`571-272-7822
` Date Entered: November 29, 2021
`
`
`UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFIC
`____________
`
`BEFORE THE PATENT TRIAL AND APPEAL BOARD
`____________
`
`COMCAST CABLE COMMUICATIONS, LLC,
`Petitioner,
`
`v.
`
`ROVI GUIDES, INC.,
`Patent Owner.
`
`____________
`
`IPR2017-00950 (Patent 8,006,263 B2)
`IPR2017-00951 (Patent 8,006,263 B2)
`IPR2017-00952 (Patent 8,006,263 B2)
`IPR2017-01048 (Patent 8,578,413 B2)
`IPR2017-01049 (Patent 8,578,413 B2)
` IPR2017-01050 (Patent 8,578,413 B2)1
`____________
`
`Before KEVIN F. TURNER, MICHAEL R. ZECHER, and
`JESSICA C. KAISER, Administrative Patent Judges.
`
`PER CURIAM.
`
`
`
`ORDER
`Conduct of the Proceeding
`37 C.F.R. § 42.5(a)
`
`
`
`
`
`1 This Order addresses an issue that is identical in all six proceedings.
`We, therefore, exercise our discretion to issue one Order to be filed in each
`proceeding.
`
`
`
`
`
`
`IPR2017-00950 (Patent 8,006,263 B2) IPR2017-01048 (Patent 8,578,413 B2)
`IPR2017-00951 (Patent 8,006,263 B2) IPR2017-01049 (Patent 8,578,413 B2)
`IPR2017-00952 (Patent 8,006,263 B2) IPR2017-01050 (Patent 8,578,413 B2)
`
`
`
`On October 1, 2021, Patent Owner, Rovi Guides, Inc. (“Rovi”), filed a
`Request for Rehearing by the Director in each proceeding. See, e.g.,
`IPR2017-00950, Paper 47. Prior to filing those requests, via email Rovi
`requested authorization to file a motion to terminate, vacate, and keep the
`Settlement Agreement confidential. See, e.g., IPR2017-00950, Ex. 3001.
`On November 22, 2021, an Order Denying Rovi’s Request for Rehearing by
`the Director (“Order on the Director Rehearing Request”) was entered in
`each proceeding. See, e.g., IPR2017-00950, Paper 49.
`Under 35 U.S.C. § 317(a), “[i]f no petitioner remains in the inter
`partes review, the Office may terminate the review or proceed to a final
`written decision under section 318(a).” The Board already has proceeded to
`a final written decision in each of these six cases. The Order on the Director
`Rehearing Request entered in each proceeding states that the Patent Trial
`and Appeal Board’s Final Written Decision is the final decision of the
`agency. See, e.g., IPR2017-00950, Paper 49, 2. Therefore, under the plain
`language of the statute, a motion to terminate is not available under § 317(a).
`The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit issued orders in the
`appeals of each proceeding, remanding the cases to the Office “for the
`limited purpose of allowing the parties to seek further action by the
`Director.” See, e.g., Rovi Guides, Inc. v. Hirshfeld, No. 2020-2111, ECF
`No. 50, at 2 (Aug. 3, 2021). The Federal Circuit’s limited remand order did
`not vacate the Board’s Final Written Decisions. The Order on the Director
`Rehearing Request also did not vacate the Board’s Final Written Decisions.
`Under these circumstances, Rovi’s request for authorization to file a motion
`to vacate in each proceeding is denied.
`2
`
`
`
`
`
`IPR2017-00950 (Patent 8,006,263 B2) IPR2017-01048 (Patent 8,578,413 B2)
`IPR2017-00951 (Patent 8,006,263 B2) IPR2017-01049 (Patent 8,578,413 B2)
`IPR2017-00952 (Patent 8,006,263 B2) IPR2017-01050 (Patent 8,578,413 B2)
`
`
`
`
`It is
`ORDERED that Rovi’s request for authorization to file a motion to
`
`terminate, vacate, and keep the Settlement Agreement confidential in each
`proceeding is denied.
`
`
`
`PETITIONER:
`
`Frederic M. Meeker
`Bradley C. Wright
`Scott M. Kelly
`Azuka C. Dike
`Joshua Davenport
`Camille Sauer
`Bennett A. Ingvoldstad
`BANNER AND WITCOFF, LTD.
`fmeeker@bannerwitcoff.com
`bwright@bannerwitcoff.com
`skelly@bannerwitcoff.com
`adike@bannerwitcoff.com
`jdavenport@bannerwitcoff.com
`csauer@bannerwitcoff.com
`
`
`PATENT OWNER:
`
`Mark D. Rowland
`Jason D. Eisenberg
`Kristina Caggiano Kelly
`ROPES & GRAY LLP
`Mark.Rowland@ropesgray.com
`jasone-PTAB@sternekessler.com
`kckelly-PTAB@sternekessler.com
`
`
`3
`
`
`
`