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`_______________________
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`BEFORE THE PATENT TRIAL AND APPEAL BOARD
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`_______________________
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`EBAY, INC.,
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`Petitioner,
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`v.
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`LEXOS MEDIA IP, LLC,
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`Patent Owner.
`
`_______________________
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`Case IPR2024-00337
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`U.S. Patent No. 6,118,449
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`_______________________
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`MOTION FOR JOINDER TO
`INTER PARTES REVIEW IPR2023-01001
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`TABLE OF CONTENTS
`STATEMENT OF THE PRECISE RELIEF REQUESTED ..................... 1
`I.
`STATEMENT OF MATERIAL FACTS ................................................... 2
`II.
`STATEMENT OF REASONS FOR RELIEF REQUESTED ................... 3
`III.
`Legal Standard ............................................................................................ 3
`A.
`Petitioner’s Motion for Joinder is Timely .................................................. 3
`B.
`Each Factor Weighs in Favor of Joinder .................................................... 4
`C.
`Joinder is Appropriate with the Amazon IPR .............................................. 7
`1.
`2. Petitioner Proposes No New Grounds of Unpatentability ........................... 7
`3.
`Joinder Will Not Unduly Burden or Negatively Impact the Amazon IPR
`Trial Schedule ........................................................................................ 8
`4. Procedures to Simplify Briefing and Discovery .......................................... 9
`GENERAL PLASTIC IS INAPPLICABLE AND FAVORS
`IV.
`PETITIONER ........................................................................................................... 11
`V.
`CONCLUSION ........................................................................................ 13
`
`
`
`ii
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`I.
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`STATEMENT OF THE PRECISE RELIEF REQUESTED
`eBay Inc. (“Petitioner”) respectfully submits this Motion for Joinder
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`(“Motion”) together with a Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No.
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`6,118,449 (the “eBay Petition”) filed contemporaneously herewith. Pursuant to 35
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`U.S.C. § 315(c) and 37 C.F.R. § 42.122(b), Petitioner requests institution of an inter
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`partes review and joinder with the inter partes review in Amazon.com, Inc. v. Lexos
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`Media IP, LLC, IPR2023-01001 (the “Amazon IPR”) in view of the Patent Trial and
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`Appeal Board’s (the “Board”) decision to institute trial on December 12, 2023.
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`(Amazon IPR, Paper 9.) Counsel for eBay has conferred with counsel for
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`Amazon.com, Inc. (“Amazon”), and counsel for Amazon does not object to eBay
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`joining IPR2023-01001.
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`Petitioner’s request for joinder is timely under 37 C.F.R. § 42.122(b) as it is
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`submitted no later than one month after the December 12, 2023 institution date of
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`the Amazon IPR. The eBay Petition is also narrowly tailored to the same claims,
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`prior art, and grounds for unpatentability that are the subject of the Amazon IPR. In
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`addition, Petitioner is willing to streamline discovery and briefing, as well as follow
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`the Amazon IPR Scheduling Order.
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`Petitioner submits that joinder is appropriate because it will not unduly burden
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`or prejudice the parties to the Amazon IPR while efficiently resolving whether three
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`1
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`claims (claim 1, 38, 53) of U.S. Patent No. 6,118,449 (the “’449 Patent”) are valid
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`and in a single proceeding.
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`II.
`1.
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` STATEMENT OF MATERIAL FACTS
`On June 5, 2023, Amazon filed a petition for inter partes review in
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`IPR2023-01001 requesting cancellation of claims 1, 27, 38 and 53 of the ʼ449 Patent.
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`2.
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`On June 22, 2022, Lexos Media IP, LLC (“Lexos” or “Patent Owner”)
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`filed a civil action against eBay, Inc., Case No. 6:22-cv-00648, in the United States
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`District Court for the Western District of Texas (“the Western District Case”). Patent
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`Owner filed a second amended complaint in the Western District Case on May 16,
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`2023.
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`3.
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`On December 6, 2023, Judge Albright issued an Order granting
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`Petitioner eBay’s request to transfer venue from the Western District of Texas to the
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`Northern District of California. The Northern District of California litigation is
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`pending, and is stylized Lexos Media IP, LLC v. eBay, Inc., No. 3:23-cv-06314-LJC
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`(N.D. Cal.) (the “Northern District Litigation”).
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`4.
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`On December 12, 2023, the Board instituted Amazon’s petition for
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`inter partes review in IPR2023-01001, finding that “there is a reasonable likelihood
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`that Petitioner would prevail with respect to at least one claim on one of the grounds
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`raised in the Petition” and instituted trial on claims 1, 38 and 53. Amazon IPR, Paper
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`2
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`9 at 39. The Board further noted that claim 27 was not available for cancellation as
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`it had already been cancelled. Id. at 8-10.
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`III. STATEMENT OF REASONS FOR RELIEF REQUESTED
`A. Legal Standard
`The Board has the authority under 35 U.S.C. § 315(c) to join a properly filed
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`inter partes review petition to an instituted inter partes review proceeding. See 35
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`U.S.C. § 315(c). A motion for joinder must be filed within one month of the Board
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`instituting an original inter partes review. 37 C.F.R. § 42.122(b). In deciding
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`whether to exercise its discretion and permit joinder, the Board considers several
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`factors, including: (1) the reasons why joinder is appropriate; (2) whether the new
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`petition presents any new grounds of unpatentability; (3) what impact, if any, joinder
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`would have on the trial schedule for the existing review; and (4) how briefing and
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`discovery may be simplified. See Kyocera Corporation v. Softview LLC, IPR2013-
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`00004, Paper 15 at 4 (April 24, 2013); Patent Trial and Appeal Board Consolidated
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`Trial Practice Guide (Nov. 2019), 76-78.
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`B. Petitioner’s Motion for Joinder is Timely
`This Motion for Joinder is timely because it is filed within one month of the
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`December 12, 2023 institution decision of the Amazon IPR. 37 C.F.R. § 42.122(b).
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`Further, the one-year bar set forth in 35 U.S.C. § 315(b) and 37 C.F.R. § 42.101(b)
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`does not apply to the eBay Petition because this Motion for Joinder is filed
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`concurrently with the eBay Petition. 37 C.F.R. § 42.122(b).
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`3
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`C. Each Factor Weighs in Favor of Joinder
`As explained in detail below, each of the four factors considered by the Board
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`weighs in favor of joinder. Specifically, the eBay Petition does not present any new
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`grounds of unpatentability; rather it is substantively identical to the Amazon Petition.
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`Further, joinder will have minimal, if any, impact on the trial schedule, as all issues
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`are substantively identical, and Petitioner eBay will accept an “understudy” role
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`unless and until Amazon is terminated from the proceeding. Lastly, the briefing and
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`discovery will be simplified by resolving all issues in a single proceeding.
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`Accordingly, joinder is appropriate here.
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`Petitioner notes that Amazon may be in the late stages of settlement
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`discussions with Patent Owner, as confirmed by the recent dismissal of Amazon
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`from the corresponding District Court case (Lexos Media IP, LLC v. Amazon.com,
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`Inc., No. 2:22-cv-00169 (E.D. Tex.)). However, should Amazon and Patent Owner
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`settle their dispute and seek to terminate the Amazon IPR, Petitioner’s Motion
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`should still be granted because it is timely presented, the Petition presents a
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`compelling case of unpatentability, and resolving this dispute is in the interests of
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`justice.
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`Indeed, the present circumstances are similar to those of Code200 v. Bright
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`Data Ltd., IPR2022-00861 (“the Code200 IPR”). There, several petitioners,
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`including Code200, sought to join IPR2021-01492 (the ’1492 IPR) in much the same
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`4
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`manner as presented here—a petition and motion for joinder were timely filed in the
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`Code200 IPR and before the ’1492 IPR petitioner and patent owner requested
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`termination of the ’1492 IPR. The Board originally denied the motion for joinder,
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`generally relying on General Plastic grounds. Code200 IPR, Paper 17 at 16 (July
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`25, 2022). In denying institution, the Board stated:
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`“Although Petitioner has agreed to an ‘understudy’ role, NetNut, the
`petitioner in the 1492 IPR to be joined, has been terminated from that
`proceeding due to a settlement.… Therefore, Petitioner would not be
`acting in the role of an understudy, but would immediately assume the
`leading role if joinder were granted.… Thus, if we granted joinder here,
`‘Petitioner would stand in to continue a proceeding that would
`otherwise be terminated.’” Id. at 8.
`In stark departure from the norm, Director Vidal sua sponte reviewed the
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`Code200 IPR institution decision, and vacated and remanded it. Code200, Vidal
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`Remand (Paper 18) (August 23, 2022). On remand, the Board granted the motion
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`for joinder and instituted trial despite the ’1492 IPR settlement, noting:
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`“[W]e determine that the merits of this action present a compelling
`unpatentability challenge. Absent joinder, a one-year bar would apply
`to Petitioner, and, again, the merits presented in this challenge would
`not be reached by the Board in a final written decision. Under these
`specific circumstances, we determine joinder is appropriate in the
`interests of justice.” Code200, Paper 19 at 39 (October 19, 2022).
`The panel continued:
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`5
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`“Because NetNut has been dismissed from the 1492 IPR, there are no
`longer issues of cooperation and duplication that would have to be
`addressed between petitioners.” Id.
`The Board should follow the guidance of the Code 200 IPR tribunal and grant
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`Petitioner’s Motion even if Amazon and Lexos request termination of the Amazon
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`IPR. The Amazon IPR petition presents compelling unpatentability challenges,
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`resolving the merits of the Amazon petition is in the interest of justice, and joinder
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`is appropriate in such circumstances. Code200, Paper 19 at 39. Moreover, the
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`PTAB routinely grants motions for joinder in view of pending litigations involving
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`the same patent and the same parties. See, e.g., Apple Inc. v. Uniloc 2017 LLC,
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`IPR2020-00224, Paper 10 at 2-7 (PTAB April 6, 2020) (granting motion for joinder
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`of a copycat petition in view of co-pending lawsuit); Apple Inc. v. INVT SPE LLC,
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`IPR2019-00958, Paper 9 at 2-13 (PTAB May 30, 2019) (same); Celltrion, Inc. v.
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`Genentech, Inc., IPR2018-01019, Paper 11 at 2-15 (PTAB Oct. 30, 2018) (same);
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`Huawei Device Co., Ltd. v. Uniloc Luxembourg S.A., IPR2017-02090, Paper 9 at 2-
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`12 (PTAB March 6, 2018) (same); Pfizer, Inc. v. Genentech, Inc., IPR2017-02063,
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`Paper 25 at 4-8 (PTAB Feb. 21, 2018) (same); General Motors LLC v. Neo Wireless
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`LLC, IPR2023-00963, Paper 10 at 2-20 (PTAB Dec. 6, 2023) (same); T-Mobile
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`USA, Inc. v. Dali Wireless, Inc., IPR2023-00830, Paper 7 at 2-11 (PTAB Oct. 11,
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`2023) (same); Cooler Master Co., Ltd. v. Asektek Danmark A/S, IPR2023-00667,
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`Paper 6 at 2-13 (PTAB Aug. 28, 2023) (same).
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`6
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`1. Joinder is Appropriate with the Amazon IPR
`Joinder with the Amazon IPR is appropriate because the eBay Petition
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`involves the same patent, challenges the same claims, relies on the same expert
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`declaration, and is based on the same grounds and combinations of prior art
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`submitted in the Amazon Petition. The eBay Petition is substantively identical to the
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`Amazon Petition, containing only minor differences unrelated to the merits of the
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`proposed grounds. There are no changes to the facts, citations, evidence, or
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`arguments presented in the Amazon Petition in relation to the grounds of the
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`Amazon Petition. Because these proceedings are substantively identical, good cause
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`exists for joining this proceeding with the Amazon IPR so that the Board can
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`efficiently resolve all grounds in both the eBay and Amazon Petitions in a single
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`proceeding. Moreover, as explained previously, the Amazon IPR petition presents
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`compelling unpatentability challenges, resolving the merits of the Amazon petition
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`is in the interest of justice, and joinder is appropriate in such circumstances.
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`Code200, Paper 19 at 39.
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`2. Petitioner Proposes No New Grounds of Unpatentability
`The eBay Petition does not present any new grounds of unpatentability. The
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`eBay Petition is substantively identical to the Amazon Petition. The eBay Petition
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`presents the unpatentability of the same claims of the same patent in the same way
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`as the Amazon Petition. The Board “routinely grants motions for joinder where the
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`7
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`party seeking joinder introduces identical arguments and the same grounds raised in
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`the existing proceeding.” Samsung Elecs. Co. v. Raytheon Co., IPR2016-00962,
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`Paper 12 at 9 (PTAB Aug. 24, 2016) (internal quotations and citations omitted)
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`(emphasis original); see also STMicroelectronics, Inc. v. Lone Star Silicon
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`Innovations, LLC, IPR2018-00436, Paper 7 at 5 (PTAB May 4, 2018) (granting
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`joinder and reasoning, “[w]e rely in particular, on Petitioner’s representation that its
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`Petition is ‘substantially identical’…challenges the same claims based on the same
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`prior art and the same grounds of unpatentability….”).
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`3. Joinder Will Not Unduly Burden or Negatively Impact the
`Amazon IPR Trial Schedule
`Because the eBay Petition is substantively identical to the Amazon Petition,
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`with the same grounds applied to the same claims as instituted by the Board, there
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`are no new issues for Patent Owner to address. Due to the same issues being
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`presented in the Amazon Petition, Patent Owner will not be required to present any
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`additional responses or arguments. LG v. Memory Integrity, LLC, IPR2015-01353,
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`Paper 11, at 6 (Oct. 5, 2015) (granting IPR and motion for joinder where “joinder
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`should not necessitate any additional briefing or discovery from Patent Owner
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`beyond that already required in [the original IPR].”); see also id., Paper 4 at 5–7.
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`The Patent Owner Response will also not be negatively impacted because the
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`issues presented in the Amazon Petition are identical to the issues presented in the
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`eBay Petition. Patent Owner will not be required to provide any additional analysis
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`8
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`or arguments beyond what it will already provide in responding to the Amazon
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`Petition. Also, because the eBay Petition relies on the same expert and a
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`substantively identical declaration, only a single deposition is needed for the
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`proposed joined proceeding.1
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`Joinder of this proceeding with the Amazon IPR would not unduly burden or
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`negatively impact the trial schedule in any meaningful way. Further, even if a small
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`adjustment of the trial schedule was necessary, this is already provided for in the
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`rules and is a routine undertaking by parties in IPR proceedings. See 37 C.F.R. §
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`42.100(c). Thus, a slight adjustment in the trial schedule, should one be needed, is
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`not enough of a reason to deny joining the present eBay Petition with the Amazon
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`IPR.
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`4. Procedures to Simplify Briefing and Discovery
`The Amazon Petition and the eBay Petition present substantively identical
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`grounds of rejection, including the same art combinations against the same claims.
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`Additionally, Petitioner explicitly agrees to take an “understudy” role, as described
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`by the Board:
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`1 Petitioner eBay has engaged Dr. Rosenberg, Amazon’s expert for the Amazon IPR.
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`Petitioner eBay has submitted Dr. Rosenberg’s declaration from the Amazon IPR
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`with the eBay IPR petition in unaltered form, except for exhibit labeling.
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`9
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`“(a) all filings by [Petitioner] in the joined proceeding be consolidated
`with [the filings of the petitioner in the Amazon IPR], unless a filing
`solely concerns issues that do not involve [the petitioner in the Amazon
`IPR]; (b) [Petitioner] shall not be permitted to raise any new grounds
`not already instituted by the Board in the [Amazon IPR], or introduce
`any argument or discovery not already introduced by [the petitioner in
`the Amazon IPR]; (c) [Petitioner] shall be bound by any agreement
`between [Patent Owner] and [the petitioner in the Amazon IPR]
`concerning discovery and/or depositions; and (d) [Petitioner] at
`deposition shall not receive any direct, cross-examination or redirect
`time beyond that permitted for [the petitioner in the Amazon IPR] alone
`under either 37 C.F.R. § 42.53 or any agreement between [Patent
`Owner] and [the petitioner in the Amazon IPR].”
`
`See IPR2014-00550, paper 38 at 5 (Apr. 10, 2015).
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`Petitioner eBay will assume the primary role only if Amazon ceases to
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`participate in the Amazon IPR. Counsel for eBay has conferred with counsel for
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`Amazon, and Amazon does not object to Petitioner eBay joining IPR2023-01001 in
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`an “understudy” role. By Petitioner accepting an “understudy” role, Patent Owner
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`and Petitioner eBay can comply with the current trial schedule and avoid any
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`duplicative efforts by the Board or the Patent Owner. These steps will minimize any
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`potential complications or delay that may result due to joinder. See, e.g., Garmin
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`Int’l, Inc. v. Philips North Am. LLC, IPR2020-00910, Paper 8 at 45, 47-50 (PTAB
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`10
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`
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`Nov. 19, 2020) (granting joinder where petitioners agreed to accept an “understudy”
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`role); STMicroelectronics, IPR2018-00436, Paper 7 at 5 (similar).
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`IV. GENERAL PLASTIC IS GENERALLY INAPPLICABLE AND
`FAVORS PETITIONER
`In General Plastic, the Board sets forth a series of factors that may be
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`analyzed for follow-on petitions to help conserve the finite resources of the Board.
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`However, Petitioner respectfully submits that the General Plastic analysis is
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`inapplicable here. In the current motion, eBay merely seeks to join Amazon’s
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`proceeding in an understudy rule and does not present any new grounds. The PTAB
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`has previously found that such circumstances “effectively neutralize[]” a General
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`Plastic analysis. See Apple Inc. v. Uniloc 2017 LLC, IPR2018-00580, Paper 13 at 10
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`(PTAB Aug. 21, 2018) (instituting a joinder copycat petition where petitioner agreed
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`to assume a passive understudy role, and noting such circumstances “effectively
`
`neutraliz[es] the General Plastic factors”); see also Celltrion, Inc. v. Genetech, Inc.,
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`IPR2019-01019, Paper 11 at 10 (PTAB Oct. 30, 2018) (noting the joinder motion
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`“effectively obviates any concerns of serial harassment and unnecessary
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`expenditures of resources”) and Code200, Vidal Remand (Paper 18) (finding road-
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`mapping and other General Plastic concerns generally inapplicable or of limited
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`relevance when a motion for joinder presents a copycat petition).
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`In any event, the General Plastic factors counsel heavily against discretionary
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`denial, i.e., in favor of instituting the present IPR and joining it with the Amazon
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`11
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`
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`IPR. General Plastic Indus. Co., Ltd. v. Canon Kabushiki Kaisha, IPR2016-01357,
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`slip op. at 16 (PTAB Sept. 6, 2017) (Paper 19) (precedential as to § II.B.4.i).
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`The first three General Plastic factors all strongly favor Petitioner. Petitioner
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`has not previously filed an IPR challenge to the ’449 patent, Petitioner has included
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`a Sotera stipulation in its Petition, and there are no road-mapping concerns as
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`Petitioner has simply filed a copycat version of the Amazon Petition. These factors
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`all counsel against discretionary denial. Code200, Vidal Remand (Paper 18) at 4-6.
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`The fourth, fifth and seventh General Plastic factors have limited relevance
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`when a motion for joinder with a copycat petition is presented. Code200, Vidal
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`Remand (Paper 18) at 6. In any event, those factors favor Petitioner as the instant
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`Motion is being filed within eight days of institution of the Amazon IPR and there
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`should be no delay in the Amazon IPR if Petitioner’s Motion is granted.
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`The sixth factor also favors Petitioner as it is “the Board’s ‘mission to improve
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`patent quality and restore confidence in the presumption of validity that comes with
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`issued patents’” which “outweighs the impact on Board resources needed to evaluate
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`the merits of a petition.” Code200, Vidal Remand (Paper 18) at 6, citing Cuozzo
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`Speed Techs., LLC v. Lee, 579 U.S. 261, 272 (2016).
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`Accordingly, all of the General Plastic factors counsel against discretionary
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`denial and in favor granting of Petitioner’s Motion. Indeed, any “concerns of
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`fairness are outweighed by the benefits to the patent system of improving patent
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`12
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`quality by reviewing the merits of the challenges raised in the petition[], which have
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`not been addressed to date.” Code200, Vidal Remand (Paper 18) at 6, citing General
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`Plastic at 16 (citing H.R. Rep. No. 112-98, pt. 1, at 40 (2011)); see also Samsung
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`Elecs. Am., Inc. v. Uniloc Lux. S.A., IPR2017-01797, Paper 8 at 33 (P.T.A.B. Feb.
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`6, 2018) (“Patent Owner’s complaint about the multiple [IPR] petitions filed against
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`[its] patent is not persuasive when the volume appears to be a direct result of its own
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`litigation activity.”)
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`V. CONCLUSION
`For all of the foregoing reasons, Petitioner eBay respectfully requests that the
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`Board grant eBay’s Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 6,118,449
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`and grant joinder with the proceeding pending in Amazon.com, Inc. v. Lexos Media
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`IP, LLC, IPR2023-01001.
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`Dated: December 20, 2023
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`
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`
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`Respectfully submitted,
`
`_/Heath Briggs/_____
`Heath J. Briggs, Reg. No. 54,919
`GREENBERG TRAURIG, LLP
`1144 15th Street, Suite 3300
`Denver, CO 80202
`
`Joshua L. Raskin, Reg. No. 40,135
`Brian J. Prew, Reg. No. 76,717
`Vimal M. Kapadia, Reg. No. 73,310
`Kathryn E. Albanese, Reg. No. 78,153
`Greenberg Traurig, LLP
`One Vanderbilt Avenue
`New York, NY 10017
`Counsel for Petitioner eBay, Inc.
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`13
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`CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE
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`The undersigned certifies that a true and correct copy of the Motion for
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`Joinder has been served on the Patent Owner via United States Postal Service
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`(USPS) Priority Express Mail, or by means at least as fast and reliable USPS Prioirty
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`Express Mail, on December 20, 2023, at the following address:
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`
`
`
`
`WEINGARTEN SCHURGIN GAGNEBIN & HAYES LLP
`TEN POST OFFICE SQUARE
`BOSTON, MA 02109
`
`
`Dated: December 20, 2023
`
`
`
`
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`Respectfully submitted,
`
`_/Heath Briggs/_____
`Heath J. Briggs, Reg. No. 54,919
`GREENBERG TRAURIG, LLP
`1144 15th Street, Suite 3300
`Denver, CO 80202
`
`Joshua L. Raskin, Reg. No. 40,135
`Brian J. Prew, Reg. No. 76,717
`Vimal M. Kapadia, Reg. No. 73,310
`Kathryn E. Albanese, Reg. No. 78,153
`Greenberg Traurig, LLP
`One Vanderbilt Avenue
`New York, NY 10017
`
`Counsel for Petitioner eBay, Inc.
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`14
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