Case 1:20-cv-00034-ADA Document 56 Filed 05/01/20 Page 1 of 7
`
`IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
`FOR THE WESTERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS
`AUSTIN DIVISION
`
`ANCORA TECHNOLOGIES, INC.,
`
`Plaintiff,
`
`CIVIL ACTION NO. 1:20-CV-00034-ADA
`
`v.
`
`LG ELECTRONICS INC. and LG
`ELECTRONICS U.S.A., INC.,
`
`Defendants.
`
`ANCORA TECHNOLOGIES, INC.,
`
`Plaintiff,
`
`JURY TRIAL DEMANDED
`
`CIVIL ACTION NO. 1:20-CV-00034-ADA
`
`v.
`
`JURY TRIAL DEMANDED
`
`SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD., and
`SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS AMERICA,
`INC.,
`
`Defendants.
`
`JOINT CLAIM CONSTRUCTION STATEMENT
`
`7304966v1/102891
`
`ANCORA Ex. 2017, Page 1
`
`

`

`Case 1:20-cv-00034-ADA Document 56 Filed 05/01/20 Page 2 of 7
`
`Pursuant to the Court’s Scheduling Order (Dkt. 32), Plaintiff Ancora Technologies, Inc. and
`
`Defendants LG Electronics, Inc., LG Electronics U.S.A., Inc., Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., and
`
`Samsung Electronics America, Inc., the Parties in the above captioned actions, submit this Joint
`
`Claim Construction Statement.
`
`I.
`
`AGREED CLAIM TERMS
`
`Claim Term
`“a computer including an erasable, non-volatile
`memory area of a BIOS of the computer, and a
`volatile memory area”
`
`Agreed Construction
`The parties agree that this portion of the
`preamble is limiting.
`
`(Claim 1 Preamble)
`“non-volatile memory”
`
`(Claims 1, 3, 7, 9, 12, 16)
`“using the key”
`
`(Claim 8)
`
`II.
`
`DISPUTED CLAIM TERMS1
`
`“memory whose data is maintained when the
`power is removed”
`
`“using a pseudo-unique key”
`
`Claim Term
`
`“license”
`
`(Claim 1 preamble)
`
`Ancora’s Proposed
`Construction
`The portion of the preamble
`reciting “A method of
`restricting software operation
`within a license…” is non-
`limiting, and the term
`“license” thus does not need to
`be construed.
`
`If the preamble is held to be
`limiting, “license” means
`“authorization or verification
`to run.”
`
`Defendants’ Proposed
`Construction
`The entire preamble of the
`claim is limiting.
`
`“license” means “a legal
`contract between a software
`provider and a user that
`specifies the rights of the user
`to use, distribute or resell the
`software”
`
`“license record”
`
`(Claims 1, 3, 6, 8-9, 14, 16)
`
`“a record associated with a
`licensed program with
`information for verifying that
`
`“a record associated with a
`program with information for
`verifying that the program is
`
`1 For terms whose constructions are similar, the Parties have underlined the portions of the
`constructions that differ.
`
`7304966v1/102891
`
`2
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`ANCORA Ex. 2017, Page 2
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`

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`Case 1:20-cv-00034-ADA Document 56 Filed 05/01/20 Page 3 of 7
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`
`
`Claim Term
`
`
`
`“volatile memory”
`
`(Claims 1, 6, 9, 11)
`
`BIOS
`
`(Claims 1, 3, 7, 9, 12, 16)
`
`“non-volatile memory of the
`BIOS”
`[Plaintiff]
`
`“memory of the BIOS”
`[Defendants]
`
`(Claim 1)
`
`“program”
`
`(Claims 1, 3, 6, 9-10, 14, 16)
`
`“selecting a program residing
`in the volatile memory”
`
`(Claims 1, 6)
`
`“using an agent to set up a
`verification structure in the
`erasable, non-volatile memory
`of the BIOS”
`
`(Claim 1)
`
`
`
`Ancora’s Proposed
`Construction
`licensed program”
`
`Defendants’ Proposed
`Construction
`licensed”
`
`“memory whose data is not
`maintained or becomes
`inaccessible when the power
`is removed”
`
`“An acronym for Basic Input/
`Output System. It is the set of
`essential startup operations
`that run when a computer is
`turned on, which test
`hardware, starts the operating
`system, and support the
`transfer of data among
`hardware devices.”
`
`This term does not require
`separate construction.
`
`“memory whose data is not
`maintained when the power is
`removed”
`
`“An acronym for Basic Input /
`Output System. It is the set of
`essential startup operations
`stored in ROM that run
`automatically when a
`computer is turned on, which
`test hardware, starts the
`operating system, and support
`the transfer of data among
`hardware devices.”
`
`“a memory that: (i) stores the
`BIOS; (ii) is not recognized by
`an operating system as a
`storage device; and (iii) does
`not have a file system”
`
`“a set of instructions for a
`computer”
`
`“a set of instructions that can
`be executed by a computer”
`
`plain and ordinary meaning
`
`“running a program in the
`volatile memory”
`
`plain and ordinary meaning
`
`“agent” means “a software
`program or routine”
`
`This limitation is a means plus
`function limitation governed
`by pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. § 112 ¶
`6.
`
`Function: “set up a
`verification structure in the
`erasable, non-volatile memory
`of the BIOS”
`
`Structure: Algorithm found at
`6:18-28; if not, indefinite due
`to a lack of corresponding
`structure
`
`7304966v1/102891
`
`3
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`ANCORA Ex. 2017, Page 3
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`

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`Case 1:20-cv-00034-ADA Document 56 Filed 05/01/20 Page 4 of 7
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`
`
`Claim Term
`
`“set up a verification
`structure”
`
`(Claims 1, 3, 7, 14)
`
`Ancora’s Proposed
`Construction
`plain and ordinary meaning
`
`“verifying the program using
`at least the verification
`structure”
`
`“confirming whether a
`program is licensed using at
`least the verification structure”
`
`plain and ordinary meaning
`
`Also, “the verification” means
`“verifying the program using
`at least the verification
`structure from the erasable
`nonvolatile memory of the
`BIOS”
`
`
`
`The “verifying a program”
`step cannot be completed until
`the “selecting a program” and
`“using an agent” steps have
`been completed, and the
`“acting on the program” step
`cannot be completed until the
`“verifying” step has been
`completed.
`
`plain and ordinary meaning
`
`(Claims 1, 9, 16)
`
`“acting on the program
`according to the verification”
`
`(Claims 1, 10)
`
`Order of the Claim 1 Steps
`
`“first non-volatile memory
`area of the computer”
`
`(Claim 7)
`
`
`
`
`
`Defendants’ Proposed
`Construction
`“forming a structure by
`encrypting a license record
`using a pseudo-unique key for
`each computer”
`
`“confirming through an
`operating system (OS) level
`application whether a program
`is licensed using at least the
`verification structure”
`
`“(i) allowing the use of the
`program if licensed or (ii)
`restricting the program’s
`operation if not licensed, using
`an operating system (OS)
`level application”
`
`The antecedent basis for “the
`verification” is the earlier step
`of “verifying the program
`using at least the verification
`structure from the erasable
`nonvolatile memory of the
`BIOS”
`
`The “verifying the program”
`step and “acting on the
`program” step of claim 1 must
`occur, in order, after the
`“selecting a program” step and
`“using an agent” step
`
`“read only memory area of the
`computer”2
`
`
`
`
`2 Defendants Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. and Samsung Electronics America, Inc. do not join
`Defendants LG Electronics Inc. and LG Electronics U.S.A., Inc. in the construction of this term.
`
`7304966v1/102891
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`4
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`ANCORA Ex. 2017, Page 4
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`

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`Case 1:20-cv-00034-ADA Document 56 Filed 05/01/20 Page 5 of 7
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`
`
`Date: May 1, 2020
`
`/s/ Andres Healy
`Charles Ainsworth
`State Bar No. 00783521
`Robert Christopher Bunt
`State Bar No. 00787165
`PARKER, BUNT & AINSWORTH, P.C.
`100 E. Ferguson, Suite 418
`Tyler, TX 75702
`903/531-3535
`charley@pbatyler.com
`rcbunt@pbatyler.com
`
`Lexie G. White (Texas 24048876)
`SUSMAN GODFREY LLP
`1000 Louisiana Street, Suite 5100
`Houston, Texas 77002
`Tel: (713) 651-9366
`Fax: (713) 654-6666
`lwhite@susmangodfrey.com
`
`Andres Healy (pro hac vice)
`Steven M. Seigel (pro hac vice)
`SUSMAN GODFREY LLP
`1201 Third Avenue, Suite 3800
`Seattle, Washington 98101
`Tel: (206) 516-3880
`Fax: 206-516-3883
`ahealy@susmangodfrey.com
`sseigel@susmangodfrey.com
`
`Zachary B. Savage (pro hac vice)
`SUSMAN GODFREY LLP
`1301 Avenue of the Americas, 32nd Floor
`New York, New York 10019
`Tel: (212) 336-8330
`Fax: (212) 336-8340
`zsavage@susmangodfrey.com
`
`Counsel For Plaintiff Ancora Technologies,
`Inc.
`
`/s/ Collin W. Park
`Winstol D. Carter, Jr.
`Texas Bar No. 03932950
`winn.carter@morganlewis.com
`Thomas R. Davis
`Texas Bar No. 24055384
`thomas.davis@morganlewis.com
`Elizabeth M. Chiaviello
`Texas Bar No. 24088913
`elizabeth.chiaviello@morganlewis.com
`MORGAN, LEWIS & BOCKIUS LLP
`1000 Louisiana Street, Suite 4000
`Houston, Texas 77002-5006
`T. 713.890.5000
`F. 713.890.5001
`
`Collin W. Park (admitted pro hac vice)
`collin.park@morganlewis.com
`District of Columbia Bar No. 470486
`MORGAN, LEWIS & BOCKIUS LLP
`1111 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
`Washington, D.C. 20004-2541
`T. 202.739.3000
`F. 202.739.3001
`
`Attorneys for Defendants LG Electronics
`Inc. and LG Electronics U.S.A., Inc.
`
`/s/ Melissa R. Smith
`Melissa R. Smith
`Texas State Bar No. 24001351
`melissa@gillamsmithlaw.com
`GILLAM & SMITH, LLP
`303 South Washington Avenue
`Marshall, Texas 75670
`Phone: (903) 934-8450
`Fax: (903) 934-9257
`
`Robert T. Haslam (rhaslam@cov.com)
`Anupam Sharma (asharma@cov.com)
`COVINGTON & BURLING LLP
`3000 El Camino Real
`5 Palo Alto Square, 10th Floor
`Palo Alto, CA 94306-2112
`
`7304966v1/102891
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`ANCORA Ex. 2017, Page 5
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`

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`Case 1:20-cv-00034-ADA Document 56 Filed 05/01/20 Page 6 of 7
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`
`
`
`
`
`
`Phone: (650) 632-4700
`Fax: (650) 632-4800
`
`Richard L Rainey (rrainey@cov.com)
`Jared Frisch (jfrisch@cov.com)
`COVINGTON & BURLING LLP
`One CityCenter
`850 Tenth Street, NW
`Washington, DC 20001-4956
`Phone: (202) 662.6000
`Fax: (202) 662-6291
`
`Attorneys for Defendants Samsung
`Electronics Co., Ltd., and Samsung
`Electronics America, Inc.
`
`7304966v1/102891
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`ANCORA Ex. 2017, Page 6
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`

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`Case 1:20-cv-00034-ADA Document 56 Filed 05/01/20 Page 7 of 7
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`
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`CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE
`
`I hereby certify that all counsel of record, who are deemed to have consented to electronic
`
`service are being served this 1st day of May, 2020, with a copy of this document via the Court’s
`
`CM/ECF system.
`
`
`
`/s/ Steven M. Seigel
`Steven M. Seigel
`
`7304966v1/102891
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`ANCORA Ex. 2017, Page 7
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`