods capable of detecting a
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`pathological body state of a patient, which may include epileptic seizures, and
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`responding to the same.” Ex. 1005 at [0002]. Osorio also repeatedly refers to the
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`“pathological state” as an epileptic seizure (a neurological condition), not
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`arrhythmia. Id. at [0037], [0045], [0046], [0056], [0058], [0066]-[0068], [0073],
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`[0083], [0090], [0096].
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`61. Osorio discloses a “medical device system 100” that includes “a
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`medical device 200, activity sensor(s) 212, lead(s) 211 coupling the activity
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`sensor(s) 212 to the medical device 200, body signal sensors 282 and body signal
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`leads 281 coupling body signal sensors 282 to medical device 200.” Ex. 1005 at
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`[0033].
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`62. Osorio explains that the system “may be fully or partially implanted”
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`in a patient. Id.
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`63. A schematic representation of the “medical device system” is
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`provided in Figure 1 (reproduced below) showing the kinetic sensor(s) and body
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`signal sensor(s) attached by leads to the medical device that contains various
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`modules and units:
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`C.
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`Signal Quality and Data Fusion for False Alarm Reduction in the
`Intensive Care Unit, Li, et al. (“Li-2012”)
`64. Li-2012 analyzes “[f]alse cardiac monitor alarms in the intensive care
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`unit (ICU)” that were due in part to the fact that “uninvariate alarm algorithms and
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`simple numeric thresholds are predominantly used in current clinical bedside
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`monitors.” Ex. 1006 at 1.
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`D. Heart Rate Variability: Measurement and Clinical Utility,
`Kleiger, et al. (“Kleiger-2005”)
`65. Kleiger-2005 describes “two common settings” for measuring heart
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`rate variability. Ex. 1033 at 1. In the first method, “HRV is assessed under
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`controlled laboratory conditions with short-term measurements before and after
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`tilt, drugs, controlled ventilation, or other maneuvers selected to challenge the
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`autonomic system.” Id. In the second, “HRV can be determined from 24-hour
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`electrocardiographic (ECG) recordings made while subjects perform their usual
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`daily activities.” Id.
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`E. U.S. Patent No. 7,894,888 (“Chan”)
`66. Chan describes the use of a three-lead electrocardiogram device that
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`can record ECG data that can then be “recorded and transmitted to a personal and
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`hospital computer.” Ex. 1048 at Abstract, 1:47-50.
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`VIII. SHMUELI FAILS TO DISCLOSE ALL ELEMENTS OF THE
`INDEPENDENT CLAIMS
`67.
`I understand that Ground 1 of the 971 Petition relies on Shmueli,
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`alone, to argue that the independent claims of the ‘731 Patent are obvious. See
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`Petition at 13-28, 35-39.
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`68.
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`I disagree with Apple and Dr. Chaitman’s assumption that Shmueli is
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`directed to the detection of an arrhythmia. The reference does not once mention
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`arrhythmia, and is instead focused on methods and devices for detecting an
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`undefined “irregular heart condition,” the meaning of which one can only
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`speculate as numerous conditions can be considered heart irregularities: normal
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`autonomic nervous system control, autonomic dysfunction, heart failure, ischemia,
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`myocardial infarction, heart block, etc. There is no attempt by Shmueli to define
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`“irregular heart condition” with any specificity in the reference, and a POSITA
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`would not automatically assume that the term refers to arrhythmia in general, and
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`to atrial fibrillation in particular.
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`69. Because Shmueli’s lacks any disclosure of arrhythmia, a POSITA
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`would also not assume that Shmueli discloses detecting an arrhythmia using PPG
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`data, or confirming the presence of an arrythmia using ECG data.
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`70.
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`I also do not agree with Apple and Dr. Chaitman’s assertion that “a
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`POSITA would have understood that the software at element 50, element 39, and
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`element 38 causes the processing device to confirm the presence of an arrhythmia
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`based on the ECG data.” Petition at 27.
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`71. A POSITA reading Shmueli would understand that it does not
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`disclose any analysis of the recorded ECG waveform on the device itself, instead
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`explaining that “[a]fter concluding the ECG measurement (element 54) the
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`software program preferably proceeds to element 55 to communicate with a
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`remote server” and the wrist-mounted heart monitoring device preferably
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`transmits to the remote server the collected data, such as the recorded ECG
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`measurement … .” Ex. 1004 at 15.
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`72. Shmueli explains that it is “[t]he remote server” that then “further
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`analyzes the data … .” Id. As a result, the only disclosure in Shmueli of any
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`analysis of ECG data obtained from the device occurs at a remote server.
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`73.
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` Shmueli therefore does not disclose the idea of confirming the
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`presence of the arrhythmia on a wearable device as required by the independent
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`claims of the ‘731 Patent.
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`AliveCor Ex. 2001 - P