`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`BEFORE THE PATENT TRIAL AND APPEAL BOARD
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`GENERAL MOTORS LLC, ET AL.,
`Petitioner,
`
`v.
`
`NEO WIRELESS, LLC,
`Patent Owner.
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`IPR2023-00964
`Patent No. 10,075,941
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`PETITIONER’S MOTION FOR JOINDER UNDER
`35 U.S.C. § 315(c), 37 C.F.R. § 42.22, AND § 42.122(b)
`
`
`
`
`
`I.
`
`Proceeding No. IPR2023-00964
`Attorney Docket No: 18768-0206IP4
`STATEMENT OF PRECISE RELIEF REQUESTED
`General Motors LLC, Nissan North America, Inc., and Tesla, Inc.
`
`(collectively “Petitioner” or “Petitioners”) respectfully submit this Motion for
`
`Joinder, concurrently with a Petition for inter partes review of U.S. Patent No.
`
`10,075,941 (“the ‘941 Patent”).
`
`Pursuant to 35 U.S.C. § 315(c) and 37 C.F.R. §§ 42.22 and 42.122(b),
`
`Petitioner requests institution of an inter partes review and joinder with IPR2022-
`
`01537 (Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. v. Neo Wireless LLC “Volkswagen
`
`IPR”), instituted on May 5, 2023 (Paper 8). Petitioner’s concurrently-filed petition
`
`is substantively the same as the Volkswagen IPR petition. It challenges the same
`
`claims, on the same grounds, and relies on the same prior art as instituted in the
`
`Volkswagen IPR and therefore would create no additional burden for the Board, the
`
`Volkswagen IPR Petitioner, or Patent Owner if joined. Joinder would therefore lead
`
`to an efficient resolution of the validity of the ’941 patent.
`
`Petitioners are currently named as defendants in In re Neo Wireless LLC
`
`Patent Litig., 2-22-cv-00094 (E.D. MI). In this proceding, Petitioners have been
`
`accused of infringing the ’941 patent. Petitioners have not previously filed a petition
`
`for IPR challenging the validity of the ’941 patent.
`
`Petitioners stipulate that if joinder is granted, they will act as an “understudy”
`
`and will not assume an active role unless the Volkswagen IPR Petitioner ceases to
`
`1
`
`
`
`Proceeding No. IPR2023-00964
`Attorney Docket No: 18768-0206IP4
`participate in the proceeding. The Volkswagen IPR Petitioner will maintain the lead
`
`role in the proceeding so long as it remains in the proceeding. These limitations will
`
`avoid lengthy and duplicative briefing. Petitioners also will not seek additional
`
`depositions or deposition time. Joinder will not impact the trial schedule because
`
`the proceeding based on the Volkswagen IPR is in its early stages having just
`
`instituted on May 5, 2023.
`
`In fact, joinder will help efficiently resolve the disputes among the parties. By
`
`joinder, a single Board decision may dispose of the issues raised in the Volkswagen
`
`IPR for all interested parties.
`
`Joinder will not unduly prejudice any party. Because joinder will not add any
`
`new substantive issues, delay the schedule, burden deponents, or needlessly increase
`
`filings, any additional costs on Patent Owner will be minimal. On the other hand,
`
`denial of joinder would prejudice Petitioners. Petitioners’ interests may not be
`
`adequately protected in the Volkswagen IPR, particularly if the Volkswagen IPR
`
`Petitioner settles with Patent Owner and ceases to participate. Petitioners should be
`
`allowed to join in a proceeding affecting a patent asserted against them.
`
`Given the similarities of the proceedings, the lack of undue prejudice to Patent
`
`Owner, and the potential benefit to the public and to the Board that would accrue by
`
`Petitioners’ cooperative participation in the Volkswagen IPR in the event that the
`
`Volkswagen IPR Petitioner’s participation terminates, the Board should institute
`
`2
`
`
`
`Proceeding No. IPR2023-00964
`Attorney Docket No: 18768-0206IP4
`
`IPR and grant Petitioners’ Motion for Joinder.
`
`II. ARGUMENT
`
`A. Legal Standards and Applicable Rules
`
`A petitioner may request joinder, without prior authorization, up to one
`
`month after the institution date of the proceeding to which joinder is requested. 37
`
`C.F.R. § 42.122(b); Taiwan Semiconductor Mfg. Co., Ltd. v. Zond LLC, IPR2014-
`
`00781 and IPR2014-00782, Paper 5 at 3 (PTAB May 29, 2014).
`
`The Board has discretion to grant a motion for joinder of a petitioner for
`
`inter partes review to another inter partes review proceeding. See 35 U.S.C. §
`
`315(c). In determining whether to exercise its discretion to grant a motion for
`
`joinder, the Board considers: (1) reasons why joinder is appropriate; (2) any new
`
`grounds of unpatentability asserted in the petition; (3) what impact (if any) joinder
`
`would have on the trial schedule for the existing review; and (4) specifically how
`
`briefing and discovery may be simplified. See Dell, Inc. v. Network-1 Security
`
`Solutions, Inc., IPR2013-00385, Paper 17 at 3 (July 29, 2013).
`
`B.
`Petitioner’s Motion for Joinder is Timely
`Joinder may be requested “no later than one month after the institution date
`
`of any inter partes review for which joinder is requested.” 37 C.F.R. § 42.122(b).
`
`The Volkswagen IPR insitituted on May 5, 2023, IPR2022-01537, Paper 8.
`
`Petitioners’ current motion is timely as it is being filed within one month of the
`
`3
`
`
`
`Proceeding No. IPR2023-00964
`Attorney Docket No: 18768-0206IP4
`
`date of institution.
`
`C. The Four Factors Favor Joinder
`Each of the four factors weighs in favor of granting Petitioners’ Motion for
`
`Joinder. Petitioners’ Petition is substantively identical to the petition in the
`
`Volkswagen IPR; it presents no new grounds of unpatentability. Joinder will have
`
`no impact on the pending schedule of the Volkswagen IPR. Moreover, the briefing
`
`and discovery will be simplified by resolving all issues in a single proceeding.
`
`1.
`
`Joinder of Petitioners Is Appropriate Because It Will
`Promote an Efficient Determination of the Validity of the
`’941 Patent Without Prejudice to Any Party
`Petitioners seeks to join the Volkswagen IPR in order to ensure that an
`
`accused infringer with an active interest in the proceeding remains a party to this
`
`IPR if the Volkswagen IPR Petitioner’s participation is terminated prior to
`
`completion. Thus, joining Petitioners to the Volkswagen IPR is the most practical
`
`way to secure the just, speedy, and inexpensive resolution of the challenge to the
`
`’941 patent. See 37 C.F.R. § 42.1(b).
`
`If Petitioners are joined as parties, the validity of the grounds raised in the
`
`Volkswagen IPR can be determined in a single proceeding. Joinder is also
`
`appropriate because Petitioners’ petition challenges the validity of the same claims
`
`of the ’941 patent on identical grounds to those in the Volkswagen IPR. There are
`
`no substantive differences between Petitioners’ and the Volkswagen IPR
`
`4
`
`
`
`Proceeding No. IPR2023-00964
`Attorney Docket No: 18768-0206IP4
`Petitioner’s Petition, IPR2022-01537, Paper 1 (September 15, 2022). Petitioners
`
`also rely on substantially the same supporting evidence in their Petition as is relied
`
`on in the Volkswagen IPR.1 A consolidated proceeding, including Petitioners and
`
`the Volkswagen IPR Petitioner, will therefore be more efficient and less wasteful,
`
`as only a single trial on these common grounds would be required. See, e.g.,
`
`Oracle America Inc. v. Realtime Data LLC, IPR2016-01672, Paper 13 at 7 (PTAB
`
`Mar. 7, 2017) (noting that “joining Oracle’s identical challenges to those in the
`
`1002 IPR will lead to greater efficiency while reducing the resources necessary
`
`from both Realtime and the Board”). The Board “routinely grants motions for
`
`joinder where the party seeking joinder introduces identical arguments and the
`
`same grounds raised in the existing proceeding.” Samsung Elecs. Co., Ltd. v.
`
`Raytheon Co., IPR2016-00962, Paper 12 at 9 (PTAB Aug. 24, 2016) (internal
`
`
`
`1 The supporting expert declaration of Dr. Matthew C. Valenti submitted by
`
`Petitioners agrees with the facts, analysis, and conclusions of the expert declaration
`
`in the Volkswagen IPR. The declaration of Dr. Valenti does not contain any new
`
`opinions not included in the Volkswagen IPR expert declaration. See Everlight
`
`Elecs. Co., v. Document Security Sys., Inc., IPR2018-01260, Paper No. 12 at 6-7
`
`(Nov. 14, 2018) (granting motion for joinder where petitioner submitted separate
`
`but substantially identical expert declaration).
`
`5
`
`
`
`Proceeding No. IPR2023-00964
`Attorney Docket No: 18768-0206IP4
`
`quotations and citations omitted).
`
`Joining Petitioners as a party to the Volkswagen IPR would promote the
`
`public interest relating to the unpatentability of the ’941 patent and not cause any
`
`undue prejudice to Patent Owner or the Volkswagen IPR Petitioner. The Patent
`
`Owner must respond to the common invalidity grounds identified in the
`
`Volkswagen and Petitioners’ Petitions regardless of joinder.
`
`2.
`
`Petitioners’ Petition Does Not Raise Any New Grounds of
`Unpatentability and Therefore Does Not Add Additional
`Complexity to the Grounds in the Volkswagen IPR
`Petitioners’ Petition challenges the validity of the ’941 patent on identical
`
`grounds to those in the Volkswagen IPR. See IPR2022-01537, Paper 1 (September
`
`15, 2022). Petitioners’ supporting materials―including its supporting expert
`
`declaration, exhibits, and exhibit numbering―are
`
`substantially
`
`and
`
`substantively identical to those presented in the Volkswagen IPR. See supra
`
`n.2. While Petitioners use their own expert declarant, the expert’s declaration
`
`agrees with the facts, analysis, and conclusions of the expert declaration in the
`
`Volkswagen IPR and does not contain any new opinions not included in the
`
`Volkswagen IPR expert declaration. See Everlight Elecs. Co., v. Document
`
`Security Sys., Inc., IPR2018- 01260, Paper No. 12 at 6-7 (Nov. 14, 2018) (granting
`
`motion for joinder where petitioner submitted separate but substantially identical
`
`expert declaration). Further, unity of exhibits and exhibit numbering with the
`
`6
`
`
`
`Proceeding No. IPR2023-00964
`Attorney Docket No: 18768-0206IP4
`Volkswagen IPR has been maintained. Accordingly, no new grounds are being
`
`introduced. See Sony Corp. v. Memory Integrity, LLC., IPR2015-01353, Paper No.
`
`11 at 5-6 (PTAB Oct. 5, 2015).
`
`Therefore, consolidation of this proceeding with Volkswagen’s via joinder
`
`of Petitioners’ Petition will not raise any new issues of unpatentability and will not
`
`impose any additional burden on the Board or Patent Owner, or add additional
`
`complexity to the case.
`
`3.
`
`Joinder Will Not Affect the Schedule in the Volkswagen
`IPR
`
`Given that the Board just recently instituted the Volkswagen IPR, joinder
`
`of Petitioners would not affect the schedule in any potential forthcoming trial.
`
`Petitioners’ participation should result in no changes to the schedule.
`
`Petitioners agree to adhere to all applicable deadlines set forth in the
`
`Volkswagen IPR Scheduling Order. The Patent Owner’s Response will not be
`
`affected because the issues in Petitioners’ Petition are identical to those in the
`
`Volkswagen IPR petition. Patent Owner will thus not be required to provide any
`
`additional analysis or arguments.
`
`4.
`
`Joinder Will Simplify Briefing Because Petitioners Have
`Agreed to Consolidated Filings and an Understudy Role if
`the Volkswagen Petitioner Remains
`To further prevent joinder from imposing any burden on the Volkswagen
`
`IPR Petitioner, Patent Owner, or the Board and to further ensure that there are no
`
`7
`
`
`
`Proceeding No. IPR2023-00964
`Attorney Docket No: 18768-0206IP4
`changes in the potential trial schedule, Petitioners have agreed, as long as the
`
`Volkswagen IPR Petitioner remains a party to the Volkswagen IPR, to take an
`
`understudy role, which will simplify briefing and discovery. In this role,
`
`Petitioners agree to the following conditions:
`
`(a)
`
`Petitioners shall not make any substantive filing and shall be bound
`
`by the filings of the Volkswagen IPR Petitioner, unless a filing concerns
`
`termination and settlement, or issues solely involving Petitioners;
`
`(b)
`
`Petitioners shall not present any argument or make any presentation
`
`at oral hearing unless an issue solely involves Petitioners, or when addressing
`
`Board-approved motions that do not affect the Volkswagen IPR Petitioner, or its
`
`respective position;
`
`(c)
`
`Petitioners shall not seek to cross-examine or defend the cross-
`
`examination of any witness, unless the topic of cross-examination concerns issues
`
`solely involving Petitioners;
`
`(d)
`
`Petitioners shall not seek discovery from Patent Owner on issues not
`
`solely involving Petitioners;
`
`(e)
`
`Petitioners will not rely on expert testimony beyond that submitted
`
`by the Volkswagen IPR Petitioner unless the Volkswagen IPR Petitioner is
`
`terminated from the case prior to any necessary depositions. If the Volkswagen IPR
`
`Petitioner is not terminated from the case prior to any necessary depositions,
`
`8
`
`
`
`Proceeding No. IPR2023-00964
`Attorney Docket No: 18768-0206IP4
`Petitioners agree to rely entirely on, and be bound by, the expert declarations and
`
`depositions in the Volkswagen IPR. Petitioners’ expert declaration of Dr. Matthew
`
`C. Valenti is substantively identical to the Wilson declaration filed by the
`
`Volkswagen IPR Petitioner. Dr. Valenti would not be relied on if the Volkswagen
`
`IPR Petitioner continues to participate in the Volkswagen IPR. See, e.g., Noven
`
`Pharm., Inc. v. Novartis AG, IPR2014-00550, Paper 38 at 5 (PTAB April 10,
`
`2015). Unless and until the current petitioner in IPR2022-01537 ceases to
`
`participate in the instituted Volkswagen IPR, Petitioners will not assume an active
`
`role.2
`
`Accordingly, due to Petitioners taking only an “understudy” role, Patent
`
`Owner and the Volkswagen IPR Petitioner will only need to respond to one
`
`principal set of papers, will not require additional time to address additional
`
`arguments, and can thus proceed with the existing trial schedule. These steps will
`
`minimize or eliminate any potential complications or delay that could potentially
`
`result from joinder. See Sony, Paper No. 11 at 6-7 (granting motion because
`
`“joinder would increase efficiency by eliminating duplicative filings and
`
`
`
`2 For clarity, should the Volkswagen IPR Petitioner’s participation in the
`
`Volkswagen IPR terminate, Petitioners would take over primary responsibility for
`
`subsequent filings and discovery.
`
`9
`
`
`
`Proceeding No. IPR2023-00964
`Attorney Docket No: 18768-0206IP4
`discovery, and would reduce costs and burdens on the parties as well as the Board”
`
`where second petitioner agreed to “understudy” role). Petitioners will also abide
`
`by any additional conditions the Board deems appropriate for an “understudy”
`
`role.
`
`5.
`Joinder Will Result in No Prejudice to Patent Owner
`As noted above, Petitioners’ joining of the Volkswagen IPR proceeding
`
`should not result in any prejudice to Patent Owner. No additional grounds or
`
`arguments are being introduced, no new evidence or issues are being added, and
`
`no additional discovery or briefing or oral argument should be necessary as a result
`
`of Petitioners’ joinder. Thus, Patent Owner would not need to expend any
`
`additional resources beyond those required in the current Volkswagen IPR.
`
`III.
`
`INSTITUTION IS APPROPRIATE UNDER GENERAL PLASTIC
`
`General Plastic does not apply here because Petitioners have not previously
`
`challenged the ’941 patent and seeks to join the Volkswagen IPR in an understudy
`
`role. See General Plastic Industrial Co., Ltd. v. Canon Kabushiki Kaisha,
`
`IPR2016-01357, Paper 19 at 15-19 (PTAB Sept. 6, 2017); Apple Inc. v. Uniloc
`
`2017 LLC, IPR2020-00224, Paper 10 at 4-5 (PTAB Apr. 6, 2020).
`
`Factor 1: Under General Plastic, factor 1 considers “whether the same
`
`petitioner previously filed a petition directed to the same claims of the same
`
`patent.” General Plastic at 16. Here, Petitioners have not previously filed a
`
`10
`
`
`
`Proceeding No. IPR2023-00964
`Attorney Docket No: 18768-0206IP4
`
`petition against the ’941 patent.
`
`Petitioners and the Volkswagen IPR Petitioner are separate, unrelated
`
`petitioners, and are not similarly situated for purposes of Factor 1. While
`
`Petitioners and the VW IPR Petitioner are co-defendants in different (now
`
`consolidated) district court litigations, they are not accused of infringing the ’941
`
`Patent based on sale of the same products. Nor has Petitioners or the Volkswagen
`
`IPR Petitioner provided any products or technology to the other leading to an
`
`allegation of infringement of the ’941 Patent. This factor weighs in favor of
`
`institution and against discretionary denial.
`
`Factors 2, 4 and 5: As to the timing examined in these factors, Petitioners
`
`did not previously file a first petition prior to its current petition, and while
`
`Petitioners became aware of the prior art references in the Volkswagen IPR as of
`
`at least the time of its filing, they made no serial attack on the ’941 patent and have
`
`filed this petition for IPR within the one-month time period under 37 C.F.R. §
`
`42.122(b). These factors weigh in favor of institution and against discretionary
`
`denial.
`
`Factor 3: As Petitioners did not previously file a first petition this factor
`
`weighs in favor of institution and against discretionary denial.
`
`Factors 6 and 7: As stated above, Petitioners seek to join the Volkswagen
`
`IPR and are not raising arguments beyond those raised by the Volkswagen petition.
`
`11
`
`
`
`Proceeding No. IPR2023-00964
`Attorney Docket No: 18768-0206IP4
`These factors thus weigh in favor of institution, as there should be no material
`
`impact on the Board’s finite resources or its ability to issue a final determination
`
`on the Volkswagen petition within one year.
`
`IV.
`
`INSTITUTION IS APPROPRIATE UNDER FINTIV
`
`For the reasons explained in more detail below, and in Petitioners’ Petition,
`
`the Fintiv factors weigh in favor of grant of this Motion for Joinder and institution
`
`of the concurrently-filed Petition, and even more so because Petitioners merely
`
`seek to join an instituted IPR with a petition that relies on the same prior art
`
`references and grounds set forth in the instituted IPR.
`
`Factor 1 is neutral or favors institution. Following institution of
`
`IPR2022-01537, Petitioners, as part of a joint defense group, filed motions to
`
`staying pending IPR of the ’941 patent. See In re Neo Wireless, LLC Patent
`
`Litig., 2:22-md-3034-TGB, Dkt. 145 (E.D. MI, May 17, 2023). The court has
`
`yet to rule on the motion. Accordingly, Factor 1 is either neutral or weighs
`
`against discretionary denial.
`
`Factor 2 favors institution because the EDMI litigation is in early
`
`stages, no trial date has been set, and the median time to trial for civil actions
`
`in EDMI is 46.8 months. EX1045, 40; see June 2022 Memo, 3 (explaining that
`
`under factor 2 “the PTAB will consider the median time from filing to
`
`disposition of the civil trial for the district in which the parallel litigation
`
`12
`
`
`
`Proceeding No. IPR2023-00964
`Attorney Docket No: 18768-0206IP4
`resides”). Thus, trial would likely occur (if at all) in early 2026—years after
`
`the Board’s projected deadline for a final decision here. See Mylan Pharma.
`
`Inc. v. Bayer Pharma. Aktiengesellschaft, IPR2022-00517, Paper 15 at 8-9
`
`(P.T.A.B. Aug. 9, 2022).
`
`Factor 3 favors institution because neither the parties nor the court have
`
`invested significant resources in the parallel litigation. The court has not issued
`
`a scheduling order, or any substantive rulings. Other than claim construction
`
`briefs being exchanged and a Markman hearing set for June 21, 2023, no
`
`substantive progress has been made in the litigation.
`
`Factor 4 favors institution. Petitioner stipulates that, if the Board
`
`institutes this Petition, Petitioner will not raise at trial in the parallel litigation
`
`any invalidity challenges based on the prior art asserted here. This
`
`significantly mitigates the concerns for duplication and inconsistent
`
`conclusions embodied in factor 4.
`
`Factor 5 is neutral or weighs against discretionary denial. Taking the
`
`relevant circumstances into account, including the unique nature of the grounds
`
`raised in the Petition, Petitioners’ status as joint defendants in District Court is
`
`at worst a neutral factor. See Snap, Inc. v. SRK Technology LLC, IPR2020-
`
`00820 Pap. 15 at 16 (PTAB Oct. 21, 2020) (precedential); Sand Revolution II,
`
`LLC v. Cont’l Intermodal Group – Trucking LLC, IPR2019-01393, Paper 24 at
`
`13
`
`
`
`Proceeding No. IPR2023-00964
`Attorney Docket No: 18768-0206IP4
`11-12 (PTAB June 16, 2020). Moreover, institution would promote judicial
`
`efficiency and integrity by potentially relieving the District Court of the need
`
`to conduct trial, and by enabling the Board to determine invalidity of claims
`
`that Patent Owner has serially asserted.
`
`Factor 6 favors institution because the merits of the Petition are strong,
`
`as indicated by the fact that the VW IPR (IPR2022-01537), which Petitioners
`
`seek to join has already been instituted. See supra; June 2022 Memo, 3-5.
`
`Other considerations favoring institution under factor 6 include: Further, (1)
`
`the Board is best suited to address the technical issues raised here; (2) a
`
`decision on the merits at institution may aid the parties in resolving their
`
`disputes through alternative dispute resolution; and (3) a patentability ruling
`
`will benefit the public by providing a complete record and rationale absent
`
`from a black box jury verdict form, such as by deterring future litigation.
`
`Patent Owner has filed suit against nine defendants and is likely to file against
`
`others given the remaining patent term of the ’941 patent and Patent Owner’s
`
`allegations that the ’941 patent is essential to certain telecommunication
`
`standards. Considered holistically, the Fintiv factors strongly favor IPR.
`
`V. CONCLUSION
`For the foregoing reasons, Petitioners respectfully request that their Petition
`
`for inter partes review of the ’941 Patent be instituted and that Petitioners be joined
`
`14
`
`
`
`Proceeding No. IPR2023-00964
`Attorney Docket No: 18768-0206IP4
`to the Volkswagen IPR proceeding IPR2022-01537.
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Dated: June 5, 2023
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Respectfully submitted,
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`/Timothy W. Riffe/
`Timothy Riffe, Reg. No. 43,881
`Usman Khan, Reg. No. 70,439
`Fish & Richardson P.C.
`60 South Sixth Street, Suite 3200
`Minneapolis, MN 55402
`T: 202-783-5070
`F: 877-769-7945
`
`Reginald J. Hill, Reg. No. 39,225
`Nicole A. Keenan, Reg. No. 48,622
`JENNER & BLOCK LLP
`353 N. Clark Street
`Chicago, IL 60654
`Phone: (312) 923-2606
`Fax: (312) 527-0484
`
`Attorneys for Petitioner
`
`15
`
`
`
`Proceeding No. IPR2023-00964
`Attorney Docket No: 18768-0206IP4
`
`CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE
`
`Pursuant to 37 CFR § 42.6(e), the undersigned certifies that on June 5, 2023,
`
`a complete and entire copy of this Petitioner’s Motion for Joinder was provided by
`
`Federal Express, to the Patent Owner, by serving the correspondence address of
`
`record as follows:
`
`VOLPE KOENIG
`30 SOUTH 17TH STREET, 18TH FLOOR
`PHILADELPHIA, PA 19103
`
`/Diana Bradley/
`
`Diana Bradley
`Fish & Richardson P.C.
`60 South Sixth Street, Suite 3200
`Minneapolis, MN 55402
`(858) 678-5667
`
`