U.S. PATENT RE44,644
`Petition for Inter Partes Review
`Paper No. 1
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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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`PETITION FOR INTER PARTES REVIEW OF
`U.S. PATENT NO. RE44,644
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`UNDER 35 U.S.C. § 312 AND 37 C.F.R. § 42.104
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`GENERAL ELECTRIC CO.
`Petitioner,
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`v.
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`UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA PATENT FOUNDATION,
`Patent Owner
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`Patent No. RE44,644
`Issued: December 17, 2013
`Filed: January 15, 2009
`Inventors: John Mugler III, et al.
`Titled: Method and apparatus for spin-echo-train
`MR imaging using prescribed signal evolutions
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`Inter Partes Review No. IPR2016-00357
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`U.S. PATENT RE44,644
`Petition for Inter Partes Review
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`TABLE OF CONTENTS
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`INTRODUCTION AND STATEMENT OF RELIEF REQUESTED (37 C.F.R. §
`I.
`42.22(A)) ......................................................................................................................................... 1
`II. MANDATORY NOTICES ................................................................................................... 1
`A.
`Real Party-in-Interest .................................................................................................... 1
`B.
`Related Matters .............................................................................................................. 1
`C.
`Service Information........................................................................................................ 2
`III. CERTIFICATION OF GROUNDS FOR STANDING .................................................. 2
`IV. OVERVIEW OF CHALLENGE AND RELIEF REQUESTED................................... 2
`V. OVERVIEW .......................................................................................................................... 5
`A.
`Technical Background ................................................................................................... 5
`B.
`The ’644 Patent ............................................................................................................... 5
`(i)
`Summary of Alleged Invention of the ’644 Patent................................................... 6
`(ii) The Prosecution History ............................................................................................ 6
`(iii) Effective Filing Date Of The Challenged Claims ..................................................... 6
`C.
`The Primary Prior Art References ............................................................................. 12
`(i) Mugler 2000............................................................................................................... 12
`(ii) Mugler 1999............................................................................................................... 14
`(iii) Mugler Overview ...................................................................................................... 15
`(iv) Alsop .......................................................................................................................... 15
`VI. RELEVANT INFORMATION CONCERNING THE ’644 PATENT ....................... 16
`A.
`Person of Ordinary Skill in the Art ............................................................................ 16
`B.
`Construction of Terms Used in the Claims ................................................................ 17
`(i)
`“Substance of interest in said object . . . with corresponding T1 and T2
`relaxation times and spin density of interest” means “the inherent T1 and T2
`relaxation times and proton density of a substance in the object that is imaged” in this
`review ................................................................................................................................... 17
`(ii)
`“Time delay” means “a distinct time period, greater than zero, for recovery of
`magnetization in the tissues of interest, which can be approximated by the equation
`‘TR – (Echo spacing x ETL)” in this review..................................................................... 18
`(iii) “effective echo time” means “the echo time at which the center of k space is
`sampled, which can be approximated as ½ of the echo-train duration” in this review 19
`(iv) “effective echo time. . . typical for T2-weighted clinical magnetic resonance
`imaging” means “an effective echo time in the range of 60 ms to 130 ms” in this review
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`20
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`“T2-weighted contrast . . . that is substantially the same” means “T2-weighted
`(v)
`contrast that has substantially the same numerical indicator of contrast or that
`visually appears similar” in this review ............................................................................ 21
`(vi) “a value approximately midway between said initial flip angle and the lowest flip
`angle” means “a value that is approximately 28% to 72% of the way between the
`lowest flip angle and the initial flip angle” in this petition .............................................. 23
`VII. SPECIFIC GROUNDS FOR PETITION ...................................................................... 23
`A. Mugler 2000 Anticipates Claims 75-76, 78-82, 84-92, 94-96, 107, 111, 139, 152, 157,
`160, 169-78, 180-84, 186-94, 196-98, 209, 213, 241, and 254-260 ........................................ 23
`(i) Claim 75 ..................................................................................................................... 24
`(ii) Claim 140 ................................................................................................................... 32
`(iii) Claim 176 ................................................................................................................... 33
`(iv) Claims 157-58 and 177 ............................................................................................. 34
`(v) Claims 76 and 178 ..................................................................................................... 35
`(vi) Claims 78 and 180 ..................................................................................................... 35
`(vii)
`Claims 79 and 181 ................................................................................................. 35
`(viii) Claims 80-81 and 182-83 ...................................................................................... 35
`(ix) Claims 82 and 184 ..................................................................................................... 36
`(x) Claims 84-92, 94-96, 139, 186-194, 196-198, 241 .................................................... 36
`(xi) Claims 107 and 209 ................................................................................................... 37
`(xii)
`Claims 111 and 213 ............................................................................................... 37
`(xiii) Claims 169-75 and 254-60 .................................................................................... 37
`B. Mugler 2000 In View Of Mugler Overview Renders Obvious Claims 75-76, 78-82,
`84-92, 94-102, 107-09, 111, 113-14, 118, 128-130, 132-34, 139, 152, 157, 160, 169-78, 180-
`84, 186-94, 196-204, 209-11, 213, 215-16, 220, 230-32, 234-36, 241, and 254-260 .............. 38
`(i) Claims 75-76, 79-82, 84-92, 94-96, 107, 111, 139, 157, 160, 169-78, 181-84, 186-94,
`196-98, 209, 213, 241, and 254-260 .................................................................................... 39
`(ii) Claims 97-99 and 199-201 ........................................................................................ 40
`(iii) Claims 101-02, 108-09, 203-04, and 210-11 ............................................................ 40
`(iv) Claims 100, 113-14, 118, 128-30, 202, 215-16, 220, and 230-32 ............................ 40
`(v) Claims 132-33 and 234-35 ........................................................................................ 41
`(vi) Claims 134 and 236 ................................................................................................... 41
`C. Mugler 2000 In View Of Mugler Overview, Further in View Of Hennig 1986
`Renders Obvious Claims 115 and 217 ................................................................................... 42
`D. Mugler 2000 In View Of Mugler Overview, Further in View Of Rydberg Renders
`Obvious Claims 135-36 and 237-38 ....................................................................................... 42
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`E. Mugler 2000 In View Of Mugler Overview, Further in View Of Stuber Renders
`Obvious Claims 138 and 240 .................................................................................................. 43
`F. Mugler 1999 In View Of Alsop Renders Obvious Claims 75-76, 78-82, 84-92, 94-96,
`107, 111, 139, 157, 160, 169-78, 180-84, 186-94, 196-98, 209, 213, 241, and 254-260 ........ 44
`(i) Claim 75 ..................................................................................................................... 46
`(ii) Claim 140 ................................................................................................................... 52
`(iii) Claim 176 ................................................................................................................... 52
`(iv) Claim 157-58 and 177 ............................................................................................... 53
`(v) Claims 76 and 178 ..................................................................................................... 53
`(i) Claims 78 and 180 ..................................................................................................... 53
`(ii) Claims 79 and 181 ..................................................................................................... 53
`(iii) Claims 82 and 184 ..................................................................................................... 53
`(iv) Claims 80-81 and 182-83 .......................................................................................... 54
`(v) Claims 84-92, 94, 186-94, and 196 ........................................................................... 54
`(vi) Claims 95-96, 139, 197-98, 241 ................................................................................ 56
`(vii)
`Claims 107 and 209 ............................................................................................... 56
`(viii) Claims 111 and 213 ............................................................................................... 56
`(ix) Claims 169-75 and 254-60 ........................................................................................ 57
`G. Mugler 1999 In View Of Alsop, Further In View Of Mugler Overview Renders
`Obvious Claims 75-76, 78-82, 84-92, 94-102, 107-09, 111, 113-14, 118, 128-130, 132-34,
`139, 157, 160, 169-78, 180-84, 186-94, 196-204, 209-11, 213, 215-16, 220, 230-32, 234-36,
`241, and 254-260 ...................................................................................................................... 57
`(i) Claims 75-76, 78-82, 84-92, 94-96, 107, 111, 139, 157, 160, 169-78, 180-84, 186-94,
`196-98, 209, 213, 241, and 254-260 .................................................................................... 58
`(ii) Claims 97-102, 108-09, 113-14, 118, 128-130, 132-34, 199-204, 210-11, 215-16,
`220, 230-32 ........................................................................................................................... 58
`H. Mugler 1999 In View Of Alsop and Mugler Overview, Further In View Of Hennig
`1986 Renders Obvious Claims 115 and 217 .......................................................................... 58
`I. Mugler 1999 In View Of Alsop and Mugler Overview, Further in View Of Rydberg
`Renders Obvious Claims 135-36 and 237-38 ........................................................................ 59
`J. Mugler 1999 In View Of Alsop and Mugler Overview, Further in View Of Stuber
`Renders Obvious Claims 138 and 240 ................................................................................... 59
`VIII. CONCLUSION ............................................................................................................. 59
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`- iii -
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`Exhibit No.
`1001
`1002
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`1003
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`1004
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`1005
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`1006
`1007
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`1008
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`EXHIBIT LIST
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`Description
`U.S. Patent RE44,644 to Mugler III et al. (“the ’644 patent”)
`Mugler et al, “Three-Dimensional T2-Weighted Imaging of the
`Brain Using Very Long Spin-Echo Trains,” Proceedings of the
`International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine,
`Eighth Meeting, April 2000 at 687 (“Mugler 2000”)
`Mugler et al, “Three-Dimensional Spin-Echo-Train Proton-
`Density-Weighted Imaging Using Shaped Signal Evolutions,”
`Proceedings of the International Society for Magnetic Resonance
`in Medicine, Seventh Meeting, May 1999 at 1631 (“Mugler
`1999”)
`Alsop, “The Sensitivity of Low Flip Angle RARE Imaging,”
`Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, Vol. 37, pp. 176-184
`(“Alsop”)
`Mugler, “Overview of MR Imaging Pulse Sequences,” Physics of
`MR Imaging, Vol. 7, No. 4, pp. 661-697 (Nov. 1999) (“Mugler
`Overview”)
`U.S. Patent No. 5,245,282 to Mugler III et al. (“Mugler ’282”)
`Stuber et al., Submillimeter Three-dimensional Coronary MR
`Angiography with Real-time Navigator Correction: Comparison
`of Navigator Locations, Radiology, Vol. 212, Issue No. 2, pp.
`579-587 (“Stuber”)
`Melki et al., Comparing the FAISE Method with Conventional
`Dual-Echo Sequences, Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging,
`Vol. 1, pp. 319-326 (1991)(“Melki 1991”)
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`Exhibit No.
`1009
`1010
`1011
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`1012
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`1013
`1014
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`1015
`1016
`1017
`1018
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`1019
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`1020
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`1021
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`1022
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`Description
`Declaration of Dr. Norbert Pelc
`Curriculum Vitae of Dr. Norbert Pelc
`Patent Owner’s Complaint against Petitioner alleging
`infringement of ’644 patent in the GE Litigation
`Verification of December 16, 2014 Service of Summons and
`Complaint
`U.S. Patent No. 7,164,268 to Mugler III et al. (“the ’268 patent”)
`U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/257,182 (“the ’182
`application”)
`File history of ’268 patent
`File history of the ’644 patent
`File history portion of U.S. App. No. 14/053,190
`Proceedings of the International Society for Magnetic Resonance
`in Medicine, Eighth Meeting, Denver, April 1–7, 2000
`Proceedings of the International Society for Magnetic Resonance
`in Medicine, Seventh Meeting, Philadelphia, May 22–28, 1999
`Mugler et al., “Shaping the Signal Response during the Approach
`to Steady State in Three-Dimensional Magnetization-Prepared
`Rapid Gradient-Echo Imaging Using Variable Flip Angles,”
`Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, Vol. 28, pp. 165-185 (“Mugler
`1992”)
`Patent Owner’s June 25, 2015 Infringement Contentions against
`Petitioner in the GE Litigation, Ex. A
`Patent Owner’s June 25, 2015 Infringement Contentions against
`Petitioner in the GE Litigation, Ex. B
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`Exhibit No.
`1023
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`1024
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`1025
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`1026
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`1027
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`1028
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`1029
`1030
`1031
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`Description
`Patent Owner’s June 25, 2015 Infringement Contentions against
`Petitioner in the GE Litigation, Ex. E
`Patent Owner’s November 13, 2015 Letter submitted in the GE
`Litigation to the Court
`Hennig et al., “Single Shot 3D RARE: A Fast Method for
`Volumetric Acquisition,” Proceedings of the Society of Magnetic
`Resonance and the European Society for Magnetic Resonance in
`Medicine and Biology, Twelfth Meeting, Nice, France, p. 635
`(“Hennig 1995”)
`Schäffter, et al., “PSF Improvements in Single Shot GRASE
`Imaging,” Proceedings of the Society of Magnetic Resonance,
`Second Meeting, San Francisco, p. 27 (“Schäffter 1994”)
`Le Roux, et al., “Stabilization of Echo Amplitudes in FSE
`Sequences,” Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, Vol. 30, pp. 183-
`190 (“Le Roux 1993”)
`Mugler et al., Motion-Artifact-Free T2-Weighted 3D Imaging of
`the Cervical Spine, Proceedings of the International Society for
`Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, Eighth Meeting, Denver, p.
`402 (“Mugler Spine Imaging”)
`U.S. Patent No. 6,445,182 to Dean et al. (“Dean”)
`MRI Scanners, A Buyer’s Guide
`Portion of the textbook “Magnetic Resonance Imaging Of The
`Brain And Spine,” 4th Ed. Vol. 1, edited by Scott Atlas (2009),
`in Ch. 5, authored by Robert Mulkern, titled “Fast Imaging
`Principles” (“Mulkern Fast Imaging Principles”)
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`Exhibit No.
`1032
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`1033
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`1034
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`1035
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`1036
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`Description
`Melki et al., “Partial RF Planar Imaging with the FAISE Method.
`I. Experimental and Theoretical Assessment of Artifact,”
`Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, Vol. 26, pp. 328-341 (1992)
`(“Melki 1992”)
`Bottomley et al., “A review of normal tissue hydrogen NMR
`relaxation times and relaxation mechanisms from 1–100 MHz:
`Dependence on tissue type, NMR frequency, temperature,
`species, excision, and age,” Medical Physics, Vol. 11, pp.425-
`448 (1984) (“Bottomley”)
`Hennig et al., “RARE Imaging: A Fast Imaging Method for
`Clinical MR,” Magnetic Resonance In Medicine Vol. 3, pp. 823-
`833 (1986) (“Hennig 1986”)
`Slavin et al., “Dual-Echo Interleaved Echo-Planar Imaging of the
`Brain,” Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, Vol. 33, pp. 254-270
`(1995) (“Slavin”)
`Rydberg et al., “Comparison of dual-echo breathhold fast spin
`echo and dual-echo conventional T2-weighted spin echo imaging
`of liver lesions,” Proceedings of the International Society for
`Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, Fifth Meeting, at 921 (1997)
`(“Rydberg”)
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`U.S. PATENT RE44,644
`Petition for Inter Partes Review
`INTRODUCTION AND STATEMENT OF RELIEF REQUESTED (37
`C.F.R. § 42.22(A))
`
`General Electric Co. D/B/A GE Healthcare (“Petitioner”) petitions for the
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`I.
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`
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`institution of inter partes review of claims 75-76, 78-82, 84-92, 94-102, 107-109,
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`111, 113-115, 118, 128-130, 132-136, 138-140, 157-158, 169-178, 180-184, 186-
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`194, 196-204, 209-211, 213, 215-217, 220, 230-232, 234-238, 240-241, and 254-
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`260 (the “Challenged Claims”) of U.S. Patent No. RE44,644 to John P. Mugler,
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`III, et al (“the ‘644 patent,” attached as Ex. 1001). USPTO records indicate that the
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`’644 patent is assigned to University of Virginia Patent Foundation (“P.O.”), which
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`is currently asserting the ‘644 patent against Petitioner in a concurrent litigation.
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`See Ex. 1011.
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`II. MANDATORY NOTICES
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`A. Real Party-in-Interest
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`General Electric Co. (Petitioner) is the real party-in-interest.
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`B. Related Matters
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`P.O. has sued Petitioner in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of
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`Virginia, alleging infringement of the ’644 Patent (Ex. 1001). UVAPF v. General
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`Electric Co., No. 3:14-cv-00051-nkm (“GE Litigation”). Petitioner was served
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`with the complaint on December 16, 2014. Ex. 1012. That case is pending.
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`Petitioner has filed concurrently herewith two other Petitions for Inter Partes
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`Review of the ’644 Patent. Petitioner has categorized the 260 claims of the ‘644
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`-1-
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`patent by subject matter. The Challenged Claims in this Petition relate to the
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`contrast and duration of the spin echo train. The challenged claims in the other two
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`petitions relate to the shape of the flip angle series and the prescribed signal
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`amplitude, respectively. Each category of clams raises distinct issues and, in view
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`of the large number of claims, multiple Petitions is believed to be appropriate.
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`Designation of Lead Counsel
`(§ 42.8(b)(3))
`Marc S. Kaufman (Reg. #35,212)
`REED SMITH, LLP
`1301 K Street, NW
`East Tower – Suite 1000
`Washington, DC 20005
`Tel: 202.414.9249 Fax: 202.414.9299
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`Designation of Back-Up Counsel
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`Jonathon I. Detrixhe (Reg. # 68,556)
`REED SMITH, LLP
`101 Second Street
`Suite 1800
`San Francisco, CA 94105
`Tel: 415-543-8700 Fax: 415 391 8269
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`C.
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`Service Information
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`Please direct all correspondence to lead and back-up counsel at the above
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`addresses.
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`III.
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`CERTIFICATION OF GROUNDS FOR STANDING
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`Petitioner certifies pursuant to Rule 42.104(a) that the patent for which
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`review is sought is available for inter partes review and that Petitioner is not
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`barred or estopped from requesting an inter partes review challenging the patent
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`claims on the grounds identified in this Petition.
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`IV. OVERVIEW OF CHALLENGE AND RELIEF REQUESTED
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`The Challenged Claims are unpatentable as being anticipated under 35
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`U.S.C. § 102(b) and/or for being obvious under 35 U.S.C. § 103. Specifically:
`
`A. GROUND 1: Claims 75-76, 78-82, 84-92, 94-96, 107, 111,
`139, 157, 160, 169-78, 180-84, 186-94, 196-98, 209, 213, 241,
`and 254-260 are anticipated under § 102(b) by Mugler et al,
`“Three-Dimensional T2-Weighted Imaging of the Brain Using
`Very Long Spin-Echo Trains,” Proceedings of the International
`Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, Eighth Meeting,
`April 2000 at 687 (“Mugler 2000”)(Ex. 1002)
`B. GROUND 2: Claims 75-76, 78-82, 84-92, 94-102, 107-09,
`111, 113-14, 118, 128-130, 132-34, 139, 157, 160, 169-78, 180-
`84, 186-94, 196-204, 209-11, 213, 215-16, 220, 230-32, 234-
`36, 241, and 254-260 are obvious under § 103(a) based on
`Mugler 2000 in view of Mugler, “Overview of MR Imaging
`Pulse Sequences,” Physics of MR Imaging, Vol. 7, No. 4, pp.
`661-697 (Nov. 1999) (“Mugler Overview”)(Ex. 1005)
`C. GROUND 3: Claims 115 and 117 are obvious under § 103(a)
`based on Mugler 2000 in view Mugler Overview, further in
`view of Hennig et al., “RARE Imaging: A Fast Imaging
`Method for Clinical MR,” Magnetic Resonance In Medicine
`Vol. 3, pp. 823-833 (1986) (“Hennig 1986”) (Ex. 1034)
`D. GROUND 4: Claims 135-36 and 237-38 are obvious under § 103(a)
`based on Mugler 2000 in view Mugler Overview, further in view of
`Rydberg et al., “Comparison of dual-echo breathhold fast spin echo
`and dual-echo conventional T2-weighted spin echo imaging of liver
`lesions,” Proceedings of the International Society for Magnetic
`Resonance in Medicine, Fifth Meeting, at 921 (1997) (“Rydberg”)
`(Ex. 1036)
`E. GROUND 5: Claims 138 and 240 are obvious under § 103(a)
`based on Mugler 2000 in view Mugler Overview, further in
`view of Stuber et al., Submillimeter Three-dimensional
`Coronary MR Angiography with Real-time Navigator
`Correction: Comparison of Navigator Locations, Radiology,
`Vol. 212, Issue No. 2, pp. 579-587 (“Stuber”) (Ex. 1007)
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`F. GROUND 6: Claims 75-76, 78-82, 84-92, 94-96, 107, 111,
`139, 157, 160, 169-78, 180-84, 186-94, 196-98, 209, 213, 241,
`and 254-260 are obvious under § 103(a) based on Mugler et al,
`“Three-Dimensional Spin-Echo-Train Proton-Density-
`Weighted Imaging Using Shaped Signal Evolutions,”
`Proceedings of the International Society for Magnetic
`Resonance in Medicine, Seventh Meeting, May 1999 at
`1631(“Mugler 1999”) (Ex. 1003) in view of Alsop, “The
`Sensitivity of Low Flip Angle RARE Imaging,” Magnetic
`Resonance in Medicine, Vol. 37, pp. 176-184 (“Alsop”) (Ex.
`1004)
`G. GROUND 7: Claims 75-76, 78-82, 84-92, 94-102, 107-09,
`111, 113-14, 118, 128-130, 132-34, 139, 157, 160, 169-78, 180-
`84, 186-94, 196-204, 209-11, 213, 215-16, 220, 230-32, 234-
`36, 241, and 254-260 are obvious under § 103(a) based on
`Mugler 1999 in view of Alsop, further in view of Mugler
`Overview
`H. GROUND 8: Claims 115 and 117 are obvious under § 103(a)
`based on Mugler 1999 in view Mugler Overview, further in
`view of Hennig 1986
`
`I.
`
`J.
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`GROUND 9: Claims 135-36 and 237-38 are obvious under §
`103(a) based on Mugler 1999 in view Mugler Overview, further
`in view of Rydberg
`
`GROUND 10: Claims 138 and 240 are obvious under § 103(a)
`based on Mugler 1999 in view Mugler Overview, further in
`view of Stuber
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`
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`This Petition is supported by the declaration of Dr. Norbert Pelc (Ex. 1009).
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`All exhibits submitted herewith, including Dr. Pelc’s declaration (Ex. 1009), are
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`identical to the exhibits Petitioner submits in connection with Petitioner’s other
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`two petitions. Petitioner believes having a common exhibit list serves the
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`convenience of the Board.
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`V. OVERVIEW
`
`A. Technical Background
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`
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`Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) uses a magnetic field and radio
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`frequency (RF) pulses applied to tissues to produce a signal that can be processed
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`into images of the tissues. An MRI scan uses a pulse sequence that defines
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`precisely how RF pulses and gradient-field pulses generated by the MRI scanner
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`are applied during an MR scan to produce data that can be used to generate an
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`image. Ex. 1009 at ¶¶ 40-42. There are three inherent properties of all matter that
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`are used to distinguish between types of tissues in an MR scan: proton density, T1
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`relaxation, and T2 relaxation. Id. at ¶¶ 45-46. Proton density is the concentration of
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`protons in the tissue of interest relative to that in water. T1 relaxation measures the
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`recovery of the longitudinal component of the magnetization vector to its thermal
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`equilibrium value aligned with the main magnetic field. T2 relaxation measures the
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`recovery of the transverse component of the magnetization vector to its thermal
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`equilibrium value of zero. The difference in these values for particular substances
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`may be exploited to generate contrast to form an image. Id. at ¶¶ 45-46.
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`
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`“Spin-echo” and “fast-spin-echo” pulse sequences are well known. These
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`sequences have an excitation RF pulse followed by one or more refocusing RF
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`pulses. The pulses are applied at a “flip angle” relative to the main magnetic field.
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`B.
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`The ’644 Patent
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`(i)
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`Summary of Alleged Invention of the ’644 Patent
`
`
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`The ’644 patent generally relates to spin-echo imaging. See, e.g., Ex. 1001 at
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`3:48-55. The Background portion of the ’644 patent recognizes that the use of
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`“low-flip-angle refocusing RF pulses [that] lengthen its usable duration” was well
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`known. Ex. 1001 at 3:12-19. Also, “deriv[ing] variable flip-angle series” was well
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`known. Id. at 3:20-23. The ’644 patent explains its purported advancement over
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`the prior art as incorporating the effect of tissue relaxation in its determination of a
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`variable-flip-angle series. See, e.g., Ex. 1001 at 3:20-41 (contrasting the prior art,
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`which “derived variable flip-angle series . . . when T1 and T2 relaxation are
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`neglected,” with “[t]he present invention method and apparatus” which “explicitly
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`consider the T1 and T2 relaxation times for the tissues of interest and thereby
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`permit the desired image contrast … .”) (emphasis added).
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`(ii) The Prosecution History
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`
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`The ’644 patent is a reissue of U.S. Pat. No. 7,164,268 (“the ’268 patent”)
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`(Ex. 1013). Ex. 1001 at 1.
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`(iii) Effective Filing Date Of The Challenged Claims
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`The ’644 patent claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional App. No.
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`60/257,182 (“the ’182 application”) (Ex. 1014). The priority claim to the ’182
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`application is ineffective because the subject matter of the Challenged Claims was
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`not disclosed in the ‘182 application in the manner required by 35 U.S.C. § 112, ¶
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`1. See, e.g., SAP America, Inc. v. Pi-Net Int’l, Inc., IPR No. 2014-00414, Paper No.
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`11 at 11-14 (P.T.A.B. August 18, 2014) (relying on § 112 case law is proper in an
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`inter partes review to establish effective filing date). To comply with the written
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`description requirement, the specification “must describe the invention sufficiently
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`to convey to a person of skill in the art that the patentee had possession of the
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`claimed invention at the time of the application, i.e., that the patentee invented
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`what is claimed.” Lizardtech, Inc. v. Earth Resource Mapping, Inc., 424 F.3d 1336,
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`1345 (Fed Cir. 2005). “[A]ll the limitations must appear in the specification” of
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`the priority application, as “[t]he question is not whether a claimed invention is an
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`obvious variant of that which is disclosed in the specification.” Lockwood v. Am.
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`Airlines, Inc., 107 F.3d 1565, 1572 (Fed. Cir. 1997). Although the exact terms of
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`the claims need not be used in haec verba to provide written description, see
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`Eiselstein v. Frank, 52 F.3d 1035, 1038, 34 USPQ2d 1467, 1470 (Fed.Cir.1995),
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`“possession” of an invention can only be shown by describing the invention with
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`all its claim limitations, even if they are obvious, and is measured as of the filing
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`date sought. See, e.g., Lockwood, 107 F.3d at 1572. The Challenged Claims are
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`directed to an “invention” that was not disclosed as being within the inventor’s
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`possession at the time of filing of the ’182 application. Accordingly, the effective
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`filing date of the Challenged Claims is no earlier than the December 21, 2001
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`filing date of Int’l. App. No. PCT/US01/50551.
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`(A) The ’182 application does not describe that selection
`of T1 and T2 relaxation times may be omitted
`The ’182 application discloses that “[o]ur method explicitly considers the Tl
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`and T2 relaxation times for the tissues of interest and thereby permits the desired
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`image contrast to be incorporated into the tissue signal evolutions corresponding to
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`the long echo train.” Ex. 1014 at 3 (emphasis added). Similarly, the ’182
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`application states that “[t]his invention consists of . . . for selected T1 and T2
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`relaxation times.” Id. at 4 (emphasis added). Nowhere does the ’182 application
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`indicate that selection of T1 and T2 relaxation times is an optional step. Ex. 1009
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`at ¶ 70. However, each Challenged Claim omits the limitation “selecting values of
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`T1 and T2 relaxation times.” In fact, during prosecution, P.O. has stated that “none
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`of the independent claims contain any recitation of . . . the selection of T1, T2, or
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`proton density values.” Ex. 1017, Comments on Statement of Reasons for
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`Allowance, dated May 8, 2015, at 2.
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`The ’182 application fails to provide support or an adequate written
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`description of the Challenged Claims. In Gentry Gallery, Inc. v. The Berkline
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`Corp., 134 F.3d 1473 (Fed. Cir. 1998), the Federal Circuit held that claims directed
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`to a sectional sofa that did not limit the location of controls of the sofa to be on a
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`console were not adequately supported by a specification that described the
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`controls only as being on the console. Similarly, in LizardTech, Inc. v. Earth Res.
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`Mapping, Inc., 424 F.3d 1336, 1346 (Fed. Cir. 2005), claims directed to an
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`algorithm were found not adequately supported by a specification that described
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`only one mode of performing the compression when the asserted claims generally
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`claimed all modes that could compress the image. Like the claims at issue in
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`LizardTech, the ’182 application describes only one embodiment for determining
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`variable flip angles by explicitly selecting/considering T1 and T2 relaxation times
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`(see Ex. 1009 at ¶¶ 51-52, 72), yet the Challenged Claims cover a broader
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`invention not disclosed in the ’182 application.
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`(B) The ’182 application does not describe the “magnetic-
`field gradient pulses” limitation recited by each
`Challenged Claim
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`Each of the Challenged Claims recites a “a data-acquisition step” that
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`comprises “providing magnetic-field gradient pulses that perform at least one of
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`encoding spatial information into at least one of the radio-frequency magnetic
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`resonance signals . . . and dephasing transverse magnetization . . . .” Ex. 1001 at
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`cls. 75, 140, 157-58, and 176-177 (emphasis added).
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`First, the ’182 application does not provide support or written description for
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`the magnetic field gradient pulses encoding spatial information into “at least one
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`of” the RF magnetic resonance signals that follow “at least one of” said refocusing
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`radio-frequency pulses. Ex. 1009 at ¶¶ 73-79. The ’182 application discloses that
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`“[a]ny form of the applied spatial-encoding gradient waveforms . . . are
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`applicable.” Ex. 1014 at 6. However, disclosure of applied spatial-encoding
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`gradient waveforms does not disclose or suggest that spatial information may be
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`encoded into only one of the RF magnetic resonance signals for only one of the
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`refocusing RF pulses. Ex. 1009 at ¶¶ 74-75. To the contrary, a person of ordinary
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`skill in the art would understand that applied spatial-encoding gradient waveforms
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`as disclosed by the ’182 application necessarily encode spatial information for all
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`of the refocusing RF pulses. Id.
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`Second, the ’182 application does not provide support or written description
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`for providing magnetic-field gradient pulses as part of a data-acquisition step that
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`performs “dephasing transverse magnetization associated with undesired signal
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`pathways to reduce or eliminate contribution of said transverse magnetization to
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`sampled signals.” Ex. 1009 at ¶¶ 76-79. The ’182 application does not even
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`mention any of the following words: “dephase,” “dephasing,” “transverse
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`magnetization,”