IN THE UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
`
`
`Billhartz et al.
`In re Patent of:
` Attorney Docket No. 50095-0111IP1
`7,110,779
`U.S. Patent No.:
`September 19, 2006
`
`Issue Date:
`Appl. Serial No.: 10/767,794
`
`Filing Date:
`January 29, 2004
`
`Title:
`WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM INCLUDING
`A WIRELESS DEVICE LOCATOR AND RELATED
`METHODS
`
`
`Mail Stop Patent Board
`Patent Trial and Appeal Board
`U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
`P.O. Box 1450
`Alexandria, VA 22313-1450
`
`
`PETITION FOR INTER PARTES REVIEW OF UNITED STATES PATENT
`NO. 7,110,779 PURSUANT TO 35 U.S.C. §§ 311–319, 37 C.F.R. § 42
`
`
`
`

`

`Attorney Docket No. 50095-0111IP1
`IPR of U.S. Patent 7,110,779
`
`TABLE OF CONTENTS
`
`
`I. 
`II. 
`
`INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................... 1 
`IPR REQUIREMENTS—37 C.F.R. §42.104 ................................................. 1 
`A.  Standing—37 C.F.R. §42.104(a) .............................................................. 1 
`B.  Challenge and Relief—37 C.F.R. §42.104(b) .......................................... 1 
`C.  Claim Construction—37 C.F.R. §42.104(b)(3) ........................................ 2 
`III.  THE ’779 PATENT ......................................................................................... 3 
`A.  Brief Description ....................................................................................... 3 
`B.  Prosecution History Summary .................................................................. 4 
`IV.  LEVEL OF ORDINARY SKILL .................................................................... 4 
`V. 
`THE CHALLENGED CLAIMS ARE UNPATENTABLE ............................ 5 
`A.  GROUND 1: Claims 1, 2, 8-10, 12-13, 18-19, 22-24, 26-28, 32, 34 are
`Obvious Over McCrady-Raphaeli ............................................................ 5 
`1.  McCrady .......................................................................................... 5 
`2. 
`Raphaeli ........................................................................................... 7 
`3.  McCrady-Raphaeli Combination .................................................... 8 
`4. 
`Independent Claims 1, 18, 27 ........................................................ 13 
`5. 
`Claims 2, 19, 28 and Independent Claim 13 ................................. 29 
`6. 
`Claims 8, 22 ................................................................................... 30 
`7. 
`Claims 9, 23 ................................................................................... 31 
`8. 
`Claims 10, 24, 32 ........................................................................... 31 
`9. 
`Claims 12, 26, 34 ........................................................................... 31 
`B.  GROUND 2: Claims 1, 3-6, 10-11, 13-17, 20-21, 24-25, 29-33 are
`Obvious Over McCrady-Raphaeli-Rofheart ........................................... 32 
`1. 
`Rofheart ......................................................................................... 32 
`2.  McCrady-Raphaeli-Rofheart Combination ................................... 34 
`3. 
`Independent Claims 1, 13 .............................................................. 37 
`4. 
`Claims 3, 14, 20, 29 ....................................................................... 38 
`5. 
`Claims 4, 15, 30 ............................................................................. 41 
`6. 
`Claims 5, 16 ................................................................................... 43 
`7. 
`Claims 6, 17, 21 ............................................................................. 44 
`8. 
`Claims 10, 24, 32 ........................................................................... 45 
`9. 
`Claims 11, 25, 33 ........................................................................... 45 
`10.  Claim 31 ........................................................................................ 46 
`
`i
`
`

`

`Attorney Docket No. 50095-0111IP1
`IPR of U.S. Patent 7,110,779
`C.  GROUND 3: Claims 6-7, 17, 21, 31 are Obvious Over McCrady-
`Raphaeli-Kuwahara ................................................................................ 46 
`1.  Kuwahara ....................................................................................... 46 
`2.  McCrady-Raphaeli-Kuwahara Combination ................................ 47 
`3. 
`Claims 6, 17, 21 ............................................................................. 49 
`4. 
`Claim 7 .......................................................................................... 51 
`5. 
`Claim 31 ........................................................................................ 52 
`D.  GROUND 4: Claims 1-6, 8-34 are Obvious Over Rofheart-Raphaeli-
`Godfrey ................................................................................................... 52 
`1.  Godfrey .......................................................................................... 52 
`2. 
`Rofheart-Raphaeli-Godfrey Combination ..................................... 54 
`3. 
`Independent Claims 1, 18, 27 ........................................................ 59 
`4. 
`Claims 2, 19, 28 and Independent Claim 13 ................................. 72 
`5. 
`Claims 3, 14, 20, 29 ....................................................................... 73 
`6. 
`Claims 4, 15, 30 ............................................................................. 75 
`7. 
`Claims 5, 16 ................................................................................... 76 
`8. 
`Claims 6, 17, 21 ............................................................................. 76 
`9. 
`Claims 8, 22 ................................................................................... 77 
`10.  Claims 9, 23 ................................................................................... 77 
`11.  Claims 10, 24, 32 ........................................................................... 78 
`12.  Claims 11, 25, 33 ........................................................................... 78 
`13.  Claims 12, 26, 34 ........................................................................... 78 
`14.  Claim 31 ........................................................................................ 79 
`VI.  DISCRETION SHOULD NOT PRECLUDE INSTITUTION ..................... 79 
`A.  The Fintiv Factors Favor Institution—§314(a) ...................................... 79 
`1. 
`Factor 1 .......................................................................................... 79 
`2. 
`Factor 2 .......................................................................................... 79 
`3. 
`Factor 3 .......................................................................................... 80 
`4. 
`Factor 4 .......................................................................................... 81 
`5. 
`Factor 5 .......................................................................................... 81 
`6. 
`Factor 6 .......................................................................................... 81 
`B.  The Advanced Bionics Test Favors Institution—§325(d) ...................... 81 
`VII.  FEES—37 C.F.R. §42.103 ............................................................................ 82 
`VIII.  MANDATORY NOTICES—37 C.F.R §42.8(a)(1) ..................................... 82 
`A.  Real Party-In-Interest—37 C.F.R. §42.8(b)(1) ....................................... 82 
`B.  Related Matters—37 C.F.R. §42.8(b)(2) ................................................ 82 
`C.  Lead And Back-Up Counsel Under 37 C.F.R. §42.8(b)(3) .................... 84 
`D.  Service Information ................................................................................ 84 
`
`
`
`ii
`
`

`

`Attorney Docket No. 50095-0111IP1
`IPR of U.S. Patent 7,110,779
`
`
`
`EXHIBITS
`
`APPLE-1001
`
`U.S. Patent 7,110,779 to Thomas Jay Billhartz, et al. (“the ’779
`Patent”)
`
`APPLE-1002
`
`Excerpts from the Prosecution History of the ’779 Patent (“the
`Prosecution History”)
`
`APPLE-1003
`
`Declaration of Dr. Zhi Ding
`
`APPLE-1004
`
`Curriculum Vitae of Dr. Zhi Ding
`
`APPLE-1005
`
`U.S. Patent 6,453,168 to McCrady (“McCrady”)
`
`APPLE-1006
`
`U.S. Patent 7,511,604 to Raphaeli, et al. (“Raphaeli”)
`
`APPLE-1007
`
`U.S. Patent 6,070,079 to Kuwahara (“Kuwahara”)
`
`APPLE-1008
`
`WO2003098528 to Raphaeli, et al. (“Raphaeli”)
`
`APPLE-1009
`
`U.S. Patent 7,058,414 to Rofheart (“Rofheart”)
`
`APPLE-1010
`
`Hargrave’s Communications Dictionary, 2001 (excerpts)
`
`APPLE-1011
`
`The Authoritative Dictionary of IEEE Standards Terms, 2000
`(excerpts)
`
`APPLE-1012
`
`Federal Court Management Statistics June 2022 published by the
`Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, retrieved from
`https://www.uscourts.gov/sites/default/files/fcms_na_distprofile
`0630.2022_0.pdf on August 19, 2022
`
`APPLE-1013
`
`Scheduling Order, Speir Technologies Ltd. v. Apple Inc., Case
`6:22-cv-00077-ADA (WDTX)
`
`
`
`iii
`
`

`

`APPLE-1014
`
`APPLE-1015
`
`APPLE-1016
`
`Attorney Docket No. 50095-0111IP1
`IPR of U.S. Patent 7,110,779
`Complaint for Patent Infringement Against Apple Inc., Speir
`Technologies Ltd. v. Apple Inc., Case 6:22-cv-00077-ADA
`(WDTX)
`
`Amended Complaint for Patent Infringement Against Apple Inc.,
`Speir Technologies Ltd. v. Apple Inc., Case 6:22-cv-00077-ADA
`(WDTX)
`
`
`Preliminary Disclosure of Asserted Claims and Infringement
`Contentions to Defendant Apple Inc., Speir Technologies Ltd. v.
`Apple Inc., Case 6:22-cv-00077-ADA (WDTX)
`
`APPLE-1017
`
`Apple’s Opening Claim Construction Brief, Speir Technologies
`Ltd. v. Apple Inc., Case 6:22-cv-00077-ADA (WDTX)
`
`APPLE-1018
`
`Speir’s Responsive Claim Construction Brief, Speir
`Technologies Ltd. v. Apple Inc., Case 6:22-cv-00077-ADA
`(WDTX)
`
`APPLE-1019
`
`U.S. Patent 6,181,944 to Uebayashi et al. (“Uebayashi”)
`
`APPLE-1020
`
`U.S. Patent 5,945,948 to Buford et al. (“Buford”)
`
`APPLE-1021
`
`U.S. Patent 5,929,806 to Birchler et al. (“Birchler”)
`
`APPLE-1022
`
`U.S. Patent 5,365,516 to Jandrell (“Jandrell”)
`
`APPLE-1023
`
`U.S. Patent 6,760,882 to Gesbert et al. (“Gesbert”)
`
`APPLE-1024
`
`U.S. Patent App. Pub. 2006/0234725 to Litwin (“Litwin”)
`
`APPLE-1025
`
`U.S. Patent App. Pub. 2002/0136226 to Christoffel et al.
`(“Christoffel”)
`
`APPLE-1026
`
`C. Eisenhart, “Realistic Evaluation of the Precision and
`Accuracy of Instrument Calibration Systems,” JOURNAL OF
`RESEARCH of
`the National Bureau of Standards-C.
`Engineering and Instrumentation, Vol. 67C, No.2, April-June
`
`iv
`
`

`

`Attorney Docket No. 50095-0111IP1
`IPR of U.S. Patent 7,110,779
`Retrieved
`from
`(“Eisenhart”).
`1963
`https://nvlpubs.nist.gov/nistpubs/jres/67C/jresv67Cn2p161_A1
`b.pdf on September 6, 2022.
`
`APPLE-1027
`
`U.S. Patent Publication 2003/0013146 to Werb (“Werb”)
`
`APPLE-1028
`
`U.S. Patent Publication 2005/0130634 to Godfrey (“Godfrey”)
`
`APPLE-1029
`
`U.S. Provisional No. 60/515,701 (“Godfrey-Provisional”)
`
`APPLE-1030
`
`ANSI/IEEE Std 802.11, Part 11: Wireless LAN Medium Access
`Control (MAC) and Physical Layer (PHY) Specifications (Aug.
`20, 1999) (“IEEE 802.11”)
`
`APPLE-1031
`
`Order Resetting Markman Hearing, Speir Technologies Ltd. v.
`Apple Inc., Case 6:22-cv-00077-ADA (WDTX)
`
`APPLE-1032
`
`L. van der Perre, S. Thoen, P. Vandenameele, B. Gyselinckx and
`M. Engels, “Adaptive loading strategy for a high speed OFDM-
`based WLAN,”
`IEEE GLOBECOM 1998
`(Cat. NO.
`98CH36250), 1998, pp. 1936-1940.
`
`
`
`v
`
`

`

`Attorney Docket No. 50095-0111IP1
`IPR of U.S. Patent 7,110,779
`
`
`
`LISTING OF CLAIMS
`
`[1.a.i]
`
`[1.a.ii]
`
`[1.a.iii]
`
`[1.b.i]
`
`[1.b.ii]
`
`[1.b.iii]
`
`[1.b.iv]
`
`[1.c]
`
`[1.d]
`
`[1.d.i]
`
`Claim 1
`[1.pre] A wireless communications system comprising:
`a plurality of wireless communications devices each having
`a device type associated therewith from among a plurality
`of different device types,
`each WLAN device having a unique identifier (UID)
`associated therewith, and
`each device type having a known device latency associated
`therewith; and
`a wireless device locator comprising at least one antenna
`and a transceiver connected thereto, and
`a controller for cooperating with said transceiver for
`transmitting a plurality of location finding signals to a
`target wireless communications device from among said
`plurality of wireless communications devices and
`inserting the UID for said target wireless communications
`device in each of the location finding signals;
`said target wireless communications device transmitting a
`respective reply signal for each of said location finding
`signals based upon the UID in the location finding signals;
`said controller of said wireless device locator also for
`cooperating with said transceiver for receiving the reply
`signals,
`determining a propagation delay associated with the
`transmission of each location finding signal and the
`respective reply signal therefor based upon the known
`device latency of said target wireless communications
`device, and
`estimating a range to said target wireless communications
`device based upon a plurality of determined propagation
`
`[1.d.ii]
`
`[1.d.iii]
`
`vi
`
`

`

`Attorney Docket No. 50095-0111IP1
`IPR of U.S. Patent 7,110,779
`
`[2]
`
`[3.a]
`
`[3.b]
`
`[3.c]
`
`[4]
`
`[5.a]
`
`[5.b]
`
`[6.a]
`
`[6.b]
`
`delays.
`
`Claim 2
`The wireless communications system of claim 1 wherein
`said controller estimates the range based upon an average
`of the propagation delays.
`Claim 3
`The wireless communications system of claim 1 wherein
`said target wireless communications device generates
`unsolicited signals including the UID thereof;
`wherein said controller cooperates with said transceiver to
`receive at least one unsolicited signal from said target
`device; and
`wherein said controller determines the UID for said target
`wireless communications device from the at least one
`unsolicited signal.
`
`Claim 4
`The wireless communications system of claim 3 wherein
`said controller determines the device type of said target
`wireless communications device based upon the UID
`thereof.
`
`Claim 5
`The wireless communications system of claim 4 wherein the
`UIDs comprise media access control (MAC) addresses of
`respective wireless communications devices, and
`wherein said controller determines the device type of said
`target wireless communications device based upon the
`MAC address thereof.
`Claim 6
`The wireless communications system of claim 1 wherein
`said at least one antenna comprises a plurality of antennas;
`and
`wherein said controller cooperates with said plurality of
`antennas to determine a bearing to said target wireless
`communications device based upon at least one of the
`
`vii
`
`

`

`Attorney Docket No. 50095-0111IP1
`IPR of U.S. Patent 7,110,779
`
`received reply signals.
`Claim 7
`The wireless communications system of claim 6 wherein the
`bearing is a three-dimensional bearing.
`Claim 8
`The wireless communications system of claim 1 wherein
`said at least one antenna comprises at least one directional
`antenna.
`
`[7]
`
`[8]
`
`[9]
`
`[10]
`
`Claim 9
`The wireless communications system of claim 1 wherein
`said wireless device locator further comprises a portable
`housing carrying said at least one antenna, said transceiver,
`and said controller.
`Claim 10
`The wireless communications system of claim 1 wherein
`said wireless communications devices comprise wireless
`local area network (WLAN) devices.
`Claim 11
`The wireless communications system of claim 1 wherein
`said wireless communications devices comprise mobile ad-
`hoc network (MANET) devices.
`Claim 12
`The wireless communications system of claim 1 wherein
`said wireless communications devices comprise cellular
`communications devices.
`Claim 13
`[13.pre] A wireless communications system comprising:
`a plurality of wireless local area network (WLAN) devices
`each having a device type associated therewith from among
`a plurality of different device types,
`each WLAN device having a unique identifier (UID)
`associated therewith, and
`[13.a.iii] each device type having a known device latency associated
`
`[11]
`
`[12]
`
`[13.a.i]
`
`[13.a.ii]
`
`viii
`
`

`

`Attorney Docket No. 50095-0111IP1
`IPR of U.S. Patent 7,110,779
`
`[13.b.i]
`
`[13.b.iv]
`
`[13.c]
`
`[13.d]
`
`[13.d.i]
`
`[13.b.iii]
`
`therewith; and
`a wireless device locator comprising at least one antenna
`and a transceiver connected thereto, and
`[13.b.ii] a controller for cooperating with said transceiver for
`transmitting a plurality of location finding signals to a
`target WLAN device from among said plurality of WLAN
`devices and
`inserting the UID for said target wireless communications
`device in each of the location finding signals;
`said target WLAN device transmitting a respective reply
`signal for each of said location finding signals based upon
`the UID in the location finding signals;
`said controller of said wireless device locator also for
`cooperating with said transceiver for receiving the reply
`signals,
`determining a propagation delay associated with the
`transmission of each location finding signal and the
`respective reply signal therefor based upon the known
`device latency of said target WLAN device, and
`[13.d.iii] estimating a range to said target WLAN device based upon
`an average of a plurality of determined propagation delays.
`Claim 14
`The wireless communications system of claim 13 wherein
`said target WLAN device generates unsolicited signals
`including the UID thereof;
`wherein said controller cooperates with said transceiver to
`receive at least one unsolicited signal from said target
`WLAN device; and
`[14.c] wherein said controller determines the UID for said target
`WLAN device from the at least one unsolicited signal.
`
`
`[13.d.ii]
`
`[14.a]
`
`[14.b]
`
`
`
`ix
`
`

`

`Attorney Docket No. 50095-0111IP1
`IPR of U.S. Patent 7,110,779
`
`[15]
`
`[17.a]
`
`[17.b]
`
`[18.pre]
`
`[16a]
`
`Claim 15
`The wireless communications system of claim 14 wherein
`said controller determines the device type of said target
`WLAN device based upon the UID thereof.
`Claim 16
`The wireless communications system of claim 15 wherein
`the UIDs comprise media access control (MAC) addresses
`of respective WLAN devices, and
`[16b] wherein said controller determines the device type of said
`target WLAN device based upon the MAC address thereof.
`Claim 17
`The wireless communications system of claim 13 wherein
`said at least one antenna comprises a plurality of antennas;
`and
`wherein said controller cooperates with said plurality of
`antennas to determine a bearing to said target WLAN
`device based upon at least one of the received reply signals.
`Claim 18
`A wireless device locator for locating a target wireless
`communications device having a unique identifier (UID)
`associated therewith, the wireless device locator
`comprising:
`at least one antenna and a transceiver connected thereto;
`and
`a controller for cooperating with said transceiver for
`transmitting a plurality of location finding signals to the
`target wireless communications device,
`inserting the UID for the target wireless communications
`device in each of the location finding signals, and
`receiving a respective reply signal for each of said location
`finding signals generated by the target wireless
`communications device based upon the UID in the location
`finding signals,
`
`[18.a]
`
`[18.b]
`
`[18.c]
`
`[18.d]
`
`[18.e]
`
`x
`
`

`

`Attorney Docket No. 50095-0111IP1
`IPR of U.S. Patent 7,110,779
`determining a propagation delay associated with the
`transmission of each location finding signal and the
`respective reply signal therefor based upon a known device
`latency of the target wireless communications device, and
`estimating a range to the target wireless communications
`device based upon a plurality of determined propagation
`delays.
`
`Claim 19
`The wireless device locator of claim 18 wherein said
`controller estimates the range based upon an average of the
`propagation delays.
`Claim 20
`The wireless device locator of claim 18 wherein the target
`wireless communications device generates unsolicited
`signals including the UID thereof;
`wherein said controller cooperates with said transceiver to
`receive at least one unsolicited signal from the target
`device; and
`wherein said controller determines the UID for the target
`wireless communications device from the at least one
`unsolicited signal.
`
`[18.f]
`
`[18.g]
`
`[19]
`
`[20.a]
`
`[20.b]
`
`[20.c]
`
`[21.b]
`
`Claim 21
`[21.a] The wireless device locator of claim 18 wherein said at least
`one antenna comprises a plurality of antennas; and
`wherein said controller cooperates with said plurality of
`antennas to determine a bearing to the target wireless
`communications device based upon at least one of the
`received reply signals.
`Claim 22
`The wireless device locator of claim 18 wherein said at least
`one antenna comprises at least one directional antenna.
`
`
`[22]
`
`
`
`xi
`
`

`

`Attorney Docket No. 50095-0111IP1
`IPR of U.S. Patent 7,110,779
`
`Claim 23
`The wireless device locator of claim 18 wherein said
`wireless device locator further comprises a portable
`housing carrying said at least one antenna, said transceiver,
`and said controller.
`Claim 24
`The wireless device locator of claim 18 wherein the target
`wireless communications device comprises a wireless local
`area network (WLAN) device.
`Claim 25
`The wireless device locator of claim 18 wherein the target
`wireless communications device comprises a mobile ad-hoc
`network (MANET) device.
`Claim 26
`The wireless device locator of claim 18 wherein the target
`wireless communications device comprises a cellular
`communications device.
`Claim 27
`A method for locating a target wireless communications
`device from among a plurality of wireless communications
`devices, each wireless communications device having a
`device type associated therewith from among a plurality of
`different device types, each WLAN device having a unique
`identifier (UID) associated therewith, and each device type
`having a known device latency associated therewith, the
`method comprising:
`transmitting a plurality of location finding signals to the
`target wireless communications device,
`inserting the UID for the target wireless communications
`device in each of the location finding signals, and
`receiving a respective reply signal for each of the location
`finding signals generated by the target wireless
`communications device based upon the UID in the locations
`signals;
`
`[23]
`
`[24]
`
`[25]
`
`[26]
`
`[27.pre]
`
`[27.a]
`
`[27.b]
`
`[27.c]
`
`xii
`
`

`

`Attorney Docket No. 50095-0111IP1
`IPR of U.S. Patent 7,110,779
`determining a propagation delay associated with the
`transmission of each location finding signal and the
`respective reply signal therefor based upon the known
`device latency of the target wireless communications
`device; and
`estimating a range to the target wireless communications
`device based upon a plurality of determined propagation
`delays.
`
`Claim 28
`The method of claim 27 wherein the controller estimates
`the range based upon an average of the propagation delays.
`Claim 29
`The method of claim 27 wherein the target wireless
`communications device generates unsolicited signals
`including the UID thereof; and further comprising:
`receiving at least one unsolicited signal from the target
`device; and
`determining the UID for the target wireless
`communications device from the at least one unsolicited
`signal.
`
`Claim 30
`The method of claim 29 further comprising determining the
`device type of the target wireless communications device
`based upon the UID thereof.
`Claim 31
`The method of claim 27 further comprising determining a
`bearing to the target wireless communications device based
`upon at least one of the received reply signals.
`Claim 32
`The method of claim 27 wherein the target wireless
`communications device comprises a wireless local area
`network (WLAN) device.
`
`
`[27.d]
`
`[27.e]
`
`[28]
`
`[29.a]
`
`[29.b]
`
`[29.c]
`
`[30]
`
`[31]
`
`[32]
`
`
`
`xiii
`
`

`

`Attorney Docket No. 50095-0111IP1
`IPR of U.S. Patent 7,110,779
`
`Claim 33
`The method of claim 27 wherein the target wireless
`communications device comprises a mobile ad-hoc network
`(MANET) device.
`
`Claim 34
`The method of claim 27 wherein the target wireless
`communications device comprises a cellular
`communications device.
`
`[33]
`
`[34]
`
`xiv
`
`

`

`Attorney Docket No. 50095-0111IP1
`IPR of U.S. Patent 7,110,779
`
`I.
`INTRODUCTION
`Claims 1-34 (“the Challenged Claims”) of U.S. Patent 7,110,779 (“the ’779
`
`patent”) were not vetted thoroughly by the Office during prosecution. The file
`
`wrapper shows just one rejection/response before allowance based on an Examiner’s
`
`Amendment (see Section III.B). This Petition reveals that allowance was premature.
`
`The overly broad Challenged Claims are obvious, and proven so multiple times over
`
`in the grounds below based on new prior art references—McCrady, Raphaeli,
`
`Kuwahara, Rofheart, and Godfrey—that the Examiner never considered. See Section
`
`V. Accordingly, Apple Inc. (“Petitioner”) respectfully submits that the Board should
`
`institute inter partes review and ultimately find the Challenged Claims unpatentable.
`
`II.
`
`IPR REQUIREMENTS—37 C.F.R. §42.104
`A.
`Standing—37 C.F.R. §42.104(a)
`Apple certifies that the ’779 patent is available for IPR, and that Apple is not
`
`barred or estopped from requesting this review.
`
`B. Challenge and Relief—37 C.F.R. §42.104(b)
`Petitioner requests IPR of the Challenged Claims on the following grounds.
`
`Ground
`
`1
`
`2
`
`3
`4
`
`’779 Patent Claims
`1, 2, 8-10, 12-13, 18-19,
`22-24, 26-28, 32, 34
`1, 3-6, 10-11, 13-17, 20-
`21, 24-25, 29-33
`6-7, 17, 21, 31
`1-6, 8-34
`
`Basis
`
`§103: McCrady-Raphaeli
`
`§103: McCrady-Raphaeli-Rofheart
`
`§103: McCrady-Raphaeli-Kuwahara
`§103: Rofheart-Raphaeli-Godfrey
`
`1
`
`

`

`Attorney Docket No. 50095-0111IP1
`IPR of U.S. Patent 7,110,779
`Each reference pre-dates 2004-01-29 (“Critical Date”), which is the earliest
`
`date to which the ’779 patent claims priority.1
`
`Reference
`
`McCrady (APPLE-1005)
`Raphaeli (APPLE-1006)
`Kuwahara (APPLE-1007)
`Rofheart (APPLE-1009)
`Godfrey (APPLE-1028)
`
`Prior Art Date
`(at least as early as)2
`2002-09-17
`2003-05-04
`2000-05-30
`2000-10-10
`2003-10-31
`
`Basis
`(at least under)
`§102(b)
`§102(e)
`§102(b)
`§102(e)
`§102(e)
`
`C. Claim Construction—37 C.F.R. §42.104(b)(3)
`Because
`the Challenged Claims are obvious under any reasonable
`
`interpretation, no express constructions are required in this proceeding. To be clear,
`
`Petitioner reserves the right to address any construction proposed by Patent Owner
`
`or the Board. Petitioner also reserves the right to pursue constructions in district
`
`court that are necessary to decide matters of infringement.
`
`For example, in district court, Petitioner construed the term “known device
`
`latency” as “predetermined latency for the given device type of the target wireless
`
`communication device.” APPLE-1017, 3. Patent Owner opposed this construction
`
`and argued that “known device latency” should be given its (presumably broader)
`
`plain meaning. Id.; APPLE-1018, 1-4. While pertinent to infringement, the parties’
`
`
`1 Petitioner does not concede that the ’779 patent is entitled to the claimed priority.
`
`2 See Sections V.A.1-2, V.B.1, V.C.1, V.D.1.
`
`2
`
`

`

`Attorney Docket No. 50095-0111IP1
`IPR of U.S. Patent 7,110,779
`dispute has no bearing in this IPR because the prior art obviates the Challenged
`
`Claims under either party’s interpretation.
`
`III. THE ’779 PATENT
`A. Brief Description
`The ’779 patent describes “a wireless device locator which provides enhanced
`
`location features,” such as locating other devices in a wireless communications
`
`system via “active range finding.” APPLE-1001, 2:35-3:4, Abstract. In the patent’s
`
`preferred embodiments, the device locator exchanges signals with a target device,
`
`determines a propagation delay of those signals using a known device latency of the
`
`target device, and estimates a range to the target device based upon determined
`
`propagation delays. Id.; APPLE-1003, ¶¶39-43.
`
`The patent’s active range finding includes a message/signal exchange where
`
`the locator transmits “a location finding signal 45” and the target device responds
`
`with a “reply signal 46.” APPLE-1001, 6:41-7:35, Fig. 3. A controller of the locator
`
`measures a “round trip time” (RTT) which includes propagation delays of the
`
`respective signals 45-46. Id. The controller then uses a “known device latency (i.e.,
`
`a mean latency) for the device type of the target device” (which approximates the
`
`actual device latency) to determine a propagation delay, and subsequently, a range
`
`to the target (i.e., delay time multiplied by the speed of light yields a distance). Id.
`
`
`
`3
`
`

`

`Attorney Docket No. 50095-0111IP1
`IPR of U.S. Patent 7,110,779
`
`Reply
`Signal
`
`
`
`Location
`Finding
`Signal
`
`APPLE-1001, Fig. 3.
`
`B.
`Prosecution History Summary
`The ’779 patent issued on September 19, 2006 from U.S. Patent Application
`
`No. 10/767,794 (“the ’794 application”), which was filed on January 29, 2004.
`
`The Examiner’s first Office Action deemed a subset of the ’794 application’s
`
`pending dependent claims (those including UID-based limitations, e.g., Element
`
`[1.b.iv]) allowable if rewritten in independent format. APPLE-1002, 2006-02-24
`
`Non-Final Rejection. The Applicant later authorized the Examiner to incorporate the
`
`allowable subject matter into the independent claims, and the Examiner responded
`
`by permitting the ’794 application to grant. Id., 2006-06-27 Notice of Allowance.
`
`IV. LEVEL OF ORDINARY SKILL
`A POSITA would have had a Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering,
`
`computer engineering, computer science, or a related field, and 2-3 years of
`
`experience
`
`in
`
`the design or development of wireless communication
`
`4
`
`

`

`Attorney Docket No. 50095-0111IP1
`IPR of U.S. Patent 7,110,779
`systems/networks, including ranging/positioning systems or the equivalent.
`
`Additional graduate education could substitute for professional experience, or
`
`significant experience in the field could substitute for formal education. APPLE-
`
`1003, ¶¶20-22.
`
`V. THE CHALLENGED CLAIMS ARE UNPATENTABLE
`A. GROUND 1: Claims 1, 2, 8-10, 12-13, 18-19, 22-24, 26-28,
`32, 34 are Obvious Over McCrady-Raphaeli
`1. McCrady
`McCrady issued on September 17, 2002, more than a year before the Critical
`
`Date, and thus qualifies as §102(b) prior art.
`
`Like the ’779 patent, McCrady is about estimating ranges between wireless
`
`devices. APPLE-1005, Abstract. For example, McCrady describes “a position
`
`location system 10 [that] includes a target or ‘master’ mobile communication device
`
`or ‘radio’ 12 communicating with four reference communication devices 14, 16, 18
`
`and 20.” APPLE-1005, 6:44-56. These devices can be “any portable electronic
`
`device equipped with wireless transmission and reception capabilities.” Id.
`
`5
`
`

`

`Attorney Docket No. 50095-0111IP1
`IPR of U.S. Patent 7,110,779
`
`
`
`APPLE-1005, Fig. 1.
`
`McCrady further describes ranging message exchanges, where “[t]he master
`
`radio transmits outbound ranging messages to plural reference radios which respond
`
`by transmitting reply ranging messages.” Id., Abstract. “Upon reception of the reply
`
`ranging message, the master radio determines the range to the reference radio from
`
`the signal propagation time calculated by subtracting the far-end turn around time
`
`from the round-trip elapsed time.” Id. In determining the “propagation time,”
`
`McCrady accounts for the device latency (e.g., processing delay, antenna delay, etc.)
`
`of the reference radio as part of the subtracted “turn around time.” APPLE-1003,
`
`¶¶52-55; APPLE-1005, 8:65-9:23, 10:44-59, 11:15-39, Figs. 4-5.
`
`
`
`6
`
`

`

`Attorney Docket No. 50095-0111IP1
`IPR of U.S. Patent 7,110,779
`McCrady’s messages can include addresses such as a destination address
`
`corresponding to the message’s intended recipient, a source address corresponding
`
`to the message’s source, or both. APPLE-1005, 8:38-46, 8:50-53; APPLE-1003, ¶55
`
`(discussing that source/destination addresses are examples of UIDs).
`
`2.
`Raphaeli
`is a national stage application of a PCT application
`
`Raphaeli
`
`(PCT/IL2003/000358) filed on May 4, 2003, more than eight months before the
`
`Critical Date with an identical disclosure to Raphaeli. APPLE-1006, cover. The PCT
`
`application designated the United States and published under PCT Article 21(2) in
`
`English as WO2003/098528. APPLE-1008, cover. Accordingly, Raphaeli is §102(e)
`
`prior art as of the PCT filing date.
`
`Like the ’779 patent, Raphaeli’s disclosure is about determining distances
`
`between wireless devices, such as wireless RF tags, based on measuring the round-
`
`trip propagation delay. APPLE-1006, Abstract, 1:10-15, 4:20-26, 6: