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. IPR2024-00553
`
`PETITION FOR INTER PARTES REVIEW
`OF U.S. PATENT NO. 11,316,014
`UNDER 35 U.S.C. §312 AND 37 C.F.R. §42.104
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`

`

`
`
`PTAB Case No. IPR2024-00553
`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 11,316,014
`
`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 
`II.  CLAIM LISTING ............................................................................................ 4 
`III.  PAYMENT OF FEES UNDER 37 C.F.R. §42.103 ....................................... 8 
`IV.  CERTIFICATION OF GROUNDS FOR STANDING ................................ 9 
`V.  OVERVIEW OF CHALLENGE AND RELIEF REQUESTED ................ 9 
`A. 
`Printed Publications as Prior Art ............................................................. 9 
`B. 
`Relief Requested ...................................................................................... 9 
`VI.  PERSON OF ORDINARY SKILL IN THE ART ...................................... 10 
`VII.  CLAIM CONSTRUCTION .......................................................................... 10 
`VIII.  THE ’014 PATENT AND BACKGROUND ............................................... 11 
`A. 
`The ’014 Patent .............................................................................................. 11 
`B.  General Background on Static Unidirectional Electric Drift Fields as
`Related to Semiconductor Layers Having Graded Dopant Profiles......... 12 
`IX.  SPECIFIC GROUNDS OF INVALIDITY ................................................. 15 
`A.  Ground I: Kawagoe Renders Obvious Claims 1, 3-9, 13, 15-17, 20-21, 23-
`28. .................................................................................................................... 15 
`Independent Claim 1 ..................................................................................... 15 
`a. 
`Preamble ................................................................................................ 15 
`b. 
`Element [1.1] ......................................................................................... 16 
`
`1. 
`
`
`
`i
`
`

`

`PTAB Case No. IPR2024-00553
`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 11,316,014
`
`Element [1.2] ......................................................................................... 18 
`c. 
`Element [1.3] ......................................................................................... 20 
`d. 
`Element [1.4] ......................................................................................... 24 
`e. 
`Element [1.5] ......................................................................................... 24 
`f. 
`Element [1.6] ......................................................................................... 28 
`g. 
`Element [1.7] ......................................................................................... 30 
`h. 
`Claim 3 .................................................................................................. 31 
`2. 
`Claim 4 .................................................................................................. 31 
`3. 
`Claim 5 .................................................................................................. 32 
`4. 
`Claim 6 .................................................................................................. 33 
`5. 
`Claim 7 .................................................................................................. 34 
`6. 
`Claim 8 .................................................................................................. 35 
`7. 
`Claim 9 .................................................................................................. 36 
`8. 
`Claim 13 ................................................................................................ 36 
`9. 
`10.  Claim 15 ................................................................................................ 37 
`11.  Claim 16 ................................................................................................ 37 
`12.  Claim 17 ................................................................................................ 37 
`13.  Claim 20 ................................................................................................ 37 
`14.  Claim 21 ................................................................................................ 38 
`15.  Claim 23 ................................................................................................ 40 
`16.  Claim 24 ................................................................................................ 40 
`17.  Claim 25 ................................................................................................ 40 
`18.  Claim 26 ................................................................................................ 40 
`19.  Claim 27 ................................................................................................ 41 
`20.  Claim 28 ................................................................................................ 41 
`
`ii
`
`
`
`
`
`

`

`PTAB Case No. IPR2024-00553
`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 11,316,014
`
`B. 
`
`Ground II: Onoda Renders Obvious Claims 1, 3-9, 13, 15-17, 20-21,
`23-28. ..................................................................................................... 41 
`Independent Claim 1 ............................................................................. 43 
`1. 
`Preamble ................................................................................................ 43 
`a. 
`Element [1.1] ......................................................................................... 44 
`b. 
`Element [1.2] ......................................................................................... 45 
`c. 
`Element [1.3] ......................................................................................... 49 
`d. 
`Element [1.4] ......................................................................................... 51 
`e. 
`Element [1.5] ......................................................................................... 52 
`f. 
`Element [1.6] ......................................................................................... 60 
`g. 
`Element [1.7] ......................................................................................... 63 
`h. 
`Claim 3 .................................................................................................. 63 
`2. 
`Claim 4 .................................................................................................. 64 
`3. 
`Claim 5 .................................................................................................. 65 
`4. 
`Claim 6 .................................................................................................. 66 
`5. 
`Claim 7 .................................................................................................. 68 
`6. 
`Claim 8 .................................................................................................. 68 
`7. 
`Claim 9 .................................................................................................. 70 
`8. 
`Claim 13 ................................................................................................ 71 
`9. 
`10.  Claim 15 ................................................................................................ 73 
`11.  Claim 16 ................................................................................................ 73 
`12.  Claim 17 ................................................................................................ 73 
`13.  Claim 20 ................................................................................................ 73 
`14.  Claim 21 ................................................................................................ 74 
`15.  Claim 23 ................................................................................................ 75 
`
`iii
`
`
`
`
`
`

`

`
`
`
`
`X. 
`
`
`
`PTAB Case No. IPR2024-00553
`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 11,316,014
`
`16.  Claim 24 ................................................................................................ 75 
`17.  Claim 25 ................................................................................................ 75 
`18.  Claim 26 ................................................................................................ 75 
`19.  Claim 27 ................................................................................................ 75 
`20.  Dependent Claim 28 .............................................................................. 76 
`C. 
`Ground III: Onoda in view of Nishizawa Renders Obvious Claims 1, 3-
`9, 13, 15-17, 20-21, 23-28. .................................................................... 76 
`Independent Claim 1 ............................................................................. 79 
`1. 
`Preamble ................................................................................................ 79 
`a. 
`Elements [1.1]-[1.4] .............................................................................. 79 
`b. 
`Elements [1.5] and [1.6] ........................................................................ 79 
`c. 
`Claim 21 ................................................................................................ 81 
`2. 
`Claims 13 and 15 ................................................................................... 82 
`3. 
`Claims 1, 3-9, 16-17, 20, 23-28............................................................. 82 
`4. 
`THE BOARD SHOULD INSTITUTE IPR ................................................. 82 
`1. 
`35 U.S.C. § 314(a) ................................................................................. 82 
`2. 
`35 U.S.C. § 325(d)................................................................................. 83 
`3. 
`Prior Petitions Do Not Warrant Denying Institution ............................ 85 
`
`iv
`
`

`

`
`
`PTAB Case No. IPR2024-00553
`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 11,316,014
`
`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
`
`
`
`v
`
`

`

`
`
`PTAB Case No. IPR2024-00553
`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 11,316,014
`
`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
`
`
`
`vi
`
`

`

`
`
`PTAB Case No. IPR2024-00553
`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 11,316,014
`
`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
`
`
`
`
`
`
`vii
`
`

`

`PTAB Case No. IPR2024-00553
`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 11,316,014
`
`TABLE OF EXHIBITS
`
`Ex. 1001 U.S. Patent No. 11,316,014 (the “‘014 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. 11,316,014 (the “‘014 Patent”)
`
`Ex. 1018 U.S. Pat. No. 11,316,014 (the “’014 Patent”)
`
`viii
`
`
`
`
`
`

`

`PTAB Case No. IPR2024-00553
`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 11,316,014
`
`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. 11,316,014
`
`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
`
`ix
`
`
`
`
`
`

`

`PTAB Case No. IPR2024-00553
`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 11,316,014
`
`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)
`
`x
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`

`

`
`
`PTAB Case No. IPR2024-00553
`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 11,316,014
`
`Monolithic Power Systems, Inc. (“Petitioner”) requests inter partes review
`
`(“IPR”) of claims 1, 3-9, 13, 15-17, 20-21, 23-28 (the “Challenged Claims”) of U.S.
`
`Patent No. 11,316,014 (Ex. 1001, the “’014 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 ’014 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; and
`
` Greenthread, LLC v. OmniVision Technologies, Inc., Civil Action No.
`
`2:23-cv-00212 in the Eastern District of Texas, filed May 10, 2023.
`
`1
`
`

`

`
`
`PTAB Case No. IPR2024-00553
`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 11,316,014
`
`The ’014 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 ’014 Patent is involved in the following pending PTAB proceedings:
`
` Cirrus Logic, Inc. et al v. Greenthread, LLC, IPR2024-00019 (PTAB)
`
`(Oct. 27, 2023); and
`
` Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC d/b/a ON Semiconductor v.
`
`Greenthread, LLC IPR2023-0263 (PTAB) (Dec. 11, 2023).
`
`The ’014 Patent was involved in the following 3 PTAB proceedings that were
`
`terminated:
`
` Dell Technologies Inc. et al v. Greenthread, LLC IPR2023-00510
`
`(PTAB) (Jan. 27, 2023);
`
`2
`
`

`

`
`
`PTAB Case No. IPR2024-00553
`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 11,316,014
`
` Sony Group Corporation v. Greenthread, LLC, IPR2023-00325 (PTAB)
`
`(Dec. 12, 2022); and
`
` Intel Corporation v. Greenthread, LLC, IPR2023-00386 (PTAB) (Dec.
`
`19, 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),
`
`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
`
`3
`
`

`

`
`
`PTAB Case No. IPR2024-00553
`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 11,316,014
`
`II. CLAIM LISTING
`A. Claim 1
`1[pre] [1.Pre] An electronic system, the system comprising:
`at least one semiconductor device, the at least one semiconductor device
`including:
`
`1.1
`1.2
`
`1.3
`
`1.4
`
`1.5
`
`1.6
`
`1.7
`
`3
`
`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;
`
`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
`semiconductor device.
`
`B. Claim 3
`The system of claim 1, wherein the substrate of the at least one
`semiconductor device has epitaxial silicon on top of a nonepitaxial
`substrate.
`
`C. Claim 4
`
`4
`
`

`

`
`
`PTAB Case No. IPR2024-00553
`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 11,316,014
`
`The system of claim 1, wherein the first active region and second active
`region of the at least one semiconductor device contain digital logic formed
`by one of either p-channel and n-channel devices.
`
`D. Claim 5
`The system of claim 1, wherein the first active region and second active
`region of the at least one semiconductor device 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 system of claim 1, wherein the first active region and second active
`region of the at least one semiconductor device are each separated by at
`least one isolation region.
`
`F. Claim 7
`The system of claim 1, wherein the graded dopant is fabricated with an ion
`implantation process.
`
`G. Claim 8
`The system of claim 1, wherein the first and second active regions of the at
`least one semiconductor device are formed adjacent the first surface of the
`substrate of the at least one semiconductor device.
`
`H. Claim 9
`The system of claim 1, wherein dopants of the graded dopant concentration
`in the first active region or the second active region of the at least one
`semiconductor device are either p-type or n-type.
`
`4
`
`5
`
`6
`
`7
`
`8
`
`9
`
`I.
`
`Claim 13
`
`5
`
`

`

`PTAB Case No. IPR2024-00553
`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 11,316,014
`
`The system of claim 1, wherein the transistors which can be formed in the
`first and second active regions of the at least one semiconductor device are
`CMOS digital logic transistors requiring at least a source, a drain, a gate
`and a channel.
`
`Claim 15
`
`J.
`The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one semiconductor device is a
`complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) with a nonepitaxial
`substrate.
`
`K. Claim 16
`The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one semiconductor device is a
`flash memory.
`
`L. Claim 17
`The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one semiconductor device
`comprises digital logic and capacitors.
`
`M. Claim 20
`The system of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second active regions
`of the at least one semiconductor device are in the lateral or vertical
`direction
`
`
`
`13
`
`15
`
`16
`
`17
`
`20
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`6
`
`

`

`
`
`PTAB Case No. IPR2024-00553
`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 11,316,014
`
`N. Claim 21
`21[pre] An electronic system, comprising:
`at least one semiconductor device, the at least one semiconductor device
`including:
`
`21.1
`21.2
`
`21.3
`
`21.4
`
`21.5
`
`21.6
`
`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;
`
`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, and wherein the graded dopant concentration
`is linear, quasilinear, error function, complementary error function, or any
`combination thereof.
`
`O. Claim 23
`The system of claim 21, wherein the substrate of the at least one
`semiconductor device is a p-type substrate.
`
`23
`
`
`
`
`
`7
`
`

`

`
`
`PTAB Case No. IPR2024-00553
`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 11,316,014
`
`P. Claim 24
`The system of claim 21, wherein the substrate of the at least one
`semiconductor device has epitaxial silicon on top of a nonepitaxial
`substrate.
`
`Q. Claim 25
`The system of claim 21, wherein the first active region and second active
`region of the at least one semiconductor device contain at least one of either
`p-channel and n-channel devices.
`
`R. Claim 26
`The system of claim 21, wherein the first active region and second active
`region of the at least one semiconductor device contain either p-channel or
`n-channel devices in n−wells or p−wells, respectively, and each well has at
`least one graded dopant.
`
`Claim 27
`
`S.
`The system of claim 21, wherein the first active region and second active
`region of the at least one semiconductor device are each separated by at
`least one isolation region.
`
`T. Claim 28
`The system of claim 21, wherein dopants of the graded dopant
`concentration in the first active region or the second active region of the at
`least one semiconductor device are either p-type or n-type.
`
`24
`
`25
`
`26
`
`27
`
`28
`
`III. 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.
`
`§42.15(a)(1) for this Petition to Deposit Account No. 50-0665. Review of claims 1, 3-
`
`9, 13, 15-17, 20-21, 23-28 of the ’014 Patent is requested. The undersigned further
`
`authorizes payment for any additional fees that may be due in connection with this
`8
`
`

`

`PTAB Case No. IPR2024-00553
`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 11,316,014
`
`
`
`Petition.
`
`IV. CERTIFICATION OF GROUNDS FOR STANDING
`Petitioner certifies under Rule 42.104(a) that the ’014 Patent is available for IPR
`
`and Petitioner is not barred or estopped from requesting IPR of the Challenged Claims
`
`on the grounds identified in this Petition.
`
`V. OVERVIEW OF CHALLENGE AND RELIEF REQUESTED
`The ’014 Patent claims priority to September 3, 2004, and the review of the
`
`Challenged Claims is governed by pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. §§ 102 and 103 and AIA 35
`
`U.S.C. §§ 311 to 319 and 325(d).
`
`A.
`Printed Publications as Prior Art
`Petitioner’s challenge is based on the following prior-art references, none of
`
`which were before the Patent Office during prosecution of the ’014 Patent:
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Kawagoe: U.S. Patent No. 6,043,114 to Kawagoe et al. (Ex. 1007)
`
`issued on March 28, 2000 and is prior art under §102(b).
`
`Nishizawa: U.S. Patent No. 5,384,476 to Nishizawa et al. (Ex. 1046)
`
`issued on January 24, 1995 and is prior art under §102(b).
`
`Onoda – Japanese Application H8-279598 to Onoda (Ex. 1043, certified
`
`translation 1042) published on October 22, 1996 and is prior art under
`
`§102(b).
`
`B. Relief Requested
`Petitioner requests cancellation of the Challenged Claims as unpatentable under
`
`9
`
`

`

`
`
`PTAB Case No. IPR2024-00553
`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 11,316,014
`
`Pre-AI