`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. IPR2024-00552
`
`PETITION FOR INTER PARTES REVIEW
`OF U.S. PATENT NO. 11,121,222
`UNDER 35 U.S.C. §312 AND 37 C.F.R. §42.104
`
`
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`PTAB Case No. IPR2024-00552
`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 11,121,222
`
`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 ............................................ 4 
`II.  CLAIM LISTING ............................................................................................ 5 
`III.  PAYMENT OF FEES UNDER 37 C.F.R. §42.103 ..................................... 12 
`IV.  CERTIFICATION OF GROUNDS FOR STANDING .............................. 12 
`V.  OVERVIEW OF CHALLENGE AND RELIEF REQUESTED .............. 12 
`A. 
`Printed Publications as Prior Art ........................................................... 13 
`B. 
`Relief Requested .................................................................................... 13 
`VI.  PERSON OF ORDINARY SKILL IN THE ART ...................................... 14 
`VII.  CLAIM CONSTRUCTION .......................................................................... 14 
`VIII.  THE ’222 PATENT AND BACKGROUND ............................................... 14 
`A. 
`The ’222 Patent .............................................................................................. 14 
`B.  General Background ..................................................................................... 15 
`IX.  SPECIFIC GROUNDS OF INVALIDITY ................................................. 16 
`A.  Ground I: Kawagoe Renders Obvious Claims 1, 3-9, 13, 15-17, 20, 21,
`24-28, 32-34, and 39-42 of the ’222 Patent. ......................................... 16 
`Independent Claim 1 ............................................................................. 17 
`Preamble [1.Pre] .................................................................................... 17 
`Element [1.1] ......................................................................................... 17 
`
`1. 
`a. 
`b. 
`
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`i
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`PTAB Case No. IPR2024-00552
`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 11,121,222
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`Element [1.2] ......................................................................................... 19 
`c. 
`Element [1.3] ......................................................................................... 22 
`d. 
`Element [1.4] ......................................................................................... 25 
`e. 
`Element [1.5] ......................................................................................... 26 
`f. 
`Element [1.6] ......................................................................................... 29 
`g. 
`Element [1.7] ......................................................................................... 32 
`h. 
`Claim 3 .................................................................................................. 32 
`2. 
`Claim 4 .................................................................................................. 33 
`3. 
`Claim 5 .................................................................................................. 33 
`4. 
`Claim 6 .................................................................................................. 35 
`5. 
`Claim 7 .................................................................................................. 36 
`6. 
`Claim 8 .................................................................................................. 37 
`7. 
`Claim 9 .................................................................................................. 38 
`8. 
`Claim 13 ................................................................................................ 38 
`9. 
`10.  Claim 15 ................................................................................................ 39 
`11.  Claim 16 ................................................................................................ 39 
`12.  Claim 17 ................................................................................................ 39 
`13.  Claim 20 ................................................................................................ 39 
`14. 
`Independent Claim 21 ........................................................................... 40 
`15.  Claim 24 ................................................................................................ 42 
`16.  Claim 25 ................................................................................................ 42 
`17.  Claim 26 ................................................................................................ 42 
`18.  Claim 27 ................................................................................................ 42 
`19.  Claim 28 ................................................................................................ 42 
`20.  Claim 32 ................................................................................................ 42 
`
`ii
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`PTAB Case No. IPR2024-00552
`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 11,121,222
`
`Claim 32/7 are similar and taught for the same reasons. ................................. 42 
`21.  Claim 33 ................................................................................................ 42 
`22.  Claim 34 ................................................................................................ 43 
`23.  Claim 39 ................................................................................................ 43 
`24.  Claim 40 ................................................................................................ 43 
`25. 
`Independent Claim 41 ........................................................................... 44 
`26. 
`Independent Claim 42 ........................................................................... 44 
`B. 
`Ground II: Onoda Renders Obvious Claims 1, 3-9, 13, 15-17, 20, 21,
`24-28, 32-34, and 39-42 of the ’222 Patent. ......................................... 45 
`Independent Claim 1 ............................................................................. 45 
`Preamble ................................................................................................ 45 
`Element [1.1] ......................................................................................... 46 
`Element [1.2] ......................................................................................... 47 
`Element [1.3] ......................................................................................... 51 
`Element [1.4] ......................................................................................... 53 
`Element [1.5] ......................................................................................... 54 
`Element [1.6] ......................................................................................... 62 
`Element [1.7] ......................................................................................... 65 
`Claim 3 .................................................................................................. 65 
`Claim 4 .................................................................................................. 66 
`Claim 5 .................................................................................................. 67 
`Claim 6 .................................................................................................. 68 
`Claim 7 .................................................................................................. 70 
`Claim 8 .................................................................................................. 70 
`Claim 9 .................................................................................................. 72 
`
`1. 
`a. 
`b. 
`c. 
`d. 
`e. 
`f. 
`g. 
`h. 
`2. 
`3. 
`4. 
`5. 
`6. 
`7. 
`8. 
`
`iii
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`PTAB Case No. IPR2024-00552
`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 11,121,222
`
`Claim 13 ................................................................................................ 73 
`9. 
`10.  Claim 15 ................................................................................................ 75 
`11.  Claim 16 ................................................................................................ 76 
`12.  Claim 17 ................................................................................................ 76 
`13.  Claim 20 ................................................................................................ 76 
`14.  Claim 21 ................................................................................................ 76 
`a. 
`Element [21.7] ....................................................................................... 77 
`A. 
`Claim 24 ................................................................................................ 78 
`B. 
`Claim 25 ................................................................................................ 78 
`C. 
`Claim 26 ................................................................................................ 78 
`D. 
`Claim 27 ................................................................................................ 78 
`E. 
`Claim 28 ................................................................................................ 78 
`F. 
`Claim 32 ................................................................................................ 78 
`G. 
`Claim 33 ................................................................................................ 78 
`H. 
`Claim 34 ................................................................................................ 78 
`I. 
`Claim 39 ................................................................................................ 78 
`J. 
`Claim 40 ................................................................................................ 79 
`K. 
`Claim 41 ................................................................................................ 79 
`L. 
`Claim 42 ................................................................................................ 80 
`C. 
`Ground III: Onoda in view of Nishizawa Renders Obvious Claims 1, 3-
`9, 13, 15-17, 20, 21, 24-28, 32-34, and 39-42 of the ’222 Patent. ........ 80 
`Claim 1 .................................................................................................. 84 
`Preamble ................................................................................................ 84 
`Elements [1.1]-[1.4] .............................................................................. 84 
`Elements [1.5] and [1.6] ........................................................................ 84 
`
`1. 
`a. 
`b. 
`c. 
`
`iv
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`X. 
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`PTAB Case No. IPR2024-00552
`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 11,121,222
`
`Claims 21, 39, 40, 42 ............................................................................. 86 
`2. 
`Claims 13, 15, 33 ................................................................................... 86 
`3. 
`Claims 3-9, 15-17, 20, 24-28, 32, 34, and 40 ........................................ 86 
`4. 
`THE BOARD SHOULD INSTITUTE IPR ................................................. 86 
`1. 
`35 U.S.C. § 314(a) ................................................................................. 86 
`2. 
`35 U.S.C. § 325(d)................................................................................. 87 
`3. 
`Prior Petitions Do Not Warrant Denying Institution ............................ 89 
`
`v
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`PTAB Case No. IPR2024-00552
`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 11,121,222
`
`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
`
`
`
`vi
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`

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`PTAB Case No. IPR2024-00552
`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 11,121,222
`
`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
`
`
`
`vii
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`

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`PTAB Case No. IPR2024-00552
`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 11,121,222
`
`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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`viii
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`

`

`PTAB Case No. IPR2024-00552
`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 11,121,222
`
`TABLE OF EXHIBITS
`
`Ex. 1001 U.S. Patent No. 11,121,222 (the “’222 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”)
`
`ix
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`PTAB Case No. IPR2024-00552
`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 11,121,222
`
`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”)
`Ex. 1024 U.S. District Courts – Case Statistics, obtained
`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
`
`Ex. 1037 Dec. 21, 2022 Preliminary Claim Constructions in 6:22-CV-00105
`
`x
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`PTAB Case No. IPR2024-00552
`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 11,121,222
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`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. 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)
`
`xi
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`

`

`
`
`PTAB Case No. IPR2024-00552
`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 11,121,222
`
`Monolithic Power Systems, Inc. (“Petitioner”) requests inter partes review
`
`(“IPR”) of claims 1, 3-9, 13, 15-17, 20-21, 24-28, 32-34, 39-42 (the “Challenged
`
`Claims”) of U.S. Patent No. 11,121,222 (Ex. 1001, the “’222 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 ’222 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; and
`
`1
`
`

`

`
`
`PTAB Case No. IPR2024-00552
`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 11,121,222
`
` Greenthread, LLC v. ON Semiconductor Corp., Inc. et al, Civil Action
`
`No. 1-23-cv-00443 in Delaware, filed on April 21, 2023.
`
`The ’222 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 ’222 Patent is involved in the following pending PTAB proceedings:
`
` Cirrus Logic, Inc. et al v. Greenthread, LLC, IPR2024-00020 (PTAB)
`
`(Oct. 27, 2023);
`
` Cirrus Logic, Inc. et al v. Greenthread, LLC, IPR2024-00021 (PTAB)
`
`(Oct. 27, 2023);
`
` Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC d/b/a ON Semiconductor v.
`
`Greenthread, LLC IPR2023-01242 (PTAB) (Jul. 27, 2023);
`2
`
`

`

`
`
`PTAB Case No. IPR2024-00552
`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 11,121,222
`
` Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC d/b/a ON Semiconductor v.
`
`Greenthread, LLC IPR2023-01244 (PTAB) (Jul. 27, 2023); and
`
` Texas Instruments Inc. v. Greenthread, LLC, IPR2024-00673 (PTAB)
`
`(Mar. 12, 2024);
`
` Texas Instruments Inc. v. Greenthread, LLC, IPR2024-00674 (PTAB)
`
`(Mar. 12, 2024); and
`
` Monolithic Power Systems, Inc. v. Greenthread, LLC, IPR2024-00470
`
`(PTAB) Feb. 03, 2024.
`
`The ’222 Patent was involved in the following PTAB proceedings that were
`
`terminated:
`
` Dell Technologies Inc. et al v. Greenthread, LLC IPR2023-00509
`
`(PTAB) (Jan. 27, 2023);
`
` Sony Group Corporation v. Greenthread, LLC, IPR2023-00420 (PTAB)
`
`(Dec. 28, 2022);
`
` Intel Corporation v. Greenthread, LLC, IPR2023-00552 (PTAB) (Feb.
`
`01, 2023); and
`
` Intel Corporation v. Greenthread, LLC, IPR2023-00552 (PTAB) (Feb.
`
`01, 2023).
`
`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),
`3
`
`

`

`
`
`PTAB Case No. IPR2024-00552
`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 11,121,222
`
`John D. Esterhay (Reg. No. 73,512), John P. Schnurer (Reg. No. 52,196), Brianna
`
`Kadjo (Reg. No. 74,307), and Runkun (Justin) Jiang (Reg. No. 78,118) as its back-up
`
`counsel.
`
`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
`
`consents
`
`to electronic service directed
`
`to
`
`the
`
`following email address:
`
`PerkinsServiceMPS-GreenthreadIPR@perkinscoie.com.
`
`4
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`

`

`
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`PTAB Case No. IPR2024-00552
`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 11,121,222
`
`II. CLAIM LISTING
`A. Claim 1
`1.Pre A VLSI semiconductor device comprising:
`1.1
`1.2
`
`a substrate of a first doping type at a first doping level having a surface;
`
`a first active region disposed adjacent the surface with a second doping
`type opposite in conductivity to the first doping type and within which
`transistors can be formed;
`
`1.3
`
`1.4
`
`1.5
`
`1.6
`
`1.7
`
`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;
`
`transistors formed in at least one of the first active region or second active
`region;
`
`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 and second active regions towards an area of the substrate where there
`are no active regions; and
`
`at least one well region adjacent to the first or second active region
`containing at least one graded dopant region, the graded dopant region to
`aid carrier movement from the surface towards the area of the substrate
`where there are no active regions,
`
`wherein at least some of the transistors form digital logic of the VLSI
`semiconductor device.
`
`B. Claim 3
`The VLSI semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein the substrate has
`epitaxial silicon on top of a nonepitaxial substrate.
`
`
`
`
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`5
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`

`

`
`
`PTAB Case No. IPR2024-00552
`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 11,121,222
`
`C. Claim 4
`The VLSI semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein the first active region
`and second active region contain digital logic formed by one of either p-
`channel and n-channel devices.
`
`D. Claim 5
`The VLSI 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 well has at least one graded
`dopant.
`
`E. Claim 6
`The VLSI semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein the first active region
`and second active region are each separated by at least one isolation region.
`
`F. Claim 7
`The VLSI semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein the graded dopant is
`fabricated with an ion implantation process.
`
`G. Claim 8
`The VLSI semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein the first and second
`active regions are formed adjacent the first surface of the substrate.
`
`H. Claim 9
`The VLSI semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein dopants of the graded
`dopant concentration in the first active region or the second active region
`are either p-type or n-type.
`
`4
`
`5
`
`6
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`7
`
`8
`
`9
`
`13
`
`Claim 13
`
`I.
`The VLSI semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein the transistors which
`can be formed in the first and second active regions are CMOS digital logic
`transistors requiring at least a source, a drain, a gate and a channel.
`
`6
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`PTAB Case No. IPR2024-00552
`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 11,121,222
`
`Claim 15
`
`J.
`The VLSI semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein the device is a
`complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) with a nonepitaxial
`substrate.
`
`K. Claim 16
`The VLSI semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein the device is a flash
`memory.
`
`L. Claim 17
`The VLSI semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein the device comprises
`digital logic and capacitors.
`
`M. Claim 20
`The VLSI semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein each of the first and
`second active regions are in the lateral or vertical direction.
`
`15
`
`16
`
`17
`
`20
`
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`
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`7
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`PTAB Case No. IPR2024-00552
`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 11,121,222
`
`N. Claim 21
`21. Pre A VLSI semiconductor device comprising:
`21.1
`21.2
`
`a substrate of a first doping type at a first doping level having a surface;
`
`a first active region disposed adjacent the 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;
`
`21.3
`
`21.4
`
`21.5
`
`21.6
`
`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;
`
`transistors formed in at least one of the first active region or second active
`region;
`
`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 an area of the substrate where there are no active
`regions; and
`
`at least one well region adjacent to the first or second active region
`containing at least one graded dopant region, the graded dopant region to
`aid carrier movement from the surface to the area of the substrate where
`there are no active regions,
`
`21.7
`
`and wherein the graded dopant concentration is linear, quasilinear, error
`function, complementary error function, or any combination thereof.
`
`
`
`
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`8
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`PTAB Case No. IPR2024-00552
`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 11,121,222
`
`O. Claim 24
`The VLSI semiconductor device of claim 21, wherein the substrate has
`epitaxial silicon on top of a nonepitaxial substrate.
`
`P. Claim 25
`The VLSI semiconductor device of claim 21, wherein the first active region
`and second active region contain at least one of either p-channel and n-
`channel devices.
`
`Q. Claim 26
`The VLSI semiconductor device of claim 21, 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 at least one graded
`dopant.
`
`R. Claim 27
`The VLSI semiconductor device of claim 21, wherein the first active region
`and second active region are each separated by at least one isolation region.
`
`Claim 28
`
`S.
`The VLSI semiconductor device of claim 21, wherein dopants of the
`graded dopant concentration in the first active region or the second active
`region are either p-type or n-type.
`
`T. Claim 32
`The VLSI semiconductor device of claim 21, wherein the graded dopant is
`fabricated with an ion implantation process.
`
`U. Claim 33
`The VLSI semiconductor device of claim 21, wherein the substrate is a
`complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMO