`571.272.7822 Paper No. 12, IPR2016-00897
` Paper No. 13, IPR2016-00900; Paper No. 13, IPR2016-00901
` Paper No. 12, IPR2016-00902; Paper No. 12, IPR2016-00903
` Entered: August 25, 2016
`
`
`UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
`_______________
`
`BEFORE THE PATENT TRIAL AND APPEAL BOARD
`_______________
`
`VOLKSWAGEN GROUP OF AMERICA, INC.,
`Petitioner,
`
`v.
`
`
`
`
`
`ADVANCED SILICON TECHNOLOGIES LLC,
`Patent Owner.
`_______________
`
`Case IPR2016-00894 (Patent 8,933,945 B2);
`Case IPR2016-00897 (Patent 6,630,935 B1);
`Case IPR2016-00900 (Patent 6,339,428 B1);
`Case IPR2016-00901 (Patent 6,339,428 B1);
`Case IPR2016-00902 (Patent 6,546,439 B1);
`Case IPR2016-00903 (Patent 6,546,439 B1)1
`_______________
`
`Before KRISTEN L. DROESCH, PATRICK R. SCANLON, and
`BART A. GERSTENBLITH, Administrative Patent Judges.
`
`GERSTENBLITH, Administrative Patent Judge.
`
`
`DECISION
`Termination and Settlement
`35 U.S.C. § 317; 37 C.F.R. §§ 42.72, 42.74
`
`1 This Decision addresses issues that apply to the six cases. We, therefore,
`exercise our discretion to issue one Order to be filed in each of the cases.
`The parties are not authorized to use this heading style in their papers.
`
`
`
`
`
`Case IPR2016-00894 (Patent 8,933,945 B2)
`Case IPR2016-00897 (Patent 6,630,935 B1)
`Case IPR2016-00900 (Patent 6,339,428 B1)
`Case IPR2016-00901 (Patent 6,339,428 B1)
`Case IPR2016-00902 (Patent 6,546,439 B1)
`Case IPR2016-00903 (Patent 6,546,439 B1)
`
`
`I.
`
`DISCUSSION
`
`In an e-mail dated August 10, 2016, we authorized the parties to file
`joint motions to terminate the instant proceedings with true copies of their
`agreement(s) in contemplation of termination and joint motions to treat the
`filed copies of their agreement(s) as business confidential information under
`37 C.F.R. § 42.74(c). On August 16, 2016, the parties filed a Joint Motion
`to Terminate Proceeding Pursuant to 35 U.S.C. § 317 (Paper 102), a copy of
`a written Settlement Agreement (Ex. 1016), and a Joint Request that
`Agreement be Treated as Business Confidential Information and Kept
`Separate Under 37 C.F.R. § 42.74(c) (Paper 12) in each of the proceedings.3
`The parties indicate that they have settled their underlying dispute and
`have agreed to terminate these proceedings. Paper 10 at 2–3. The parties
`filed what they represent is a true and accurate copy of their written
`Settlement Agreement, and indicate that there are no other agreements or
`understandings, oral or written, between the parties, including any collateral
`agreements, made in connection with, or in contemplation of, the
`
`
`2 Citations are to IPR2016-00894, unless otherwise indicated.
`3 The parties filed these documents, respectively, in each of the instant
`proceedings as follows:
` IPR2016-00897: Paper 9, Exhibit 1026, and Paper 11;
` IPR2016-00900: Paper 10, Exhibit 1019, and Paper 11;
` IPR2016-00901: Paper 10, Exhibit 1020, and Paper 11;
` IPR2016-00902: Paper 9, Exhibit 1011, and Paper 11; and
` IPR2016-00903: Paper 9, Exhibit 1011, and Paper 11.
`
`
`
`2
`
`
`
`Case IPR2016-00894 (Patent 8,933,945 B2)
`Case IPR2016-00897 (Patent 6,630,935 B1)
`Case IPR2016-00900 (Patent 6,339,428 B1)
`Case IPR2016-00901 (Patent 6,339,428 B1)
`Case IPR2016-00902 (Patent 6,546,439 B1)
`Case IPR2016-00903 (Patent 6,546,439 B1)
`
`termination of these proceedings. Id. at 1. The parties further indicate that
`the Settlement Agreement resolves all underlying disputes between the
`parties with respect to other cases before the U.S. International Trade
`Commission Investigation, and the U.S. District Court for the District of
`Delaware. Id. at 3–5.
`Generally, the Board expects that a proceeding will terminate after the
`filing of a settlement agreement. See, e.g., Office Patent Trial Practice
`Guide, 77 Fed. Reg. 48,756, 48,768 (Aug. 14, 2012). For the petitions for
`inter partes review before us, trial has not yet been instituted, and the merits
`of the proceedings have not been decided. See 35 U.S.C. § 317(a) (“An inter
`partes review instituted under this chapter shall be terminated with respect to
`any petitioner upon the joint request of the petitioner and the patent owner,
`unless the Office has decided the merits of the proceeding before the request
`for termination is filed.”); 37 C.F.R. § 42.72 (“The Board may terminate a
`trial without rendering a final written decision, where appropriate . . . .”).
`We are persuaded that, under these circumstances, termination of these
`proceedings is appropriate.
`This Decision does not constitute a final written decision pursuant to
`35 U.S.C. § 318(a).
`
`
`
`3
`
`
`
`Case IPR2016-00894 (Patent 8,933,945 B2)
`Case IPR2016-00897 (Patent 6,630,935 B1)
`Case IPR2016-00900 (Patent 6,339,428 B1)
`Case IPR2016-00901 (Patent 6,339,428 B1)
`Case IPR2016-00902 (Patent 6,546,439 B1)
`Case IPR2016-00903 (Patent 6,546,439 B1)
`
`
`II. ORDER
`
`Accordingly, it is
`ORDERED the parties’ Joint Motion to Terminate Proceeding
`Pursuant to 35 U.S.C. § 317 (IPR2016-00894, Paper 10; IPR2016-00897,
`Paper 9; IPR2016-00900, Paper 10; IPR2016-00901, Paper 10;
`IPR2016-00902, Paper 9; IPR2016-00903, Paper 9) in each of the instant
`proceedings is granted;
`FURTHER ORDERED that the parties’ Joint Request that Agreement
`be Treated as Business Confidential Information and Kept Separate Under
`37 C.F.R. § 42.74(c) (IPR2016-00894, Paper 12; IPR2016-00897, Paper 11;
`IPR2016-00900, Paper 11; IPR2016-00901, Paper 11; IPR2016-00902,
`Paper 11; IPR2016-00903, Paper 11) in each of the instant proceedings is
`granted;
`FURTHER ORDERED that the Settlement Agreement
`(IPR2016-00894, Exhibit 1016; IPR2016-00897, Exhibit 1026;
`IPR2016-00900, Exhibit 1019; IPR2016-00901, Exhibit 1020;
`IPR2016-00902, Exhibit 1011; IPR2016-00903, Exhibit 1011) in each of the
`instant proceedings shall be kept separate from the file of the
`above-referenced patents, pursuant to 35 U.S.C. § 317(b) and 37 C.F.R.
`§ 42.74(c); and
`FURTHER ORDERED that each of these proceedings is terminated.
`
`
`
`4
`
`
`
`Case IPR2016-00894 (Patent 8,933,945 B2)
`Case IPR2016-00897 (Patent 6,630,935 B1)
`Case IPR2016-00900 (Patent 6,339,428 B1)
`Case IPR2016-00901 (Patent 6,339,428 B1)
`Case IPR2016-00902 (Patent 6,546,439 B1)
`Case IPR2016-00903 (Patent 6,546,439 B1)
`
`For PETITIONER:
`
`Michael D. Specht
`Daniel E. Yonan
`Richard Bemben
`Ryan C. Richardson
`Jonathan Tuminaro
`Ross Hicks
`STERN, KESSLER, GOLDSTEIN & FOX P.L.L.C.
`rrichardson-PTAB@skgf.com
`mspecht-PTAB@skgf.com
`rbemben-PTAB@skgf.com
`dyonan-PTAB@skgf.com
`jtuminar-PTAB@skgf.com
`rhicks-PTAB@skgf.com
`
`For PATENT OWNER:
`
`William A. Meunier
`Michael T. Renaud
`Adam S. Rizk
`MINTZ, LEVIN, COHEN, FERRIS, GLOVSKY AND POPEO, P.C.
`wameunier@mintz.com
`mtrenaud@mintz.com
`arizk@mintz.com
`
`
`
`
`
`5