`
`UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
`
`___________________
`
`BEFORE THE PATENT TRIAL AND APPEAL BOARD
`___________________
`
`VOLKSWAGEN GROUP OF AMERICA, INC.,
`Petitioner
`
`v.
`
`NEO WIRELESS, LLC
`Patent Owner
`___________________
`
`Case IPR2022-01539
`U.S. Patent No. 10,965,512
`___________________
`
`
`PETITION FOR INTER PARTES REVIEW
`OF U.S. PATENT NO. 10,965,512
`
`
`
`Mail Stop PATENT BOARD
`Patent Trial and Appeal Board
`U.S. Patent & Trademark Office
`P.O. Box 1450
`Alexandria, VA 22313-1450
`
`

`

`Petition for Inter Partes Review of
`U.S. Patent No. 10,965,512
`TABLE OF CONTENTS
`
`V.
`
`
`I.
`INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................. 1
`II. MANDATORY NOTICES (37 C.F.R. §42.8(A)(1)) ........................................ 2
`III. GROUNDS FOR STANDING (37 C.F.R. §42.104(A)) ................................... 4
`IV.
`IDENTIFICATION OF CHALLENGE (37 C.F.R. §42.104(B)) ..................... 5
`A.
`Citation of Prior Art ................................................................................ 5
`B.
`Statutory Grounds for the Challenge ....................................................... 6
`TECHNOLOGY OVERVIEW.......................................................................... 6
`A. OFDMA Systems Were Well-Known .................................................... 6
`B.
`Communicating Various Pilots Signals Between Base Stations and
`Mobile Stations Was Well-Known ......................................................... 7
`OFDM/OFDMA Cellular Systems Implemented Pilot Symbols for
`Channel Estimation and Data Recovery ................................................. 8
`Beamforming Was Well-Known ............................................................. 8
`D.
`VI. THE ’512 PATENT ........................................................................................... 9
`A.
`Summary of the ’512 Patent .................................................................... 9
`B.
`Prosecution History Summary ..............................................................11
`C.
`Level of Ordinary Skill in the Art .........................................................11
`D.
`Claim Construction................................................................................12
`VII. OVERVIEW OF THE APPLIED REFERENCES ......................................... 12
`A. Kim ........................................................................................................12
`B.
`Ketchum ................................................................................................15
`C.
`Tong .......................................................................................................16
`D.
`Li ............................................................................................................17
`E.
`Smee ......................................................................................................17
`VIII. GROUNDS OF UNPATENTABILITY .......................................................... 17
`A. Ground 1: The combination of Kim and Tong renders obvious claims
`1-30. .......................................................................................................18
`A POSA would have been motivated to combine Kim and Tong
`
` ...................................................................................................18
`
`C.
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`- i -
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`

`

`(b)
`
`(c)
`
`(d)
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`(e)
`
`Petition for Inter Partes Review of
`U.S. Patent No. 10,965,512
`(a) A POSA would have been motivated to implement
`beamforming in Kim’s base station, as taught by
`Tong. .....................................................................18
`(b) A POSA would have been motivated to use Kim’s
`pilots for channel estimation, and to recover the
`transmitted data, as taught by Tong. ....................20
`Independent Claim 1. ................................................................23
`(a)
`[1.P]: An orthogonal frequency division multiple
`access (OFDMA)-compatible base station that uses
`subcarriers in a frequency domain and time slots in
`a time domain, the OFDMA-compatible base
`station comprising: ...............................................23
`[1.1] a plurality of antennas; and a transmitter
`operably coupled to the plurality of antennas; .....24
`[1.2] the transmitter configured to: insert first
`pilots of a first type onto a first plurality of
`subcarriers, wherein the first pilots are cell-specific
`pilots; and .............................................................26
`[1.3] insert data and second pilots of a second type
`onto a second plurality of subcarriers; .................28
`[1.4] wherein at least some subcarriers of the first
`plurality of subcarriers or the second plurality of
`subcarriers are beam-formed; and ........................33
`[1.5] the plurality of antennas configured to
`transmit the first plurality of subcarriers and the
`second plurality of subcarriers in at least one of the
`time slots; .............................................................34
`[1.6] wherein the second type is different than the
`first type and wherein the first pilots do not
`interfere with the second pilots. ...........................36
`Independent Claim 8 .................................................................37
`(a)
`[8.P] A method performed by an orthogonal
`frequency division multiple access (OFDMA)-
`compatible base station that uses subcarriers in a
`frequency domain and time slots in a time domain,
`the method comprising: ........................................37
`
`(f)
`
`(g)
`
`- ii -
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`
`
`
`
`

`

`
`
`(b)
`
`(c)
`
`(d)
`
`(e)
`
`(f)
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`Petition for Inter Partes Review of
`U.S. Patent No. 10,965,512
`[8.1] inserting, by the OFDMA-compatible base
`station, first pilots of a first type onto a first
`plurality of subcarriers, wherein the first pilots are
`cell-specific pilots; ...............................................38
`[8.2] inserting, by the OFDMA-compatible base
`station, data and second pilots of a second type
`onto a second plurality of subcarriers; .................38
`[8.3] wherein at least some subcarriers of the first
`plurality of subcarriers or the second plurality of
`subcarriers are beam-formed; and ........................38
`[8.4] transmitting, by the OFDMA-compatible
`base station, the first plurality of subcarriers and
`the second plurality of subcarriers in at least one of
`the time slots using a plurality of antennas; .........38
`[8.5] wherein the second type is different than the
`first type and wherein the first pilots do not
`interfere with the second pilots. ...........................38
`Independent Claim 15 ...............................................................39
`(a)
`[15.P] An orthogonal frequency division multiple
`access (OFDMA)-compatible mobile station that
`uses subcarriers in a frequency domain and time
`slots in a time domain, the OFDMA-compatible
`mobile station comprising: ...................................39
`[15.1] at least one antenna; and a receiver; and ...39
`[15.2] the at least one antenna and the receiver are
`configured to: receive first pilots of a first type on
`a first plurality of subcarriers, wherein the first
`pilots are cell-specific pilots; and .........................40
`[15.3] receive second pilots of a second type and
`data on a second plurality of subcarriers, wherein
`the first plurality of subcarriers and the second
`plurality of subcarriers are received in at least one
`of the time slots; ...................................................41
`[15.4] wherein at least some subcarriers of the first
`plurality of subcarriers or the second plurality of
`subcarriers are beam-formed; and ........................41
`
`(b)
`(c)
`
`(d)
`
`(e)
`
`- iii -
`
`

`

`(f)
`
`(g)
`
`(h)
`
`(b)
`
`(c)
`
`Petition for Inter Partes Review of
`U.S. Patent No. 10,965,512
`[15.5] the receiver is further configured to: recover
`the data using channel estimates from at least the
`second pilots; and .................................................42
`[15.6] recover cell-specific information using the
`cell-specific pilots; ...............................................44
`[15.7] wherein the second type is different than the
`first type and wherein the first pilots do not
`interfere with the second pilots. ...........................45
`Independent Claim 23 ...............................................................45
`(a)
`[23.P] A method performed by an orthogonal
`frequency division multiple access (OFDMA)-
`compatible mobile station that uses subcarriers in a
`frequency domain and time slots in a time domain,
`the method comprising: ........................................45
`[23.1] receiving first pilots of a first type on a first
`plurality of subcarriers, wherein the first pilots are
`cell-specific pilots; ...............................................45
`[23.2] receiving second pilots of a second type and
`data on a second plurality of subcarriers, wherein
`the first plurality of subcarriers and the second
`plurality of subcarriers are received in at least one
`of the time slots; ...................................................46
`[23.3] wherein at least some subcarriers of the first
`plurality of subcarriers or the second plurality of
`subcarriers are beam-formed; ...............................46
`[23.4] recovering the data using channel estimates
`from at least the second pilots; and ......................46
`[23.5] recovering cell-specific information using
`the cell-specific pilots; .........................................46
`[23.6] wherein the second type is different than the
`first type and wherein the first pilots do not
`interfere with the second pilots. ...........................46
`Claims 2, 9, 16, and 24 .............................................................47
`Claims 3, 10, 17, and 25 ...........................................................48
`Claims 4, 11, 18, and 26 ...........................................................50
`
`(d)
`
`(e)
`
`(f)
`
`(g)
`
`- iv -
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`
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`
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`
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`

`

`Petition for Inter Partes Review of
`U.S. Patent No. 10,965,512
`Claims 5, 12, 21, and 29 ...........................................................50
` Claims 6, 13, 20, and 28 ...........................................................51
` Claims 7 and 14.........................................................................51
` Claims 19 and 27.......................................................................52
` Claims 22 and 30.......................................................................53
`Ground 2: The combination of Ketchum and Li renders obvious
`claims 1, 3, 4, 6-8, 10, 11, 13-15, 17, 18, 20, 22, 23, 25, 26, 28, and 3054
`A POSA would have been motivated to combine Ketchum and
`
`Li ...............................................................................................54
`Independent Claim 1. ................................................................57
`(a)
`[1.P]: An orthogonal frequency division multiple
`access (OFDMA)-compatible base station that uses
`subcarriers in a frequency domain and time slots in
`a time domain, the OFDMA-compatible base
`station comprising: ...............................................57
`[1.1] a plurality of antennas; and a transmitter
`operably coupled to the plurality of antennas; .....59
`[1.2] the transmitter configured to: insert first
`pilots of a first type onto a first plurality of
`subcarriers, wherein the first pilots are cell-specific
`pilots; and .............................................................60
`[1.3] insert data and second pilots of a second type
`onto a second plurality of subcarriers; .................63
`[1.4] wherein at least some subcarriers of the first
`plurality of subcarriers or the second plurality of
`subcarriers are beam-formed; and ........................66
`[1.5] the plurality of antennas configured to
`transmit the first plurality of subcarriers and the
`second plurality of subcarriers in at least one of the
`time slots; .............................................................66
`[1.6] wherein the second type is different than the
`first type and wherein the first pilots do not
`interfere with the second pilots. ...........................67
`Independent Claim 8 .................................................................68
`
`(b)
`
`B.
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`(c)
`
`(d)
`
`(e)
`
`(f)
`
`(g)
`
`- v -
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`

`

`(a)
`
`(b)
`
`(c)
`
`Petition for Inter Partes Review of
`U.S. Patent No. 10,965,512
`[8.P] A method performed by an orthogonal
`frequency division multiple access (OFDMA)-
`compatible base station that uses subcarriers in a
`frequency domain and time slots in a time domain,
`the method comprising: ........................................68
`[8.1] inserting, by the OFDMA-compatible base
`station, first pilots of a first type onto a first
`plurality of subcarriers, wherein the first pilots are
`cell-specific pilots; ...............................................69
`[8.2] inserting, by the OFDMA-compatible base
`station, data and second pilots of a second type
`onto a second plurality of subcarriers; .................69
`[8.3] wherein at least some subcarriers of the first
`plurality of subcarriers or the second plurality of
`subcarriers are beam-formed; and ........................69
`[8.4] transmitting, by the OFDMA-compatible
`base station, the first plurality of subcarriers and
`the second plurality of subcarriers in at least one of
`the time slots using a plurality of antennas; .........69
`[8.5] wherein the second type is different than the
`first type and wherein the first pilots do not
`interfere with the second pilots. ...........................69
`Independent Claim 15 ...............................................................70
`(a)
`[15.P] An orthogonal frequency division multiple
`access (OFDMA)-compatible mobile station that
`uses subcarriers in a frequency domain and time
`slots in a time domain, the OFDMA-compatible
`mobile station comprising: ...................................70
`[15.1] at least one antenna; and a receiver; and ...71
`[15.2] the at least one antenna and the receiver are
`configured to: receive first pilots of a first type on
`a first plurality of subcarriers, wherein the first
`pilots are cell-specific pilots; and .........................71
`[15.3] receive second pilots of a second type and
`data on a second plurality of subcarriers, wherein
`the first plurality of subcarriers and the second
`
`(b)
`(c)
`
`(d)
`
`(e)
`
`(f)
`
`(d)
`
`- vi -
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`
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`

`

`(e)
`
`(f)
`
`(h)
`
`
`
`(g)
`
`Petition for Inter Partes Review of
`U.S. Patent No. 10,965,512
`plurality of subcarriers are received in at least one
`of the time slots; ...................................................72
`[15.4] wherein at least some subcarriers of the first
`plurality of subcarriers or the second plurality of
`subcarriers are beam-formed; and ........................72
`[15.5] the receiver is further configured to: recover
`the data using channel estimates from at least the
`second pilots; and .................................................73
`[15.6] recover cell-specific information using the
`cell-specific pilots; ...............................................73
`[15.7] wherein the second type is different than the
`first type and wherein the first pilots do not
`interfere with the second pilots. ...........................74
`Independent Claim 23 ...............................................................74
`(a)
`[23.P] A method performed by an orthogonal
`frequency division multiple access (OFDMA)-
`compatible mobile station that uses subcarriers in a
`frequency domain and time slots in a time domain,
`the method comprising: ........................................74
`[23.1] receiving first pilots of a first type on a first
`plurality of subcarriers, wherein the first pilots are
`cell-specific pilots; ...............................................74
`[23.2] receiving second pilots of a second type and
`data on a second plurality of subcarriers, wherein
`the first plurality of subcarriers and the second
`plurality of subcarriers are received in at least one
`of the time slots; ...................................................74
`[23.3] wherein at least some subcarriers of the first
`plurality of subcarriers or the second plurality of
`subcarriers are beam-formed; ...............................75
`[23.4] recovering the data using channel estimates
`from at least the second pilots; and ......................75
`[23.5] recovering cell-specific information using
`the cell-specific pilots; .........................................75
`
`(b)
`
`(c)
`
`(d)
`
`(e)
`
`(f)
`
`- vii -
`
`

`

`(g)
`
`Petition for Inter Partes Review of
`U.S. Patent No. 10,965,512
`[23.6] wherein the second type is different than the
`first type and wherein the first pilots do not
`interfere with the second pilots. ...........................75
`Claims 3, 10, 17, and 25 ...........................................................75
`Claims 4, 11, 18, and 26 ...........................................................77
`Claims 6, 13, 20, and 28 ...........................................................78
`Claims 7 and 14.........................................................................78
` Claims 22 and 30.......................................................................79
`Ground 3: The Combination of Ketchum, Li, and Smee renders
`obvious claims 5, 12, 21, and 29 ...........................................................79
`IX. DISCRETIONARY CONSIDERATIONS UNDER 314(A) AND 325(D)
`STRONGLY FAVOR INSTITUTION. .......................................................... 84
`A.
`The Fintiv factors strongly favor institution. ........................................84
`B.
`The Advanced Bionics two-part framework strongly favors institution.87
`CONCLUSION ................................................................................................ 88
`
`C.
`
`X.
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`- viii -
`
`

`

`Petition for Inter Partes Review of
`U.S. Patent No. 10,965,512
`PETITIONER’S EXHIBIT LIST
`
`1009
`
`Exhibit No. Description
`U.S. Patent No. 10,965,512 to Li et al. (“’512 patent”)
`1001
`’512 Patent Prosecution History
`1002
`Declaration of Dr. Paul Min
`1003
`International Patent Publication No. WO2004/049618 to Kim et al.
`1004
`(“Kim”)
`U.S. Patent No. 7,120,395 to Tong et al. (“Tong”)
`1005
`U.S. Patent Application Pub. No. 2004/0179627 to Ketchum et al.
`1006
`(“Ketchum”)
`U.S. Patent Application Pub. No. 2002/0163879 to Li et al. (“Li”)
`1007
`U.S. Patent No. 7,248,559 to Ma et al. (“Ma ’559”)
`1008
`Tufvesson, et al., Pilot Assisted Channel Estimation For OFDM in
`Mobile Cellular Systems, IEEE 47th Vehicular Technology
`Conference (1997)
`U.S. Patent No. 7,826,471 to Wilson et al. (“Wilson”)
`U.S. Patent No. 7,664,533 to Logothetis et al. (“Logothetis”)
`U.S. Patent No. 7,054,664 to Nagaraj (“Nagaraj”)
`International Patent Application No. WO 2004/056022 to Lee et
`al. (“Lee”)
`U.S. Patent No. 7,551,546 to Ma (“Ma ’546”)
`Anderson, Fixed Broadband Wireless System Design, Wiley
`(2003) (excerpts)
`U.S. Patent No. 7,852,746 to Jalali (“Jalali”).
`U.S. Patent Application Pub. No. 2004/0131007 to Smee et al.
`(“Smee”)
`U.S. Patent No. 7,650,152 to Li et al. (“Li ’152”).
`U.S. Patent Application Pub. No. 2004/0190598 to Seki et al.
`(“Seki”).
`Li, “A Novel Broadband Wireless OFDMA Scheme for Downlink
`in Cellular Communications,” Samsung Advanced Institute of
`Technology (IEEE) (2003) (“Li-Samsung”)
`
`1010
`1011
`1012
`1013
`1014
`1015
`1016
`1017
`1018
`1019
`
`1020
`
`- ix -
`
`

`

`Petition for Inter Partes Review of
`U.S. Patent No. 10,965,512
`
`1022
`
`1023
`
`1024
`
`Exhibit No. Description
`Hara et al., “Multicarrier Techniques for 4G Mobile
`1021
`Communications,” Artech House (2003) (excerpts) (“Hara”)
`U.S. Patent Application Pub. No. 2004/0228270 to Chen et al.
`(“Chen”)
`Van Nee et al., “OFDM for Wireless Multimedia
`Communications,” Artech House (2000) (“Van Nee”) (excerpts)
`Bahai et al., “Multi-Carrier Communications Theory and
`Applications of OFDM,” Springer Science (2004) (excerpts)
`(“Bahai”)
`U.S. Patent No. 7,039,001 to Krishnan et al. (Krishnan”)
`U.S. Patent No. 6,992,621 to Casas et al. (“Casas”)
`U.S. Patent No. 5,596,329 to Searle et al. (“Searle”)
`U.S. Patent Application Pub. No. 2005/0075125 to Bada et al.
`(“Bada”).
`Curriculum Vitae of Dr. Paul Min
`U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/421,309 to Walton et
`al. (“’309 Provisional”)
`U.S. Patent No. 7,012,882 to Wang et al. (“Wang”)
`Transfer Order, In re: Neo Wireless, LLC, Patent Litigation, Case
`MDL No. 3034, issued June 14, 2022 (ECF No. 50)
`Docket Sheet, Neo Wireless, LLC v. Volkswagen Group of
`America, Inc., Case No. 2:22-cv-11404 (E.D. Mich.)
`United States District Courts – National Judicial Caseload Profile,
`June 2022
`
`1025
`1026
`1027
`1028
`1029
`1030
`1031
`1032
`
`1033
`
`1034
`
`- x -
`
`

`

`Petition for Inter Partes Review of
`U.S. Patent No. 10,965,512
`
`I.
`
`INTRODUCTION
`Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (“VWGoA”) petitions for inter partes
`
`review of claims 1-30 of U.S. Patent No. 10,965,512 to Li et al. (“the ʼ512
`
`patent”), titled “Method and apparatus using cell-specific and common pilot
`
`subcarriers in multi-carrier, multi cell wireless communication networks.”
`
`The ’512 patent claims techniques for communicating two types of pilot
`
`signals within wireless systems. The ’512 patent admits it was known to use pilot
`
`signals to perform “many important system functions.” EX1001, 1:36-43. The ’512
`
`patent’s only purported advancement was to use two types of pilot signals to
`
`perform such system functions. E.g., Id., 3:10-36. But the claimed features were
`
`well-known and disclosed in various patents and industry publications prior to the
`
`earliest possible priority date of the ’512 patent. This Petition demonstrates that
`
`each challenged claim is not patentable based on a small subset of these patents
`
`and publications, and is supported by Dr. Paul Min, who has over 25 years of
`
`experience working with cellular and other wireless systems. See EX1003, Min
`
`Declaration.
`
`For instance, the primary references presented herein include International
`
`Patent Publication No. WO2004/049618 to Kim et al. (“Kim”), which discloses
`
`orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) downlink signals that
`
`include a “[pilot] pattern in common for each cell,” and a different pilot pattern
`
`
`
`- 1 -
`
`

`

`Petition for Inter Partes Review of
`U.S. Patent No. 10,965,512
`that is “different for each cell.” EX1004, Kim, 6:23-7:10, 24:20-25:5. The prior art
`
`presented herein further includes U.S. Patent Application Pub. No. 2004/0179627
`
`to Ketchum et al. (“Ketchum”), which discloses cellular downlink signals that
`
`include “various types of pilot[s].” EX1006, Ketchum, ¶11-13.
`
`Kim and Ketchum used in various combinations teach the limitations in the
`
`challenged claims of the ’512 patent. Unfortunately however, neither Kim nor
`
`Ketchum—nor any of the other prior-art references relied on herein—were
`
`previously before the Office. If they had been, the ’512 patent would not have been
`
`allowed. Accordingly, the Board should institute this proceeding and find claims 1-
`
`30 of the ’512 patent unpatentable.
`
`II. MANDATORY NOTICES (37 C.F.R. §42.8(A)(1))
`REAL PARTY-IN-INTEREST: The real party-in-interest is Petitioner
`
`Volkswagen Group of America, Inc., which is a subsidiary of Volkswagen AG.
`
`RELATED MATTERS: The ’512 patent is the subject of the following civil
`
`actions: Neo Wireless, LLC v. Ford Motor Company, Case No. 4-22-cv-00210
`
`(W.D. Mo.), filed March 29, 2022; Neo Wireless, LLC v. Nissan North America
`
`Inc. et al., Case No. 3-22-cv-00220 (M.D. Tenn.), filed March 29, 2022; Neo
`
`Wireless, LLC v. American Honda Motor Co., Inc. et al., Case No. 2-22-cv-01824
`
`(S.D. Ohio), filed March 29, 2022; Neo Wireless LLC v. Tesla, Inc., Case No. 2-
`
`22-cv-00095 (E.D.Tex.), filed March 29, 2022; Neo Wireless LLC v. General
`
`
`
`- 2 -
`
`

`

`Petition for Inter Partes Review of
`U.S. Patent No. 10,965,512
`Motors Company et al., Case No. 2-22-cv-00094 (E.D. Tex.), filed March 29,
`
`2022; Neo Wireless LLC v. Toyota Motor North America, Inc. et al., Case No. 2-
`
`22-cv-00093 (E.D. Tex.), filed March 29, 2022; Neo Wireless, LLC v. Volkswagen
`
`Group of America, Inc. et al. (TV2), Case No. 1-22-cv-00076 (E.D. Tenn.), filed
`
`March 29, 2022; Neo Wireless, LLC v. Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. et al.,
`
`Case No. 2-22-cv-11404 (E.D. Mich.), filed June 28, 2022; Neo Wireless LLC v.
`
`Toyota Motor North America, Inc. et al., Case No. 2-22-cv-11406 (E.D. Mich.),
`
`filed June 28, 2022; Neo Wireless LLC v. General Motors Company et al., Case
`
`No. 2-22-cv-11407 (E.D. Mich.), filed June 28, 2022; Neo Wireless LLC v. Tesla,
`
`Inc., Case No. 2-22-cv-11408 (E.D. Mich.), filed June 28, 2022; Neo Wireless,
`
`LLC v. Nissan North America Inc. et al., Case No. 2-22-cv-11405 (E.D. Mich.),
`
`filed June 29, 2022; Neo Wireless, LLC v. American Honda Motor Co., Inc. et al.,
`
`Case No. 2-22-cv-11403 (E.D. Mich.), filed June 27, 2022; Neo Wireless, LLC v.
`
`Ford Motor Company, Case No. 2-22-cv-11402 (E.D. Mich.), filed June 27, 2022;
`
`In re: Neo Wireless, LLC Patent Litigation, Case No. 2-22-md-03034 (E.D.
`
`Mich.), filed June 23, 2022; Neo Wireless, LLC v. Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC, Case
`
`No. 3-22-cv-00780 (M.D. Fla.), filed July 15, 2022; Neo Wireless, LLC v.
`
`Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC, Case No. 2-22-cv-11769 (E.D. Mich.), filed August 2,
`
`2022; Neo Wireless, LLC v. FCA US LLC, Case No. 3-22-cv-01252 (N.D. Ohio),
`
`
`
`- 3 -
`
`

`

`Petition for Inter Partes Review of
`U.S. Patent No. 10,965,512
`filed July 15, 2022; and Neo Wireless, LLC v. FCA US LLC, Case No. 2-22-cv-
`
`11770 (E.D. Mich.), filed August 2, 2022.
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`Petitioner is concurrently filing petitions for inter partes review of
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`commonly-assigned U.S. Patent Nos. 10,75,941 (IPR2022-01537) and 10,771,302
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`(IPR2022-01538)..
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`LEAD AND BACKUP COUNSEL: Under 37 C.F.R. §§42.8(b)(3) and 42.10(a),
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`Petitioner appoints Ryan C. Richardson (Reg. No. 67,254) as lead counsel; and
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`Michael D. Specht (Reg. No. 54,463), Daniel E. Yonan (Reg. No. 53,812), and
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`David W. Haars (Reg. No. 73,112) as back-up counsel, all at the address: STERNE,
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`KESSLER, GOLDSTEIN & FOX P.L.L.C., 1100 New York Avenue, N.W.,
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`Washington, D.C., 20005, phone (202) 371-2600, and facsimile (202) 371-2540.
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`SERVICE INFORMATION: Petitioner consents to electronic service by email
`
`at: rrichardson-PTAB@sternekessler.com, mspecht-
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`PTAB@sternekessler.com, dyonan-PTAB@sternekessler.com, dhaars-
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`PTAB@sternekessler.com, and PTAB@sternekessler.com.
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`III. GROUNDS FOR STANDING (37 C.F.R. §42.104(A))
`The undersigned and Petitioner certify that the ʼ512 patent is available for
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`inter partes review. Petitioner is not barred or estopped from requesting inter
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`partes review on the grounds herein.
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`
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`

`

`IV.
`
`Petition for Inter Partes Review of
`U.S. Patent No. 10,965,512
`IDENTIFICATION OF CHALLENGE (37 C.F.R. §42.104(B))
`A. Citation of Prior Art
`The ’512 patent’s earliest possible priority date is January 29, 2004.
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`EX1001, (60). Without conceding that this is the correct priority date, all
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`references relied upon herein are prior art as of January 29, 2004.
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`Kim (EX1004) was filed on November 29, 2002 and published on June 10,
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`2004. Kim designated the United States, and was published in English. EX1004,
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`(26), (81). Therefore, Kim is prior art at least under 35 U.S.C. §102(e).
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`U.S. Patent No. 7,120,395 to Tong et al. (EX1005) was filed on October
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`20, 2003 and issued on October 10, 2006. Therefore, Tong is prior art at least
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`under 35 U.S.C. §102(e).
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`Ketchum (EX1006) was filed on June 30, 2003 and published on September
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`16, 2004. Therefore, Ketchum is prior art at least under 35 U.S.C. §102(e).
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`U.S. Patent Application Pub. No. 2002/0163879 to Li et al. (EX1007)
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`published on November 7, 2002. Therefore, Li is prior art at least under 35 U.S.C.
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`§102(b).
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`U.S. Patent Application Pub. No. 2004/0131007 to Smee et al. (EX1017)
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`was filed on February 7, 2003 and published on July 8, 2004. Therefore, Smee is
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`prior art at least under 35 U.S.C. §102(e).
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`
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`- 5 -
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`

`

`Statutory Grounds for the Challenge
`B.
`Ground Basis Claims
`References
`§103
`1-30
`1.
`Kim in view of Tong
`2.
`§103
`1, 3, 4, 6-8, 10, 11, 13-15,
`Ketchum in view of Li
`17, 18, 20, 22, 23, 25, 26,
`28, and 30
`5, 12, 21, and 29
`
`3.
`
`§103
`
`Petition for Inter Partes Review of
`U.S. Patent No. 10,965,512
`
`Ketchum in view of Li and further
`in view of Smee
`
`V. TECHNOLOGY OVERVIEW
`The ’512 patent describes systems and techniques for communicating pilot
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`signals of different types between base and mobile stations. EX1001, Abstract. The
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`claims of the ’512 patent recite these systems and techniques in terms of four
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`general concepts: (i) the system is an orthogonal frequency division multiple
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`access (OFDMA) system; (ii) base stations communicate various pilots signals to
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`mobile stations; (iii) mobile stations use the pilot signals for channel estimation
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`and to recover transmitted data; and (iv) base stations transmit signals using
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`beamforming. But these concepts and combinations were well-known before the
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`’512 patent’s earliest possible priority date. EX1003, ¶¶46-63.
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`A. OFDMA Systems Were Well-Known
`Dr. Min explains that OFDMA systems were well-known prior the ’512
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`patent. Id., ¶¶47-55. Indeed, orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM)
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`and its “logical extension,” OFDMA, have long been known in the art, including in
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`cellular systems. EX1015, Anderson, 307; see also EX1003, ¶47.
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`
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`- 6 -
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`

`

`Petition for Inter Partes Review of
`U.S. Patent No. 10,965,512
`“The basic principle of OFDM [] is to split a high-rate data stream into a
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`number of lower rate streams that are transmitted simultaneously over a number of
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`subcarriers.” EX1021, Hara, 43. The “frequency response of each sub-carrier is
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`designed to be orthogonal to that of each other sub-carrier in order to allow data
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`modulated to each sub-carrier to be independently recovered at a receiver.”
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`EX1003, ¶¶48-53; EX1014, 10:15-19. OFDMA is a “variation” or “logical
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`extension” of OFDM, in which “multiple-access is realized by providing each user
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`with a fraction of the available number of subcarriers.” EX1023, Van Nee, 213;
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`EX1015, Anderson, 307; EX1003, ¶¶54-55.
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`B. Communicating Various Pilots Signals Between Base Stations and
`Mobile Stations Was Well-Known
`Dr. Min also explains that the use of pilots signals was well-known prior to
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`the earliest possible priority date of the ’512 patent. Id., ¶¶56-60. Pilot signals are
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`signals that have a “value known to the receiver,” and “enable the receiver to
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`perform various functions,” such as “channel estimation, timing and frequency
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`acquisition, data demodulation, and so on.” EX1008, Ma, 2:1-14; EX1007, Li, ¶28;
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`EX1006, ¶8.
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`Dr. Min also explains that it was well-known that OFDM/OFDMA systems
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`implement multiple types of pilots that could be used, for instance, for different
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`functions. EX1003, ¶61. As described in more detail below, Ketchum discloses an
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`OFDM multiple-access system that implements “various types of pilot.” EX1006,
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`- 7 -
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`

`

`Petition for Inter Partes Review of
`U.S. Patent No. 10,965,512
`Abstract. Further, Kim discloses an OFDMA cellular system that implements two
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`types of pilot signals—a “[pilot] pattern in common for each cell,” and a separate
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`pilot pattern that is “different for each cell.” EX1004, 6:23-7:10, 24:20-25:5.
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`C. OFDM/OFDMA Cellular Systems Implemented Pilot Symbols for
`Channel Estimation and Data Recovery
`Dr. Min explains the well-known role of pilot signals in performing channel
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`estimation for recovering data at the receiver. EX1003, ¶¶56-60; EX1025,
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`Krishnan, 1:52-61. Specifically, receivers use pilot signals to determine “[a]n
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`accurate estimate of the response” of the communication channel (e.g., air or
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`space). EX1025, 1:52-61; EX1024, Bahai, 15, 117-118; EX1003, ¶¶56-57. “Since
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`the pilot is made up of symbols that are known a priori by the receiver, the channel
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`response can be estimated as the ratio of the received pilot symbol over the
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`transmitted pilot symbol for each [subcarrier] used for pilot transmission.”
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`EX1025, 1:55-61. The receiver then uses the channel estimate “to acquire the
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`original [data]” provided by the base station. EX1024, 118; EX1003, ¶¶58-60.
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`D. Beamforming Was Well-Known
`Dr. Min further explains that beamforming was well-known prior to the
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`earliest possible priority date of the ’512 patent. EX1003, ¶¶62-63. It was also
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`well-known f