throbber
IN THE UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
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`In re Inter Partes Review of:
`U.S. Patent No. 9,767,955
`Issued: Sept. 19, 2017
`Application No.: 14/120,197
`Filing Date: May 5, 2014
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`For: Multi Power Sourced Electric Vehicle
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`FILED VIA E2E
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`PETITION FOR INTER PARTES REVIEW
`OF U.S. PATENT NO. 9,767,955
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`Petition for Inter Partes Review of USP 9,767,955
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`TABLE OF CONTENTS
`
`Introduction ...................................................................................................... 1
`I.
`Identification of Challenges (37 C.F.R. § 42.104(b)) ..................................... 2
`II.
`III. Background ...................................................................................................... 2
`A.
`The ’955 Patent (Ex. 1001) ................................................................... 2
`B.
`Prosecution History ............................................................................... 5
`C.
`Person of Ordinary Skill in the Art ....................................................... 6
`D.
`Claim Construction ............................................................................... 6
`1.
`The three layers may be in any order .......................................... 7
`2.
`“a shield member comprising a backplate” ................................ 8
`IV. Ground 1: Claims 1, 4-6, and 8-13 are anticipated by Hui-910 .................... 11
`A. Hui-910 (Ex. 1005) Overview ............................................................. 12
`B.
`Independent claims 1 and 13 ............................................................... 16
`1.
`Preambles .................................................................................. 16
`2.
`Element 1/13[a]: permeable magnetic material layer ............... 19
`3.
`Element 1/13[b]: coil layer ....................................................... 22
`4.
`Element 1/13[c]: shield member comprising a backplate
`for controlling flux .................................................................... 24
`Dependent claims 4-6 and 8-13 ........................................................... 31
`1.
`Claim 4 – ordered, parallel layers ............................................. 31
`2.
`Claims 5 and 6 – backplate made of copper or aluminum ....... 33
`3.
`Claim 8 – permeable magnetic material comprises ferrite ....... 34
`4.
`Claims 9-12 – backplate controls/directs flux .......................... 34
`
`C.
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`Petition for Inter Partes Review of USP 9,767,955
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`V. Ground 2: Claims 1 and 4-13 would have been obvious over Hui-910
`in view of Beart ............................................................................................. 37
`A.
`Beart (Ex. 1006) Overview ................................................................. 38
`B. Motivation to combine Hui-910 and Beart ......................................... 39
`C.
`Independent claims 1 and 13 ............................................................... 45
`1.
`Preambles, Elements 1/13[a]-[b] .............................................. 45
`2.
`Element 1/13[c]: shield member comprising backplate
`for controlling flux .................................................................... 45
`D. Dependent claims 4-12 ........................................................................ 46
`1.
`Claim 4 – ordered, parallel layers ............................................. 47
`2.
`Claims 5 and 6 – backplate made of copper or aluminum ....... 47
`3.
`Claim 7 – backplate extends beyond coil and slabs ................. 47
`4.
`Claim 8 – permeable magnetic material comprises ferrite ....... 49
`5.
`Claims 9-12 – backplate controls/directs flux .......................... 49
`VI. Ground 3: Claims 1-13 would have been obvious over Nakao in view
`of Beart .......................................................................................................... 49
`A. Nakao (Ex. 1007) Overview ................................................................ 50
`B. Motivation to combine Nakao and Beart ............................................ 53
`C.
`Independent claims 1 and 13 ............................................................... 60
`1.
`Preambles .................................................................................. 60
`2.
`Element 1/13[a]: permeable magnetic material layer ............... 63
`3.
`Element 1/13[b]: coil layer ....................................................... 65
`4.
`Element 1/13[c]: shield member comprising backplate
`for controlling flux .................................................................... 66
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`Petition for Inter Partes Review of USP 9,767,955
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`2.
`
`D. Dependent Claims 2-12 ....................................................................... 70
`1.
`Claim 2 – permeable magnetic material members
`arranged as bars extending radially from a common point....... 70
`Claim 3 – coil passes each permeable magnetic material
`bar at approximately center of the length of the bar ................. 72
`Claim 4 – ordered, parallel layers ............................................. 74
`3.
`Claims 5 and 6 – backplate made of copper or aluminum ....... 75
`4.
`Claim 7 – backplate extends beyond coil and slabs ................. 75
`5.
`Claim 8 – permeable magnetic material comprises ferrite ....... 76
`6.
`Claims 9-12 – backplate controls/directs flux .......................... 77
`7.
`VII. The Board Should Reach the Merits of This Petition ................................... 77
`VIII. Mandatory Notices under 37 C.F.R. § 42.8 ................................................... 80
`A.
`Real Party-in-Interest .......................................................................... 80
`B.
`Related Matters .................................................................................... 80
`C.
`Grounds for Standing .......................................................................... 81
`D.
`Lead and Backup Counsel and Service Information ........................... 81
`E.
`Fee for Inter Partes Review ................................................................ 82
`IX. Conclusion ..................................................................................................... 83
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`Petition for Inter Partes Review of USP 9,767,955
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`TABLE OF AUTHORITIES
`
` Page(s)
`
`CASES
`Advanced Bionics, LLC v. Med-El Elektromedizinische Gerate
`GMBH,
`IPR2019-01469, Paper 6 (Feb. 13, 2020) ..................................................... 77, 78
`Amazon.com, Inc. v. M2M Sols. LLC,
`IPR2019-01204, Paper 14 (Jan. 23, 2020) .......................................................... 79
`Apple Inc. v. Fintiv, Inc.,
`IPR2020-00019, Paper 11 (Mar. 20, 2020) ........................................................ 80
`Apple Inc. v. Motorola, Inc.,
`757 F.3d 1286 (Fed. Cir. 2014) ............................................................................ 9
`Apple Inc. v. MPH Techs. OY,
`IPR2019-00819, Paper 10 (Sept. 27, 2019) ........................................................ 79
`Free Motion Fitness, Inc. v. Cybex Int’l, Inc.,
`423 F.3d 1343 (Fed. Cir. 2005) ............................................................................ 7
`Genentech, Inc. v. Chiron Corp.,
`112 F.3d 495 (Fed. Cir. 1997) .............................................................................. 8
`In re Hiniker Co.,
`150 F.3d 1362 (Fed. Cir. 1998) ............................................................................ 9
`McCarty v. Lehigh Valley R.R. Co.,
`160 U.S. 110 (1895) ............................................................................................ 10
`Nidec Motor Corp. v. Zhongshan Broad Ocean Motor Co.,
`868 F.3d 1013 (Fed. Cir. 2017) ............................................................................ 7
`Norian Corp. v. Stryker Corp.,
`363 F.3d 1321 (Fed. Cir. 2004) .......................................................................... 39
`Phillips v. AWH Corp.,
`415 F.3d 1303 (Fed. Cir. 2005) .......................................................................... 10
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`Petition for Inter Partes Review of USP 9,767,955
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`In re Rambus Inc.,
`694 F.3d 42 (Fed. Cir. 2012) ................................................................................ 8
`Volkswagen Grp. of Am., Inc. v. Mich. Motor Techs. LLC,
`IPR2020-00452, Paper 12 (Sept. 9, 2020) .......................................................... 79
`STATUTES
`35 U.S.C. § 102 .......................................................................................................... 2
`35 U.S.C. § 102(a) ....................................................................................... 12, 38, 50
`35 U.S.C. § 102(b) ....................................................................................... 12, 38, 50
`35 U.S.C. § 102(e) ....................................................................................... 12, 38, 50
`35 U.S.C. § 103 .......................................................................................................... 2
`35 U.S.C. § 325(d) ................................................................................................... 79
`REGULATIONS
`37 C.F.R. § 42.8(b)(3) .............................................................................................. 81
`37 C.F.R. § 42.8(b)(4) .............................................................................................. 81
`37 C.F.R. § 42.10(a) ................................................................................................. 81
`37 C.F.R. § 42.10(b) ................................................................................................ 82
`37 C.F.R. § 42.15(a) ................................................................................................. 82
`37 C.F.R. § 42.100 ..................................................................................................... 6
`
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`Petition for Inter Partes Review of USP 9,767,955
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`Exhibit List
`
`Description
`Ex.
`1001 U.S. Patent No. 9,767,955 (“’955 patent”)
`1002 File History for ’955 patent (“’955 FH”)
`1003 Declaration of Mark Allen (“Allen Decl.”)
`1004 Curriculum Vitae of Mark Allen
`1005 U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2005/0189910 (“Hui-910”)
`1006
`International Publication No. WO 2005/024865 (“Beart”)
`1007 U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0119576 (“Nakao”)
`1008 U.S. Patent No. 8,749,334 (“’334 patent”)
`1009 File History for ’334 patent (“’334 FH”)
`1010 Frederick Emmons Terman, Electronic and Radio Engineering (4th ed.
`1947) (“Terman”) (excerpts)
`1011 New Zealand Patent No. 274,939
`1012 U.S. Patent No. 6,501,364 (“Hui-364”)
`1013 U.S. Patent No. 6,350,951
`1014 U.S. Patent No. 8,639,191
`1015 U.S. Patent No. 6,459,218
`1016 Klaus Finkenzeller, RFID Handbook (Rachel Waddington trans., 2d ed.
`2003) (“RFID Handbook”) (excerpts)
`1017 Kathleen O’Brien, Inductively Coupled Radio Frequency Power
`Transmission System for Wireless Systems and Devices (2007) (Ph.D.
`dissertation, Technical University of Dresden) (“O’Brien”)
`1018 Ned Mohan, et al., Power Electronics (2d ed. 1995) (“Mohan”)
`(excerpts)
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`Petition for Inter Partes Review of USP 9,767,955
`
`1022
`
`1021
`
`Ex.
`Description
`1019 UK Patent Application Publication No. GB 2389720 A (“Hui-720”)
`1020 Xun Liu & S.Y. Ron Hui, Equivalent Circuit Modeling of a Multilayer
`Planar Winding Array Structure for Use in a Universal Contactless
`Battery Charging Platform, 22 IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics
`21 (Jan. 1, 2007) (“Liu”)
`IEEE Standard for Safety Levels with Respect to Human Exposure to
`Radio Frequency Electromagnetic Fields 2 kHz to 300 GHz,
`IEEE Standard C95.1-2005 (Apr. 19, 2006) (“IEEE C95.1-2005”)
`International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection,
`Guidelines for Limiting Exposure to Time-Varying Electric, Magnetic,
`and Electromagnetic Fields, 74 Health Physics 494 (1998) (“ICNIRP
`Guidelines”)
`1023 H. Sakamoto et al., Large Air-Gap Coupler for Inductive Charger, 35
`IEEE Transactions on Magnetics 3526 (Sept. 1999) (“Sakamoto”)
`1024 U.S. Patent No. No. 7,804,272 (“Morita”)
`1025 Chwei-Sen Wang, Design Considerations for Inductively Coupled
`Power Transfer Systems (Oct. 21, 2004) (Ph.D. thesis, University of
`Auckland) (“Wang”)
`1026 U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2007/0188284 (“Dobbs”)
`1027 Mahendra Pratap Singh & Manoj Kumar Jain, Evolution of Processor
`Architecture in Mobile Phones 90 International Journal of Computer
`Applications 34 (Mar. 2014) (“Singh”)
`1028 Sascha Segan, The Evolution of the Blackberry, PC Mag (Jan 28, 2013),
`https://www.pcmag.com/news/the-evolution-of-the-blackberry-from-
`957-to-z10 (“The Evolution of the Blackberry”)
`1029 Tom Hormby, A History of Palm, Part 1: Before the PalmPilot, Low
`End Mac (July 19, 2016), https://lowendmac.com/2016/a-history-of-
`palm-part-1-before-the-palmpilot/ (“History of Palm”)
`
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`Petition for Inter Partes Review of USP 9,767,955
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`I.
`
`Introduction
`Momentum Dynamics Corporation (“Petitioner”) requests inter partes review
`
`of claims 1-13 of U.S. Patent No. 9,767,955, titled “Multi Power Sourced Electric
`
`Vehicle” (“’955 patent”) (Ex. 1001). According to USPTO records, the ’955 patent
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`is assigned to Auckland UniServices Limited.
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`The ’955 patent relates to an inductive power transfer pads that, as the name
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`suggests, transfer power via inductive coupling. This was not new. The ’955 patent
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`readily admits that wireless “Inductive Power Transfer” was known. It claims,
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`however, purportedly “improved” three-layer inductive power transfer pads with a
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`coil layer, a permeable magnetic material (e.g., ferrite) layer, and a conductive
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`backplate shield member to direct/control the magnetic flux. ’955 patent 2:12-24,
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`3:51-62, 8:28-36, 9:62-10:4.
`
`But this three-layer configuration was already known. For example, and as set
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`forth in the first ground herein, Hui-910 (Ex. 1005) taught an inductive battery
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`charging system using pads with the same three layers: coil, permeable magnetic
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`material (ferrite), and a conductive backplate shield member. In addition, and as set
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`forth in a different and independent ground, Nakao (Ex. 1007) taught the separate
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`coil and permeable magnetic material (ferrite) layers, and even arranging the ferrite
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`Petition for Inter Partes Review of USP 9,767,955
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`into bars as described in the ’955 patent. With the obvious addition of a conductive
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`backplate for shielding, the Nakao ground renders the claims unpatentable, too.
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`Accordingly, the Board should institute review of the ’955 patent and find all
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`challenged claims unpatentable.
`
`II.
`
`Identification of Challenges (37 C.F.R. § 42.104(b))
`• Claims 1, 4-6, and 8-13 are anticipated under 35 U.S.C. § 102 by Hui-910
`
`(Ex. 1005).
`
`• Claims 1 and 4-13 are also unpatentable under 35 U.S.C. § 103 over Hui-
`
`910 and Beart (Ex. 1006).
`
`• Claims 1-13 are unpatentable under 35 U.S.C. § 103 over Nakao (Ex.
`
`1007) and Beart.
`
`III. Background
`A. The ’955 Patent (Ex. 1001)
`The ’955 patent relates to an inductive power transfer system comprising a
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`transmitter pad (“charging pad”) that wirelessly transfers to a power receiver pad
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`(“pickup pad”). ’955 patent 1:17-20, 2:39-44, 4:1-5, Abstract; Allen Decl. (Ex.
`
`1003) ¶ 36.
`
`The ’955 patent acknowledges that wireless “Inductive Power Transfer” (IPT)
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`was known; it is essentially transferring power via a transformer without a common
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`core. ’955 patent 2:12-24, 4:1-8, 8:21-36, 9:62-10:4; Allen Decl. ¶ 37. The patent
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`Petition for Inter Partes Review of USP 9,767,955
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`contends that the ’955 patent’s claimed three-layer IPT pad is an improvement over
`
`the prior art because it “channel[s] the flow of flux from the charging pad,” and
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`thereby “improves the inductive coupling but also reduces the chance that any
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`undesired objects will be subjected to the induced fields during use.” ’955 patent
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`3:51-62; Allen Decl. ¶ 38.
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`The ’955 patent’s three-layer IPT charging pad includes a “metallic backplate
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`21” in one layer, “ferrite bars 22” in a separate layer, and a “coil of litz wire 27” in
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`another layer, wherein the coil “is located on ferrite bars 22 in region 24.” ’955 patent
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`8:62-9:5. The backplate, ferrite, and coil components are arranged as three
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`substantially planar and parallel layers:
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`Allen Decl. ¶¶ 39-40 (annotating ’955 patent Fig. 4); ’955 patent Abstract, 2:49-50,
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`3:5-17, 8:62-9:5.
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`Petition for Inter Partes Review of USP 9,767,955
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`As ferrite is magnetically permeable, the ferrite layer is a permeable magnetic
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`material layer. Allen Decl. ¶ 41. Metallic backplate 21 is “formed from a material
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`which substantially inhibits the passage of magnetic flux,” which is “aluminum in a
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`preferred embodiment.” ’955 patent 8:62-65, 3:28-31; Allen Decl. ¶ 42. By
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`inhibiting the passage of flux, the backplate serves to “channel[] the flow of flux
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`from the charging pad.” ’955 patent 3:51-52. The backplate will “direct flux upwards
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`from the plane of the backplate with less splay of flux in and parallel to the plane of
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`the backplate.” ’955 patent 3:52-56; Allen Decl. ¶ 42; see also Terman (Ex. 1010)
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`at Preface, 35, Fig. 2-19. And by directing the flux up, “[t]his not only improves
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`inductive coupling but also reduces the chance that any undesired objects will be
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`subjected to the induced fields during use.” ’955 patent 3:56-60. The ’955 patent
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`notes that the backplate may also be coupled to “aluminum strip 25,” which “assist[s]
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`in controlling the pattern of the flux generated.” ’955 patent 9:5-7, 3:32-33; Allen
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`Decl. ¶ 42.
`
`The claims recite a receiving or “pickup” pad that receives power from the
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`above-described charging pad. The ’955 patent does not separately describe a
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`receiving pad. It simply states that the “pickup pad (not shown) is preferably of the
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`Petition for Inter Partes Review of USP 9,767,955
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`same shape and configuration of charging pad 20.” ’955 patent 8:37-42, 8:56-61;
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`Allen Decl. ¶ 43.
`
`B.
`Prosecution History
`The ’955 patent is a divisional of an application that issued as U.S. Patent No.
`
`8,749,334 (Ex. 1008).
`
`During prosecution of the ’334 patent’s application, the Examiner rejected the
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`pending claims directed to “one or more ferromagnetic slabs,” “a coil,” and “a shield
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`member comprising a backplate” as anticipated by Beart, explaining that Beart
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`discloses a “support backplate,” “flux generating unit [coils 50] provided on the
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`support backplate,” and “a flux shield [70] made of electrically conductive material.”
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`’334 FH 245-53, 259-60 (Ex. 1009). In response, the Applicant amended the claims
`
`to require three layers—a layer of ferromagnetic slabs, a coil layer, and a shield
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`member comprising a backplate defining a third layer, and argued that there was “no
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`teaching or suggestion in Beart et al. of such a multi-layer structure.” ’334 FH 293-
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`303. The Examiner allowed the claims without any remarks. Id. at 311-12; Allen
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`Decl. ¶¶ 48-49.
`
`The ’955 patent application’s claims reciting a “transmitting pad” having a
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`“coil” and “ferromagnetic slabs” (but no shielding member) were rejected by the
`
`Examiner as anticipated and obvious over Eto. ’955 FH 19, 559-60 (Ex. 1002); Allen
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`Decl. ¶¶ 50-52. In response, the Applicant canceled the pending claims and drafted
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`Petition for Inter Partes Review of USP 9,767,955
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`a new claim set directed to a three-layer receiving pad. ’955 FH 582-84. The
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`Applicant argued, inter alia, that Eto lacked a shield for controlling the magnetic
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`field. Id. at 586; Allen Decl. ¶¶ 53. The Examiner allowed the claims without any
`
`remarks. ’955 FH 723.
`
`C.
`Person of Ordinary Skill in the Art
`A person of ordinary skill in the art at the relevant time (around 2008) would
`
`have had at least a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering (or equivalent) and at
`
`least two years’ industry experience, or equivalent research. Alternatively, a POSA
`
`could substitute directly relevant additional education for experience, e.g., an
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`advanced degree in electrical engineering (or equivalent), with at least one year of
`
`industry experience. Allen Decl. ¶¶ 31-34.
`
`This Petition does not turn on this precise definition, and the claims would be
`
`unpatentable from the perspective of any reasonable POSA. Id. ¶ 35.
`
`D. Claim Construction
`The Board construes the claims “using the same claim construction standard
`
`that would be used” in district court. 37 C.F.R. § 42.100.1
`
`
`1 Petitioner reserves the right to argue alternative claim constructions in other
`
`proceedings, including that the claims are indefinite in venues where that defense
`
`is available.
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`Petition for Inter Partes Review of USP 9,767,955
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`The Board “need only construe terms that are in controversy, and only to the
`
`extent necessary to resolve the controversy.” Nidec Motor Corp. v. Zhongshan
`
`Broad Ocean Motor Co., 868 F.3d 1013, 1017 (Fed. Cir. 2017) (internal quotation
`
`marks omitted).
`
`1.
`The three layers may be in any order
`Claims 1 and 13 recite permeable magnetic materials in a “first layer,” a coil
`
`arranged in a “second layer,” and backplate defining a “third layer.” ’955 patent cls.
`
`1, 13. The Board should construe these terms, “first layer,” “second layer,” and
`
`“third layer,” without imparting any particular ordering of the layers.
`
`The terms “first,” “second,” and “third” simply “distinguish between repeated
`
`instances of an element or limitation,” and do not imply any particular order. Free
`
`Motion Fitness, Inc. v. Cybex Int’l, Inc., 423 F.3d 1343, 1348 (Fed. Cir. 2005).
`
`Dependent claim 4 confirms this reading. It places the “first layer”—the
`
`permeable magnetic material member—between the third and second layers, i.e., the
`
`backplate and the coil. The layers are in claim 4 are therefore ordered third, first, and
`
`then second. Allen Decl. ¶¶ 54-57. The specification also places the layers in this
`
`third-first-second order. The “ferromagnetic slabs” (the claimed “first layer”) are
`
`between a “coil” (the “second layer”) and a “backplate” (the “third layer”). ’955
`
`patent Abstract, 3:15-17; Allen Decl. ¶¶ 58-59.
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`Petition for Inter Partes Review of USP 9,767,955
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`Accordingly, the independent claims do not require the three layers to be in
`
`any particular order.
`
`2.
`“a shield member comprising a backplate”
`Claims 1 and 13 recite “a shield member comprising a backplate defining a
`
`third layer, said backplate arranged to control electromagnetic flux [generated by
`
`said transmitting pad].”
`
`While the claimed shield member may include more components than a
`
`backplate (such as added sidewalls), no other components are required. In
`
`particular, the claimed shield member does not require adding a strip or sidewalls to
`
`the backplate. Such additions are optional, but not required. Allen Decl. ¶¶ 60-68.
`
`The plain language of the claims compels this reading. “‘Comprising’ is a
`
`term of art used in claim language which means that the named elements are
`
`essential, but other elements may be added and still form a construct within the scope
`
`of the claim.” Genentech, Inc. v. Chiron Corp., 112 F.3d 495, 501 (Fed. Cir. 1997).
`
`As a result, the backplate—which is arranged to control the electromagnetic flux—
`
`is essential, and other elements may (or may not) be added to the shield member.
`
`The claims in the parent ’334 patent (Ex. 1008), which has an identical
`
`specification, confirm this reading. In re Rambus Inc., 694 F.3d 42, 48 (Fed. Cir.
`
`2012) (“[U]nless otherwise compelled[,] the same claim term in the same patent or
`
`related patents carries the same construed meaning.”); Allen Decl. ¶¶ 62-63. Claim
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`8
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`Petition for Inter Partes Review of USP 9,767,955
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`1 in the parent ’334 patent, like the ’955 patent, recites a “shield member comprising
`
`a backplate defining a third layer.” ’334 patent cl. 1; ’955 patent cl. 1. Dependent
`
`claims 9 and 10 of the ’334 patent add requirements for “the shield member” to
`
`further include a “side wall” that “extends from the backplate and is integrally
`
`formed therewith,” and dependent claim 16 recites “said shield member further
`
`comprises a metal strip defining a barrier.” ’334 patent cls. 9, 10, 16;2 Allen Decl. ¶
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`63. Thus, in the context of this patent family, a shield member may have multiple
`
`components. One such component—and the only one required by the plain language
`
`of the claims—is a backplate defining a third layer. Id. ¶ 64.
`
`The specification may be read as being in some tension with the claim
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`language, but properly understood, it is not. The patent states in the Summary of the
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`Invention (but not the Detailed Description) that a “shield member” may be “formed
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`from a strip of material” that is “coupled to the backpla[t]e.” ’955 patent 3:31-35;
`
`see also id. at 3:45-50 (similarly discussing a shield member as “extend[ing] from
`
`the backplate”).
`
`But “the name of the game is the claim.” Apple Inc. v. Motorola, Inc., 757
`
`F.3d 1286, 1298 (Fed. Cir. 2014) (quoting In re Hiniker Co., 150 F.3d 1362, 1369
`
`(Fed. Cir. 1998)). “It is a bedrock principle of patent law that the claims of a patent
`
`
`2 All emphasis added unless otherwise noted.
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`Petition for Inter Partes Review of USP 9,767,955
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`define the invention to which the patentee is entitled the right to exclude.” Phillips
`
`v. AWH Corp., 415 F.3d 1303, 1312 (Fed. Cir. 2005) (en banc) (internal quotation
`
`marks omitted). “[I]f we once begin to include elements not mentioned in the claim,
`
`in order to limit such claim . . . , we should never know where to stop.” Id. (quoting
`
`McCarty v. Lehigh Valley R.R. Co., 160 U.S. 110, 116 (1895)).
`
`And here, the claims plainly recite a backplate by itself as a shield member.
`
`The specification does not clearly disavow backplate shield members without
`
`sidewalls. Rather, the specification describes a backplate that is arranged to control
`
`the electromagnetic flux to shield other components, exactly as claimed. The patent
`
`explains that such a backplate 21 is “formed from a material which substantially
`
`limits the passage of magnetic flux” such as “aluminium in a preferred
`
`embodiment.” ’955 patent 8:62-65, 3:28-31. And an “[a]luminium strip” may “assist
`
`in controlling the pattern of the flux generated,” but is not required. Id. at 9:5-7; see
`
`also id. at 3:28-31 (similar); Terman (Ex. 1010) 35-36 (“The most practical shield
`
`for magnetic flux at radio frequencies is made of material having low electrical
`
`resistivity, such as copper or aluminum.”), Fig. 2-19; Beart 2:29-3:4 (“[C]onductive
`
`materials can be seen as ‘flux-shields’ – the lines of flux in any magnetic system are
`
`excluded from them.”); Allen Decl. ¶¶ 65-68.
`
`Accordingly, the claimed “shield member” includes a backplate arranged as
`
`recited. It does not require, and does not forbid, any additional components such as
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`Petition for Inter Partes Review of USP 9,767,955
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`a strip or sidewalls. But even if it does, the claims are still unpatentable as explained
`
`in Grounds 2 and 3.
`
`IV. Ground 1: Claims 1, 4-6, and 8-13 are anticipated by Hui-910
`Hui-910 teaches each and every element as arranged in these claims. Like
`
`the ’955 patent, Hui-910 describes charging batteries by wirelessly transmitting
`
`power via inductive power transfer pads:
`
`
`
`Allen Decl. ¶ 71 (annotating Hui-910 Fig. 4(c)).
`
`The ’955 patent’s claims are directed to the inductive power transfer pad on
`
`the device being charged, i.e., the “pad to receive power from [the] transmitting pad,”
`
`and they require the pad to have three layers. Hui-910’s receiving pads are
`
`remarkably similar to those in the ’955 patent, and have the same three layers: a
`
`conductive coil, a ferrite (magnetically permeable material) layer, and a backplate:
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`11
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`Petition for Inter Partes Review of USP 9,767,955
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`
`
`Allen Decl. ¶ 79 (annotating ’955 patent Fig. 4 and Hui-910 Fig. 12(d)).
`
`A. Hui-910 (Ex. 1005) Overview
`Hui-910 was published on September 1, 2005, and is prior art to the ’955
`
`patent under 35 U.S.C. §§ 102(a), (b), and (e).
`
`Hui-910 teaches an inductive battery charging system comprising a “power
`
`delivering charger circuit” for wirelessly transmitting power to a “separate
`
`secondary transformer circuit” to charge a battery. Hui-910 ¶ 81. The primary power
`
`delivering circuit and the secondary transformer circuit both have the claimed three-
`
`layer structure: (1) a planar spiral inductor coil layer, (2) a permeable magnetic
`
`material layer made of ferrite, and (3) a backplate layer, formed from a highly
`
`conductive material such as copper, to shield other electronics from the
`
`electromagnetic flux. Hui-910 Abstract, ¶¶ 1, 5, 11, 70-72, 80, 83; Allen Decl. ¶ 70.
`
`An exemplary power delivering charger circuit in Hui-910 includes a primary
`
`winding(s) layer (element 4, forming a coil layer), a “ferrite” sheet (element 5,
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`12
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`Petition for Inter Partes Review of USP 9,767,955
`
`forming a permeable magnetic material layer), a “sheet of conductive material” such
`
`as copper (element 6, forming an EMI shield/backplate layer), and an optional plastic
`
`substrate material (element 7).
`
`
`
`Allen Decl. ¶ 72 (annotating Hui-910 Fig. 5(a)); Hui-910 ¶ 71, Figs. 4(a)-4(c); see
`
`also Allen Decl. ¶ 71 (annotating Figure 4(c)).
`
`Hui-910 provides two exemplary portable electronic devices that may be
`
`charged by the above circuit—a mobile phone (Figure 12) and a watch (Figure 13).
`
`Both include a secondary transformer circuit in the claimed three-layer arrangement:
`
`(1) a planar coil layer, (2) a ferrite magnetic material layer, and (3) a copper shield
`
`layer forming a backplate. For example, the mobile phone’s receiving pad is shown
`
`below:
`
`13
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`Petition for Inter Partes Review of USP 9,767,955
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`Allen Decl. ¶¶ 73-74 (annotating Hui-910 Fig. 12(d)); Hui-910 ¶¶ 80-81, Figs. 12(a)-
`
`
`
`12(c).
`
`The watch’s receiving pad is similar:
`
`Allen Decl. ¶ 75 (annotating Hui-910 Fig. 13(b)); Hui-910 ¶ 83, Fig. 13(a).
`
`Hui-910 teaches the purpose of the three-layer structure in its transmitting and
`
`receiving pads. Allen Decl. ¶¶ 76-78. First, in the coil layer of each pad, transmitting
`
`
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`14
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`Petition for Inter Partes Review of USP 9,767,955
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`(primary) and receiving (secondary) coils transfer power transfer wirelessly through
`
`inductive coupling. Like a conventional transformer (but without a common core),
`
`current applied to the primary windings generates magnetic flux that induce current
`
`and voltage in the secondary windings. Hui-910 ¶¶ 79, 80, 95, 106-107; Allen Decl.
`
`¶ 77; see also Terman (Ex. 1010) 11-21 (describing basic principles of inductive
`
`coupling). The AC voltage induced in the secondary winding is converted by a
`
`rectifier circuit into a DC voltage that charges a battery. Hui-910 ¶¶ 72, 80, 83; Allen
`
`Decl. ¶ 77.
`
`Second, the underlying ferrite and copper layers in the devices control and
`
`direct the electromagnetic flux generated by the primary coils in the charger circuit.
`
`Allen Decl. ¶ 78. The generated magnetic flux is desirable for inducing current and
`
`voltage in the secondary coils, but it is undesirable in other components of the
`
`portable electronic equipment. Hui-910 ¶ 4 (“[W]ithout proper EMI shielding,
`
`undesirable induced currents may flow in other metallic parts of the portable
`
`electronic equipment.”). The ferrite and copper layers function as an “EMI shield”
`
`to direct magnetic flux towards the receiving (secondary) coil where it is desired,
`
`and away from those other components where it is not desired. Hui-910 ¶¶ 4, 71, 80,
`
`83-84, 103; Allen Decl. ¶ 78.
`
`
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`15
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`Petition for Inter Partes Review of USP 9,767,955
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`B.
`
`Independent claims 1 and 13
`1.
`Preambles
`Claim 1 and 13 recite:
`
`1[pre] An inductive power transfer pad to receive power from a
`transmitting pad, the inductive power transfer pad comprising:
`
`13[pre] An inductive power transfer system comprising a wireless
`power receiver pad separable from a wireless power transmitter pad,
`the two said pads each comprising:
`
`Thus, claim 1 is directed only to the receiving pad, while claim 13 recites both pads.
`
`To the extent the preambles are limiting, they are disclosed by Hui-910. Hui-
`
`910 discloses an “inductive charger system consist[ing] of two modules,”
`
`including a “power delivering charger circuit” (the claimed “transmitting/transmitter
`
`pad”) and a “secondary transformer circuit” (the clai

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