`
`IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
`FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS
`(SHERMAN DIVISION)
`
`
`BELL NORTHERN RESEARCH, LLC,
`
`Plaintiff,
`
`v.
`
`ASUSTEK COMPUTER INC. and ASUS
`COMPUTER INTERNATIONAL,
`
`
`Defendants.
`
`
`
`
`Civil Action No. _____
`
`
`
`
`
`
`JURY TRIAL DEMANDED
`
`COMPLAINT FOR PATENT INFRINGEMENT
`
`Plaintiff Bell Northern Research, LLC (“BNR” or “Plaintiff”), for its Complaint against
`
`Defendants ASUSTek Computer Inc. and ASUS Computer International (collectively, “ASUS”
`
`or “Defendants”), alleges the following:
`
`NATURE OF THE ACTION
`
`1.
`
`This is an action for patent infringement arising under the Patent Laws of the
`
`United States, 35 U.S.C. § 1 et seq.
`
`THE PARTIES
`
`2.
`
`Plaintiff BNR is a limited liability company organized under the laws of the State
`
`of Delaware with a place of business at 401 North Michigan Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60611.
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`3. BNR is informed and believes Defendant ASUSTek Computer Inc. has its principal
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`place of business and headquarters at No. 15, Li-Te Rd., Beitou Dist., Taipei 112, Taiwan. BNR
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`is informed and believes that Defendant ASUSTek Computer Inc. imports, sells for importation,
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`and/or sells after importation into the United States products that practice the accused methods
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`(“Accused Products”), including at least the ASUS PN52 ExpertCenter MiniPC Computer,
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`1
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`which contains a MediaTek MT7922 chip that it uses to communicate over wireless networks in
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`an infringing manner, and the ASUS RT-AX89X AX6000 Dual Band router, which contains a
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`Qualcomm IPQ8074 chip that it uses to communicate over wireless networks in an infringing
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`manner (“ASUS Exemplary Accused Products”), either directly or by directing the co-defendant
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`ASUS entities to do so.
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`4.
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`BNR is informed and believes Defendant ASUS Computer International has its
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`principal place of business and headquarters at 48720 Kato Rd., Fremont, CA 94538. BNR is
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`informed and believes Defendant ASUS Computer International is a subsidiary of or otherwise
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`controlled by Defendant ASUSTek Computer Inc. as to the sale for importation, importation,
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`and/or sale after importation into the United States of the Accused Products, including the ASUS
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`Exemplary Accused Products. BNR is informed and believes that Defendant ASUS Computer
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`International imports, sells for importation, and/or sells after importation into the United States
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`the Accused Products, including the ASUS Exemplary Accused Products, either directly or on
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`behalf of the other ASUS entities. On information and belief, ASUSTek Computer Inc. also uses
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`ASUS Accused Products within the United States.
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`JURISDICTION AND VENUE
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`5.
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`This is an action for patent infringement arising under the Patent Laws of the
`
`United States, Title 35 of the United States Code.
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`6.
`
`7.
`
`8.
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`This Court has subject matter jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. §§ 1331 and 1338(a).
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`Venue is proper in this judicial district under 28 U.S.C. § 1400(b).
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`Upon information and belief, Defendant ASUSTek Computer Inc. is not a
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`resident in the United States and may be sued in any judicial district. Defendant ASUSTek
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`Computer Inc. has a place of business located at No. 15, Li-Te Rd., Beitou Dist., Taipei 112,
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`2
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`Taiwan. On information and belief, Defendant ASUSTek Computer Inc. has committed acts of
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`infringement in this District.
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`9.
`
`Upon information and belief, Defendant ASUS Computer International has its
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`principal place of business and headquarters at t 48720 Kato Rd., Fremont, CA 94538. On
`
`information and belief, Defendant ASUS Computer International has committed acts of
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`infringement within this district.
`
`10.
`
`ASUS has previously consented to jurisdiction and venue in this District, for
`
`example, in Genghiscomm Holdings, LLC v. ASUStek Computer, Inc., Case No. 2:22-cv-66
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`(E.D. Tex. 2022).
`
`11.
`
`Upon information and belief, Defendants are subject to this Court’s general and
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`specific personal jurisdiction, because the Defendants have sufficient minimum contacts within
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`the State of Texas and this District, pursuant to due process and/or the Texas Long Arm Statute,
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`because the Defendants purposefully availed itself of the privileges of conducting business in the
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`State of Texas and in this District, because the Defendants regularly conduct and solicits
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`business within the State of Texas and within this District, and because Plaintiff’s causes of
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`action arise directly from the Defendants’ business contacts and other activities in the State of
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`Texas and this District.
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`BACKGROUND
`
`12.
`
`The Asserted Patents come from a rich pedigree dating back to the late 19th
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`century. This is when Bell Labs sprang to life from the combined efforts of AT&T and Western
`
`Electric. Bell Labs is one of America’s greatest technology incubators, and paved the way for
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`many technological advances we know and use today, including the transistor, several kinds of
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`lasers, the UNIX operating system, and computer languages such as C++. In total, Bell Labs
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`received nine Nobel Prizes for its work over the years.
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`3
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`13.
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`Eventually the Bell system broke up and spawned several new companies. They
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`included telecommunications powerhouses Lucent and Agere Systems. Lucent was absorbed by
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`Nokia, while Agere Systems was acquired by LSI, then Avago, and ultimately renamed
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`Broadcom. The Bell system also spun off Northern Electric which led to the creation of a
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`research lab known as BNR. This lab grew to host thousands of engineers in offices around the
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`globe. One of those was an 800,000-square-foot campus in Richardson, Texas.
`
`14.
`
`Collectively, these companies spurred a digital revolution in telecommunications,
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`starting with the first digital telephone switch in 1975. They continued to push the industry to
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`new heights in the late-80s, when BNR announced the desire to create a global fiber optic
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`network (called “FiberWorld”). Its goal was to give users easy, reliable, and fast access to a
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`variety of multimedia services. To realize this vision, Bell Labs and subsequent innovators made
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`numerous breakthroughs in laser, integrated circuit, photodetector, amplifier, and waveguide
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`designs. These advancements led to the modern fiber optic systems we use today.
`
`15.
`
`This work naturally evolved to include cellular telecommunications as well. On
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`May 6, 1992, BNR VP George Brody—along with executives from Bell Cellular and Northern
`
`Electric—made the first Canada-US digital cellular call. It stretched from Toronto, Ontario to
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`Fort Worth, Texas.
`
`16.
`
`Eventually, Nortel Networks absorbed BNR. Although Nortel was ultimately
`
`unsuccessful in its bid to supply digital telecommunications and networking solutions to the
`
`market, some Bell Labs and Nortel alumni decided to reenergize BNR in 2017. Today it is the
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`successor in interest to many of the key telecommunications technologies.
`
`17.
`
`The BNR Patent portfolio comprises hundreds of patents that reflect important
`
`developments in telecommunications that were invented and refined by leading technology
`
`4
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`research companies, including Agere, LSI, and Broadcom. These include U.S. Patent Nos. RE
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`48,629, 8,416,862, and 7,564,914 (collectively, these patents comprise the “Asserted Patents”).
`
`18.
`
`Portions of the BNR portfolio are presently licensed and/or were previously
`
`licensed to leading technology companies.
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`19.
`
`BNR brings this action to put a stop to the Defendants’ unauthorized and
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`unlicensed use of the Asserted Patents.
`
`U.S. PATENT NO. RE 48,629
`
`20.
`
`Jason Alexander Trachewsky and Rajendra T. Moorti are the inventors of U.S.
`
`Patent No. RE 48,629 (the ’629 patent). A true and correct copy of the ’629 patent is attached as
`
`Exhibit A.
`
`21. On July 6, 2021, the ’629 patent was duly and legally reissued by the United States
`
`Patent and Trademark Office under the title “Backward-compatible Long Training Sequences for
`
`Wireless Communication Networks.”
`
`22. BNR is the assignee and owner of the right, title and interest in and to the ’629 patent,
`
`including the right to assert all causes of action arising under the Patent and the right to any
`
`remedies for infringement of it.
`
`23.
`
`The ’629 patent resulted from the pioneering efforts of Messrs. Trachewsky and
`
`Moorti (hereinafter “the Inventors”) in the general area of wireless communication systems and
`
`more particularly to long training sequences of minimum peak-to-average power ratio which
`
`may be used in legacy systems. At the time of these pioneering efforts, conventionally
`
`implemented technology did not sufficiently address the problem of different wireless devices
`
`compliant with different standards or different versions of the same standard while enabling
`
`backward compatibility with legacy devices that avoids collisions. For example, in the 802.11a
`
`and 802.11g standards, each data packet starts with a preamble which includes a short training
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`5
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`sequence followed by a long training sequence. The short and long training sequences are used
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`for synchronization between the sender and the receiver. The long training sequence of 802.11a
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`and 802.11g is defined such that each of sub-carriers -26 to +26, except for the subcarrier 0
`
`which is set to 0, has one binary phase shift keying constellation point, either +1 or -1.
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`24.
`
`There existed a need to create a long training sequence of minimum peak-to-
`
`average ratio that uses more sub-carriers without interfering with adjacent channels.
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`25.
`
`For example, the Inventors developed a wireless communications device,
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`comprising: a signal generator that generates an extended long training sequence; and an Inverse
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`Fourier Transformer operatively coupled to the signal generator, wherein the Inverse Fourier
`
`Transformer processes the extended long training sequence from the signal generator and
`
`provides an optimal extended long training sequence with a minimal peak-to-average ratio, and
`
`wherein at least the optimal extended long training sequence is carried by a greater number of
`
`subcarriers than a standard wireless networking configuration for an Orthogonal Frequency
`
`Division Multiplexing scheme, wherein the optimal extended long training sequence is carried
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`by exactly 56 active sub-carriers, and wherein the optimal extended long training sequence is
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`represented by encodings for indexed sub-carriers -28 to +28, excluding indexed sub-carrier 0
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`which is set to zero, as follows:
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`6
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`26.
`
`One advantage of the patented invention is that it provides an expanded long
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`training sequence of minimum peak-to-average power ratio thereby decreasing power back-off.
`
`(See ’629 patent at 4:15-17.)
`
`27.
`
`Another advantage of the invention is that expanded long training sequence may
`
`be used by 802.11a and 802.11g devices for estimating the channel impulse response and by a
`
`receiver for estimating the carrier frequency offset between the transmitter clock and receiver
`
`clock. (See ’629 patent at 4:17-21.)
`
`U.S. PATENT NO. 8,416,862
`
`28. Carlos Aldana and Joonsuk Kim are the inventors of U.S. Patent No 8,416,862 (“the
`
`’862 patent”). A true and correct copy of the ’862 patent is attached as Exhibit B.
`
`29. On April 9, 2013, the ’862 patent was duly and legally issued by the United States
`
`Patent and Trademark Office under the title “Efficient Feedback of Channel Information in a
`
`Closed Loop Beamforming Wireless Communications System.”
`
`30. BNR is the assignee and owner of the right, title and interest in and to the ’862 patent,
`
`including the right to assert all causes of action arising under the patent and the right to any
`
`remedies for infringement of it.
`
`31.
`
`The ’862 patent resulted from the pioneering efforts of Messrs. Aldana and Kim
`
`(hereinafter “the Inventors”) in the area of wireless communications systems using beamforming.
`
`These efforts resulted in the development of a method and system for the efficient feedback of
`
`channel information in a closed loop beamforming wireless communication system.
`
`32.
`
`At the time of these pioneering efforts, the most widely implemented technology
`
`used to address reduced beam forming feedback information for wireless communications was to
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`reduce the size of the feedback. For instance, in a 2x2 MIMO wireless communication, the
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`feedback needs four elements that are all complex Cartesian coordinate values V11 V12;V21
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`7
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`V22. In general, Vik=aik+j*bik, where aik and bik are values between -1, 1. Thus, with 1 bit
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`express per each element for each of the real and imaginary components, aik and bik can be
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`either -1/2 or +1/2, which requires 4x2x1=8 bits per tone. With 4 bit expressions per each
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`element of V(f) in an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) 2x2 MIMO wireless
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`communication, the number of bits required is 1728 per tone (e.g., 42*54*4=1728, 4 elements
`
`per tone, 2 bits for real and imaginary components per tone, 54 data tones per frame, and 4 bits
`
`per element), which requires overhead for a packet exchange that is too large for practical
`
`applications.
`
`33.
`
`The Inventors conceived of the invention claimed in the ’862 patent as a way to
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`reduce beam forming feedback information for wireless communications.
`
`34.
`
`For example, the Inventors developed a method for feeding back transmitter
`
`beamforming information from a receiving wireless communication device to a transmitting
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`wireless communication device, the method comprising: the receiving wireless communication
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`device receiving a preamble sequence from the transmitting wireless device; the receiving
`
`wireless device estimating a channel response based upon the preamble sequence; the receiving
`
`wireless device determining an estimated transmitter beamforming unitary matrix (V) based
`
`upon the channel response and a receiver beamforming unitary matrix (U); the receiving wireless
`
`device decomposing the estimated transmitter beamforming unitary matrix (V) to produce the
`
`transmitter beamforming information; and the receiving wireless device wirelessly sending the
`
`transmitter beamforming information to the transmitting wireless device.
`
`35.
`
`One advantage of the patented invention is a reduction of beamforming feedback
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`information for wireless communications. (See ’862 patent at 3:49–51.)
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`8
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`U.S. PATENT NO. 7,564,914
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`36.
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`Christopher J. Hansen, Carlos H. Aldana, and Joonsuk Kim are the inventors of
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`U.S. Patent No. 7,564,914 (“the ’914 patent”). A true and correct copy of the ’914 patent is
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`attached as Exhibit C.
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`37. On July 21, 2009, the ’914 patent was duly and legally issued by the United States
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`Patent and Trademark Office under the title “Method and System for Frame Formats for MIMO
`
`Channel Measurement Exchange.”
`
`38. BNR is the assignee and owner of the right, title and interest in and to the ’914 patent,
`
`including the right to assert all causes of action arising under the patent and the right to any
`
`remedies for infringement of it.
`
`39.
`
`The ’914 patent resulted from the pioneering efforts of Messrs. Hansen, Aldana,
`
`and Kim (hereinafter “the Inventors”) in the general area of wireless networking.
`
`40.
`
`For example, the Inventors developed a method for communicating information in
`
`a communication system, the method comprising: transmitting data via a plurality of radio
`
`frequency (RF) channels utilizing a plurality of transmitting antennas; receiving feedback
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`information via at least one of said plurality of RF channels; modifying a transmission mode
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`based on said feedback information; receiving said feedback information comprising channel
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`estimates based on transmission characteristics of said transmitted data via at least one of said
`
`plurality of transmitting antennas; and deriving said feedback information from mathematical
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`matrix decomposition of said channel estimates.
`
`41.
`
`One advantage of the ’914 patent is the more precise estimation of channel
`
`characteristics. (See ’914 patent at 18:12–15.)
`
`42.
`
`Another advantage of the patented invention is that it minimizes the quantity of
`
`feedback information and in turn reduces overhead. (See ’914 patent at 18:35–39.)
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`9
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`43.
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`Further advantages include higher information transfer rates, and more effective
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`beamforming on transmitted signals. (See ’914 patent at 18:40–45.)
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`DEFENDANTS’ ACTIVITIES
`
`44.
`
`ASUS makes, uses, sells, imports and/or provides or causes to be used ASUS
`
`Accused Products, which are wireless communications devices that communicate over wireless
`
`networks and/or operate according to the 802.11ax, 802.11ac, and/or similarly backward-
`
`compatible standards, such as the ASUS Exemplary Accused Products: the ASUS PN52
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`ExpertCenter MiniPC Computer, which contains a MediaTek MT7922 chip that it uses to
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`communicate over wireless networks in an infringing manner, and the ASUS RT-AX89X
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`AX6000 Dual Band router, which contains a Qualcomm IPQ8074 chip that it uses to
`
`communicate over wireless networks in an infringing manner. ASUS Accused Products include
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`all ASUS wireless communications products that utilize a chip, chipset, SoC, or other
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`semiconductor device provided by an unlicensed party (including, but not limited to Qualcomm,
`
`MediaTek, and/or NXP) that is used to communicate over wireless networks in an infringing
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`manner as set forth below.
`
`COUNT I – INFRINGEMENT OF U.S. PATENT NO. RE 48,629
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`45. BNR re-alleges and incorporates by reference the allegations of the foregoing
`
`paragraphs as if fully set forth herein.
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`46. Upon information and belief, the Defendants have and continue to directly infringe
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`one or more claims of the ’629 patent, including at least claim 1, making, using, selling,
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`importing and/or providing and causing to be used the ASUS Accused Products. A set of charts
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`showing exemplary infringement of the ’629 patent by the ASUS Exemplary Accused Products
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`is provided in Exhibit D to this Complaint.
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`10
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`47. The 802.11n standard was introduced on or about October 2009, and provides a
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`definition for a High Throughput Long Training Field (“HT-LTF”). The first part of the HT-
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`LTF “consists of one, two, or four HT-LTFs that are necessary for demodulation of the HT-Data
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`portion of the PPDU” (i.e., Protocol Data Unit). The 802.11n standard provides a specific HT-
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`LTF sequence that is transmitted in the case of 20 MHz operation. (See 802.11-2016 at
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`19.3.9.4.6 or 802.11-2009 at 20.3.9.4.6.)
`
`48. Upon information and belief after a reasonable investigation, the ASUS Accused
`
`products, including at least the ASUS Exemplary Accused Products, infringe the ’629 patent.
`
`The ASUS Accused Products are wireless communication devices that include a signal generator
`
`that generates an extended long training sequence. For instance, the ASUS Exemplary Accused
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`Products are 802.11n compliant because they are each 802.11ac compliant, and, therefore, each
`
`uses a specific HT-LTF sequence that is transmitted in the case of 20 MHz operation. (See
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`802.11-2016 at 19.3.9.4.6 or 802.11-2009 at 20.3.9.4.6; see, e.g., Ex. D.) This corresponds to the
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`long training sequence with minimum peak-to-average power ratio described in the ’629 patent.
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`(See id.) Devices operating in accordance with the 802.11n standard (known as “wireless
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`stations” or “STAs”), including the ASUS Exemplary Accused Products, must be able to
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`generate the HT-LTF described.
`
`49. The ASUS Accused Products, including the ASUS Exemplary Accused Products,
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`include an Inverse Fourier Transformer operatively coupled to the signal generator. For
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`instance, the ASUS Exemplary Accused Products are 802.11n compliant and, therefore, each
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`uses an encoding process that requires a reverse Fourier transformer. (See 802.11-2016 and
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`19.3.4(b) or 802.11-2009 at 20.3.4(b); see, e.g., Ex. D.)
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`11
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`50. The ASUS Accused Products, including the ASUS Exemplary Accused Products,
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`include an Inverse Fourier Transformer (as explained above) that processes the extended long
`
`training sequence from the signal generator and provides an optimal extended long training
`
`sequence with a minimal peak-to-average ratio. For instance, the ASUS Exemplary Accused
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`Products are 802.11n compliant because they are 802.11ac compliant and, therefore, each
`
`processes the HT-LTF training sequence from the signal generator. (See 802.11-2016 at Figure
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`19-9 and 19.3.9.4.6; see, e.g., Ex. D.) The IPQ8074 and MT7922 also provide an optimal HT-
`
`LTF training sequence with a minimal peak-to-average ratio. (See 802.11-2016 at 19.3.9.4.6 at
`
`Equation 19-23; see, e.g., Ex. D.)
`
`51. The ASUS Accused Products, including the ASUS Exemplary Accused Products,
`
`also include an optimal extended long training sequence that is carried by a greater number of
`
`subcarriers than a standard wireless networking configuration for an OFDM scheme. For
`
`instance, the ASUS Exemplary Accused Products are 802.11n compliant because they are
`
`802.11ac compliant, and, therefore, each includes an optimal HT-LTF training sequence that is
`
`carried by a greater number of subcarriers than is standard for an OFDM scheme. (See 802.11-
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`2016 at 19.3.9.4.6 at Equation 19-23 and additional subcarriers noted therein as compared to L-
`
`LT; see, e.g., Ex. D)
`
`52. The ASUS Accused Products also include an optimal extended long training
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`sequence that is carried by exactly 56 active subcarriers. For instance, each ASUS Exemplary
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`Accused Product is 802.11n compliant because it is 802.11ac compliant, and, therefore, includes
`
`an optimal HT-LTF training sequence that is carried by 56 active subcarriers. (See 802.11-2016
`
`at 19.3.9.4.6; see, e.g., Ex. D.)
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`12
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`53. The ASUS Accused Products also include an optimal extended long training
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`sequence (as explained above) that is represented by encodings for indexed subcarriers -28 to
`
`+28, excluding indexed subcarrier 0 which is set to zero, as follows:
`
`
`
`54. For instance, each ASUS Exemplary Accused Product is 802.11n compliant because
`
`it is 802.11ac compliant, and therefore includes an optimal HT-LTF training sequence that is
`
`represented by encodings for indexed subcarriers -28 to +28, excluding indexed subcarrier 0
`
`according to the chart above. (See 19.3.9.4.6 at Equation 19-23; see, e.g., Ex. D.)
`
`55. Defendants have infringed and is infringing, individually and/or jointly, either
`
`literally or under the doctrine of equivalents, at least claim one claim of the ’629 patent, e.g.,
`
`claim 1, in violation of 35 U.S.C. §§ 271, et seq., directly or indirectly, by making, using,
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`offering for sale, selling, offering for lease, leasing in the United States, and/or importing into the
`
`United States without authority or license, ASUS Accused Products, including the ASUS
`
`Exemplary Accused Products.
`
`56. Upon information and belief, ASUS has been aware of the ’629 patent and its
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`infringement thereof at least as early as December 3, 2017, when BNR sent a notice letter to
`
`ASUS.
`
`57. Upon information and belief, since the Defendants have had knowledge of the ’629
`
`patent, ASUS has induced and continues to induce others to infringe at least claim 1 of the ’629
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`13
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`Case 4:23-cv-00573-ALM Document 1 Filed 06/20/23 Page 14 of 23 PageID #: 14
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`patent under 35 U.S.C. § 271(b) by, among other things, and with specific intent or willful
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`blindness, actively aiding and abetting others to infringe, including but not limited to ASUS’s
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`partners, clients, customers, and end users whose use of the ASUS Accused Products constitutes
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`direct infringement of at least claim 1 of the ’629 patent.
`
`58. In particular, ASUS’s actions that aid and abet others such as its partners, customers,
`
`clients, and end users to infringe include advertising and distributing the ASUS Accused
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`Products and providing instruction materials, training, and services regarding the ASUS Accused
`
`Products. On information and belief, ASUS has engaged in such actions with specific intent to
`
`cause infringement or with willful blindness to the resulting infringement because ASUS has had
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`actual knowledge of the ’629 patent and knowledge that its acts were inducing infringement of
`
`the ’629 patent since at least the date ASUS received notice that such activities infringed the
`
`’629 patent.
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`59. Upon information and belief, the Defendants have engaged in such actions with
`
`specific intent to cause infringement or with willful blindness to the resulting infringement
`
`because the Defendants have had actual knowledge of the ’629 patent and that its acts were
`
`inducing infringement of the ’629 patent since ASUS has had knowledge of the ’629 patent.
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`60. ASUS’s infringement of the ’629 patent is willful and deliberate, entitling BNR to
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`enhanced damages and attorneys’ fees.
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`61. ASUS’s infringement of the ’629 patent is exceptional and entitles BNR to attorneys’
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`fees and costs incurred in prosecuting this action under 35 U.S.C. § 285.
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`62. BNR is entitled to recover from ASUS all damages that BNR has sustained as a result
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`of Defendants’ infringement of the ’629 patent, including without limitation and/or not less than
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`a reasonable royalty.
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`Case 4:23-cv-00573-ALM Document 1 Filed 06/20/23 Page 15 of 23 PageID #: 15
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`COUNT II – INFRINGEMENT OF U.S. PATENT NO. 8,416,862
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`63. BNR re-alleges and incorporates by reference the allegations of the foregoing
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`paragraphs as if fully set forth herein.
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`64. Upon information and belief, ASUS has and continues to directly or indirectly
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`infringe one or more claims of the ’862 patent, e.g., claim 1, by selling, offering to sell, making,
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`using, and/or providing and causing to be used ASUS Accused Products that operate according
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`to the 802.11ac standard, such as the ASUS Exemplary Accused Products. A chart showing
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`exemplary infringement of the ’862 patent by the ASUS Exemplary Accused Products is
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`attached as Exhibit E.
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`65. The 802.11ac standard was introduced on or about December 2013, and provides a
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`definition and standardization for channel sounding for beamforming for Multiple Input Multiple
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`Output (“MIMO”) RF radio links, including how a receiving wireless device communicates
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`channel sounding to a base station. Beamforming requires the use of a steering matrix that
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`improves the reception to the beamformee. The 802.11ac standard provides a specific way to
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`compress the beamforming feedback matrix by the beamformee, and how to determine and
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`decompose the estimated transmitter beamforming unitary matrix and compressed into angles for
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`efficient transmission to the beamformer, which generates a next steering matrix. (See 802.11-
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`2016 at 19.3.12.1.)
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`66. Upon information and belief after a reasonable investigation, the ASUS Accused
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`Products, including at least the ASUS Exemplary Accused Products, infringe the ’862 patent by
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`providing a method for feeding back transmitter beamforming information from a receiving
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`wireless communication device to a transmitting wireless communication device. For instance,
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`the ASUS Exemplary Accused Products are 802.11ac compliant and therefore each provides a
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`Case 4:23-cv-00573-ALM Document 1 Filed 06/20/23 Page 16 of 23 PageID #: 16
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`compressed beamforming feedback matrix to a beamformer. (See, e.g., 802.11-2016 at
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`19.3.12.1; Ex. E.)
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`67. The ASUS Accused Products, for example, receive a preamble sequence from a
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`transmitting wireless device. For instance, each of the ASUS Exemplary Accused Products
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`comprises an 802.11ac compliant receiver and, therefore, each receives a PHY preamble with
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`HT-LTFs from a beamformer. (See, e.g., 802.11-2016 at 19.3.13.1; Ex. E.)
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`68. The ASUS Accused Products include estimating a channel response based upon the
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`preamble sequence. For instance, the ASUS Exemplary Accused Products are each 802.11ac
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`compliant wireless devices and, therefore, each estimates a channel response as a result of
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`receiving the HT-LTF’s which are part of the PHY preamble. (See, e.g., 802.11-2016 at
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`19.3.13.1; Ex. E.)
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`69. The ASUS Accused Products include determining an estimated transmitter
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`beamforming unitary matrix (V) based upon the channel response and a receiver beamforming
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`unitary matrix (U). For instance, the ASUS Exemplary Accused Products are 802.11ac
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`compliant wireless devices, and therefore each calculates a beamforming unitary matrix V based
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`on a singular value decomposition of the channel response H=UDV*, where D is a diagonal
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`matrix and U is a receiver unitary matrix. (See, e.g., 802.11-2016 at 19.3.12.3.6; Ex. E.)
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`70. The ASUS Accused Products include decomposing the estimated transmitter
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`beamforming unitary matrix (V) to produce the transmitter beamforming information. For
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`instance, each ASUS Exemplary Accused Product is an 802.11ac compliant wireless device and,
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`therefore, determines beamforming feedback matrices and compresses those into the form of
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`angles. (See, e.g., 802.11-2016 at 19.3.12.3.6; Ex. E.)
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`Case 4:23-cv-00573-ALM Document 1 Filed 06/20/23 Page 17 of 23 PageID #: 17
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`71. The ASUS Accused Products include wirelessly sending the transmitter beamforming
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`information to the transmitting wireless device. For instance, each ASUS Exemplary Accused
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`Product is an 802.11ac compliant wireless device and, therefore, wirelessly sends the
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`compressed beamformed matrices to the beamformer. (See, e.g., 802.11-2016 at 19.3.12.3.6;
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`Ex. E.)
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`72. ASUS has infringed and is infringing, individually and/or jointly, either literally or
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`under the doctrine of equivalents, at least one claim of the ’862 patent, e.g. claim 1, in violation
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`of 35 U.S.C. §§ 271, et seq., directly and/or indirectly, by making, using, offering for sale,
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`selling, offering for lease, leasing in the United States, and/or importing into the United States
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`without authority or license, ASUS Accused Products, including the ASUS Exemplary Accused
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`Products.
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`73. Upon information and belief ASUS has been aware of the ’862 patent and its
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`infringement thereof at least as early as December 3, 2017, upon the receipt of a notice letter
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`from BNR.
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`74. Upon information and belief, since ASUS has had knowledge of the ’862 patent,
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`ASUS has induced and continues to induce others to infringe at least claim 1 of the ’862 patent
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`under 35 U.S.C. § 271(b) by, among other things, and with specific intent or willful blindness,
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`actively aiding and abetting others to infringe, including but not limited to ASUS’s partners,
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`clients, customers, and end users across the country and in this District, whose use of the ASUS
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`Accused Products constitutes direct infringement of at least one claim of the ’862 patent.
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`75. In particular, ASUS’s actions that aid and abet others such as its partners, customers,
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`clients, and end users to infringe include advertising and distributing the ASUS Accused
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`Products and providing instruction materials, training, and services regarding the ASUS Accused
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`Case 4:23-cv-00573-ALM Document 1 Filed 06/20/23 Page 18 of 23 PageID #: 18
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`Products. On information and belief, ASUS has engaged in such actions with specific intent to
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`cause infringement or with willful blindness to the resulting infringement because ASUS has had
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`actual knowledge of the ’862 patent and knowledge that its acts were inducing infringement of
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`the ’862 patent since at least the date ASUS received notice that such activities infringed the
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`’862 patent.
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`76. Upon information and belief, AS