UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
`
`____________
`
`BEFORE THE PATENT TRIAL AND APPEAL BOARD
`
`____________
`
`HALLIBURTON ENERGY SERVICES, INC.
`
`Petitioner
`
`v.
`
`U.S. WELL SERVICES, LLC
`
`Patent Owner
`
`____________
`
`Case No. IPR2023-00558
`
`Patent No. 11,136,870
`
`____________
`
`PETITION FOR INTER PARTES REVIEW OF CLAIMS 1-16 OF
`U.S. PATENT NO. 11,136,870
`
`

`

`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 11,136,870
`
`TABLE OF CONTENTS
`
`IV.
`
`Page
`MANDATORY NOTICES ............................................................................. 1
`I.
`STANDING AND FEES ................................................................................. 3
`II.
`III. OVERVIEW OF THE ’870 PATENT ............................................................ 4
`A.
`Subject Matter of the ’870 Patent .......................................................... 4
`B.
`Prosecution History of the ’870 Patent ................................................. 5
`C.
`Priority Date of the ’870 Patent............................................................. 6
`SUMMARY OF PRIOR ART ......................................................................... 6
`A.
`Coli ........................................................................................................ 7
`B.
`Gardner .................................................................................................. 8
`C.
`Toshiba Manual ..................................................................................... 9
`D.
`Horikoshi ............................................................................................. 12
`E.
`Loucks ................................................................................................. 14
`F.
`Vliet ..................................................................................................... 15
`G.
`Summary of Grounds .......................................................................... 16
`DISCRETIONARY DENIAL WOULD BE INAPPROPRIATE ................. 16
`A.
`Discretionary Denial Under Fintiv factors is not appropriate ............. 16
`B.
`Discretionary Denial Under 35 U.S.C. § 325(d) is not
`appropriate ........................................................................................... 18
`
`V.
`
`i
`
`

`

`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 11,136,870
`
`LEVEL OF ORDINARY SKILL IN THE ART ........................................... 20
`VI.
`VII. CLAIM CONSTRUCTION .......................................................................... 20
`VIII. A REASONABLE LIKELIHOOD EXISTS THAT THE CHALLENGED
`CLAIMS ARE UNPATENTABLE .............................................................. 21
`A.
`Ground 1: Claims 1-16 are obvious over Coli in view of
`Toshiba Manual ................................................................................... 21
`1.
`One of skill in the art would have been motivated to
`combine Coli with Toshiba Manual .........................................21
`Claim 1 ......................................................................................25
`2.
`Claim 2 ......................................................................................32
`3.
`Claim 3 ......................................................................................32
`4.
`Claim 4 ......................................................................................33
`5.
`Claim 5 ......................................................................................35
`6.
`Claim 6 ......................................................................................35
`7.
`Claim 7 ......................................................................................35
`8.
`Claim 8 ......................................................................................38
`9.
`10. Claim 9 ......................................................................................39
`11. Claim 10 ....................................................................................39
`12. Claim 11 ....................................................................................40
`13. Claim 12 ....................................................................................40
`14. Claim 13 ....................................................................................41
`15. Claim 14 ....................................................................................43
`16. Claim 15 ....................................................................................44
`17. Claim 16 ....................................................................................44
`
`ii
`
`

`

`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 11,136,870
`
`B.
`
`C.
`
`D.
`
`E.
`
`F.
`
`G.
`
`Ground 2: Claims 1-6 are obvious over Coli in view of
`Horikoshi ............................................................................................. 45
`1.
`One of skill in the art would have been motivated to
`combine Coli with Horikoshi ....................................................45
`Claim 1 ......................................................................................48
`2.
`Claim 4 ......................................................................................50
`3.
`Ground 3: Claims 7-16 are obvious over Coli in view of Loucks ...... 51
`1.
`One of skill in the art would have been motivated to
`combine Coli with Loucks ........................................................51
`Claim 7 ......................................................................................56
`1.
`Ground 4A: Claims 12 and 13 are obvious over Coli in view
`Toshiba Manual and Vliet ................................................................... 57
`1.
`One of skill in the art would have been motivated to
`combine Coli, Toshiba Manual, and Vliet ................................57
`Claim 12 ....................................................................................59
`2.
`Ground 4B: Claims 12 and 13 are obvious over Coli in view of
`Loucks and Vliet ................................................................................. 60
`1.
`One of skill in the art would be motivated to combine
`Coli, Loucks, and Vliet ..............................................................60
`Claim 12 ....................................................................................61
`2.
`Ground 5A: Grounds 14 and 15 are obvious over Coli in view
`of Toshiba Manual and Gardner.......................................................... 61
`1.
`One of skill in the art would be motivated to combine
`Coli, Toshiba Manual, and Gardner .........................................62
`Claim 14 ....................................................................................62
`2.
`Ground 5B: Claims 14 and 25 are obvious over Coli in view of
`Loucks and Gardner ............................................................................ 63
`
`iii
`
`

`

`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 11,136,870
`
`1.
`
`One of skill in the art would be motivated to combine
`Coli with Loucks and Gardner ..................................................64
`Claim 14 ....................................................................................64
`2.
`SECONDARY CONSIDERATIONS ........................................................... 64
`CONCLUSION .............................................................................................. 66
`
`IX.
`X.
`
`iv
`
`

`

`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 11,136,870
`
`TABLE OF AUTHORITIES
`
`Page(s)
`
`CASES
`Advanced Bionics, LLC v. MED-EL Elektromedizinische Geräte GmbH,
`IPR2019-01469, Paper 6 (P.T.A.B. Feb. 13, 2020) ...................................... 18, 19
`Agrizap, Inc. v. Woodstream Corp.,
`520 F.3d 1337 (Fed. Cir. 2008) .................................................................... 23, 45
`Apple, Inc. v. Fintiv, Inc,
`IPR2020-00019, Paper 11 (PTAB March 20, 2020) .................................... 15, 16
`Bristol Myers Squibb Co. v. Ben Venue Labs., Inc.,
`246 F.3d 1368 (Fed. Cir. 2001) .......................................................................... 28
`Coolit Sys., Inc. v. Asetek Danmark A/S,
`IPR2021-01196, Paper 10 (P.T.A.B. Dec. 28, 2021) ......................................... 17
`Fox Factory, Inc. v. SRAM, LLC,
`944 F.3d 1366 (Fed. Cir. 2019) .......................................................................... 62
`HP Inc. v. Slingshot Printing LLC,
`IPR2020-01084, Paper 13 (PTAB Jan. 14, 2021) .............................................. 16
`Hulu, LLC v. Sound View Innovations, LLC,
`IPR2018-01039, Paper 29 (P.T.A.B. Dec. 20, 2019) ......................................... 10
`KSR Int’l Co. v. Teleflex, Inc.,
`127 S. Ct. 1727 (2007) ............................................................................ 24, 45, 52
`Leapfrog Enters., Inc. v. Fisher-Price, Inc.,
`485 F.3d 1157 (Fed. Cir. 2007) .......................................................................... 63
`Micron Tech., Inc. v. Godo Kaisha IPR Bridge 1,
`IPR2020-01007, Paper 15 (PTAB Dec. 7, 2020) ............................................... 16
`Monsanto Tech. LLC v. E.I. DuPont de Nemours & Co.,
`878 F.3d 1336 (Fed. Cir. 2018) .......................................................................... 41
`Nidec Motor Corp. v. Zhongshan Broad Ocean Motor Co.,
`868 F.3d 1013 (Fed. Cir. 2017) .......................................................................... 20
`
`v
`
`

`

`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 11,136,870
`
`Oticon Medical AB et al. v. Cochlear Limited,
`IPR2019-00975, Paper 15 (PTAB Oct. 16, 2019) .............................................. 18
`Phillips v. AWH Corp.,
`415 F.3d 1303 (Fed. Cir. 2005) (en banc) .......................................................... 20
`Vivid Techs., Inc. v. Am. Sci. & Eng'g, Inc.,
`200 F.3d 795 (Fed. Cir. 1999) ............................................................................ 20
`OTHER AUTHORITIES
`37 C.F.R. § 42.100(b) .............................................................................................. 20
`
`vi
`
`

`

`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 11,136,870
`
`LIST OF EXHIBITS
`
`1001 U.S. Patent No. 11,136,870 by Joel Broussard et al. entitled “System for
`Pumping Hydraulic Fracturing Fluid using Electric Pumps” (“the ’870 Patent”)
`
`1002 Declaration of Dr. Robert Durham
`
`1003
`
`File History for U.S. Patent No. 11,136,870
`
`1004
`
`File History for U.S. Patent No. 9,410,410
`
`1005 U.S. Patent Publication No. 2012/0255734, Coli, et al., “Mobile, modular,
`electrically powered system for use in fracturing underground formations,”
`(“Coli”) filed on April 6, 2012 and published on October 11, 2012.
`
`1006
`
`Toshiba International Corporation, “G7 Adjustable Speed Drive Operation
`Manual,” Document No. 51546-009 (March 2005) (“Toshiba Manual”),
`available at:
`https://web.archive.org/web/20101207173900/http://www.toshiba.com/ind/da
`ta/tag_files/GX7%20Operation%20Manual_3886.pdf
`
`1007 Declaration of Nathaniel E. Frank-White, custodian of records for Internet
`Archive regarding Toshiba documents (May 27, 2022)
`
`1008 U.S. Patent Publication No. 2011/0241590, Horikoshi, et al., “Motor driving
`apparatus having fault diagnostic function,” (“Horikoshi”) filed on February
`11, 2011 and published on October 6, 2011.
`
`1009 U.S. Patent Publication No. 2010/0312415, Loucks, “Electrical Device Cooling
`Efficiency Monitoring,” (“Loucks”) filed on June 4, 2009 and published on
`December 9, 2010.
`
`1010 U.S. Patent Publication No. 2011/0197988, Vliet, et al., “Fuel Delivery System
`and Method,” (“Vliet”) filed on February 16, 2011 and published on August 18,
`2011.
`
`1011 Gardner Denver, Inc., Well Servicing Pump, Model GD-2500Q, Quintuplex,
`Operating and Service Manual, 300FWF996 Revision C, (“Gardner”)
`published in April 2005, Tulsa, OK, USA.
`
`vii
`
`

`

`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 11,136,870
`
`1012 Declaration of Duncan Hall, custodian of records for Internet Archive regarding
`Gardner (June 7, 2021)
`
`1013 U.S. Patent No. 8,997,904, Cryer et al., “System and method of powering a
`hydraulic pump,” (“Cryer”) filed on July 5, 2012 and issued on April 7, 2015.
`
`1014 U.S. Patent Publication No. 2013/0306322, Sanborn et al., “System and process
`for extracting oil and gas by hydraulic fracturing,” (“Sanborn”) filed on
`December 7, 2012 and published on November 21, 2013.
`
`1015 K. Vidal, Memorandum regarding Interim Procedure for Discretionary Denials
`in AIA Post-Grant Proceedings with Parallel District Court Litigation (June 21,
`2022)
`
`1016 Donald G. Fink, STANDARD HANDBOOK FOR ELECTRICAL ENGINEERS, 13th ed.
`(McGraw-Hill, New York: 1993), ISBN: 0-07-020984-7 (“Fink”)
`
`1017 National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) Standards Publication
`ICS 61800-4-2004, Adjustable Speed Electrical Power Drive Systems, Part 4:
`General Requirements—Rating Specifications for a.c. Power Drive Systems
`above 1000 V a.c. and Not Exceeding 35 kV (National Electrical Manufacturers
`Association: 2004) (“ICS-61800-4”)
`
`1018 Mark’s Standard Handbook for Mechanical Engineers, Eleventh Edition,
`McGraw-Hill Companies, New York, 2007.
`
`1019
`
`“Root Cause Failure Analysis for AC Induction motors in the Petroleum and
`Chemical Industry,” Austin H. Bonnet, Industry Applications Society 57th
`Annual Petroleum and Chemical Industry Conference, 2010.
`
`1020 European Patent Specification 1,900,973, Salvaire et al., “Method of
`performing hydraulic fracturing and fracturing pump system,” (“Salvaire”)
`filed on September 9, 2006 and issued on June 23, 2010.
`
`1021 D. Roethemeyer and D. Yankaskas, “Evolution of motor and variable
`frequency drive technology,” in ACEEE Summer Study Proceedings on Energy
`Efficiency in Industry, 1995, pp. 541-552.
`
`1022 U.S. Patent No. 3,186,222, P.W. Martin, “Well Signaling System” (“Martin”)
`filed on July 28, 1960,”, and issued on June 1, 1965.
`
`viii
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`

`

`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 11,136,870
`
`1023 U.S. Patent No. 3,075,136, D.V. Jones, “Variable Pulse Width Parallel
`Inverters,” (“Jones”) filed on August 31, 1961, and issued on January 22, 1963.
`
`1024 U.S. Patent No. 3,262,036, C.D. Clarke et al., “Means for Smoothly Varying
`the Speed of a Star-Connected Polyphase Induction Motor,” (“Clarke”) filed
`on September 19, 1962, and issued on July 19, 1966.
`
`1025 W. Shepherd and J. Stanway, “Unbalanced Voltage Control of 3-Phase Loads
`by the Triggering of Silicon Controlled Rectifiers,” IEEE Transactions on
`Industry and General Applications, vol. IGA-1, no. 3, pp. 206-216, 1965, doi:
`10.1109/TIGA.1965.4180543 (“Shepherd”).
`
`1026 H. N. Hickok, “Adjustable Speed---A Tool for Saving Energy Losses in Pumps,
`Fans, Blowers, and Compressors,”
`IEEE Transactions on
`Industry
`Applications,
`vol.
`IA-21,
`no.
`1,
`pp.
`124-136,
`1985,
`doi:
`10.1109/TIA.1985.349672.
`
`1027 F. A. DeWinter and B. J. Kedrosky, “The application of a 3500 HP variable
`frequency drive for pipeline pump control,” Record of Conference Papers.,
`Industrial Applications Society 35th Annual Petroleum and Chemical Industry
`Conference, Dallas,
`TX, USA,
`1988,
`pp.
`133-138,
`doi:
`10.1109/PCICON.1988.22429.
`
`1028 M. Perrin, G. Kohn, S. Mugford, and G. Seggewiss, “Induction motors,
`reciprocating compressors and variable frequency drives,” in Record of
`Conference Papers. IEEE Industry Applications Society 44th Annual
`Petroleum and Chemical Industry Conference, 15-17 Sept. 1997 1997, pp. 1-9,
`doi: 10.1109/PCICON.1997.648162.
`
`1029 B. Lockley, B. Wood, R. Paes, and F. DeWinter, “IEEE Std 1566 - The Need
`for a Large Adjustable Speed Drive Standard,” in 2006 Record of Conference
`Papers - IEEE Industry Applications Society 53rd Annual Petroleum and
`Chemical Industry Conference, 11-15 Sept. 2006 2006, pp. 1-10, doi:
`10.1109/PCICON.2006.359687 (“Lockley”).
`
`1030 U.S. Patent No. 2,533,001, E. Eberhard., “Flip-Flop Counter Circuit,”
`(“Eberhard”) filed on April 30, 1949 and issued on December 5, 1950.
`
`ix
`
`

`

`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 11,136,870
`
`1031 C. M. Chang, “An N-P-N high power fast germanium core driver
`transistor,” 1957 International Electron Devices Meeting, Washington, DC,
`USA, 1957, pp. 114-114, doi: 10.1109/IEDM.1957.187057 (“Chang”).
`
`1032 F. B. Golden, “Liquid Cooling of Power Thyristors,” in IEEE Transactions on
`Industry Applications, vol. IA-8, no. 5, pp. 601-606, Sept. 1972, doi:
`10.1109/TIA.1972.349789 (“Golden”).
`
`1033 A. H. Iversen and S. Whitaker, “A uniform temperature, ultra high heat flux
`liquid cooled, power semiconductor package,” Conference Record of the IEEE
`Industry Applications Society Annual Meeting,, San Diego, CA, USA, 1989,
`pp. 1340-1347 vol.2, doi: 10.1109/IAS.1989.96817 (“Iverson and Whitaker”).
`
`1034 Hilbert, C., S. Sommerfeldt, O. Gupta, and D. J. Herrell. 1990. “High
`performance air cooled heat sinks for integrated circuits,” IEEE Transactions
`on Components, Hybrids, and Manufacturing Technology, 13: 1022-31
`(“Hilbert et al.”).
`
`1035 Hefner, A. R. 1992. “A dynamic electro-thermal model for the IGBT.” In
`Conference Record of the 1992 IEEE Industry Applications Society Annual
`Meeting, 1094-104 vol.1 (“Hefner”).
`
`1036
`
`Jim Bentein, “Drying Out,” Oilweek vol. 64 no. 3 (Mar. 2013).
`
`1037 TM2500+™ Mobile Gas Turbine Generator Fact Sheet, GE Power & Water
`(June 25, 2014), available at:
`https://web.archive.org/web/20140625063653/https://www.ge-
`distributedpower.com/
`
`1038 Declaration of Nathaniel E. Frank-White, custodian of records for Internet
`Archive regarding Ex. 1037 (June 21, 2022)
`
`1039 ASME Landmark “America’s First Power Generating Gas Turbine,” available
`at:
`https://www.asme.org/wwwasmeorg/media/resourcefiles/aboutasme/who%20
`we%20are/engineering%20history/landmarks/100-belle-isle-gas-turbine.pdf
`(last accessed on Feb. 6, 2023)
`
`x
`
`

`

`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 11,136,870
`
`1040
`
`“GTS Admiral W.M. Callaghan,” U.S. Department of Transportation, Maritime
`Administration, available at:
`https://maritime.dot.gov/multimedia/gts-admiral-wm-callaghan (last accessed
`on Feb. 6, 2023)
`
`1041 GE TM2500+ Aeroderivative Mobile Gas Turbine Brochure (July 17, 2014),
`available at: https://web.archive.org/web/20140717215045/https://www.ge-
`distributedpower.com/component/cck/?task=download&file=seb_media_docu
`ment&id=13183
`
`1042 Turbomachinery Systems For Oil and Gas Applications, Solar Turbines
`Caterpillar Company (November 2, 2006), available at:
`https://web.archive.org/web/20061102043710/http://mysolar.cat.com/cda/files
`/127587/7/bo&g.pdf
`
`1043 Oil and Gas Industry Packages, Generator Sets, Solar Turbines: A Caterpillar
`Company (March 18, 2006), available at:
`https://web.archive.org/web/20060318215809/http://mysolar.cat.com/cda/layo
`ut?m=36056&x=7
`
`1044 Fast and Easy Installation for Mobile Power, Solar Mobile Turbomachinery,
`Solar Turbines: A Caterpillar Company, available at:
`https://www.solarturbines.com/en_US/solutions/oil-and-gas/solar-mobile-
`turbomachinery.html (last accessed on Feb. 6, 2023)
`
`1045 Toshiba Low Voltage Adjustable Speed Drives, Integrated Power Services,
`available at:
`https://www.ipsrpd.com/toshiba-
`drives.html#:~:text=Toshiba%20International%20Corporation%20entered%2
`0the%20North%20American%20adjustable,requirements%20for%20virtually
`%20any%20industry%2C%20application%2C%20and%20environment (last
`accessed on Feb. 6, 2023)
`
`1046 Oil & Gas, Toshiba International Corporation, available at:
`https://www.toshiba.com/tic/oil-
`gas#:~:text=Toshiba%27s%20oil%20and%20gas%20product%20offerings%2
`0are%20packaged,environments%20while%20improving%20process%20con
`trol%20and%20system%20efficiency (last accessed on Feb. 6, 2023)
`
`xi
`
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`

`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 11,136,870
`
`1047 GX7 Low Voltage Severe Duty Specialty, Toshiba (Nov. 23, 2012), available
`at:
`https://web.archive.org/web/20101123025808/http://www.toshiba.com/ind/pr
`oduct_display.jsp?id1=7&id2=601
`
`1048
`
`IPR2021-01033, Paper 41 (P.T.A.B. Jan. 4, 2023) Final Written Decision
`concerning U.S. Patent No. 8,789,601
`
`1049 U.S. Patent No. 8,789,601, Broussard et al., “System for Pumping Hydraulic
`Fracturing Fluid Using Electric Pumps,” (“the ’601 Patent”) filed on February
`26, 2014 and issued on July 29, 2014.
`
`1050 Declaration of Robert Schaaf from U.S. Well Services, LLC v. Tops Well
`Services, LLC et al., No. 3:19-cv-00237, Dkt. 72-9 (S.D. Tex. Apr. 24, 2020)
`
`1051 Deposition Transcript of Robert Schaaf taken in IPR2021-01033 (July 1, 2022)
`
`1052 Deposition Transcript of Robert Schaaf taken in IPR2021-01032, -01034,
`-01036, -01038 (June 29, 2022)
`
`1053 Halliburton Energy Services, Inc., et al. v. U.S. Well Services, LLC, No. 6:22-
`cv-00906-ADA-DTG, Dkt. 50 (Feb. 8, 2023) (Joint Motion to Extend
`Scheduling Deadlines)
`
`xii
`
`

`

`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 11,136,870
`
`I.
`
`MANDATORY NOTICES
`Real Party in Interest: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc. (“Halliburton” or
`
`“Petitioner”), Halliburton Co., and Halliburton Holdings LLC are the real parties in
`
`interest.
`
`Related Matters: U.S. Patent No. 11,136,870 is asserted in a pending lawsuit
`
`entitled Halliburton Energy Services, Inc., et al., v. U.S. Well Services, LLC, 6:22-
`
`cv-00906-ADA (W.D. Tex.) (“Halliburton Litigation”). Petitioner is concurrently
`
`filing a Petition for IPR against U.S. Patent No. 9,650,871, which is asserted in a
`
`related pending lawsuit entitled Halliburton Energy Services, Inc., et al. v. U.S. Well
`
`Services, LLC, 6:22-cv-00905-ADA (W.D. Tex.).
`
`In addition, Petitioner has filed Petitions for IPR against three other patents
`
`that involve substantially similar subject matter: IPR2021-01032 against U.S. Patent
`
`No. 9,410,410; IPR2021-01033 against U.S. Patent No. 8,789,601; and IPR2021-
`
`01034 against U.S. Patent No. 10,337,308.1 Each of these Petitions resulted in
`
`1 IPR2021-01032 and IPR2021-01034 concern the patents that issued from the
`
`parent applications of the ’870 Patent at issue in the instant Petition. A terminal
`
`disclaimer was filed for the ’870 Patent in view of the patents at issue in IPR2021-
`
`01032 and IPR2021-01033. Ex. 1003 at 72–75,
`
`1
`
`

`

`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 11,136,870
`
`decisions to institute, were assigned to the same three-judge panel,2 and all but one
`
`of the challenged claims from those three patents were found unpatentable.
`
`Petitioner has also filed Petitions for IPR against other patents held by Patent
`
`Owner, including: IPR2021-01035 against U.S. Patent No. 9,970,278; IPR2021-
`
`01036 against U.S. Patent No. 9,611,728; IPR2021-01037 against U.S. Patent No.
`
`9,745,840; IPR2021-01038 against U.S. Patent No. 10,408,030; IPR2021-01065
`
`against U.S. Patent No. 9,840,901; IPR2021-01065 against U.S. Patent No.
`
`9,840,901; IPR2021-01066 against U.S. Patent No. 10,020,711; IPR2021-01238
`
`against U.S. Patent No. 10,526,882; IPR2021-01315 against U.S. Patent No.
`
`9,893,500; IPR2021-01316 against U.S. Patent 10,280,724; IPR2021-01538 against
`
`U.S. Patent No. 10,408,031; and IPR2021-01539 against U.S. Patent No.
`
`10,648,311; IPR2022-00074 against U.S. Patent No. 10,254,732; IPR2022-00610
`
`against U.S. Patent No. 10,934,824. Aside from IPR2021-01539, each of these
`
`Petitions resulted in decisions to institute, and were assigned to the same three-judge
`
`panel as the three noted above.
`
`Lead Counsel and Request for Authorization: Petitioner designates lead and
`
`back-up counsel as noted below. A Power of Attorney is filed concurrently herewith
`
`under 37 C.F.R. § 42.10(b).
`
`2 Judges Browne, Hoskins, and O’Hanlon comprised this panel.
`
`2
`
`

`

`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 11,136,870
`
`Lead Counsel
`Elizabeth Durham Flannery
`Reg. No. 59,509
`Baker Botts L.L.P.
`910 Louisiana St.
`Houston, Texas 77002
`Phone: 713.229.2104
`Fax: 713.229.7704
`liz.flannery@bakerbotts.com
`
`Backup Counsel
`Chad Walters
`Reg. No. 48,022
`Baker Botts L.L.P.
`2001 Ross Avenue, Suite 900
`Dallas, Texas 75201
`Phone: 214.953.6511
`Fax: 214.661.4511
`chad.walters@bakerbotts.com
`
`Brandon Chen
`Reg. No. 76,931
`Baker Botts L.L.P.
`910 Louisiana St.
`Houston, Texas 77002
`Phone: 713.229.1611
`Fax: 713.229.2811
`brandon.chen@bakerbotts.com
`
`Service Information: Correspondence to lead and back-up counsel can be
`
`provided at the postal and electronic addresses above. Petitioner also consents to
`
`service by electronic mail at DLHalliburton870-871IPR@bakerbotts.com.
`
`II.
`
`STANDING AND FEES
`Standing: Petitioner certifies under 37 C.F.R. § 42.104(a) that the U.S. Patent
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`No. 11,136,870 is eligible for inter partes review and that Petitioner is not barred or
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`estopped from requesting inter partes review on the grounds set forth herein.
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`Fees: The Office is authorized to charge the fee set forth in 37 C.F.R.
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`§ 42.15(a) to Deposit Account No. 02-0384 as well as any additional fees that might
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`be due in connection with this Petition.
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`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 11,136,870
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`III. OVERVIEW OF THE ’870 PATENT
`Petitioner challenges claims 1-16 (“Challenged Claims”) of U.S. Patent
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`No. 11,136,870 (“the ’870 Patent”), titled “System for Pumping Hydraulic
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`Fracturing Fluid using Electric Pumps.” See Ex. 1001.
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`A. Subject Matter of the ’870 Patent
`The ’870 Patent relates to hydraulic fracturing operations. The ’870 Patent
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`explains that in traditional hydraulic fracturing operations, “pumping is typically
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`performed by large diesel-powered pumps” to create fractures in a formation.
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`Ex. 1001, 1:39-42. The ’870 Patent acknowledges several “problems associated
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`with diesel pumps” (e.g., high costs of maintaining, transporting, and fueling such
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`pumps) and then re-states what was already known in the art—i.e., that these
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`problems can be overcome by “using pumps powered by electric motors.”
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`Ex. 1001, 1:41-54; 1:24-26; see Ex. 1002, ¶39; Exs. 1005, 1013, 1014, 1020. In
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`particular, the ’870 Patent is directed to “pumping fracturing fluid into an oil or gas
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`well using pumps powered by electric motors.” See Ex. 1001, 1:23-26. The electric
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`motor driven pumps are intended to replace the traditionally-used diesel powered
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`pumps and thereby avoid the aforementioned problems. See id., 1:53-55.
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`The ’870 Patent describes a hydraulic fracturing operation that includes “a
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`plurality of pumps 10 mounted to pump vehicles 12.” Id., 3:40. The ’870 Patent
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`further states that “the pumps 10 are powered by electric motors 14, which can also
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`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 11,136,870
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`be mounted to the pump vehicles 12.” Id., 3:42-44. The pumps 10 deliver
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`fracturing fluid to a wellbore through a missile 18 positioned between the pumps 10
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`and a wellhead. Id., 3:48-50.
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`As demonstrated herein, all features of the Challenged Claims, including the
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`design considerations and purported advantages described in the ’870 Patent, were
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`well known at the time the application leading to the ’870 Patent was filed.
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`B. Prosecution History of the ’870 Patent
`The application that issued as the ’870 Patent—U.S. Patent Application
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`No. 16/456,777—was filed June 28, 2019. Ex. 1003 at 272. The ’870 Patent is a
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`continuation of U.S. Patent Application No. 15/202,085 (“’085 Application”) that
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`issued as U.S. Patent No. 10,337,308 (the “’308 Patent”), which is a continuation of
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`U.S. Patent Application No. 13/679,689 that issued as U.S. Patent No. 9,410,410
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`(the “’410 Patent”). After a preliminary amendment, the application included 20
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`claims, of which claims 2, 6, and 10 were independent. Ex. 1003 at 168-171.
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`In a first Non-Final Office Action dated November 23, 2020, the Examiner
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`rejected claims 2-21, but found that then-pending dependent claims 3, 9, and 18
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`“would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the base claim
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`and any intervening claims.” Ex. 1003 at 94. Then-pending claims 3 and 9 recited:
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`“wherein the variable frequency drive frequently performs electric motor diagnostics
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`to prevent damage to the one or more electric motors.” Then-pending claim 18
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`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 11,136,870
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`recited: “wherein the variable frequency drive has one or more power semiconductor
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`heat sinks having thermal sensors monitored by a microprocessor to prevent damage
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`caused by excessive heat.” Applicant amended the independent claims (which
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`issued as claims 1, 4, and 7) to recite the features previously recited in claims 3
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`(except for the word “frequently”), 9 (except for the word “frequently”), and 18.
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`Ex. 1003 at 81-84. Applicant also filed terminal disclaimers over U.S. Patent No.
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`9,410,410 and U.S. Patent No. 8,789,601. Id., 72-73. The Examiner approved the
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`terminal disclaimers, and the application was then allowed. Id., 18-23, 58.
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`Based on the above, the point of purported novelty of independent claims 1,
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`4, and 7 of the ’870 Patent lies in the variable frequency drive (“VFD”) performing
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`diagnostics and heat sinks having thermal sensors to prevent damage to the motor.
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`Such variable frequency drives, including diagnostic functionality and heat sinks
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`having thermal sensors to prevent damage as required by the independent claims,
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`however, were well known before the earliest priority date of the ’870 Patent.
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`C. Priority Date of the ’870 Patent
`The ’870 Patent purports to claim priority to November 16, 2012. Petitioner
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`relies on prior art that pre-dates November 16, 2012.
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`IV.
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`SUMMARY OF PRIOR ART
`Because the application that issued as the ’870 Patent claims priority having
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`an effective filing date before March 16, 2013, it was examined under the pre-AIA
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`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 11,136,870
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`first to invent provisions. Ex. 1003.
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`A. Coli (Ex. 1005)
`Coli refers to U.S. Patent Publication No. 2012/0255734, which was filed on
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`April 6, 2012 and published on October 11, 2012. Ex. 1005. Coli is thus prior art
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`to the ’870 Patent under pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. §§ 102(a) and 102(e).
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`Like the ’870 Patent, Coli involves a “fracturing system” for “delivering
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`fracturing fluid to a wellbore at a fracturing operation.” Ex. 1005, [0034]. Coli
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`discloses how the electrification of the fracturing operation can improve costs (id.,
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`[0075]) and efficiency (id., [0077]), as well as safety (id., [0066]) and environmental
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`impact (id., [0080]). For example, Coli discloses using natural-gas powered
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`turbines to generate electricity, which in turn powers electric motors for driving the
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`pumps. Id., [0042]. The turbines may use natural gas that is collected on site
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`thereby “obviating the need for a constant supply of diesel fuel to the site and
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`reducing the site footprint and infrastructure required for the fracturing operation.”
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`Id., [0036]; see also id., [0075]. Further, the smaller size and lighter weight of
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`pumping modules with electric motors “allow[s] for placement of four pumps 22 in
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`the same physical dimension (size and weight) as the spacing needed for a single
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`pump in conventional diesel systems.” Id., [0049]. Thus, “the number of
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`fracturing modules 20 placed on each trailer 10” is “maximized.” See id., [0052].
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`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 11,136,870
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`Coli further discloses that the “[e]lectric motors [are] controlled via variable
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`frequency drive [and] are far safer and easier to control than conventional diesel
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`powered equipment.” Id., [0066]. Coli discloses “a quintiplex or triplex plunger
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`style pump, for example, the SWGS-2500 Well Service Pump sold by Gardner
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`Denver, Inc.,” which is a pump rated at 2500 horsepower or more. Id., [0046]; [0049]
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`(“[T]he present system can deliver a true 2500 hp directly to each pump 22 because
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`pump 22 is directly coupled to electric motor 21.”); [0050] (“fracturing module 20,”
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`which contains one or more pumps and electric motors, “is capable of operating at
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`2500 hp.”).
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`Thus, a person of ordinary skill in the art (“POSITA”) would have understood
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`that Coli discloses an entire fracturing system, that includes trailer-mounted electric
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`pumps and motors, with associated variable frequency drives and natural-gas
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`powered turbine generators. Ex. 1002, ¶110.
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`B. Gardner (Ex. 1011)
`Gardner is an operating and service manual for Gardner Denver’s GD-2500Q
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`Quintuplex pump (300FWF996 Rev C). Ex. 1011. As indicated on its cover,
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`Gardner was published in August 2005 and was publicly available shortly thereafter.
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`The custodian of records at Internet Archives provided an affidavit that the GD
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`2500Q Manual was available on the Internet no later than September 17, 2012.
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`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent