`
`
`
`
`
`
`UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
`
`
`
`
`
`
`BEFORE THE PATENT TRIAL AND APPEAL BOARD
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Samsung Electronics America, Inc.
`Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
`Petitioners
`
`v.
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Cobblestone Wireless LLC
`Patent Owner
`
`
`
`
`
`Case IPR2024-00319
`Patent 8,891,347
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`DECLARATION OF KEVIN C. ALMEROTH, PH.D. IN SUPPORT OF
`PETITION FOR INTER PARTES REVIEW OF
`UNITED STATES PATENT NO. 8,891,347
`
`
`
`02198-00092/14572571.4
`
`

`

`
`
`TABLE OF CONTENTS
`
`I.
`
`INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................. 1
`
`II.
`
`BACKGROUND AND QUALIFICATIONS ................................................................. 2
`
`III. MATERIALS REVIEWED ........................................................................................... 14
`
`IV.
`
`LEGAL STANDARDS ................................................................................................... 16
`
`A.
`
`B.
`
`Obviousness .......................................................................................................... 17
`
`Claim Construction ............................................................................................... 22
`
`V.
`
`PERSON OF ORDINARY SKILL IN THE ART AND THE TIME OF THE
`ALLEGED INVENTION ............................................................................................... 23
`
`VI.
`
`THE ’347 PATENT......................................................................................................... 24
`
`A.
`
`B.
`
`C.
`
`Description of the ’347 Patent’s Specification ..................................................... 24
`
`The ’347 Patent’s Prosecution History ................................................................. 32
`
`Interpretation of the ’347 Challenged Claims ....................................................... 33
`
`1.
`
`2.
`
`“path parameter information” ................................................................... 35
`
`“predistorting a second signal at the transmitter in a time domain,
`frequency domain, and a spatial domain” ................................................. 38
`
`VII. SUMMARY OF THE PRIOR ART .............................................................................. 39
`
`A.
`
`Sesia (Ex. 1003) .................................................................................................... 39
`
`1.
`
`2.
`
`3.
`
`4.
`
`Signal Propagation in LTE........................................................................ 42
`
`Signaling in LTE ....................................................................................... 45
`
`Channel Estimation using Refence Signals .............................................. 48
`
`Beamforming ............................................................................................ 55
`
`B.
`
`Motivation to Combine ......................................................................................... 64
`
`VIII. GROUND 1: SESIA RENDERS OBVIOUS CLAIMS 1-4, 6-12, 14-17, AND
`19-23 ................................................................................................................................. 65
`
`A.
`
`Independent Claim 1 ............................................................................................. 65
`
`Ex. 1005, page i
`
`

`

`
`
`[1.0] A method for wireless communication in a system including a
`transmitter, a receiver, and a plurality of propagation paths formed
`between the transmitter and the receiver which are capable of
`carrying a signal transmitted by the transmitter to the receiver, the
`method comprising: .................................................................................. 65
`
`[1.1] transmitting a first signal from the transmitter to the receiver via a first
`propagation path of the plurality of propagation paths; ............................ 68
`
`[1.2] receiving the first signal at the receiver; ...................................................... 70
`
`[1.3] performing a channel estimation based on the first signal to obtain path
`parameter information of the first propagation path; ................................ 71
`
`(i)
`
`(ii)
`
`Sesia discloses performing channel estimation on a reference
`signal. ............................................................................................ 71
`
`Sesia discloses obtaining path parameter information from
`the channel estimation................................................................... 74
`
`[1.4] sending the channel estimation that includes the path parameter
`information from the receiver to the transmitter via the first
`propagation path; ...................................................................................... 77
`
`[1.5] predistorting a second signal at the transmitter in a time domain, a
`frequency domain, and a spatial domain, according to the channel
`estimation based on the first signal; .......................................................... 80
`
`(i)
`
`(ii)
`
`Beamforming using closed-loop rank-1 precoding according
`to the channel state information. ................................................... 81
`
`Beamforming with UE-specific reference signals according
`to the channel state information. ................................................... 82
`
`(iii) Beamforming in a time domain, a frequency domain, and a
`spatial domain. .............................................................................. 83
`
`[1.6] transmitting the predistorted second signal from the transmitter to the
`receiver via the first propagation path; and............................................... 88
`
`[1.7] receiving the predistorted second signal at the receiver. .............................. 91
`
`B.
`
`C.
`
`D.
`
`E.
`
`Dependent Claim 2 ............................................................................................... 92
`
`Dependent Claim 3 ............................................................................................... 96
`
`Dependent Claim 4 ............................................................................................. 100
`
`Dependent Claim 6 ............................................................................................. 103
`
`Ex. 1005, page ii
`
`

`

`
`
`F.
`
`G.
`
`Dependent Claim 7 ............................................................................................. 105
`
`Independent Claim 8 ........................................................................................... 108
`
`[8.0] A system for wireless communication comprising: ................................... 108
`
`[8.1] a receiver; ................................................................................................... 108
`
`[8.2] a transmitter; and ........................................................................................ 108
`
`[8.3] a plurality of propagation paths formed between the transmitter and
`the receiver which are capable of carrying a signal transmitted by
`the transmitter to the receiver, ................................................................ 109
`
`[8.4] wherein the receiver is configured to receive a first signal that is
`transmitted along a first propagation path of the plurality of
`propagation paths from the transmitter, perform a channel
`estimation based on the first signal to obtain path parameter
`information of the first propagation path, and send the channel
`estimation that includes the path parameter information to the
`transmitter via the first propagation path, and ........................................ 109
`
`[8.5] wherein the transmitter is configured to predistort a second signal in a
`time domain, a frequency domain, and a spatial domain according
`to the channel estimation that is based on the first signal and
`received from the receiver and to transmit the predistorted second
`signal to the receiver via the first propagation path. ............................... 109
`
`H.
`
`Dependent Claim 9 ............................................................................................. 110
`
`I.
`
`J.
`
`K.
`
`L.
`
`Dependent Claim 10 ........................................................................................... 110
`
`Dependent Claim 11 ........................................................................................... 111
`
`Dependent Claim 12 ........................................................................................... 112
`
`Dependent Claim 14 ........................................................................................... 113
`
`M.
`
`Independent Claim 15 ......................................................................................... 113
`
`[15.0] A base station for performing wireless communication with a
`receiver in a wireless device via a plurality of propagation paths, the
`base station comprising: .......................................................................... 113
`
`[15.1] a transmitter; ............................................................................................. 115
`
`[15.2] a computing device; and ........................................................................... 115
`
`Ex. 1005, page iii
`
`

`

`N.
`
`O.
`
`P.
`
`
`
`[15.3] a computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable
`instructions stored thereon that are executable by the computing
`device to perform operations comprising: .............................................. 116
`
`[15.3.1] transmitting a first signal from the transmitter to the receiver via a
`first propagation path of the plurality of propagation paths; .................. 117
`
`[15.3.2] receiving a channel estimation based on the first signal, the channel
`estimation including path parameter information of the first
`propagation path; .................................................................................... 117
`
`[15.3.3] predistorting a second signal in a time domain, a frequency domain,
`and a spatial domain according to the channel estimation based on
`the first signal; and .................................................................................. 118
`
`[15.3.4] transmitting the predistorted second signal from the transmitter to
`the receiver via the first propagation path............................................... 118
`
`Dependent Claim 16 ........................................................................................... 118
`
`Dependent Claim 17 ........................................................................................... 119
`
`Independent Claim 19 ......................................................................................... 119
`
`[19.0] A wireless device for performing wireless communication with a
`base station with a transmitter via a plurality of propagation paths,
`the wireless device comprising: .............................................................. 119
`
`[19.1] a receiver; ................................................................................................. 120
`
`[19.2] a computing device; and ........................................................................... 120
`
`[19.3] a computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable
`instructions stored thereon that are executable by the computing
`device to perform operations comprising: .............................................. 121
`
`[19.3.1] receiving a first signal at the receiver via a first propagation path of
`the plurality of propagation paths; .......................................................... 121
`
`[19.3.2] performing a channel estimation based on the first signal to obtain
`path parameter information of the first propagation path; ...................... 121
`
`[19.3.3] sending the channel estimation that includes the path parameter
`information to the transmitter; and ......................................................... 122
`
`[19.3.4] receiving a second signal via the first propagation path, the second
`signal predistorted in a time domain, a frequency domain, and a
`
`Ex. 1005, page iv
`
`

`

`
`
`spatial domain according to the channel estimation based on the first
`signal. ...................................................................................................... 122
`
`Q.
`
`R.
`
`S.
`
`T.
`
`Dependent Claim 20 ........................................................................................... 122
`
`Dependent Claim 21 ........................................................................................... 123
`
`Dependent Claim 22 ........................................................................................... 123
`
`Dependent Claim 23 ........................................................................................... 124
`
`IX. GROUND 2: FORENZA RENDERS OBVIOUS CLAIMS 1-4, 6-12, 14-17,
`AND 19-23...................................................................................................................... 124
`
`A.
`
`B.
`
`C.
`
`D.
`
`Summary of Forenza ........................................................................................... 124
`
`Independent Claim 1 ........................................................................................... 128
`
`[1.0] A method for wireless communication in a system including a
`transmitter, a receiver, and a plurality of propagation paths formed
`between the transmitter and the receiver which are capable of
`carrying a signal transmitted by the transmitter to the receiver, the
`method comprising: ................................................................................ 128
`
`[1.1] transmitting a first signal from the transmitter to the receiver via a first
`propagation path of the plurality of propagation paths; .......................... 130
`
`[1.2] receiving the first signal at the receiver; .................................................... 131
`
`[1.3] performing a channel estimation based on the first signal to obtain path
`parameter information of the first propagation path; .............................. 131
`
`[1.4] sending the channel estimation that includes the path parameter
`information from the receiver to the transmitter via the first
`propagation path; .................................................................................... 135
`
`[1.5] predistorting a second signal at the transmitter in a time domain, a
`frequency domain, and a spatial domain, according to the channel
`estimation based on the first signal; ........................................................ 136
`
`[1.6] transmitting the predistorted second signal from the transmitter to the
`receiver via the first propagation path; and............................................. 138
`
`[1.7] receiving the predistorted second signal at the receiver. ............................ 139
`
`Dependent Claim 2 ............................................................................................. 140
`
`Dependent Claim 3 ............................................................................................. 140
`
`Ex. 1005, page v
`
`

`

`
`
`E.
`
`F.
`
`G.
`
`H.
`
`I.
`
`J.
`
`K.
`
`L.
`
`Dependent Claim 4 ............................................................................................. 141
`
`Dependent Claim 6 ............................................................................................. 142
`
`Dependent Claim 7 ............................................................................................. 142
`
`Independent Claim 8 ........................................................................................... 143
`
`[8.0] A system for wireless communication comprising: ................................... 143
`
`[8.1] a receiver; ................................................................................................... 143
`
`[8.2] a transmitter; and ........................................................................................ 143
`
`[8.3] a plurality of propagation paths formed between the transmitter and
`the receiver which are capable of carrying a signal transmitted by
`the transmitter to the receiver, ................................................................ 144
`
`[8.4] wherein the receiver is configured to receive a first signal that is
`transmitted along a first propagation path of the plurality of
`propagation paths from the transmitter, perform a channel
`estimation based on the first signal to obtain path parameter
`information of the first propagation path, and send the channel
`estimation that includes the path parameter information to the
`transmitter via the first propagation path, and ........................................ 144
`
`[8.5] wherein the transmitter is configured to predistort a second signal in a
`time domain, a frequency domain, and a spatial domain according
`to the channel estimation that is based on the first signal and
`received from the receiver and to transmit the predistorted second
`signal to the receiver via the first propagation path. ............................... 144
`
`Dependent Claim 9 ............................................................................................. 145
`
`Dependent Claim 10 ........................................................................................... 145
`
`Dependent Claim 11 ........................................................................................... 146
`
`Dependent Claim 12 ........................................................................................... 147
`
`M.
`
`Dependent Claim 14 ........................................................................................... 147
`
`N.
`
`Independent Claim 15 ......................................................................................... 148
`
`[15.0] A base station for performing wireless communication with a
`receiver in a wireless device via a plurality of propagation paths, the
`base station comprising: .......................................................................... 148
`
`[15.1] a transmitter; ............................................................................................. 148
`
`Ex. 1005, page vi
`
`

`

`
`
`[15.2] a computing device; and ........................................................................... 148
`
`[15.3] a computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable
`instructions stored thereon that are executable by the computing
`device to perform operations comprising: .............................................. 149
`
`[15.3.1] transmitting a first signal from the transmitter to the receiver via a
`first propagation path of the plurality of propagation paths; .................. 149
`
`[15.3.2] receiving a channel estimation based on the first signal, the channel
`estimation including path parameter information of the first
`propagation path; .................................................................................... 149
`
`[15.3.3] predistorting a second signal in a time domain, a frequency domain,
`and a spatial domain according to the channel estimation based on
`the first signal; and .................................................................................. 150
`
`[15.3.4] transmitting the predistorted second signal from the transmitter to
`the receiver via the first propagation path............................................... 150
`
`O.
`
`P.
`
`Q.
`
`Dependent Claim 16 ........................................................................................... 150
`
`Dependent Claim 17 ........................................................................................... 151
`
`Independent Claim 19 ......................................................................................... 151
`
`[19.0] A wireless device for performing wireless communication with a
`base station with a transmitter via a plurality of propagation paths,
`the wireless device comprising: .............................................................. 151
`
`[19.1] a receiver; ................................................................................................. 151
`
`[19.2] a computing device; and ........................................................................... 152
`
`[19.3] a computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable
`instructions stored thereon that are executable by the computing
`device to perform operations comprising: .............................................. 152
`
`[19.3.1] receiving a first signal at the receiver via a first propagation path of
`the plurality of propagation paths; .......................................................... 152
`
`[19.3.2] performing a channel estimation based on the first signal to obtain
`path parameter information of the first propagation path; ...................... 153
`
`[19.3.3] sending the channel estimation that includes the path parameter
`information to the transmitter; and ......................................................... 153
`
`[19.3.4] receiving a second signal via the first propagation path, the second
`signal predistorted in a time domain, a frequency domain, and a
`
`Ex. 1005, page vii
`
`

`

`
`
`spatial domain according to the channel estimation based on the first
`signal. ...................................................................................................... 153
`
`R.
`
`S.
`
`T.
`
`Dependent Claim 20 ........................................................................................... 154
`
`Dependent Claim 21 ........................................................................................... 154
`
`Dependent Claim 22 ........................................................................................... 154
`
`U.
`
`Dependent Claim 23 ........................................................................................... 155
`
`X.
`
`CONCLUSION ............................................................................................................. 155
`
`XI. CLAIM LISTING ......................................................................................................... 157
`
`
`
`
`
`Ex. 1005, page viii
`
`

`

`
`
`I.
`
`INTRODUCTION
`
`1.
`
`I have been retained by Samsung Electronics America, Inc. and
`
`Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. (“Petitioners”) as an independent expert consultant in
`
`this proceeding before the United States Patent and Trademark Office (“PTO”) against
`
`Cobblestone Wireless, LLC (“Patent Owner”) regarding U.S. Patent No. 8,891,347
`
`(“the ’347 Patent”) (Ex. 1001).1 I have been asked to submit this Declaration on behalf
`
`of Petitioners.
`
`2.
`
`I have been asked to consider whether certain references disclose or
`
`render obvious the features recited in claims 1-4, 6-12, 14-17, and 19-23 (collectively,
`
`the “Challenged Claims”) of the ’347 Patent. My opinions are set forth below. Based
`
`on my experience and expertise, it is my opinion that the prior art renders obvious all
`
`limitations of the Challenged Claims, as I discuss in detail below.
`
`3.
`
`I am being compensated at a rate of $850 per hour for my work in this
`
`proceeding. My compensation is in no way contingent on the nature of my findings,
`
`the presentation of my findings in testimony, or the outcome of this or any other
`
`proceeding. I have no other interest in this proceeding.
`
`
`1 Where appropriate, I refer to exhibits that I understand are to be attached to the
`
`petition for Inter Partes Review of the ’347 patent.
`
`02198-00092/14572571.4 Ex. 1005, page 1
`
`
`

`

`
`
`4.
`
`All of my opinions stated in this Declaration are based on my own
`
`personal knowledge and professional judgment. I am over 18 years of age and, if I am
`
`called upon to do so, I would be competent to testify as to the matters set forth in this
`
`Declaration. My opinions in Sections V through VIII are substantively identical as
`
`those of Mr. James Proctor in his declaration filed with the Petition in T-Mobile USA,
`
`Inc. v. Cobblestone LLC, IPR2023-00136 (“Mr. Proctor’s Declaration”). That Petition
`
`challenges the same claims of the ’347 Patent, though only presents one ground of
`
`challenge based on Sesia. As I explain below, I agree with Mr. Proctor the Challenged
`
`Claims are obvious in view of Sesia. In this Declaration, I further opine that the
`
`Challenged Claims are also obvious in view of Forenza.
`
`II. BACKGROUND AND QUALIFICATIONS
`
`5.
`
`I am currently a Professor Emeritus in the Department of Computer
`
`Science at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB). While at UCSB, I held
`
`faculty appointments and was a founding member of the Computer Engineering (CE)
`
`Program, Media Arts and Technology (MAT) Program, and the Technology
`
`Management Program (TMP). I also served as the Associate Director of the Center for
`
`Information Technology and Society (CITS) from 1999 to 2012. I have been a faculty
`
`member at UCSB since July 1997. I hold three degrees from the Georgia Institute of
`
`Technology: (1) a Bachelor of Science degree in Information and Computer Science
`
`(with minors in Economics, Technical Communication, and American Literature)
`
`Ex. 1005, page 2
`
`

`

`
`
`earned in June 1992; (2) a Master of Science degree in Computer Science (with
`
`specialization in Networking and Systems) earned in June 1994; and (3) a Doctor of
`
`Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree in Computer Science (Dissertation Title: Networking and
`
`System Support for the Efficient, Scalable Delivery of Services in Interactive
`
`Multimedia System, minor in Telecommunications Public Policy) earned in June 1997.
`
`During my education, I took a wide variety of courses as demonstrated by my minor.
`
`My undergraduate degree also included a number of courses more typical of a degree
`
`in electrical engineering
`
`including digital
`
`logic,
`
`signal processing, and
`
`telecommunications theory.
`
`6.
`
`One of the major concentrations of my research over the past 30+ years
`
`has been the delivery of multimedia content and data between computing devices,
`
`including through various network architectures. In my research, I have studied large-
`
`scale content delivery systems, and the use of servers located in a variety of geographic
`
`locations
`
`to provide scalable delivery
`
`to hundreds or
`
`thousands of users
`
`simultaneously. I have also studied smaller-scale content delivery systems in which
`
`content is exchanged between individual computers and portable devices. My work has
`
`emphasized the exchange of content more efficiently across computer networks,
`
`including the scalable delivery of content to many users, mobile computing, satellite
`
`networking, delivering content to mobile devices, and network support for data
`
`delivery in wireless networks.
`
`Ex. 1005, page 3
`
`

`

`
`
`7.
`
`In 1992, the initial focus of my research was on the provision of
`
`interactive functions (e.g., VCR-style functions like pause, rewind, and fast-forward)
`
`for near video-on-demand systems in cable systems; in particular, how to aggregate
`
`requests for movies at a cable head-end and then how to satisfy a multitude of requests
`
`using one audio/video stream broadcast to multiple receivers simultaneously. This
`
`research has continually evolved and resulted in the development of techniques to
`
`scalably deliver on-demand content, including audio, video, web documents, and other
`
`types of data, through the Internet and over other types of networks, including over
`
`cable systems, broadband telephone lines, and satellite links.
`
`8.
`
`An important component of my research has been investigating the
`
`challenges of communicating multimedia content, including video, between computers
`
`and across networks including the Internet. Although the early Internet was used
`
`mostly for text-based, non-real time applications, the interest in sharing multimedia
`
`content, such as video, quickly developed. Multimedia-based applications ranged from
`
`downloading content to a device to streaming multimedia content to be instantly used.
`
`One of the challenges was that multimedia content is typically larger than text-only
`
`content, but there are also opportunities to use different delivery techniques since
`
`multimedia content is more resilient to errors. I have worked on a variety of research
`
`problems and used a number of systems that were developed to deliver multimedia
`
`content to users. One content-delivery method I have researched is the one-to-many
`
`Ex. 1005, page 4
`
`

`

`
`
`communication facility called “multicast,” first deployed as the Multicast Backbone, a
`
`virtual overlay network supporting one-to-many communication. Multicast is one
`
`technique that can be used on the Internet to provide streaming media support for
`
`complex applications
`
`like video-on-demand, distance
`
`learning, distributed
`
`collaboration, distributed games, and large-scale wireless communication. The
`
`delivery of media through multicast often involves using Internet infrastructure,
`
`devices and protocols, including protocols for routing and TCP/IP.
`
`9.
`
`Starting in 1997, I worked on a project to integrate the streaming media
`
`capabilities of the Internet together with the interactivity of the web. I developed a
`
`project called the Interactive Multimedia Jukebox (IMJ). Users would visit a web page
`
`and select content to view. The content would then be scheduled on one of a number
`
`of channels, including delivery to students in Georgia Tech dorms delivered via the
`
`campus cable plant. The content of each channel was delivered using multicast
`
`communication. In the IMJ, the number of channels varied depending on the
`
`capabilities of the server including the available bandwidth of its connection to the
`
`Internet. If one of the channels was idle, the requesting user would be able to watch
`
`their selection immediately. If all channels were streaming previously selected content,
`
`the user’s selection would be queued on the channel with the shortest wait time. In the
`
`meantime, the user would see what content was currently playing on other channels,
`
`Ex. 1005, page 5
`
`

`

`
`
`and because of the use of multicast, would be able to join one of the existing channels
`
`and watch the content at the point it was currently being transmitted.
`
`10.
`
`The IMJ service combined the interactivity of the web with the
`
`streaming capabilities of the Internet to create a jukebox-like service. It supported true
`
`Video-on-Demand when capacity allowed, but scaled to any number of users based on
`
`queuing requested programs. As part of the project, we obtained permission from
`
`Turner Broadcasting to transmit cartoons and other short-subject content. We also
`
`connected the IMJ into the Georgia Tech campus cable television network so that
`
`students in their dorms could use the web to request content and then view that content
`
`on one of the campus’s public access channels.
`
`11. More recently, I have also studied issues concerning how users choose
`
`content, especially when considering the price of that content. My research has
`
`examined how dynamic content pricing can be used to control system load. By raising
`
`prices when systems start to become overloaded (i.e., when all available resources are
`
`fully utilized) and reducing prices when system capacity is readily available, users’
`
`capacity to pay as well as their willingness can be used as factors in stabilizing the
`
`response time of a system. This capability is particularly useful in systems where
`
`content is downloaded or streamed on-demand to users.
`
`12. As a parallel research theme, starting in 1997, I began researching
`
`issues related to wireless devices and sensors. In particular, I was interested in showing
`
`Ex. 1005, page 6
`
`

`

`
`
`how to provide greater communication capability to “lightweight devices,” i.e., small
`
`form-factor, resource-constrained (e.g., CPU, memory, networking, and power)
`
`devices. Starting in 1998, I published several papers on my work to develop a flexible,
`
`lightweight, battery-aware network protocol stack. The lightweight protocols we
`
`envisioned were similar in nature to protocols like Bluetooth, Universal Plug and Play
`
`(UpnP) and Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA).
`
`13.
`
`From this initial work, I have made wireless networking—including
`
`ad hoc, mesh networks and wireless devices—one of the major themes of my research.
`
`My work in wireless networks spans the protocol stack from applications through to
`
`the encoding and exchange of data at the data link and physical layers. At the
`
`application layer, even before the large-scale “app stores” were available, my research
`
`looked at building, installing, and using apps for a variety of purposes, from network
`
`monitoring to support for traditional computer-based applications (e.g., content
`
`retrieval) to new applications enabled by ubiquitous, mobile devices. For example, my
`
`research has looked a