UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
`
`
`
`BEFORE THE PATENT TRIAL AND APPEAL BOARD
`
`MONOLITHIC POWER SYSTEMS, INC.,
`
`Petitioner,
`
`v.
`
`GREENTHREAD LLC,
`
`Patent Owner.
`
`
`PTAB CASE NO. IPR2024-00550
`
`PETITION FOR INTER PARTES REVIEW
`OF U.S. PATENT NO. 10,510,842
`UNDER 35 U.S.C. §312 AND 37 C.F.R. §42.104
`
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`PTAB Case No. IPR2024-00550
`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 10,510,842
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`TABLE OF CONTENTS
`
`
`I.  MANDATORY NOTICES .............................................................................. 1 
`A. 
`Real Party-In-Interest .............................................................................. 1 
`B. 
`Related Matters ........................................................................................ 1 
`C. 
`Counsel Service Information ................................................................... 3 
`D. 
`37 C.F.R. §42.8(b)(4): Service Information ............................................ 3 
`PAYMENT OF FEES UNDER 37 C.F.R. §42.103 ....................................... 4 
`II. 
`III.  CERTIFICATION OF GROUNDS FOR STANDING ................................ 4 
`IV.  OVERVIEW OF CHALLENGE AND RELIEF REQUESTED ................ 4 
`A. 
`Printed Publications as Prior Art ............................................................. 4 
`B. 
`Relief Requested ...................................................................................... 5 
`PERSON OF ORDINARY SKILL IN THE ART ........................................ 5 
`V. 
`VI.  CLAIM CONSTRUCTION ............................................................................ 5 
`VII.  THE ’842 PATENT AND BACKGROUND ................................................. 7 
`A. 
`The ’842 Patent’s Purported Improvements ................................................ 7 
`B.  General Background on Static Unidirectional Electric Drift Fields as
`Related to Semiconductor Layers Having Graded Dopant Profiles........... 9 
`VIII.  SPECIFIC GROUNDS OF INVALIDITY ................................................. 12 
`A.  Ground I: Kawagoe Renders Obvious Claims 1, 2, 4-9, and 12-18. ... 12 
`1. 
`Independent Claim 1 ............................................................................. 13 
`a. 
`Preamble: “A semiconductor device comprising:” ............................... 13 
`b. 
`Element [1.1]: “a substrate of a first doping type at a first doping level
`having first and second surfaces;” ......................................................... 13 
`Element [1.2]: “a first active region disposed adjacent the first surface
`
`c. 
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`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 10,510,842
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`d. 
`
`e. 
`
`f. 
`
`2. 
`
`3. 
`
`4. 
`
`5. 
`
`6. 
`
`7. 
`
`8. 
`
`9. 
`
`of the substrate with a second doping type opposite in conductivity to
`the first doping type and within which transistors can be formed;” ..... 16 
`Element [1.3]: “a second active region separate from the first active
`region disposed adjacent to the first active region and within which
`transistors can be formed,” .................................................................... 19 
`Element [1.4]: “transistors formed in at least one of the first active
`region or second active region; and” ..................................................... 22 
`Element [1.5]: “at least a portion of at least one of the first and second
`active regions having at least one graded dopant concentration to aid
`carrier movement from the first surface to the second surface of the
`substrate.” .............................................................................................. 23 
`Dependent Claim 2: “The semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein the
`substrate is a p-type substrate.” ............................................................. 27 
`Dependent Claim 4: “The semiconductor device of claim 1 wherein the
`substrate has epitaxial silicon on top of a nonepitaxial substrate.” ....... 27 
`Dependent Claim 5: “The semiconductor device of claim 1 wherein the
`first active region and second active region contain one of either p-
`channel and n-channel devices.” ........................................................... 27 
`Dependent Claim 6: “The semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein the
`first active region and second active region contain either p-channel or
`n-channel devices in n-wells or p-wells, respectively, and each has a
`graded dopant.” ..................................................................................... 28 
`Dependent Claim 7: “The semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein the
`first active region and second active region are each separated by at
`least one isolation region.” .................................................................... 30 
`Dependent Claim 8: “The semiconductor device of claim 1 wherein the
`graded dopant is fabricated with an ion implantation process. ............. 31 
`Dependent Claim 17: “The semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein
`the first and second active regions are formed adjacent the first surface
`of the substrate.” .................................................................................... 32 
`Dependent Claim 18: “The semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein
`the transistors which can be formed in the first and second active
`regions are CMOS transistors requiring a source, a drain, a gate and a
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`PTAB Case No. IPR2024-00550
`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 10,510,842
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`10. 
`a. 
`b. 
`
`c. 
`
`d. 
`
`e. 
`
`f. 
`
`channel region.” ..................................................................................... 33 
`Independent Claim 9 ............................................................................. 34 
`Element [9.PRE] “A semiconductor device, comprising:” ................... 34 
`Element [9.1] “a substrate of a first doping type at a first doping level
`having first and second surfaces;” ......................................................... 34 
`Element [9.2] “a first active region disposed adjacent the first surface of
`the substrate with a second doping type opposite in conductivity to the
`first doping type and within which transistors can be formed in the
`surface thereof;” .................................................................................... 34 
`Element [9.3] “a second active region separate from the first active
`region disposed adjacent to the first active region and within which
`transistors can be formed in the surface thereof;” ................................. 35 
`Element [9.4] “transistors formed in at least one of the first active
`region or second active region; and” ..................................................... 35 
`Element [9.5] “at least a portion of at least one of the first and second
`active regions having at least one graded dopant concentration to aid
`carrier movement from the surface to the substrate.” ........................... 35 
`11.  Dependent Claim 12: “The semiconductor device of claim 9, wherein
`the substrate has epitaxial silicon on top of a nonepitaxial substrate.” . 35 
`12.  Dependent Claim 13: “The semiconductor device of claim 9, wherein
`the first active region and second active region contain at least one of
`either p-channel and n-channel devices.” .............................................. 35 
`13.  Dependent Claim 14: “The semiconductor device of claim 9, wherein
`the first active region and second active region contain either p-channel
`or n-channel devices in n-wells or p-wells, respectively, and each well
`has a graded dopant.” ............................................................................ 36 
`14.  Dependent Claim 15: “The semiconductor device of claim 9, wherein
`the first active region and second active region are each separated by at
`least one isolation region.” .................................................................... 36 
`15.  Dependent Claim 16: “The semiconductor device of claim 9, wherein
`the graded dopant is fabricated with an ion implantation process.” ..... 36 
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`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 10,510,842
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`Ground II: Onoda Renders Obvious Claims 1, 2, 4-9, 12-18. .............. 36 
`B. 
`Independent Claim 1 ............................................................................. 38 
`1. 
`Preamble ................................................................................................ 38 
`a. 
`Element [1.1] ......................................................................................... 39 
`b. 
`Element [1.2] ......................................................................................... 41 
`c. 
`Element [1.3] ......................................................................................... 45 
`d. 
`Element [1.4] ......................................................................................... 48 
`e. 
`Element [1.5] ......................................................................................... 49 
`f. 
`Claim 2 .................................................................................................. 57 
`2. 
`Claim 4 .................................................................................................. 57 
`3. 
`Claim 5 .................................................................................................. 58 
`4. 
`Claim 6 .................................................................................................. 59 
`5. 
`Claim 7 .................................................................................................. 60 
`6. 
`Claim 8 .................................................................................................. 62 
`7. 
`Claim 17 ................................................................................................ 62 
`8. 
`Claim 18 ................................................................................................ 65 
`9. 
`Independent Claim 9 ............................................................................. 67 
`10. 
`Element [9.PRE] .................................................................................... 67 
`a. 
`Element [9.1] ......................................................................................... 67 
`b. 
`Element [9.2] ......................................................................................... 67 
`c. 
`Element [9.3] ......................................................................................... 67 
`d. 
`Element [9.4] ......................................................................................... 68 
`e. 
`Element [9.5] ......................................................................................... 68 
`f. 
`11.  Dependent Claim 12 .............................................................................. 68 
`12.  Dependent Claim 13 .............................................................................. 68 
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`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 10,510,842
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`13.  Dependent Claim 14 .............................................................................. 68 
`14.  Dependent Claim 15 .............................................................................. 68 
`15.  Dependent Claim 16 .............................................................................. 68 
`C. 
`Ground III: Onoda in view of Nishizawa Renders Obvious Claims 1-2,
`4-9, 12-18. ............................................................................................. 69 
`Independent Claim 1 ............................................................................. 72 
`1. 
`Preamble ................................................................................................ 72 
`a. 
`Elements [1.1]-[1.4] .............................................................................. 73 
`b. 
`Element [1.5] ......................................................................................... 73 
`c. 
`Claim 18 ................................................................................................ 75 
`2. 
`Independent Claim 9: ............................................................................ 75 
`3. 
`Element [9.PRE] .................................................................................... 75 
`d. 
`Elements [9.1]-[9.4] .............................................................................. 75 
`1. 
`Element [9.5] ......................................................................................... 75 
`2. 
`Claims 2, 4-8, 12-17 .............................................................................. 76 
`4. 
`IX.  THE BOARD SHOULD INSTITUTE IPR ................................................. 76 
`1. 
`35 U.S.C. § 314(a) ................................................................................. 76 
`2. 
`35 U.S.C. § 325(d)................................................................................. 77 
`3. 
`Prior Petitions Do Not Warrant Denying Institution ............................ 80 
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`PTAB Case No. IPR2024-00550
`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 10,510,842
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`TABLE OF AUTHORITIES
`
`FEDERAL CASES
`Advanced Bionics, LLC v. Med-El Elektromedizinische Geräte GmbH,
`IPR2019- 01469 .................................................................................................. 76
`Apple Inc. v. Uniloc 2017 LLC,
`IPR2019-01667, Paper No. 7, 11-12 (P.T.A.B. Apr. 21, 2020) ......................... 79
`Becton, Dickinson, & Co. v. B. Braun Melsungen AG,
`IPR2017-01586, Paper 8 (P.T.A.B. Dec. 15, 2017) ........................................... 76
`Bowtech Inc. v. MCP IP, LLC,
`IPR2019-00383, Paper 14 (P.T.A.B. Aug. 6, 2019) .......................................... 77
`Dell Technologies, Inc. et al. v. Greenthread, LLC,
`IPR2023-00509 ..................................................................................................... 2
`Fasteners for Retail, Inc. v. RTC Indus., Inc.,
`IPR2019-00994, Paper 9 (P.T.A.B. Nov. 5, 2019) ............................................ 77
`Intel Corp. v. Greenthread, LLC,
`IPR2023-00420 ..................................................................................................... 2
`Intel Corp. v. Greenthread, LLC,
`IPR2023-00552 ..................................................................................................... 2
`Phillips v. AWH Corp.,
`415 F.3d 1303 (Fed. Cir. 2005) (en banc). 37 C. ................................................. 5
`PopSockets LLC v. Flygrip, Inc.,
`IPR2022- 00938 .................................................................................................. 76
`Samsung Electronics, Co., Ltd., v. Greenthread, LLC,
`IPR2020-00289 ..................................................................................................... 2
`Sony Group Corp. (Japan) v. Greenthread, LLC,
`IPR2023-00324 ..................................................................................................... 2
`Xilinx, Inc. v. Arbor Global Strategies, LLC,
`IPR2020-01568, Paper No. 12 (P.T.A.B. Mar. 5, 2021) .................................... 79
`
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`PTAB Case No. IPR2024-00550
`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 10,510,842
`
`OTHER CASES
`Greenthread, LLC v. Cirrus Logic, Inc.,
`Civil Action No. 1:23-cv-00369 ........................................................................... 1
`Greenthread, LLC v. Intel Corp. et al.,
`Case No. 6:22-cv-00105, Dkt. 96 ......................................................................... 7
`Greenthread, LLC v. Intel Corp. et al.,
`Case No. 6:22-cv-105-ADA ......................................................................... 14, 15
`Greenthread, LLC v. Intel Corporation,
`Civil Action No. 6:22-cv-01293 ........................................................................... 2
`
`Greenthread, LLC v. Intel Corporation, Dell Inc., and Dell Technologies
`Inc.,
`Civil Action No. 6:22-cv-00105 ........................................................................... 2
`Greenthread, LLC v. Micron Technology, Inc. et al.,
`Civil Action No. 1:23-cv-00333 ........................................................................... 2
`Greenthread, LLC v. Monolithic Power Systems, Inc.,
`Civil Action No. 1:23-cv-00579 ........................................................................... 1
`Greenthread, LLC v. OmniVision Technologies, Inc.,
`Civil Action No. 2:23-cv-00212 ........................................................................... 1
`Greenthread, LLC v. ON Semiconductor Corp., et al.
`Civil Action No. 1-23-cv-00443........................................................................... 2
`Greenthread, LLC v. OSRAM GmbH et al,
`Civil Action No. 2:23-cv-00179 ........................................................................... 1
`Greenthread, LLC v Texas Instruments Incorporated,
`Civil Action No. 2:23-cv-00157 ........................................................................... 1
`Greenthread, LLC v. Western Digital Corporation et al,
`Civil Action No. 1:23-cv-00326 ........................................................................... 2
`FEDERAL STATUTES
`35 U.S.C. § 103 ...................................................................................................... 4, 5
`35 U.S.C. § 314(a) ............................................................................................. 75, 76
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`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 10,510,842
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`35 U.S.C. § 325(d) ............................................................................................. 76, 77
`pre-America Invents Act ............................................................................................ 4
`RULES
`Rule 42.104(a) ........................................................................................................... 4
`REGULATIONS
`37 C.F.R. §§ 42.8(b)(3), 42.8(b)(4) and 42.10(a) ...................................................... 3
`37 C.F.R. § 42.8(b)(4) ............................................................................................... 3
`37 C.F.R. § 42.10(b) .................................................................................................. 3
`37 C.F.R. § 42.15(a)(1) .............................................................................................. 3
`37 C.F.R. § 42.103 ..................................................................................................... 3
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`PTAB Case No. IPR2024-00550
`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 10,510,842
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`TABLE OF EXHIBITS
`
`Ex. 1001 U.S. Patent No. 10,510,842 (the “’842 Patent”)
`
`Ex. 1002 Prosecution History of the ’195 Patent
`
`Ex. 1003 Declaration of Dr. Stephen Campbell
`
`Ex. 1004 Curriculum Vitae of Dr. Stephen Campbell
`
`Ex. 1005 U.S. Patent No. 4,684,971 (“Payne”)
`
`Ex. 1006 U.S. Patent No. 4,907,058 to Sakai (“Sakai”)
`
`Ex. 1007 U.S. Patent No. 6,043,114 to Kawagoe, et al., (“Kawagoe”)
`
`Ex. 1008 Wolf and Tauber, Silicon Processing For The VLSI Era, Vol 1,
`Lattice Press (2000)
`Ex. 1009 U.S. Patent No. 4,160,985 (“Kamins”)
`
`Ex. 1010 U.S. Patent No. 4,481,522 (“Jastrzebski”)
`
`Ex. 1011 U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0042511 (“Rhodes”)
`
`Ex. 1012 U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2002/0102783
`(“Fujimoto”)
`Ex. 1013 Wang and Agrawal, Single Event Upset: An Embedded Tutorial,
`21st Intl Conf on VLSI Design, IEEE 2008 (“Wang”)
`Ex. 1014 Publication Declaration of Alyssa G. Resnick for Wolf.1 and
`Wolf.2 (“Resnick Decl.”)
`Ex. 1015 Publication Declaration of Rachel J. Watters for Wolf.3 and Wolf.4
`(“Watters Decl.”)
`Ex. 1016 IPR2020-00289, Patent Owner Preliminary Response
`
`Ex. 1017 U.S. Pat. No. 11,121,222 (the “’222 Patent”)
`
`Ex. 1018 U.S. Pat. No. 11,316,014 (the “’014 Patent”)
`
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`Ex. 1019 Civil Action No. 2:19-cv-00147-JRG, Dkt. 67 (E.D. Tex. Apr. 20,
`2019)
`Ex. 1020 Prosecution History of U.S. Pat. No. 11,121,222
`
`Ex. 1021 Prosecution History of U.S. Pat. No. 11,316,014
`
`Ex. 1022 U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0063288 (“Kenney”)
`
`Ex. 1023 Jaeger, Introduction to Microelectronic Fabrication, Vol. V,
`Addison-Wesley Modular Series on Solid State Devices (1988)
`(“Jaeger”)
`obtained
`– Case Statistics,
`Ex. 1024 U.S. District Courts
`https://www.uscourts.gov/statistics-reports/analysis-reports/
`federal-court-management-statistics, dated June 30, 2023
`Ex. 1025 U.S. Patent No. 4,435,896 (“Parrillo”)
`
`at
`
`Ex. 1026 L.C. Parrillo, R.S. Payne et al., Twin-Tub CMOS - A Technology
`for VLSI Circuits, IEEE 1980 (“Parrillo2”)
`Ex. 1027 U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2007/0045682 to Hong et
`al. (“Hong”)
`Ex. 1028 The Oxford American Dictionary and Language Guide, Oxford
`University Press (1996)
`Ex. 1029 U.S. Patent No. 9,190,502 File History
`
`Ex. 1030 Patent Owner’s Responsive Claim Construction Brief
`
`Ex. 1031 RESERVED
`
`Ex. 1032 Patent Owner’s Sur-Reply Claim Construction Brief
`
`Ex. 1033 Proposed Claim Constructions in the District Court Case
`
`Ex. 1034 Redacted District Court Case Transfer Order
`
`Ex. 1035 Civil Action No. 2:19-cv-00147-JRG, Dkt. 105 (E.D. Tex. Jul. 9,
`2020)
`Ex. 1036 Publication Declaration of Sylvia Hall-Ellis for Wolf
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`Ex. 1037 Dec. 21, 2022 Preliminary Claim Constructions in 6:22-CV-00105
`
`Ex. 1038 U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0183856
`Wieczorek (“Wieczorek”)
`Ex. 1039 Parrillo IEEE Citation List
`
`to
`
`Ex. 1040 Dictionary of Engineering, McGraw Hill (2003)
`
`Ex. 1041 Rubin et al., Ranges and Moments of Depth Distributions of Boron
`and Phosphorus Implanted into Silicon in the Energy Range 1.7 -
`5.0 MeV with an Eaton NV-GSD/VHE Implanter, IEEE 1997
`(“Rubin”)
`Ex. 1042 Certified translation of Japanese Unexamined Patent Application
`Publication No. H8-279598 (“Onoda”)
`Ex. 1043 Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. H8-
`279598, published on October 22, 1996
`Ex. 1044 IPR2020-289, Termination Order
`
`Ex. 1045 Oct. 31, 2022 Giapis Declaration, 6:22-CV-00105
`
`Ex. 1046 U.S. Pat. No. 5,384,476 (the “’576 Patent”) (“Nishizawa”)
`
`Ex. 1047 U.S. Pat. No. 6,900,091 (the “ ‘091 Patent”) (“Williams”)
`
`Ex. 1048 Claim Construction Order in Greenthread, LLC v. Cirrus Logic,
`Inc., 1-23-cv-00369-DC-DTG (Jan. 29, 2024)
`Ex. 1049 Patent Owner’s claim construction brief in Greenthread, LLC v.
`Cirrus Logic, Inc., 1-23-cv-00369-DC-DTG
`Ex. 1050 Patent Owner’s reply claim construction brief in Greenthread, LLC
`v. Cirrus Logic, Inc., 1-23-cv-00369-DC-DTG
`Ex.1051 CMOS Layout, Plate 4, from Principles of CMOS VLSI Design: A
`Systems Perspective, by Neil H. E. Weste and Kamran Eshraghian,
`Addison-Wesley Publishing, Reading PA (1985)
`Ex. 1052 Cover Pages of Modern VLSI Design: System-on-Chip Design,
`Third Edition, by Wayne Wolf, Prentice Hall (January 2002)
`
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`PTAB Case No. IPR2024-00550
`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 10,510,842
`
`Monolithic Power Systems, Inc. (“Petitioner”) requests inter partes review
`
`(“IPR”) of claims 1, 2, 4-9, and 12-18 (the “Challenged Claims”) of U.S. Patent No.
`
`10,510,842 (Ex. 1001, the “’842 Patent”).
`
`I. MANDATORY NOTICES
`A. Real Party-In-Interest
`All real parties in interest for this IPR petition are as follows: Monolithic Power
`
`Systems, Inc.
`
`B. Related Matters
`The ’842 Patent is the subject of the following active court proceedings:
`
` Greenthread, LLC v. Monolithic Power Systems, Inc., Civil Action No.
`
`1:23-cv-00579 in the District of Delaware, filed May 26, 2023 (“MPS
`
`Litigation”);
`
` Greenthread, LLC v. Cirrus Logic, Inc., Civil Action No. 1:23-cv-00369
`
`in the Western District of Texas, filed March 31, 2023;
`
` Greenthread, LLC v Texas Instruments Incorporated, Civil Action No.
`
`2:23-cv-00157 in the Eastern District of Texas, filed April 6, 2023;
`
` Greenthread, LLC v. OSRAM GmbH et al, Civil Action No. 2:23-cv-
`
`00179 in the Eastern District of Texas, filed April 19, 2023;
`
` Greenthread, LLC v. OmniVision Technologies, Inc., Civil Action No.
`
`2:23-cv-00212 in the Eastern District of Texas, filed May 10, 2023;
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` Greenthread, LLC v. ON Semiconductor Corp., Inc. et al, Civil Action
`
`No. 1-23-cv-00443 in Delaware, filed on April 21, 2023; and
`
` Greenthread, LLC v. Texas Instruments Incorporated, Civil Action No.
`
`2-23-cv-00157 in the Eastern District of Texas, filed on April 6, 2023.
`
`The ’842 Patent was previously subject to the following court proceedings,
`
`which are no longer pending:
`
` Greenthread, LLC v. Western Digital Corporation et al, Civil Action No.
`
`1-23-cv-00326 in Delaware, filed on March 24, 2023;
`
` Greenthread, LLC v. Micron Technology, Inc. et al, Civil Action No. 1-
`
`23-cv-00333 in Delaware, filed on March 24, 2023;
`
` Greenthread, LLC v. Intel Corporation, Civil Action No. 3-22-cv-02001
`
`in Oregon, filed on December 29, 2022;
`
` Greenthread, LLC v. Intel Corporation, Civil Action No. 6-22-cv-01293
`
`in the Western District of Texas, filed on December 21, 2022; and
`
` Greenthread, LLC v. Intel Corporation, Civil Action No. 6-22-cv-00105
`
`in the Western District of Texas, filed on January 27, 2022.
`
`The ’842 Patent is involved in the following pending PTAB proceedings:
`
` Cirrus Logic, Inc. et al v. Greenthread, LLC, IPR2024-00016 (PTAB)
`
`(Oct. 11, 2023);
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`PTAB Case No. IPR2024-00550
`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 10,510,842
`
` Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC d/b/a ON Semiconductor v.
`
`Greenthread, LLC IPR2023-01243 (PTAB) (Jul. 27, 2023); and
`
` Texas Instruments Inc. v. Greenthread, LLC, IPR2024-00672 (PTAB)
`
`(Mar. 12, 2024), which is a joinder petition of IPR2023-01243.
`
`The ’842 Patent was involved in the following 3 PTAB proceedings that were
`
`terminated:
`
` Dell Technologies Inc. et al v. Greenthread, LLC IPR2023-00506
`
`(PTAB) (Jan. 27, 2023);
`
` Sony Group Corporation v. Greenthread, LLC, IPR2023-00376 (PTAB)
`
`(Dec. 17, 2022); and
`
` Intel Corporation v. Greenthread, LLC, IPR2023-00308 (PTAB) (Dec.
`
`05, 2022).
`
`C. Counsel Service Information
`Pursuant to 37 C.F.R. §§ 42.8(b)(3), 42.8(b)(4) and 42.10(a), Petitioner appoints
`
`Miguel Bombach (Reg. No. 68,636) as its lead counsel, and Bing Ai (Reg. No. 43,312),
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`John D. Esterhay (Reg. No. 73,512), John P. Schnurer (Reg. No. 52,196), Brianna
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`Kadjo (Reg. No. 74,307), and Runkun (Justin) Jiang (Reg. No. 78,118) as its back-up
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`counsel.
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`D.
`37 C.F.R. §42.8(b)(4): Service Information
`Petitioner concurrently submits a Power of Attorney, 37 C.F.R. §42.10(b), and
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`consents
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`to
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`following email address:
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`PTAB Case No. IPR2024-00550
`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 10,510,842
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`PerkinsServiceMPS-GreenthreadIPR@perkinscoie.com
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`II.
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`PAYMENT OF FEES UNDER 37 C.F.R. §42.103
`The undersigned authorizes the Office to charge the fee set forth in 37 C.F.R.
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`§42.15(a)(1) for this Petition to Deposit Account No. 50-0665. Review of claims 1, 2,
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`4-9, 12-18 of the ’842 Patent is requested. The undersigned further authorizes payment
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`for any additional fees that may be due in connection with this Petition.
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`III. CERTIFICATION OF GROUNDS FOR STANDING
`Petitioner certifies under Rule 42.104(a) that the ’842 Patent is available for IPR
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`and Petitioner is not barred or estopped from requesting IPR of the Challenged Claims
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`on the grounds identified in this Petition.
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`IV. OVERVIEW OF CHALLENGE AND RELIEF REQUESTED
`The ’842 Patent claims priority to U.S. Patent No. 8,421,195 (the “’195 Patent”)
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`that claims priority to Sept. 3, 2004, which has been applied as the priority date, and
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`the review of the Challenged Claims is governed by pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. §§ 102 and 103
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`and AIA 35 U.S.C. §§ 311 to 319 and 325(d):
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`A.
`Printed Publications as Prior Art
`Petitioner’s challenge is based on the following prior-art references, none of
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`which were before the Patent Office during prosecution of the ’842 Patent:
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`
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`
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`Kawagoe: U.S. Patent No. 6,043,114 to Kawagoe et al. (Ex. 1007)
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`issued on March 28, 2000 and is prior art under §102(b).
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`Onoda – Japanese Application H8-279598 to Onoda (Ex. 1043, certified
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`PTAB Case No. IPR2024-00550
`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 10,510,842
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`translation 1042) published on October 22, 1996 and is prior art under
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`§102(b).
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`
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`Nishizawa: U.S. Patent No. 5,384,476 to Nishizawa et al. (Ex. 1046)
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`issued on January 24, 1995 and is prior art under §102(b).
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`B. Relief Requested
`Petitioner requests cancellation of the Challenged Claims as unpatentable under
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`Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. §103. The specific grounds of the challenge are set forth below and
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`are supported by the declaration of Dr. Campbell (Ex. 1003).
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`Ground
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`Basis
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`Challenged Claims Reference(s)
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`I
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`II
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`III
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`§ 103
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`§ 103
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`§ 103
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`1, 2, 4-9, 12-18
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`Kawagoe
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`1, 2, 4-9, 12-18
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`Onoda
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`1, 2, 4-9, 12-18
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`Onoda and Nishizawa
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`V.
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`PERSON OF ORDINARY SKILL IN THE ART
`A person of ordinary skill in the art (“POSITA”) of the subject matter of the ’842
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`Patent would have had a Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, material science,
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`applied physics, or a related field, and four years of experience in semiconductor design
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`and manufacturing or equivalent work experience. (Ex. 1003, ¶18.) Additional
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`education might compensate for a deficiency in experience, and vice-versa. Id.
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`VI. CLAIM CONSTRUCTION
`Claims in an IPR are construed under Phillips v. AWH Corp., 415 F.3d 1303
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`PTAB Case No. IPR2024-00550
`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 10,510,842
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`(Fed. Cir. 2005) (en banc). 37 C.F.R. §42.100(b). In a currently pending litigation
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`(Greenthread, LLC v. Cirrus Logic, Inc., 1-23-cv-00369-DC-DTG), the Western
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`District of Texas adopted the below claim constructions (Patent Owner’s proposed
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`constructions are also provided below). (Ex. 1048 at 3-10.)
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`Claim Term
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`“substrate
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`“active region”
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`“graded dopant
`concentration” / “graded
`dopant region” / “graded
`dopant acceptor
`concentration” / “graded
`donor dopant
`concentration” / “graded
`concentration of dopants” /
`“graded dopant” / “graded
`concentration”
`“to aid the movement of
`minority carriers
`from…to…” “to aid the
`movement of carriers
`from… to…” “to aid
`carrier movement from…
`to …” “to aid carrier
`movement
`from…towards…” “to aid
`carrier thereof movement
`from…to…”
`“well region”
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`Patent Owner’s Proposed
`Construction
`Plain and ordinary meaning,
`where the plain and ordinary
`meaning is an “underlying
`layer”
`Plain and ordinary meaning
`
`Plain and ordinary meaning,
`where the plain and ordinary
`meaning is a graded (or
`varying) concentration of
`dopants.
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`Adopted
`Construction
`Plain and ordinary
`meaning
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`Plain and ordinary
`meaning
`Plain-and ordinary
`meaning, which
`includes a graded
`concentration of
`dopants.
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`Plain and ordinary meaning
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`Plain and ordinary
`meaning
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`Plain and ordinary meaning.
`Note not for jury: portions of
`a well are not well regions
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`Plain and ordinary
`meaning, for which
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`PTAB Case No. IPR2024-00550
`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 10,510,842
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`“active region…within
`which transistors can be
`formed”
`“the surface thereof” / “the
`surface”
`“aid carrier movement
`from the surface to the
`substrate”
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`
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`Plain and ordinary meaning.
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`Plain and ordinary meaning.
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`Plain and ordinary meaning.
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`portions of a well are
`not well regions
`Plain and ordinary
`meaning.
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`Plain and ordinary
`meaning.
`Plain and ordinary
`meaning.
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`For the purpose of this IPR proceeding, Petitioner does not propose any claim
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`terms to be construed but reserves the right to respond to any claim constructions that
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`may arise subsequent to the filing of this Petition.
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`VII. THE ’842 PATENT AND BACKGROUND
`A. The ’842 Patent’s Purported Improvements
`The ’842 Patent is directed to a semiconductor device whose semiconductor
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`layers have a graded dopant concentration to create a drift electric field that sweeps
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`minority carriers from the semiconductor’s active region at the surface to its substrate.
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`(’842 Patent at Abstract, 3:60-64.)
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`The ’84