`U.S. Patent No. 7,110,444
`
`UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
`
`____________
`
`BEFORE THE PATENT TRIAL AND APPEAL BOARD
`
`____________
`
`LG ELECTRONICS INC.,
`
`Petitioner,
`
`v.
`
`PARKERVISION, INC.,
`
`Patent Owner.
`
`____________
`
`Case IPR2022-00245
`
`U.S. Patent No. 7,110,444
`
`____________
`
`PETITION FOR INTER PARTES REVIEW
`
`
`
`
`
`TABLE OF CONTENTS
`INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................... 1
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`IPR2022-00245
`U.S. Patent No. 7,110,444
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`I.
`
`II. MANDATORY NOTICES (§42.8) ................................................................. 5
`
`A. Real Party-in-Interest .................................................................................. 5
`B. Related Matters ........................................................................................... 5
`C. Counsel ....................................................................................................... 6
`D. Service Information .................................................................................... 6
`III. CERTIFICATION OF GROUNDS FOR STANDING .................................. 7
`
`IV. OVERVIEW OF CHALLENGE AND RELIEF REQUESTED .................... 7
`
`A. Prior Art ...................................................................................................... 7
`B. Grounds for Challenge ............................................................................... 8
`BACKGROUND TECHNOLOGY ................................................................. 8
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`V.
`
`A. Wireless Signals ......................................................................................... 8
`B. “Up-Conversion” and “Down-Conversion” ............................................... 9
`VI. OVERVIEW OF THE ’444 PATENT .......................................................... 10
`
`A. Alleged Problem ....................................................................................... 10
`B. Alleged Invention ..................................................................................... 10
`C. Patent Owner Added Insignificant Limitations To Obtain the Challenged
`Claims .................................................................................................. 14
`VII. CLAIM CONSTRUCTION .......................................................................... 15
`
`A. “frequency down-conversion module” (Claims 2 and 3) ......................... 16
`B. “subtractor module” (Claims 2, 3) ........................................................... 17
`C. “under-samples” (Claim 2) ....................................................................... 19
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`i
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`U.S. Patent No. 7,110,444
`VIII. OVERVIEW OF THE PRIOR ART REFERENCES ................................... 19
`
`A. Tayloe ....................................................................................................... 19
`B. TI Datasheet .............................................................................................. 25
`C. Lam ........................................................................................................... 27
`D. Enz ............................................................................................................ 29
`E. Motivation to Combine ............................................................................. 31
`1. Tayloe with TI Datasheet .................................................................... 31
`
`2. Lam with Enz and Tayloe ................................................................... 33
`
`IX. LEVEL OF ORDINARY SKILL IN THE ART ........................................... 36
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`X.
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`SPECIFIC GROUNDS FOR PETITION ...................................................... 36
`
`A. Ground I: Claims 2 and 3 Are Obvious Over Tayloe in View of TI
`Datasheet ............................................................................................. 36
`1. Independent Claim 2 ........................................................................... 36
`
`(a) Element [2-preamble]: “A wireless modem apparatus,
`comprising” ................................................................................. 36
`(b) Element [2A]: “a receiver for frequency down-converting an
`input signal including” ................................................................ 38
`(c) Element [2B]: “a first frequency down-conversion module to
`down-convert the input signal, wherein said first frequency
`down-conversion module down-converts said input signal
`according to a first control signal and outputs a first down-
`converted signal” ......................................................................... 39
`(d) Element [2C]: “a second frequency down-conversion module to
`down-convert the input signal, wherein said second frequency
`down-conversion module down-converts said input signal
`according to a second control signal and outputs a second down-
`converted signal” ......................................................................... 47
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`ii
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`U.S. Patent No. 7,110,444
`(e) Element [2D]: “a subtractor module that subtracts said second
`down-converted signal from said first down-converted signal and
`outputs a down-converted signal” ............................................... 52
`(f) Element [2E]: “wherein said first frequency down-conversion
`module under-samples said input signal according to said first
`control signal, and” ...................................................................... 55
`(g) Element [2F]: “said second frequency down-conversion module
`under-samples said input signal according to said second control
`signal” .......................................................................................... 57
`2. Independent Claim 3 ........................................................................... 58
`
`(a) Element [3-preamble]: “A wireless modem apparatus,
`comprising” ................................................................................. 58
`(b) Element [3A]: “a receiver for frequency down-converting an
`input signal including” ................................................................ 58
`(c) Element [3B]: “a first frequency down-conversion module to
`down-convert the input signal, wherein said first frequency
`down-conversion module down-converts said input signal
`according to a first control signal and outputs a first down-
`converted signal” ......................................................................... 59
`(d) Element [3C]: “a second frequency down-conversion module to
`down-convert said input signal, wherein said second frequency
`down-conversion module down-converts said input signal
`according to a second control signal and outputs a second down-
`converted signal; and” ................................................................. 59
`(e) Element [3D]: “a subtractor module that subtracts said second
`down-converted signal from said first down-converted signal and
`outputs a down-converted signal” ............................................... 59
`(f) Element [3E]: “wherein said first and said second frequency
`down-conversion modules each comprise a switch and a storage
`element” ....................................................................................... 59
`B. Ground II: Claims 2, 3 and 4 Are Obvious Over Lam in View of Enz and
`Tayloe .................................................................................................. 61
`1. Independent Claim 2 ........................................................................... 61
`iii
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`U.S. Patent No. 7,110,444
`(a) Element [2-preamble]: “A wireless modem apparatus,
`comprising” ................................................................................. 62
`(b) Element [2A]: “a receiver for frequency down-converting an
`input signal including” ................................................................ 63
`(c) Element [2B]: “a first frequency down-conversion module to
`down-convert the input signal, wherein said first frequency
`down-conversion module down-converts said input signal
`according to a first control signal and outputs a first down-
`converted signal” ......................................................................... 64
`(d) Element [2C]: “a second frequency down-conversion module to
`down-convert the input signal, wherein said second frequency
`down-conversion module down-converts said input signal
`according to a second control signal and outputs a second down-
`converted signal” ......................................................................... 70
`(e) Element [2D]: “a subtractor module that subtracts said second
`down-converted signal from said first down-converted signal and
`outputs a down-converted signal” ............................................... 71
`(f) Element [2E]: “wherein said first frequency down-conversion
`module under-samples said input signal according to said first
`control signal, and said second frequency down-conversion
`module under-samples said input signal according to said second
`control signal.”............................................................................. 74
`2. Independent Claim 3 ........................................................................... 75
`
`(a) Element [3-preamble]: “A wireless modem apparatus,
`comprising” ................................................................................. 75
`(b) Element [3A]: “a receiver for frequency down-converting an
`input signal including” ................................................................ 76
`(c) Element [3B]: “a first frequency down-conversion module to
`down-convert the input signal, wherein said first frequency
`down-conversion module down-converts said input signal
`according to a first control signal and outputs a first down-
`converted signal” ......................................................................... 76
`(d) Element [3C]: “a second frequency down-conversion module to
`down-convert said input signal, wherein said second frequency
`iv
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`
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`IPR2022-00245
`U.S. Patent No. 7,110,444
`down-conversion module down-converts said input signal
`according to a second control signal and outputs a second down-
`converted signal; and” ................................................................. 76
`(e) Element [3D]: “a subtractor module that subtracts said second
`down-converted signal from said first down-converted signal and
`outputs a down-converted signal” ............................................... 76
`(f) Element [3E]: “wherein said first and second frequency down-
`conversion modules each comprise a switch and a storage
`element.” ...................................................................................... 76
`3. Dependent Claim 4 .............................................................................. 77
`
`(a) Element [4]: “The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said storage
`elements comprises a capacitor that reduces a DC offset voltage
`in said first down-converted signal and said second down-
`converted signal” ......................................................................... 77
`XI. THE BOARD SHOULD INSTITUTE REVIEW AND JOIN THE
`PROCEEDING WITH IPR2021-00990 ........................................................ 79
`XII. PAYMENT OF FEES ................................................................................... 81
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`XIII. CONCLUSION .............................................................................................. 81
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`v
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`
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`LIST OF EXHIBITS
`Description
`U.S. Patent No. 7,110,444 (“’444 patent”)
`
`Exhibit
`1001
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`IPR2022-00245
`U.S. Patent No. 7,110,444
`
`1002
`
`1003
`
`1004
`
`1005
`
`1006
`
`1007
`
`1008
`
`1009
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`1010
`
`1011
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`1012
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`1013
`
`1014
`
`1015
`
`Declaration of Dr. Matthew B. Shoemake Regarding U.S. Patent No.
`7,110,444
`
`’444 patent File History
`
`U.S. Patent No. 6,230,000 (“Tayloe”)
`
`SN74CBT3253D Dual 1-of-4 FET Multiplexer/Demultiplexer (rev. ed.
`May 1998) (“TI Datasheet”)
`
`U.S. Patent No. 5,937,013 (“Lam”)
`
`Circuit Techniques for Reducing the Effects of Op-Amp Imperfections:
`Autozeroing, Correlated Double Sampling, and Chopper Stabilization,
`Proceedings of the IEEE, Vol.84, No.11, November 1996 (“Enz”)
`
`Haque et al, A Two Chip PCM Voice CODEC With Filters, IEEE
`Journal of Solid-State Circuits, Vol. 4, SC-14, No. 6, Dec. 1979
`(“Haque”)
`
`Declaration of Maureen M. Honeycutt (“Honeycutt Decl.”)
`
`May 7, 2021 email from WDTX clerk
`
`ParkerVision Inc.’s Disclosure of Preliminary Infringement Contentions
`vs. TCL (“TCL PICs”)
`
`ParkerVision Inc.’s Disclosure of Preliminary Infringement Contentions
`vs. Hisense (“Hisense PICs”)
`
`Claim Construction Order, ParkerVision, Inc. v. Intel Corp., No. 20-cv-
`00108-ADA (WDTX, Jan. 26, 2021)
`
`U.S. Patent No. 5,764,693 (“Taylor”)
`
`U.S. Patent No. 5,742,641 (“Dingsor”)
`
`vi
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`
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`IPR2022-00245
`U.S. Patent No. 7,110,444
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`Description
`Parties’ Proposed Agreed Scheduling Order in ParkerVision, Inc. v. LG
`Electronics, Inc., No. 6:51-cv-00520-ADA (W.D. Tex. Nov. 5, 2021)
`
`Declaration of Dr. Dean P. Neikirk Regarding U.S. Patent No.
`7,110,444 (“Decl.”)1
`
`Exhibit
`1016
`
`1099
`
`
`
`
`1 As explained in the accompanying Motion for Joinder, Dr. Dean P. Neikirk’s
`
`declaration in support of this Petition (Ex.1099-Decl.) is substantially identical to
`
`the declaration of Dr. Matthew B. Shoemake (Ex.1002), submitted in IPR2021-
`
`00990. The corresponding declarations are cited in tandem herein, i.e.,
`
`Ex.1002/1099-Decl.
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`vii
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`
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`IPR2022-00245
`U.S. Patent No. 7,110,444
`LG Electronics Inc. (“Petitioner”) respectfully requests inter partes review
`
`(“IPR”) of claims 2, 3, and 4 of USP 7,110,444 (“’444 patent”) (Ex.1001).
`
`A Motion for Joinder is filed herewith requesting joinder with TCL
`
`Industries Holdings Co. v. ParkerVision, Inc., IPR2021-00990 (“the TCL IPR”).
`
`The TCL IPR was filed by TCL Industries Holdings Co., Ltd. (“TCL”) and
`
`Hisense Co., Ltd. (“Hisense”) (collectively “the TCL Petitioners”) on May 20,
`
`2021, and inter partes review of claims 2-4 was instituted on November 22, 2021.
`
`See IPR2021-00990, Paper 9. The instant Petition is substantively identical to the
`
`petition filed by the TCL Petitioners, challenging the same claims of the ’444
`
`patent on the same grounds and relying on substantively identical expert testimony,
`
`consistent with PTAB joinder practice.
`
`I.
`
`INTRODUCTION
`The ’444 patent, which claims a priority date of August 4, 1999, is directed
`
`to methods for performing down-conversion, a process for converting a high-
`
`frequency signal to a lower-frequency signal, ultimately resulting in a signal (the
`
`“baseband signal”) that can be processed by a mobile device. Down-conversion
`
`was well-known before the ’444 patent, and the structure recited in the challenged
`
`claims for performing down-conversion was also well-known. Thus,
`
`the
`
`challenged clams are unpatentable.
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`1
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`
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`IPR2022-00245
`U.S. Patent No. 7,110,444
`Electronic devices process data using baseband signals. But baseband
`
`signals cannot be transmitted wirelessly from one device to another. Accordingly, a
`
`baseband signal must be “modulated” onto a high-frequency radio-frequency
`
`(“RF”) signal called a “carrier” signal to be transmitted wirelessly. When that high-
`
`frequency signal is received by an electronic device, the receiving device must then
`
`“down-convert” the signal to one or more lower frequencies, with the result that
`
`the baseband signal is extracted and the device can process the data.
`
`The challenged claims recite a structure for performing down-conversion.
`
`For example, Figure 70A (below)2 shows a device that has an antenna 7072 for
`
`receiving a high-frequency RF signal 7082:
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`2 All annotations and emphasis have been added unless otherwise noted.
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`2
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`IPR2022-00245
`U.S. Patent No. 7,110,444
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`
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`This RF signal (purple) is processed by three modules: two frequency down-
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`conversion modules 7002 and 7006 (red and green) and a subtractor module 7020
`
`(light blue). The down-conversion modules down-convert the RF signal to produce
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`two down-converted signals 7007 and 7009 (red and green), which are then
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`subtracted from each other by the subtractor module (i.e., a differential amplifier)
`
`to produce the baseband signal (yellow).
`
`These structures were well-known in the prior art. USP 6,230,000
`
`(“Tayloe”) (Ex.1004) and USP 5,937,013 (“Lam”) (Ex.1006) each discloses and/or
`
`renders obvious all the claimed features of claims 2 and 3. And the Enz article
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`3
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`IPR2022-00245
`U.S. Patent No. 7,110,444
`(Ex.1007) discloses a switched-capacitor arrangement that, in combination with
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`Lam, renders obvious the DC-offset reduction limitation of dependent claim 4.
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`And to the extent Patent Owner alleges that Tayloe does not disclose the
`
`specific structures of the claimed down-conversion modules, these features were
`
`also disclosed in the Texas Instruments (TI) Datasheet (Ex.1005).
`
`Although Tayloe and Lam are cited on the face of the ’444 patent, they were
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`buried among over 900 references submitted by Patent Owner to the Patent
`Office.3 These references were never mentioned during the prosecution, and there
`
`is no evidence that the Examiner considered the references at all. Amazon.com,
`
`Inc., v. M2M Solutions LLC, IPR2019-01205, 2020 WL 44835, at *7 (Jan. 27,
`
`2020) (instituting where “the prosecution history record shows that the various
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`IDSs include at least about a few hundred references” and [n]othing in the record
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`indicate[d] that the Examiner substantively considered ... the prior art”).
`
`Petitioner requests that the Board institute inter partes review and cancel
`
`claims 2, 3, and 4 of the ’444 patent. Since the ’444 patent currently is asserted in
`
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`3 Applicant filed Information Disclosure Statements on July 25, 2002, June 9,
`
`2003, January 23, 2004, August 19, 2004, and November 12, 2004, listing
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`hundreds of references. (Ex.1003-File History, 1142-1248 (12/15/04 Resubmission
`
`of IDS Forms).).
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`4
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`IPR2022-00245
`U.S. Patent No. 7,110,444
`district court litigation, in view of § 314(a), Petitioner requests an expedited Notice
`
`of Filing Date Accorded.
`
`II. MANDATORY NOTICES (§42.8)
`A. Real Party-in-Interest
`Petitioner and LG Electronics U.S.A., Inc. are real parties-in-interest.
`
`B. Related Matters
`Petitioner is aware of the following civil actions involving the ’444 patent:
`
` ParkerVision, Inc. v. Intel Corporation, Case 6:20-cv-00108 (WDTX)
`
`(“Intel litigation”);
`
` ParkerVision, Inc. v. Hisense Co., Case 6:20-cv-00870 (WDTX)
`
`(“Hisense litigation”);
`
` ParkerVision, Inc. v. TCL Industries Holdings Co., Case 6:20-cv-
`
`00945 (WDTX) (“TCL litigation”);
`
` ParkerVision, Inc. v. ZyXEL Communications Corporation, Case
`
`6:20-cv-01010 (WDTX);
`
` ParkerVision, Inc. v. Buffalo Inc., Case 6:20-cv-01009 (WDTX);
`
` ParkerVision, Inc. v. LG Electronics, Inc., Case 6:21-cv-00520
`
`(WDTX);
`
` Intel Corporation v. ParkerVision, Inc., IPR2020-01265 (PTAB)
`
`(“Intel IPR”);
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`5
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`IPR2022-00245
`U.S. Patent No. 7,110,444
` TCL Industries Holdings Co. v. ParkerVision, Inc., IPR2021-00990
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`(PTAB) (“TCL IPR”); and
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` Additionally, Petitioner plans to file a Petition for inter partes review
`
`of certain claims of USP 7,292,835 (“the ’835 patent”). See LG
`
`Electronics Inc. v. ParkerVision, Inc., IPR2022-00246 (PTAB).
`
`Patent Owner alleges that it owns both the ’444 and ’835 patents and
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`is asserting both against Petitioner in the underlying litigation.
`
`C. Counsel
`Petitioner Lead Counsel:
`
`Petitioner Back-up Counsel:
`
`D.
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`Service Information
`E-mail:
`
`Post and hand delivery:
`
`Scott A. McKeown
`Reg. No. 42,866
`scott.mckeown@ropesgray.com
`Steven Pepe
`Reg. No. 42,069
`steven.pepe@ropesgray.com
`
`Scott Taylor
`Reg. No. 62,353
`scott.taylor@ropesgray.com
`
`Matthew R. Shapiro
`Reg. No. 70,945
`matthew.shapiro@ropesgray.com
`
`LG-ParkerVision-
`PTABService@ropesgray.com
`ROPES & GRAY LLP
`IPRM—Floor 43
`Prudential Tower
`800 Boylston Street
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`6
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`
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`IPR2022-00245
`U.S. Patent No. 7,110,444
`Boston, MA 02199-3600
`Petitioner consents to service via email at the addresses above.
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`III. CERTIFICATION OF GROUNDS FOR STANDING
`Petitioner certifies pursuant to Rule 42.104(a) that the patent for which
`
`review is sought is available for inter partes review and that Petitioner is not
`
`barred or estopped from requesting an inter partes review challenging the claims
`
`on the grounds identified in this Petition.
`
`IV. OVERVIEW OF CHALLENGE AND RELIEF REQUESTED
`Pursuant to Rules 42.22(a)(1) and 42.104(b)(1)-(2), Petitioner challenges
`
`claims 2, 3, and 4 of the ’444 patent.
`
`A.
`Prior Art
`Petitioner relies upon the patents and printed publications in the Table of
`
`Exhibits, including:
`
`1.
`
`USP 6,230,000 (“Tayloe”) (Ex.1004), filed on October 15,
`
`1998, is prior art under 35 U.S.C. §102(e)4.
`
`2.
`
`SN74CBT3253D Dual 1-of-4 FET Multiplexer/Demultiplexer
`
`(rev. ed. May 1998) (“TI Datasheet”) (Ex.1005) is a printed
`
`publication that was publicly available no later than July 1998
`
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`4 Because the ’444 patent’s filing precedes the AIA, Petitioner has used the pre-
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`AIA statutory framework.
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`7
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`(see Ex.1009 (“Honeycutt Decl.”)) and is prior art under at least
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`35 U.S.C. §102 (a) and (b).
`
`3.
`
`USP 5,937,013 (“Lam”) (Ex.1006), filed on January 3, 1997, is
`
`prior art under 35 U.S.C. §102(e).
`
`4.
`
`Circuit Techniques for Reducing the Effects of Op-Amp
`
`Imperfections: Autozeroing, Correlated Double Sampling, and
`
`Chopper Stabilization, Proceedings of the IEEE, Vol.84, No.11,
`
`November 1996 (“Enz”) (Ex.1007), is prior art under 35 U.S.C.
`
`§102(b).
`
`B. Grounds for Challenge
`Petitioner submits that claims 2 and 3 of the ’444 patent are unpatentable
`
`under 35 U.S.C. §103 over Tayloe in view of TI Datasheet. Claims 2, 3 and 4 of
`
`the ’444 patent are unpatentable under § 103 over Lam in view of Enz and Tayloe.
`
`This Petition, supported by the declarations of Dr. Matthew Shoemake
`
`(Ex.1002) and Dr. Dean K. Neikirk (Ex.1099-Decl.), demonstrates there is a
`
`reasonable likelihood that Petitioner will prevail with respect to at least one claim.
`
`V. BACKGROUND TECHNOLOGY
`A. Wireless Signals
`Wireless devices exchange information by transmitting and receiving
`
`electromagnetic signals. These signals are sent from one device’s transmitter to
`
`another device’s receiver. The challenged claims of the ’444 patent focus on
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`8
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`U.S. Patent No. 7,110,444
`devices for receiving signals transmitted from another device. (Ex.1001-’444
`
`patent, claims 2-4.)
`
`Before transmission, an information signal is commonly in the form of a
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`“baseband signal,” which has a relatively low frequency. Baseband signals cannot
`
`be effectively transmitted through the air. Instead, the information in a baseband
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`signal must be “imprinted” onto a higher frequency signal—called a “carrier”
`
`signal—that can be more easily transmitted, i.e., radiated from an antenna. This
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`process of “imprinting” a baseband signal onto a higher frequency carrier signal is
`
`called “modulation.” Modulation is achieved by modifying the frequency, phase,
`
`or amplitude of the carrier signal based on the frequency, phase, or amplitude of
`
`the baseband signal. (Ex.1002/1099-Decl.¶¶62-63.)
`
`B.
`“Up-Conversion” and “Down-Conversion”
`Modulating a high frequency carrier signal with a low frequency baseband
`
`signal to produce a high frequency modulated signal is called “up-conversion.”
`
`The ’444 patent refers to this modulated signal as a “radio frequency” or “RF”
`
`signal. After the modulated signal is received by a device’s receiver, it is “down-
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`converted” to one or more lower-frequency signals so that the baseband signal can
`
`be used or the information therein further extracted. The challenged claims of the
`
`’444 patent are directed
`
`to down-converting a modulated RF signal.
`
`(Ex.1002/1099-Decl.¶64.)
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`VI. OVERVIEW OF THE ’444 PATENT
`A. Alleged Problem
`The ’444 patent purports to address problems in receivers used in wireless
`
`networks. While the patent acknowledges that “various components” and
`
`“schemes” for down-converting signals already existed (Ex.1001-’444, 2:3-7), it
`
`describes conventional wireless network receivers as “complex” and requiring “a
`
`large number of circuit parts,” which are costly and “result in higher power
`
`consumption.” (Id., 1:65–2:3; Ex.1002/1099-Decl.¶65.)
`
`B. Alleged Invention
`The ’444 patent purportedly discloses an improved wireless receiver that
`
`includes at least one “universal frequency translation [UFT] module that frequency
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`down-converts a received electromagnetic (EM) signal.” (Ex.1001-’444, 2:19-21,
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`8:38–43, 9:30–32; Ex.1002/1099-Decl.¶66.)
`
`Challenged claims 2, 3, and 4 are directed to the wireless receiver shown in
`
`Figure 70A (below), which includes two “frequency down-conversion modules”
`
`having UFT modules for down-converting a high-frequency RF input signal to a
`
`low-frequency baseband signal. (Ex.1002/1099-Decl.¶67.)
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`10
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`Ex.1001-’444, Fig. 70A
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`
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`The first down-conversion module 7002 (red) down-converts the high frequency
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`RF input signal 7082 (purple) into a first down-converted signal 7098 (light red).
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`(Ex.1001-’444, 35:5-36:13.) Similarly, the second down-conversion module 7006
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`(green) down-converts the input signal 7082 (purple) into a second down-
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`converted signal 7001 (light green). (Id., 36:3-49.) Then, a “subtractor module”
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`(i.e., “differential amplifier 7020”) (light blue) subtracts the first and second down-
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`converted signals to generate a “baseband output signal” 7084” (yellow). (Id.,
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`37:3-8; Ex.1002/1099-Decl.¶68.)
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`11
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`IPR2022-00245
`U.S. Patent No. 7,110,444
`The first and second down-conversion modules in Figure 70A include
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`capacitors 7074 and 7076 (brown), respectively, and UFT modules 7026 and 7038
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`(gray), respectively. Each UFT module comprises a switch controlled by a control
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`signal (control signal 7090 or 7092), as shown below:
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`Ex.1001-’444, Fig. 1B
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`(Ex.1001-’444, 8:62-64 (“Generally, the UFT module 103 includes a switch 106
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`controlled by a control signal 108.”), 36:3-13, 36:38-49.) Accordingly, the first and
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`second down-conversion modules in Figure 70A each include a switch controlled
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`by a control signal. The control signal for the second down-conversion module is
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`inverted relative to the control signal for the first down-conversion module. (Id.,
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`38:61-63 (“I control signal 7090 and inverted I control signal 7092 operate to
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`down-convert the I-phase portion of an input I/Q modulated RF signal”).
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`U.S. Patent No. 7,110,444
`The patent discloses two exemplary switched capacitor configurations that
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`can be used for the first and second down-conversion modules in Figure 70A.
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`Ex.1001-’444, Fig. 20A
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`Ex.1001-’444, Fig. 20A-1
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`One configuration (the one used in Figure 70A) is shown in Figure 20A-1
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`(above right), where the capacitor (brown) is in series with the input signal
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`(purple), and the switch (gray) is shunted to ground. (Ex.1001-’444, 9:53-55, 36:3-
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`13, 36:38-49, Fig. 70A.) In this configuration, the capacitor not only stores the
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`output signal, but also “reduces or prevents a DC offset voltage” as required by
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`Claim 4 only. (See Ex.1001-’444, 36:14-18.) However, “[t]he electronic alignment
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`of the circuit components is flexible” (Id., 9:48-49), and in a second configuration
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`shown in Figure 20A (above left), the switch (gray) is in series with the input
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`signal (purple), and the capacitor (brown) shunted to ground. (Id., 9:49-51;
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`Ex.1002/1099-Decl.¶¶69-72.)
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`According to the patent, using such modules has various advantages,
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`including “lower power consumption, longer battery life, fewer parts, lower cost,
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`U.S. Patent No. 7,110,444
`less tuning, and more effective signal transmission and reception.” (Ex.1001-’444,
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`2:32–36.) But the patent does not explain how the claimed invention achieves these
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`purported advantages. (Ex.1002/1099-Decl.¶73.)
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`C.
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`Patent Owner Added Insignificant Limitations To Obtain the
`Challenged Claims
`Challenged claims 2, 3, and 4 were allowed based on insignificant
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`limitations added to the end of claims 2 and 3. The Examiner determined that the
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`two frequency down-conversion modules and subtractor module recited in claims 2
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`and 3 were well-known, and allowed independent claims 2 and 3 (and claim 4
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`which depends from claim 3) solely based on two added features: (i) a requirement
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`that each of the modules “under-sample” according to its respective control signal
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`(claim 2); and (ii) each of the down-conversion modules comprises a switch and a
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`storage element (claim 3). These claims, however, never should have been
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`allowed. (Ex.1002/1099-Decl.¶74).
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`More specifically, challenged claims 2, 3, and 4 correspond to application
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`claims 43, 44, and 45, which originally depended from application claim 41.
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`(Ex.1003-File History, 669-70 (06/09/03 Preliminary Amendment).) Application
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`claim 41 included the first three elements of challenged claims 2, 3, and 4: a first
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`frequency down-conversion module, a second frequency down-conversion module,
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`and a subtractor module. The Examiner rejected application claim 41 as anticipated
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`U.S. Patent No. 7,110,444
`by USP 6,018,553 (“Sanielevici”), but indicated that dependent application claims
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`43 to 45 contained allowable subject matter. (Ex.1003-File History, 691.)
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`In response to the rejection, Applicant made no attempt to distinguish claim
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`41 from Sanielevici. Instead, per the Examiner’s suggestion, Applicant cancelled
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`claim 41 and rewrote dependent claims 43 and 44 (challenged claims 2 and 3) in
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`independent form by including all features of claim 41. (Ex.1003-File History,
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`693-705.)
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`Afterwards, the Examiner allowed claims 43, 44, and 45 (challenged claims
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`2, 3, and 4). (Ex.1003-File History, 717-18; Ex.1002/1099-Decl.¶¶75-77.)
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`VII. CLAIM CONSTRUCTION
`A claim in IPR is construed “using the same claim construction standard that
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`would be used to construe the claim in a civil action under 35 U.S.C. §282(b),
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`including construing the claim in accordance with the ordinary and customary
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`meaning of such claim as understood by one of ordinary skill in the art and the
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`prosecution history pertaining to the patent.” 37 C.F.R. §42.100(b). Petitioner
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`proposes construing certain terms in this IPR and submits that no other terms
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`currently need to be construed. Depending on the issues raised by Patent Owner,
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`Petitioner reserves the right to construe other claim terms.
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`IPR2022-00245
`U.S. Patent No. 7,110,444
`A.
`“frequency down-conversion module” (Claims 2 and 3)
`Claim 2 recites a (1) “first frequency down-conversion module to down-
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`convert the input signal, wherein said first frequency down-conversion module
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`down-converts said input signal according to a first control signal and outputs a
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`first down-converted signal” and (2) a “second frequency down-conversion
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`module” that includes identical language, except “first” is replaced with “second.”
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`The district court in the Intel litigation held this term should have its “[p]lain-and-
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`ordinary meaning.” (Ex.1013 at 2).
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`Despite not being raised in the Intel litigation, the Board should find that 35
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`U.S.C. § 112(6) applies to claim 2.5 The claimed function is “to down-convert the
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`input signal ... according to a [] control signal and output[] a [] down-converted
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`signal.” (Ex.1001-’444, claim 2.) And the corresponding structure disclosed in the
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`’444 patent is an “aliasing module 2000” (blue) comprising at least one switch and
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`one capacitor, e.g., as seen in Figures 20A and 20A-1.
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`5 Claim 3 expressly recites structure in that the “said first and said second
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`frequency down-conversion modules” each “comprise a switch and a storage
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`element.” Therefore, § 112(6) arguably does not apply to claim 3.
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`U.S. Patent No. 7,110,444
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`Ex.1001-’444, Fig. 20A
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`Ex.1001-’444, Fig. 20A-1
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`This corresponding structure performs the claimed “down-conversion”
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`function. (E.g., Ex.1001-’444, 9:43-53 (“FIG. 20A illustrates an aliasing module
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`2000 … for down-conversion” that “