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`UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
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`BEFORE THE PATENT TRIAL AND APPEAL BOARD
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`ERICSSON INC. and TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON,
`Petitioner
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`v.
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`INTELLECTUAL VENTURES II LLC
`Patent Owner
`____________________
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`Case IPR2014-01185
`Patent 7,269,127
`____________________
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`PATENT OWNER PRELIMINARY RESPONSE
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`Mail Stop PATENT BOARD
`Patent Trial and Appeal Board
`U.S. Patent & Trademark Office
`P.O. Box 1450
`Alexandria, VA 22313-1450
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`I.
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`II.
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`IPR2014-01185
`U.S. Patent No. 7,269,127
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`Table of Contents
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`Introduction ...................................................................................................... 1
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`The ’127 Patent ................................................................................................ 1
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`A.
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`B.
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`Background ........................................................................................... 1
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`The Innovations of the ’127 Patent ....................................................... 4
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`III.
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`Patent Owner’s Proposed Claim Construction ................................................ 9
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`A.
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`B.
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`C.
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`D.
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`E.
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`F.
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`“frame structure” ................................................................................. 10
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`“Preamble Structure” ........................................................................... 12
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`“Data Structure” .................................................................................. 14
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`“Pilot Symbol” .................................................................................... 15
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`1.
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`2.
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`3.
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`A “pilot symbol” includes samples in the frequency domain. . 15
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`The claims require that a “pilot symbol” is inserted into a data
`block, not a data structure as alleged by Petitioners. ................ 17
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`A “pilot symbol” is used “for refining the calibration of a
`receiver to a transmitter.” .......................................................... 18
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`“Training Symbol” .............................................................................. 19
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`“Enhanced Training Symbol” ............................................................. 20
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`IV. Grounds based on Schmidl and Arslan [Grounds 1-3]. ................................. 22
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`A.
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`Claims 1-3 and 5 are Patentable over Schmidl and Arslan [Ground 1].
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`1.
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`The combination of Schmidl and Arslan fails to disclose an
`“encoder having a pilot/training symbol inserter … configured
`to insert pilot symbols into data blocks.” .................................. 23
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`2.
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`IPR2014-01185
`U.S. Patent No. 7,269,127
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`The combination of Schmidl and Arslan fails to disclose a
`“preamble structure comprising at least one training symbol and
`an enhanced training symbol.” .................................................. 26
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`B.
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`C.
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`Dependent claims 4 and 6-10 are patentable over the combination of
`Schmidl, Arslan and Kim [Ground 2]. ................................................ 28
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`Dependent claim 17 is patentable over the combination of Schmidl,
`Arslan, Kim, and Heiskala [Ground 3]. .............................................. 30
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`V. Grounds based on Schmidl and Kim [Grounds 4-5]. .................................... 30
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`A.
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`Claims 20 and 21 are Patentable over Schmidl and Kim [Ground 4]. 30
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`1.
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`2.
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`The Petition lacks sufficient rational underpinnings to support a
`legal conclusion of obviousness................................................ 31
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`Petitioner did not establish that the proposed combination
`discloses “combining the data blocks and training blocks in a
`parallel format to provide a parallel combination” as recited in
`claim 20. .................................................................................... 32
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`B.
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`Dependent claims 23 and 24 are patentable over the combination of
`Schmidl, Kim and Heiskala [Ground 5]. ............................................. 33
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`VI. Conclusion ..................................................................................................... 34
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`Cases
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`Table of Authorities
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`IPR2014-01185
`U.S. Patent No. 7,269,127
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`ACTV, Inc. v. Walt Disney Co.,
`346 F.3d 1082 (Fed. Cir. 2003) ..................................................................... 10
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`Aspex Eyewear, Inc. v. Marchon Eyewear, Inc.,
`672 F.3d 1335 (Fed. Cir. 2012) ..................................................................... 18
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`General Electric Co. v. Brenner,
`407 F.2d 1258 (D.C. Cir.1968) ...................................................................... 29
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`In re Kahn,
`441 F.3d 977 (Fed. Cir. 2006) ....................................................................... 31
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`KSR International Co. v. Teleflex Inc.,
`550 U.S. 398 (S.Ct. 2007) ............................................................................. 31
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`Phillips v. AWH Corp.,
`415 F.3d 1303 (Fed. Cir. 2005) (en banc) ..................................................... 11
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`Stratoflex, Inc. v. Aeroquip Corp.,
`713 F.2d 1530 (Fed. Cir. 1983) ..................................................................... 31
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`Superguide Corp. v. DirecTV Enterprises, Inc.,
`358 F.3d 870 (Fed. Cir. 2004) ....................................................................... 12
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`Statutes
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`35 U.S.C. § 103 ........................................................................................................ 31
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`Regulations
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`37 C.F.R. § 42.100(b) ................................................................................................ 9
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`37 C.F.R. §1.57(e) .................................................................................................... 29
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`Exhibit List
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`IPR2014-01185
`U.S. Patent No. 7,269,127
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`Exh. No.
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`IV 2001
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`IV 2002
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`Description
`Biography of Gordon Stüber (October 14, 2014),
`http://users.ece.gatech.edu/stuber/
`Biography of Dr. Apurva N. Mody (October 14, 2014),
`http://www.inatel.br/iwt2013/index.php/keynote-speakers-sp-
`212359168/dr-apurva-n-mody
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`I.
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`Introduction
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`IPR2014-01185
`U.S. Patent No. 7,269,127
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`The Board should not institute trial on the grounds of unpatentability set
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`forth in the Petition for claims 1-10, 17, 20, 21, 23, and 24 of the ’127 patent.
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`Petitioner fails to make the case for instituting trial. First, Petitioner bases its
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`arguments on flawed constructions of claim terms. Second, none of Petitioner’s
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`asserted grounds meet the Board’s well-established requirements for instituting
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`trial. Citations to various pieces of prior art, including Schmidl, are followed, not
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`by the rational underpinnings required to establish obviousness, but by mere
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`conclusory statements.
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`Patent Owner’s Preliminary Response demonstrates that none of the art cited
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`by Petitioner meets the established tests for challenging the validity of the claims
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`of the ’127 patent.
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`II. The ’127 Patent
`A. Background
`Wireless communication systems use training sequences for packet
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`detection, synchronization, and parameter estimation. These training sequences are
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`known to the receiver, which is therefore able to search for their presence and
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`measure distortion caused by frequency offset, electromagnetic propagation, or
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`other transmission impairments between the transmitter and receiver. Assuming
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`IPR2014-01185
`U.S. Patent No. 7,269,127
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`that such distortion is constant for some transmission period, a wireless receiver
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`can use such measurements to correct for distortion of the data symbols in a frame.
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`Certain embodiments of the ’127 Patent are directed to training in
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`orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) systems. In these systems,
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`binary information is mapped to complex symbols, encoding the information into
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`the amplitude and/or phase of a transmitted signal. One complex symbol may
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`represent a number of bits, but is represented by a complex number that may also
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`be referred to as a sample. In OFDM, these complex symbols are transmitted
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`orthogonally in the frequency domain.
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`To accomplish the frequency domain transmission, a number of these
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`complex symbols are simultaneously converted from the frequency domain into
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`the time domain by taking an inverse discrete Fourier transform (IDFT). The result
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`of the IDFT is a block of samples, each of which carries information about each of
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`the frequency domain complex symbols. Together with a cyclic prefix, which may
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`simply be a copy of the last several samples of the block prepended to its
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`beginning, this collection of samples forms an OFDM symbol. (See, e.g., ’127
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`Patent, 7:51-8:18 and FIG. 3.)
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`Therefore, a number of frequency domain complex symbols are transmitted
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`through a time domain OFDM symbol. The training requirements in OFDM are
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`IPR2014-01185
`U.S. Patent No. 7,269,127
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`different than conventional modulations because of this frequency domain aspect.
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`Specifically, OFDM is more sensitive to frequency offset than conventional
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`systems, and aspects of the training may be performed in the frequency domain.
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`At the time of invention, training typically occupied an excessive amount of
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`transmission time, reducing the overall efficiency of communication. This excess
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`was due in large part to the provision of different training sequences for different
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`purposes. For example, as the ’127 patent describes, “the IEEE Standard 802.11a
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`preamble structure includes a short sequence, which provides time synchronization
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`and coarse frequency offset estimation, followed by a long sequence, which
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`provides fine frequency and channel estimation.” (’127 patent, 3:1-5.)
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`Furthermore, the newly developed multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO)
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`communication comprising “signals [] typically transmitted over a common
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`path…by multiple antennas” exacerbated the inefficiencies of these existing
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`sequences. (Id. at 1:54-56.)
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`Gordon Stuber, Professor of Electrical Engineering at Georgia Tech
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`University, and his graduate student Apurva N. Mody, recognized the limitations
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`of existing training designs. Prof. Stuber, who has received several awards “for his
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`contributions to theoretical research in wireless communications” (Ex. 2001), is a
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`well-known expert in the field. Dr. Mody is also an industry leader, acting as
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`IPR2014-01185
`U.S. Patent No. 7,269,127
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`Chairman of the IEEE 802.22 Working Group on Wireless Regional Access
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`Networks as well as Chairman of the Whitespace Alliance. (Ex. 2002.) Their
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`collaboration produced “an efficient preamble structure for use in wireless
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`communication systems [that] provide[s] both synchronization and parameter
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`estimation.” (’127 Patent, 2:60-62.)
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`The Innovations of the ’127 Patent
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`B.
`An exemplary system described in the ’127 patent includes a transmitter
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`having an encoder that “encodes data…from a data source” (id. at 5:13-15) and
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`“one or more modulators…to modulate signals for transmission over the [wireless]
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`channel.” (Id. at 5:32-34.) The annotated figure below, which combines FIGS. 1-3
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`of the ’127 patent, illustrates the encoder and modulator of the disclosed
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`transmitter.
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`IPR2014-01185
`U.S. Patent No. 7,269,127
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`The encoder 18 of the disclosed transmitter includes a channel encoder 36
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`that “adds parity to the signals so that the decoder [] can detect errors in the
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`received channel encoded signals, which may occur…due to environmental
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`conditions that affect the channel.” (Id. at 6:46-50.) The encoder also includes a
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`symbol mapper 38 that “map[s] channel encoded signals into data blocks.” (Id. at
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`6:55-56.) In this context, the ’127 patent uses the term “symbol” to refer to
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`elements from an alphabet such as binary phase shift keying (BPSK) or quadrature
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`IPR2014-01185
`U.S. Patent No. 7,269,127
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`phase shift keying (QPSK), which are modulated on the OFDM subcarriers. (See,
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`e.g., id. at 6:59-65.)
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`If the encoder is part of a MIMO system, it may include a space-time
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`processor 40, which “encode[s] a stream of data blocks, received from the symbol
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`mapper 38, through space-time processing.” (Id. at 7:3-4.) The encoder also
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`includes a pilot/training symbol inserter 46 that “typically provides pilot blocks
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`and training blocks that are inserted into (or combined with) the data blocks.” (Id.
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`at 7:23-25.) The operation of the pilot/training symbol inserter is discussed below
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`in relation to FIG. 6.
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`The modulator of the disclosed transmitter contains a “serial-to-parallel
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`converter 50 [that] converts the training blocks and data blocks from a serial
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`format to a parallel format for further processing by other components.” (Id. at
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`7:59-62.) The inverse discrete Fourier transform (IDFT) stage 52 “converts these
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`blocks from the frequency domain to the time domain.” (Id. at 8:4-5.) For a data
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`block, the IDFT stage converts N frequency domain samples into N time domain
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`samples using an N-point IDFT. (See id. at 8:6-11.) The cyclic prefix inserter 54
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`then “inserts an additional number of samples ‘G’ with each data block and
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`training block to form data symbols and training symbols.” (Id. at 8:13-15.) The
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`modulator then converts the samples from parallel to serial, converts the digital
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`IPPR2014-011185
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`UU.S. Patent
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`No. 7,2699,127
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`sampless to analogg, and uses a mixer too up-converrt the analoog signal tto RF so thhat it
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`may be amplified and transmmitted. (Seee id. at 8:1
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`9-34.)
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`FFIG. 6, reprroduced in annotatedd form beloow, illustraates a framee structuree
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`embodimment fromm the ’127 ppatent. Foccusing on AAntenna QQ, the framee structure
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`“includees a preammble structuure 70 and a data struucture 72.” (Id. at 10::58-59.) “TThe
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`preamble structuree 70 typicaally includees one or mmore trainiing symbolls 74” (id.
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`68
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`10:62-663) and “ann enhancedd training symbol 79, located att the beginnning of thee
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`preamble structuree.” (Id. at 111:3-5.) Thhe trainingg symbol 744 “include
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`s a cyclic
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`prefix 776 of lengthh G and a ttraining bloock 78 of l
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`length NI…… [and] ha
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`s a length
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`G+NI saamples in
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`the timee domain.””
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`(Id. at 10:65-
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`11:2.) TTherefore, aa
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`“symbool” in the
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`trainingg symbol
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`of sampless includingg a cyclic pprefix and tthe time doomain outpput
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`of the IDDFT stage.
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`IPR2014-01185
`U.S. Patent No. 7,269,127
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`The data structure 72 “includes one or more data symbols 80…[which each]
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`includes a cyclic prefix 76 and a data block 82.” (Id. at 11:28-30.) As disclosed in
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`the ’127 patent, “pilot symbols may also be intermittently inserted into the data
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`symbols 80 by the pilot/training symbol inserter 46.” (Id. at 11:45-47.) FIGS. 2 and
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`3 illustrate that the pilot symbols are “inserted periodically into the data blocks”
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`(Id. at 7:28) in the frequency domain.
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`Both training symbols and pilot symbols are output by the pilot/training
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`symbol inserter. However, “[t]he term training blocks refers to one or more
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`continuous sections of symbols provided by the pilot/training symbol inserter 46”
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`(id. at 7:30-32 (emphasis added)), whereas pilot symbols “are inserted periodically
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`into the data blocks.” (Id. at 7:28.) Furthermore, “[t]raining blocks are preferably
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`inserted into preamble structures at the beginning of the frame structures and
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`transmitted once per frame structure.” (Id. at 7:32-34.)
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`As noted above, “the preamble structure 70 contains one symbol referred
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`to…as an enhanced training symbol 79, located at the beginning of the preamble
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`structure 70.” (Id. at 11:2-5.) The training block 78 of the enhanced training
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`symbol 79 is divided into several sections” (id. at 11:5-6) that are used for various
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`purposes. For example, the training block 78 in FIG. 7, reproduced below, is
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`divided into four sections (86-2 through 86-5) and the cyclic prefix 76 forms a fifth
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`86-1 of thee enhancedd training ssymbol 84.. (See id. aat 13:32-388.) These
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`UU.S. Patent
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`No. 7,2699,127
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`sectionss can be divvided and combined into variouus intervalls that are uused for
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`differennt purposess. For exammple, “[a] ffirst intervaal 88 of thee enhancedd training
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`symbol 84 spans tthe first twwo sections
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`86-1, 866-2…[and is used forr] time
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`synchroonization annd coarse ffrequency
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`offset estimation.”” (Id. at 13:50-54.) AA
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`second
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`interval 900, which inncludes
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`sectionss 86-3 and 86-4, doess not overlaap
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`with thee first interrval 88 andd “includess sequencess for proviiding parammeter
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`estimatiion, such aas channel estimationn and noisee variance eestimation
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`.” (Id. at
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`13:59-660.) A thirdd interval 992 overlapss with the ffirst and seecond interrvals and
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`“providdes sequencces for finee frequencyy offset esttimation.”
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`(Id. at 13:663-64.) FIGGS.
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`8 and 9 provide allternative eembodimennts of the eenhanced ttraining symmbol with
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`various
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`sections, iintervals, aand antennaas.
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`III. PPatent Owner’s Propposed Claiim Constrruction
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`PPatent Ownner proposees the folloowing claimm construcction as thee broadest
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`reasonaable interprretations ass understoood by one oof ordinaryy skill in thhe art. See
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`37
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`C.F.R. §§ 42.100(bb). Patent OOwner reseerves the rright to preesent differrent
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`IPR2014-01185
`U.S. Patent No. 7,269,127
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`constructions in the District Court litigation where a different claim construction
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`standard applies.
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`Petitioner asks the Board to construe six terms. As set forth below, the Board
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`should decline to construe three of these terms (“frame structure,” “preamble
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`structure,” and “data structure”) because the meaning of those terms is clear from
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`the explicit language of the claims and therefore no construction is required. For
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`the remaining terms (“pilot symbol,” “training symbol,” and “enhanced training
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`symbol”), the Board should adopt Patent Owner’s constructions because they are
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`consistent with the explicit language of the claims and the teachings of the
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`specification.
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`“Frame Structure”
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`A.
`The Parties’ proposed constructions of “frame structure” are:
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`Patent Owner’s Construction
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`Petitioner’s Construction
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`No construction required
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`“a unit of transmission comprising a preamble
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`structure followed by a data structure”
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`The analytical focus of claim construction must begin and remain centered
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`on the language of the claims. ACTV, Inc. v. Walt Disney Co., 346 F.3d 1082,
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`1088 (Fed. Cir. 2003). “[T]he claims themselves provide substantial guidance as
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`IPR2014-01185
`U.S. Patent No. 7,269,127
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`to the meaning of particular claim terms.” Phillips v. AWH Corp., 415 F.3d 1303,
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`1314 (Fed. Cir. 2005) (en banc). In its proposed construction of the term “frame
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`structure” (and also its proposal for the terms “preamble structure” and “data
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`structure”), Petitioner ignores the explicit language of the claims, importing
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`embodiments from the specification into the claims without justification.
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`In the case of the term “frame structure” no construction is required because
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`the meaning of the term is clear from the explicit language of the ’127 patent’s
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`claims: “a frame structure comprising a preamble structure and a data structure.”
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`Ignoring the language of the claims, Petitioner asks the Board to construe “frame
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`structure” as “a unit of transmission comprising a preamble structure followed by
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`a data structure.” (Petition, p. 20 (emphasis added).) Petitioner’s construction is
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`inconsistent with the language of the claims that merely require that “a frame
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`structure compris[es] a preamble structure and a data structure” and does not limit
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`the order of the preamble and data.
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`Petitioner attempts to support its improper position by citing to one sentence
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`in the background section of the specification stating that a “frame structure
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`generally includes a preamble structure followed by a data structure.” (Petition, p.
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`20 (quoting ’127 patent, 2:7-9) (emphasis added).) However, contrary to
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`Petitioner’s argument, this portion of the specification does not limit a frame
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`IPR2014-01185
`U.S. Patent No. 7,269,127
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`structure to a preamble structure followed by a data structure. Petitioner’s
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`construction therefore improperly imports an embodiment from the specification
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`into the claims, which is impermissible. Superguide Corp. v. DirecTV Enterprises,
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`Inc., 358 F.3d 870, 875 (Fed. Cir. 2004)(“it is important not to import into a claim
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`limitations that are not part of the claim. For example, a particular embodiment
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`appearing in the written description may not be read into a claim when the claim
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`language is broader than the embodiment.”)
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`Because the meaning of the term “frame structure” is clear from the explicit
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`language of the claims, no construction is required and the Board should reject the
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`Petitioner’s interpretation of this claim term.
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`“Preamble Structure”
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`B.
`The Parties’ proposed constructions of “preamble structure” are:
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`Patent Owner’s Construction
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`Petitioner’s Construction
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`No construction required
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`“a portion of the frame structure located near
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`the beginning of the frame structure, before the
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`data structure, and comprising at least two
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`training symbols”
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`U.S. Patent No. 7,269,127
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`No construction of the term “preamble structure” is required because the
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`meaning of the term is also clear from the explicit language of the claims: “the
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`preamble structure comprising at least one training symbol and an enhanced
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`training symbol.” Petitioner again ignores the language of the claim proposing the
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`construction “a portion of the frame structure located near the beginning of the
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`frame structure, before the data structure, and comprising at least two training
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`symbols.” (Petition, p. 21 (emphasis added).) As with its construction of “frame
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`structure,” Petitioner improperly imports embodiments from the specification into
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`the claims. Specifically, the specification does not require that a preamble structure
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`be the portion of the frame structure located near the beginning of the frame
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`structure, as Petitioner contends. Petitioner cites to two portions of the ’127 patent
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`in support of its position. However, Petitioner’s alleged support highlights that the
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`claims should not be interpreted this narrowly stating that “[t]raining symbols are
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`typically added as prefixes to the data structures” (’127 patent, 2:10-11 (emphasis
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`added)) and stressing that FIG. 6 merely depicts “exemplary data frames” (Id. at
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`4:17-19 (emphasis added).)
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`The claims and the specification also do not support Petitioner’s contention
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`that a preamble includes “at least two training symbols.” The explicit language of
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`the claims requires a preamble to include a training symbol and an enhanced
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`U.S. Patent No. 7,269,127
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`training symbol – not merely any two training symbols. For these reasons, the
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`Board should reject Petitioner’s construction.
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`“Data Structure”
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`C.
`The Parties’ proposed constructions of “data structure” are:
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`Patent Owner’s Construction
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`Petitioner’s Construction
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`No construction required
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`“a portion of the frame structure following the
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`preamble structure and comprising at least one
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`data symbol”
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`Continuing the theme of trying to impose an order where no order is
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`required, Petitioner asks the Board to construe “data structure” as “a portion of the
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`frame structure following the preamble structure and comprising at least one data
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`symbol.” (Petition, p. 22 (emphasis added).) No construction of the term “data
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`structure” is required because the meaning of the term is clear. As with its
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`proposed construction of “preamble structure,” Petitioner refers to the same
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`embodiments of the specification to support the importation of ordering into its
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`construction of the term “data structure.” However, as discussed above for the
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`terms “frame structure” and “preamble structure”, both the claims and the
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`specification fail to require an order for the preamble structure and the data
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`IPR2014-01185
`U.S. Patent No. 7,269,127
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`structure. The Board should therefore reject Petitioner’s construction because it
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`improperly imports embodiments into the claims.
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` “Pilot Symbol”
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`D.
`The Parties’ proposed constructions of “pilot symbol” are:
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`Patent Owner’s Construction
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`Petitioner’s Construction
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`“samples inserted in a data block in the
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`“a symbol located in the data structure
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`frequency domain for refining the
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`and used for performing
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`calibration of a receiver to a transmitter”
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`synchronization”
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`The Board should adopt Patent Owner’s construction for the term “pilot
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`symbol” because it is consistent with the claims and the specification of the ’127
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`patent. Petitioner’s construction of the term should be rejected because it conflicts
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`with the explicit language of the claims and the teachings of the specification and
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`further introduces ambiguity rather than clarity in the proceeding.
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`A “pilot symbol” includes samples in the frequency domain.
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`1.
`The ’127 patent describes several types of different symbols including a
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`pilot symbol, a training symbol, and a data symbol. Training symbols and data
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`symbols are both types of OFDM symbols, as the ’127 patent makes clear.
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`Specifically, these symbols are formed by “insert[ing] an additional number of
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`samples ‘G’ [a cyclic prefix] with each data and training block.” (’127 patent,
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`8:13-144.) Thus, a “training ssymbol” annd a “data
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`IPPR2014-011185
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`UU.S. Patent
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`No. 7,2699,127
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`ach comprrises a nummber
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`symbol” e
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`of contiinuous sammples in thhe time dommain. A “p“pilot symbbol”, conveersely, doess
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`not havee a cyclic pprefix of itts own andd corresponnds to sampples intermmittently
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`insertedd in the freqquency dommain.
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`TThe figure pprovided bbelow furthher illustrattes variouss details rellating to thhe
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`types off symbols ddisclosed iin the ‘127 patent.
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`TThe above ffigure showws data bloocks and trraining bloocks in bothh time andd
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`frequenncy domainns, illustrating how a “pilot symmbol” compprises sampples in the
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`frequenncy domainn while a ““training syymbol” is ccomprised
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`domainn samples. FIGs. 2 annd 3 of thee ’127 patennt provide
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`of a numbber of timee
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`additionall clarificatiion
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`inserter 466 is
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`with reggards to thiis concept,, indicatingg that the ppilot/traininng symbol
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`IPR2014-01185
`U.S. Patent No. 7,269,127
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`arranged before the inverse discrete Fourier transform (IDFT), meaning that the
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`pilot/training symbol inserter 46 outputs frequency domain samples. The pilot
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`symbols “are inserted periodically into the data blocks” (’127 patent, 7:27-28.) The
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`data blocks (having the inserted pilot symbols) are comprised of frequency domain
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`samples before the IDFT stage: “the IDFT stage 52 receives N samples for each
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`data block…and converts the samples in the frequency domain to N samples for
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`each data block…in the time domain.” (Id. at 8:6-11.)
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`Since pilot symbols are periodically placed within data blocks in the
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`frequency domain, and are not “continuous sections of symbols” in the time
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`domain like training blocks (id. at 7:30-31), a pilot symbol is comprised of
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`frequency domain samples and is not analogous to a training symbol, as
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`Petitioner’s faulty claim construction proposal would suggest.
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`2.
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`The claims require that a “pilot symbol” is inserted into a
`data block, not a data structure as alleged by Petitioners.
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`The claimed pilot symbol of the ‘127 patent is inserted into a data block, not
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`a data structure, as proposed by Petitioner. Claim 1 explicitly recites “an encoder
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`… to insert pilot symbols into data blocks.” (emphasis added.) This claim
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`language is also consistent with the specification which states that the pilot
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`symbols are “inserted periodically into the data blocks.” (’127 patent, 7:26-28
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`(emphasis added).) Petitioner’s construction completely disregards the “into data
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`IPR2014-01185
`U.S. Patent No. 7,269,127
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`blocks” language of the claim which is legally impermissible. Aspex Eyewear, Inc.
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`v. Marchon Eyewear, Inc., 672 F.3d 1335, 1348 (Fed. Cir. 2012). Petitioner’s
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`construction is further inconsistent with the specification because it encompasses
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`circumstances where a pilot symbol is not inserted into data blocks. For example,
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`Petitioner’s construction would include an OFDM symbol inserted between data
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`symbols, rather than frequency domain samples inserted into data blocks.
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`3.
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`A “pilot symbol” is used “for refining the calibration of a
`receiver to a transmitter.”
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`A “pilot symbol” is a symbol known to both the transmitter and receiver that
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`is “transmitted with data blocks to calibrate (i.e., synchronize) the receiver 16 to
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`the transmitter 14 on a small scale.” (’127 patent, 7:40-42.) That is, the “pilot
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`symbol” refines the calibration that exists between a transmitter and receiver.
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`Petitioner’s construction that a “pilot symbol” is “used for performing
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`synchronization” is overly broad because it fails to distinguish between a training
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`symbol which is also used for calibration (synchronization) and a pilot symbol.
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`Although training symbols are also “used to periodically calibrate the receiver 16
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`to the transmitter 14” (id. at 7:44-45), they provide such calibration on a large scale
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`by occupying the entire bandwidth such that “training symbols may be unique for
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`each sub-channel.” (Id. at 7:46.) Pilot symbols are not arranged on every sub-
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`IPR2014-01185
`U.S. Patent No. 7,269,127
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`channel, but instead are “intermittently inserted into the data symbols” (id. at
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`11:45-46) to refine the calibration.
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`“Training Symbol”
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`E.
`The Parties’ proposed constructions of “training symbol” are:
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`Patent Owner’s Construction
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`Petitioner’s Construction
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`“a symbol used for synchronization and
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`“a symbol located in the preamble
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`channel parameter estimation”
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`structure and used for performing
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`synchronization and/or parameter
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`estimation”
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`As discussed above, a training symbol comprises a number of time domain
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`samples and a cyclic prefix, distinguishing it from the pilot symbol which
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`comprises frequency domain samples inserted into data blocks. The specification
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`consistently describes that a “training symbol” is used for both synchronization and
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`channel parameter estimation: “[t]he training symbols provide coarse and fine time
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`synchronization, coarse and fine frequency synchronization, channel estimation,
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`and noise variance estimation.” (Id. at 3:37-39 (emphasis added).) The ’127 patent
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`groups channel estimation and noise variance estimation under the umbrella term
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`“parameter estimation,” as the Petitioner acknowledges. (See Petition, p. 24.)
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`IPR2014-01185
`U.S. Patent No. 7,269,127
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`Despite citing to this explicit discussion in the specification, Petitioner
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`proposes a construction where the training symbol is “used for performing
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`synchronization and/or parameter estimation.” (Id. at 24 (emphasis added).)
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`Petitioner provides no support for the overly broad inclusion of “and/or.” In fact,
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`the claim construction arguments Petitioner does provide with respect to this claim
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`term support Patent Owner’s construction. Furthermore, Petitioner’s inclusion of
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`the limitation “located in the preamble structure” is unnecessary and redundant to
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`the claim language, since both independent claims 1 and 20 recite “the preamble
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`structure comprisi