`
`
`
`
`
`
`UNITED STATES INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION
`WASHINGTON, D.C. 20436
`
`Before The Honorable Thomas B. Pender
`Administrative Law Judge
`
`
`
`
`
`In the Matter of
`
`
`
`
`CERTAIN ROBOTIC VACUUM
`
`CLEANING DEVICES AND
`
`COMPONENTS THEREOF SUCH AS
`
`SPARE PARTS
`
`
`
`
`
`Investigation No. 337-TA-1057
`
`RESPONDENTS’ DISCLOSURE OF INVALIDITY CONTENTIONS
`
`Pursuant to Ground Rule 7.5 in the above-captioned Investigation, Respondents
`
`Shenzhen Silver Star Intelligent Technology Co., Ltd., The Black & Decker Corporation and
`
`Black & Decker (U.S.) Inc. (“Black & Decker U.S.”) (collectively, “Black & Decker”),
`
`Shenzhen Zhiyi Technology Co., Inc. (“Zhiyi”), Hoover, Inc., Royal Appliance Manufacturing
`
`Co., Inc. d/b/a TTO Floor Care North America, Inc., Bobsweep, Inc., Bobsweep USA,
`
`BISSELL Homecare, Inc., and Matsutek Enterprises Co., Ltd. hereby set forth their invalidity
`
`contentions
`
`Discovery in this Investigation is continuing. Respondents’ invalidity contentions are
`
`made to the best of their knowledge and understanding, which may change as facts and evidence
`
`are made available to them and/or based on the forthcoming claim construction order. Therefore,
`
`Respondents reserve the right to seek relief to amend and supplement these contentions. In
`
`addition, because a claim construction order has not issued, these contentions may assume
`
`constructions from either the Complainant or the Respondents. Any comparison of a claim term
`
`1
`
`4833-4448-3405.v1
`
`IROBOT 2009
`Shenzhen Silver Star v. iRobot
`IPR2018-00897
`
`

`

`
`
`to the prior art expressly or implicitly using a construction offered by Complainant is not a
`
`concession or admission to the correctness of that construction, and is simply done out of an
`
`abundance of caution in the event that such construction is adopted. Likewise, for any claim
`
`term Respondents contend to be indefinite, any comparison of that claim term to the prior art is
`
`not a concession that the term is definite, and instead is simply done out of an abundance of
`
`caution.
`
`To the extent an Asserted Patent or a claim thereof is against less than all Respondents
`
`and not the basis for a domestic industry contention, the contentions herein with respect to that
`
`patent or claim thereof are on behalf of just those Respondents against whom that patent or claim
`
`is asserted.
`
`These contentions are made in view of the priority dates alleged in Complainant’s
`
`Ground Rule 7.1 Disclosure. If the Complainant obtains leave to assert an earlier priority date
`
`for any Asserted Patent or claim thereof, Respondents reserve the right to supplement their
`
`contentions in view of the allegedly earlier priority date.
`
`All pin cites are exemplary in nature. Respondents reserve the right to rely on
`
`supplemental citations and authorities to supplement all arguments made herein. Respondents
`
`also reserve the right to rely on additional citations to reply to any unforeseen rebuttals the
`
`Complainant may make.
`
`For any priority date alleged, Respondents do not concede that Complainant is entitled to
`
`be accorded priority benefit to that date. The burden resides with Complainant to establish
`
`entitlement to an alleged priority date. Respondents do not assume any burden to disprove that
`
`priority claim when asserting intervening references (i.e., references having an effective prior art
`
`date between an Asserted Patent’s actual and priority date).
`
`2
`
`4833-4448-3405.v1
`
`

`

`
`
`
`Zhiyi has also filed IPRs against asserted patents under the case numbers IPR2017-
`
`02050,
`
`IPR2017-02061,
`
`IPR2017-02078,
`
`IPR2017-02133,
`
`IPR2017-02137.
`
` Each
`
`is
`
`incorporated by reference herein and all arguments made therein should be considered to have
`
`been made entirely as part of these invalidity contentions. To the extent any IPRs are filed with
`
`the USPTO in the future, their contents should additionally be considered incorporated by
`
`reference at the time of filing and all arguments made therein apply to these contentions. Those
`
`IPR Petitions can be found in the Bates ranges 1057PriorArt005621-1057PriorArt005676,
`
`1057PriorArt004582-1057PriorArt004627,
`
`1057PriorArt005549-1057PriorArt00562,
`
`1057PriorArt010293-1057PriorArt010347,
`
`1057PriorArt011639-1057PriorArt011693,
`
`1057PriorArt011694-1057PriorArt011765.
`
`I.
`
`IDENTIFICATION OF PRIOR ART AND PRIORITY DATES (G.R. 7.5.1(1) and
`(2))
`
`Per Ground Rule 7.5.1(1), the chart below includes for each prior art patent (or published
`
`application), its number, country of origin, date of issue (or publication), and the patentee (or
`
`applicant) name. Per Ground Rule 7.5.2, the priority dates for those patents/applications are also
`
`included where applicable. Because the Asserted Patents are pre-AIA patents, the foreign filing
`
`priority dates for foreign applications are omitted, as they are not relevant.
`
`3
`
`4833-4448-3405.v1
`
`

`

`
`
`
`Number
`
`Country
`
`JP 11-212642
`
`Japan
`
`Issue or
`Publication
`Date
`8/6/99
`
`Name of
`Patentee/
`Applicant
`Ueno
`
`Priority
`Date
`
`N/A
`
`US 6,941,199
`
`USA
`
`9/6/05
`
`Bottomley
`
`7/20/98
`
`WO 00/04430
`
`PCT
`
`1/27/00
`
`Bottomley
`
`7/20/98
`
`WO 93/03399
`
`PCT
`
`2/18/93
`
`Ohman
`
`WO 00/38025
`
`PCT
`
`6/29/00
`
`Bisset ‘025
`
`WO 00/38026
`
`PCT
`
`6/29/00
`
`Bisset ‘026
`
`DE 19849978
`
`Germany 5/11/00
`
`Erwin
`
`N/A
`
`N/A
`
`N/A
`
`N/A
`
`US
`2002/0156556
`JP 2002321180 Japan
`
`USA
`
`11/5/02
`
`Koji
`
`8/26/03
`
`Ruffner
`
`7/12/99
`
`N/A
`
`N/A
`
`JP 2002354139 Japan
`
`12/6/02
`
`Koichi
`
`US 6,584,376
`
`USA
`
`6/24/03
`
`Van Kommer 11/30/99
`
`JP 2004136144 Japan
`
`5/13/04
`
`Kazuhiro
`
`N/A
`
`US 6,535,793
`
`USA
`
`3/18/03
`
`Allard
`
`US 5,682,313
`
`USA
`
`10/28/97
`
`Edlund
`
`US 6,076,025
`
`USA
`
`6/13/00
`
`Ueno
`
`5/1/00
`
`6/5/95
`
`1/29/97
`
`US 5,109,566
`
`USA
`
`US 6,574,536
`
`USA
`
`5/5/92
`
`6/3/03
`
`Kobayashi
`
`6/28/1990
`
`Kawagoe
`
`1/29/96
`
`US 7,218,994
`
`USA
`
`5/15/07
`
`Kanda
`
`10/1/02
`
`4
`
`Bates Range
`
`SS_ITC_00043650-
`90
`SS_ITC_00054816-
`26
`SS_ITC_00055403-
`32
`SS_ITC_00055974-
`94
`SS_ITC_00055603-
`49
`SS_ITC_00055650-
`84
`1057PriorArt007187-
`1057PriorArt007194;
`1057PriorArt007195-
`1057PriorArt007198;
`1057PriorArt007175-
`1057PriorArt007186
`SS_ITC_00050682-
`727
`SS_ITC_00044138-
`67
`SS_ITC_00044024-
`45
`SS_ITC_00054621-
`29
`SS_ITC_00044236-
`44
`SS_ITC_00044315-
`41
` 1057PriorArt008477-
`1057PriorArt008498
`SS_ITC_00018844-
`53
`SS_ITC_00054141-
`62
`SS_ITC_00052690-
`717
`SS_ITC_00023545-
`78
`SS_ITC_00059864-
`82
`
`4833-4448-3405.v1
`
`

`

`
`
`
`Number
`
`Country
`
`US 7,873,448
`
`USA
`
`Issue or
`Publication
`Date
`1/18/11
`
`Name of
`Patentee/
`Applicant
`Takeda
`
`Priority
`Date
`
`12/10/02
`
`US 4,920,520
`
`USA
`
`4/24/90
`
`Gobel
`
`9/8/87
`
`US 6,324,462
`
`USA
`
`11/27/01
`
`Kageyama
`
`8/22/97
`
`Bates Range
`
`US
`2005/0171637
`US 4,967,862
`
`USA
`
`USA
`
`8/4/05
`
`11/6/90
`
`Tani
`
`Pong
`
`US 5,935,179
`
`USA
`
`8/10/99
`
`Kleiner
`
`US 6,809,490
`
`USA
`
`10/26/04
`
`Jones
`
`1/30/04
`
`3/13/89
`
`4/30/96
`
`6/12/01
`
`2/27/04
`
`USA
`
`USA
`
`9/1/05
`
`Park
`
`2/20/03
`
`Shamoon
`
`8/20/01
`
`Japan
`
`7/28/08
`
`Takimoto
`
`N/A
`
`SS_ITC_00059940-
`64
`SS_ITC_00052458-
`64
`SS_ITC_00059357-
`69
`SS_ITC_00058618-
`29
`SS_ITC_00058902-
`18
`SS_ITC_00019588-
`601
`1057PriorArt005255-
`1057PriorArt005282
`1057PriorArt005283-
`1057PriorArt005297
` 1057PriorArt011603-
`1057PriorArt011620
`1057PriorArt002618-
`1057PriorArt002636
`SS_ITC_00042726-
`38
`1057PriorArt006139-
`1057PriorArt006153
`1057PriorArt011822-
`1057PriorArt011831
`SS_ITC_00054506-
`27
`1057PriorArt003393-
`1057PriorArt003402
`SS_ITC_00056858-
`75
`1057PriorArt005938-
`1057PriorArt005986
`1057PriorArt011263-
`1057PriorArt011265
`SS_ITC_00054648-
`73
`SS_ITC_00018147-
`59
`SS_ITC_00052855-
`73
`
`4833-4448-3405.v1
`
`US
`2005/0192707
`US
`2003/0334898
`JP 2000207215
`
`GB 1062102
`
`GB
`
`3/15/67
`
`Slay
`
`N/A
`
`WO 02/06744
`
`PCT
`
`9/6/2002
`
`Haegermarck N/A
`
`US
`2004/0143927
`US 6,481,515
`
`USA
`
`USA
`
`7/29/04
`
`Haegermarck 1/25/02
`
`11/19/02
`
`Kirkpatrick
`
`5/30/00
`
`U.S. 4,932,489 USA
`
`6/12/90
`
`Evans
`
`4/7/88
`
`U.S. 6,389,329 USA
`
`5/14/02
`
`WO 99/28800
`
`PCT
`
`6/19/99
`
`Colens
`
`Colens
`
`5/26/00,
`11/27/97
`N/A
`
`U.S. 500,976
`
`USA
`
`7/4/1893
`
`Tangenberg
`
`
`
`U.S. 6,594,844 USA
`
`7/22/03
`
`Jones
`
`U.S. 5,293,955 USA
`
`1/15/94
`
`Lee
`
`1/24/00
`
`12/30/91
`
`U.S. 5,279,672 USA
`
`1/18/94
`
`Windsor
`
`6/29/92
`
`5
`
`

`

`
`
`
`Number
`
`Country
`
`U.S. 5,341,540 USA
`
`Issue or
`Publication
`Date
`8/30/94
`
`Name of
`Patentee/
`Applicant
`Soupert
`
`U.S. 5,245,177 USA
`
`9/14/93
`
`Schiller
`
`U.S. 5,377,106 USA
`
`12/27/94
`
`Drunk
`
`U.S. 4,954,962 USA
`
`9/4/90
`
`Evans
`
`JP05-257533
`
`Japan
`
`10/8/1993
`
`Onari
`
`US 6,370,453
`
`USA
`
`4/9/2002
`
`Sommer
`
`JP2001-87182
`
`Japan
`
`4/3/2001
`
`Maruyama
`
`US 4,936,676
`
`USA
`
`6/26/1990
`
`Stauffer
`
`US 4,679,152
`
`USA
`
`7/7/1987
`
`Perdue
`
`US 5,440,216
`
`USA
`
`8/8/1995
`
`Kim
`
`US 5,839,156
`
`USA
`
`11/24/1998 Park
`
`US 5,926,909
`
`USA
`
`7/27/1999 McGee
`
`US 6,076,226
`
`USA
`
`6/20/2000
`
`Reed
`
`US 5,353,224
`
`USA
`
`10/4/1994
`
`Lee
`
`US 5,548,511
`
`USA
`
`8/20/1996
`
`Bancroft
`
`US 6,260,645
`
`USA
`
`7/17/2001
`
`Pawlowski
`
`US 6,170,242
`
`USA
`
`1/9/2001
`
`Gordon
`
`US 5,213,176
`
`USA
`
`5/25/1993
`
`Oroku
`
`US 4,028,765
`
`USA
`
`6/14/1977
`
`Liebscher
`
`US 5,901,409
`
`USA
`
`5/11/1999
`
`Schick
`
`Priority
`Date
`
`Bates Range
`
`12/6/91
`
`10/24/91
`
`3/24/87
`
`9/6/88
`
`10/8/1993
`
`7/22/1999
`
`9/20/1999
`
`1057PriorArt000391-
`1057PriorArt000400
`SS_ITC_00058972-
`82
`SS_ITC_00053044-
`73
`1057PriorArt007199-
`1057PriorArt007212
`SS_ITC_00043428-
`84
`SS_ITC_00054455-
`78
`SS_ITC_00058129-
`48
`SS_ITC_00058149-
`58 (Google
`Translation)"
`11/28/1984 SS_ITC_00058857-
`63
`SS_ITC_00058776-
`90
`SS_ITC_00018372-
`402
`12/18/1996 1057PriorArt007562-
`1057PriorArt007576
`1057PriorArt007577-
`1057PriorArt007588
`1057PriorArt007589-
`1057PriorArt007615
`SS_ITC_00018249-
`74
`10/29/1992 1057PriorArt000850-
`1057PriorArt000857
`1057PriorArt011575-
`1057PriorArt011587
`1057PriorArt011588-
`1057PriorArt011602
`1057PriorArt000433-
`1057PriorArt000477
`SS_ITC_00058714-
`29
`SS_ITC_00059258-
`
`2/20/1985
`
`6/8/1993
`
`8/28/1996
`
`1/27/1997
`
`12/5/1991
`
`4/22/1999
`
`7/22/1997
`
`12/7/1990
`
`7/19/1976
`
`4/22/1998
`
`6
`
`4833-4448-3405.v1
`
`

`

`
`
`
`Number
`
`Country
`
`Issue or
`Publication
`Date
`
`Name of
`Patentee/
`Applicant
`
`Priority
`Date
`
`US 5,995,884
`
`USA
`
`11/30/1999 Allen
`
`3/7/1997
`
`
`
`Bates Range
`
`62
`SS_ITC_00053985-
`4050
`
`The chart below includes for each publication (i.e., non-patent) the title, date of
`
`publication and, where feasible, author and publisher.
`
`7
`
`4833-4448-3405.v1
`
`

`

`
`
`
`Title
`
`Sensors for Mobile
`Robots
`Human Robot
`Interaction via
`Cellular Phones
`Development of a
`Home Service Robot
`‘ISSAC’
`Vacuum Cleaner
`Robot Operated in
`Conjunction with 3G
`Cellular Phone
`Mobile Robots –
`Inspiration to
`Implementation (1st
`ed.)
`Mobile Robots –
`Inspiration to
`Implementation (2nd
`ed.)
`Sweeping Strategies
`for a Sensory-Driven,
`Behavior-based
`Vacuum Cleaning
`Agent
`Trilobite Instruction
`Manual[1]
`Handbook of
`Photoelectric Sensing
`
`Publication
`Date
`1995
`
`H.R. Everett
`
`A.K. Peters
`
`Author
`
`Publisher
`
`Bates Range
`
`1057PriorArt007616-
`1057PriorArt007625
`SS_ITC_00043222-27
`
`1057PriorArt001959-
`1057PriorArt001964
`
`2003
`
`Sekman
`
`IEEE
`
`10/2003
`
`You
`
`IEEE
`
`10/2003
`
`Hitoshi
`
`Toshiba
`
`SS_ITC_00055272-82
`
`1993
`
`1998
`
`Jones and
`Flynn
`
`A.K. Peters
`
`SS_ITC_00046808-997
`
`Jones, Flynn,
`and Seiger
`
`A.K. Peters
`
`SS_ITC_00046998-
`7238
`
`1993
`
`Doty
`
`AAAI
`
`SS_ITC_00058331-339
`
`12/1/01
`
`1993
`
`N/A
`
`N/A
`
`Electrolux
`
`Banner
`Engineering
`Corp.
`
`
`1057PriorArt006596-
`1057PriorArt006655
`SS_ITC_00042979-
`SS_ITC_00043218
`
`1057PriorArt007213-
`1057PriorArt007218
`
`J. Evans, B.
`Krishnamurthy,
`B. Barrows, T.
`Skewis, and V.
`Lumelsky
`
`1992
`
`1995
`
`Handling Real-World
`Motion Planning: A
`Hospital Transport
`Robot (“Evans
`Article”)
`
`Autonomous Mobile
`Robots Final Report:
`Vacuum Cleaning
`Robot by (“Gomes”)
`
`[1] This may also qualify as part of a sale, offer for sale, or public use because it was included with Electrolux’s
`product. Discovery of Electrolux information is still being pursued.
`
`Nuno Gomes
`& Joaquim
`Ferreira
`
`
`
`SS_ITC_00059972-80
`
`8
`
`4833-4448-3405.v1
`
`

`

`
`
`
`Title
`
`Optical Proximity
`Sensing for
`Manipulators,
`Technical Report
`JPLTM 33-612[2]
`(“Johnston”)
`
`The Art of
`Electronics
`
`The Uranus Mobile
`Robot
`
`Publication
`Date
`1973
`
`Author
`
`Publisher
`
`Bates Range
`
`Johnston
`
`Jet Propulsion
`Laboratory
`
`1057PriorArt008247-
`1057PriorArt008267
`
`1988
`
`Horowitz and
`Hill
`
`1991
`
`Blackwell
`
`Cambridge
`University
`Press
`Carnegie
`Mellon
`University
`
`A Short History of
`Cleaning Robots
`
`2000
`
`Prassler
`
`Autonomous Mobile
`Robots
`
`1985
`
`The Mobile
`Robot
`Laboratory
`N/A
`
`N/A
`
`N/A
`
`Sekmen
`
`Before
`1998
`Before
`1988
`1988
`
`2003
`
`Kluwer
`Academic
`Publisher
`Carnegie
`Mellon
`University
`Sharp
`
`Sharp
`
`Archer
`
`IEEE
`
`1057PriorArt008189-
`1057PriorArt008246
`
`1057PriorArt008408-
`1057PriorArt008409;
`1057PriorArt005033-
`1057PriorArt005065;
`1057PriorArt008410
`1057PriorArt011766-
`1057PriorArt011781
`
`1057PriorArt004871-
`1057PriorArt005032
`
`1057PriorArt000001-
`1057PriorArt000004
`1057PriorArt011782-
`1057PriorArt011785
`1057PriorArt011820-
`1057PriorArt011821
`SS_ITC_00043222-27
`
`SS_ITC_00042152-57
`
`1057PriorArt007464-
`1057PriorArt007470
`
`1057PriorArt011621-
`1057PriorArt011638
` 1057PriorArt011794-
`
`Sharp GP2D02
`Datasheet
`Sharp GP1U52X
`Datasheet
`Archer GP1U52X
`Datasheet
`Human Robot
`Interactions via
`Cellular Phones
`Development of a
`Home Service Robot
`“ISSAC”
`Test Bed Robot
`Development for
`Cooperative
`Submunitions
`Clearance
`Karcher RC 3000
`Manual
`1998
`Subsumption
`
`[2] https://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/19740005038.pdf
`
`2003
`
`You et al.
`
`IEEE
`
`1999
`
`Pook et al.
`
`2002
`
`N/A
`
`N/A
`
`International
`Journal of
`Robotics
`Research
`
`Karcher
`
`Naval
`
`9
`
`4833-4448-3405.v1
`
`

`

`
`
`
`Title
`
`Robotics
`
`Publication
`Date
`
`The Complete Idiot’s
`Guide to Microsoft
`Office 95
`Web Phones: The
`Next Big Thing
`Nokia 9000il
`Communicator
`
`
`1995
`
`Kinkoph
`
`4/15/1999
`
`Hafner
`
`1998
`
`Nokia
`
`Author
`
`Publisher
`
`Bates Range
`
`Explosive
`Ordnance
`Disposal
`Technology
`Division
`Que
`Publishing
`
`New York
`Times
`Nokia
`
`1057PriorArt011800
`
`
`
`1057PriorArt005474-
`1057PriorArt005480
`1057PriorArt005344-
`1057PriorArt005473
`
`The chart below includes for items offered for sale, sold, publicly used or known, the date
`
`the offer or use took place or the information became know, the identity of the person or entity
`
`which made the use or which made and received the offer, or the person or entity which made
`
`the information known or to whom it was known.
`
`10
`
`4833-4448-3405.v1
`
`

`

`
`
`Item
`
`Suckmaster II
`Vacuum Robot
`(includes device,
`source code, and
`articles)
`
`Admitted May
`2002 Roomba
`Sales
`Roomba 500
`Series robot
`
`Robart I
`
`Robart II
`
`Category (e.g.,
`Sale, Offer for
`Sale, Public
`Use)
`Public Use
`
`Offer for
`Sale/Sale
`
`Offer for
`Sale/Sale
`Public Use
`Public Use
`
`Public Use
`
`Electrolux
`Tribolite
`
`Dyson DC-06
`
`Offer for
`Sale/Sale
`Public Use
`Public Use
`
`RoboScrub
`Robot
`
`Offer for
`Sale/Sale/Public
`Use
`RoboKent Robot Offer for
`Sale/Sale/Public
`Use
`Public Use
`
`Uranus Mobile
`Robot
`
`Karcher Robot
`
`Offer for
`Sale/Sale/Public
`Use
`HelpMate Robot Offer for
`Sale/Sale/Public
`Use
`Offer for
`Sale/Sale/Public
`Use
`
`Cye Robot
`
`Date
`
`Entity(ies)
`Involved
`
`Bates Range
`
`February
`2002
`
`Dale Heatherington
`Atlanta Hobby
`Robot Club
`
`May 2002
`
`iRobot
`
`
`
`iRobot
`
`1980-1985 H.R. Everett
`
`1982-1987 H.R. Everett
`Naval Command
`Control and Ocean
`Surveillance Center
`Electrolux
`
`December
`2001
`
`1057PriorArt005248-
`1057PriorArt005254;
`1057PriorArt005138-
`1057PriorArt005167;
`1057PriorArt002996-
`1057PriorArt002999
`
`
`1057PriorArt000158-
`1057PriorArt000171
`
`1057PriorArt007616-
`1057PriorArt007625
`1057PriorArt007616-
`1057PriorArt007625
`
`1057PriorArt006596-
`1057PriorArt006655
`
`February
`29, 2000
`October
`1991
`
`Dyson
`
`1057PriorArt010660
`
`Windsor Corp.
`
`KNA000118;
`KNA000043-91
`
`1988-1998 Kent Corporation
`Servus Robots
`Intellibot
`Carnegie Mellon
`University
`
`1985
`
`2002
`
`Karcher
`
`
`
`1057PriorArt008408-
`1057PriorArt008409;
`1057PriorArt005033-
`1057PriorArt005065
`1057PriorArt011621-
`1057PriorArt011638
`
`Prior to
`1991
`
`Transitions
`Research Corp.
`
`1057PriorArt007213-
`1057PriorArt007218
`
`1999
`
`Probotics, Inc.
`
`1057PriorArt011847-
`1057PriorArt011873
`
`11
`
`4833-4448-3405.v1
`
`

`

`
`
`Item
`
`Tug Robot
`
`TuteBot
`
`Rug Warriors I
`and II
`
`
`
`Category (e.g.,
`Sale, Offer for
`Sale, Public
`Use)
`Offer for
`Sale/Sale/Public
`Use
`Offer for
`Sale/Sale/Public
`Use
`Offer for
`Sale/Sale/Public
`Use
`
`Date
`
`Entity(ies)
`Involved
`
`Bates Range
`
`2002-2003 Aethon, Inc.
`
`
`
`1998
`
`A.K. Peters
`
`1998
`
`A.K. Peters
`
`SS_ITC_00046998-
`7238
`
`SS_ITC_00046998-
`7238
`
`Per Ground Rule 7.5.2, a copy or sample of the prior art identified above is being
`
`produced herewith, including English translations of any foreign language documents. The
`
`Bates ranges for such productions are identified above.
`
`II.
`
`ANTICIPATION AND OBVIOUSNESS CONTENTIONS (G.R. 7.5.1(3) and (4))
`
`Set forth below are the Respondents’ anticipation and obviousness contentions. The
`
`charts required by Ground Rule 7.5.1(f) are attached as Appendices. Appendix A contains claim
`
`charts U.S. Patent No. 6,809,490 (“’490 Patent”), Appendix B contains claim charts for U.S.
`
`Patent No. 7,155,308 (“’308 Patent”), Appendix C contains claim charts for U.S. Patent No.
`
`8,474,090 (“’090 Patent”), Appendix D contains claim charts for U.S. Patent No, 8,600,553
`
`(“’553 Patent”), Appendix E contains claim charts for U.S. Patent No. 9,038,233 (“’233 Patent”),
`
`and Appendix F contains claim charts for U.S. Patent No. 9,486,924 (“’924 Patent”).
`
`Where a claim chart cites a particular drawing, figure or table in a document, the citation
`
`encompasses any text or other description in the document relating to that drawing, figure or
`
`table. Similarly, where a claim chart cites particular text or other description in a document, the
`
`citation also encompasses any drawing, figure or table referenced in that text or description.
`
`12
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`

`

`
`
`
`Claim charts are included for references teaching numerous limitations of a claim or
`
`claims. Where a reference is relied upon for one or just a few claim elements, those are noted in
`
`the specific contentions rather than creating a chart.
`
`A.
`
`Anticipation
`
`Set forth below is a table setting forth anticipation contentions, identifying the
`
`anticipatory reference, and the claims anticipated. For each reference, the Appendix contains a
`
`claim chart identifying where each and every limitation is met.
`
`1.
`
`’490 Patent (claim charts in Appendix A)
`
`Reference
`JP11-212642 (“Ueno”)
`U.S. 5,109,566 (“Kobayashi”)
`JP05-257533 (“Onari”)
`Mobile Robots (Jones et al. 2nd ed.)
`“Sweeping Strategies” (Doty et al.)
`
`
`
`
`Claims Anticipated
`1, 2, 3, 7, 8, 12 and 13
`1, 2, 3, 7, 8, 12, 13, and 42
`1, 2, 3, and 13
`1, 2, 3, 7, 8, 12, 13, and 42
`1, 2, 3, 7, 8, and 13.
`
`2.
`
`’308 Patent (claim charts in Appendix B)
`
`Reference
`Bisset-026
`Dyson DC06 robot
`Everett
`ROBART I robot
`ROBART II robot
`Jones
`Electrolux/Ohman
`Electrolux Trilobite robot
`Johnston
`TRC/Evans
`HelpMate robot
`Ueno
`Gomes
`Windsor
`
`Claims Anticipated
`1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 11, 12, 15, 17, 19, 20, 28, 29, 31, 34
`1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 11, 12, 15, 17, 19, 20, 28, 29, 31, 34
`1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 11, 12, 15, 17, 19, 20, 28, 29, 31, 34
`1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 11, 12, 15, 17, 19, 20, 28, 29, 31, 34
`1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 11, 12, 15, 17, 19, 20, 28, 29, 31, 34
`1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 11, 12, 15, 17, 19, 20, 28, 29, 31, 34
`1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 11, 15, 17, 19, 20, 28, 29, 31, 34
`1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 11, 15, 17, 19, 20, 28, 29, 31, 34
`1
`1, 2, 8, 11, 12, 19, 20, 21, 34
`1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 11, 12, 15, 17, 19, 20, 34
`1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 11, 15, 17, 19, 20, 28, 34
`1, 2, 8, 11, 19, 20, 28, 29, 31, 34
`1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 11, 12, 15, 17, 19, 20, 29, 34
`
`13
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`

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`
`
`Roboscrub robot
`Drunk
`Admitted May 2002 Roomba
`sales
`
`
`
`1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 11, 12, 15, 17, 19, 20, 29, 34
`1, 2, 7, 8, 11, 19, 20, 28, 29, 31, 34
`15, 17
`
`3.
`
`’090 Patent (claim charts in Appendix C)
`
`Claims Anticipated
`1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 10, 11, 14, 15, 17, 18, 19
`1, 7, 17, 18, 19
`
`Reference
`Allen
`Colens
`
`
`4.
`
`’553 Patent (claim charts in Appendix D)
`
`Reference
`US 7,218,994 (“Kanda”)
`Suckmaster II Vacuum Robot
`Sensors for Mobile Robots by H.R. Everett
`(“Everett”)
`Mobile Robots: Inspiration to
`Implementation” by Joseph L. Jones, et al.
`(1st ed.) (“Jones book”)
`U. 6,809,490 (“Jones 490”)
`WO 93/03399 (“Ohman”)
`US 2005/0171637 (“Tani”)
`
`
`Claims Anticipated
`1, 2, 4, 8, 11, 12, 25
`1, 2, 8, 11, 12, 22, 25
`1, 2, 4, 11, 12, 21, 22, 25
`
`1, 2, 4, 8, 11, 12, 25
`
`1, 2, 4, 11, 12, 22, 25
`1, 4, 8, 11, 21, 22, 25
`11
`
`5.
`
`’233 Patent (claim charts in Appendix E)
`
`Reference
`Jones-844
`Roomba 500 Series Robot
`
`
`Claims Anticipated
`1, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, 16
`1, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, 16
`
`6.
`
`’924 Patent (claim charts in Appendix F)
`
`Reference
`U.S. Patent Publication No. 2002/0156556
`A1 (“Ruffner”)
`Cye Robot
`
`
`Claims Anticipated
`1, 2, 3, 8, and 12
`
`1, 2, 3, 8, 9, 12, and 13
`
`14
`
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`

`
`
`
`B.
`
`Obviousness
`
`Set forth below for each Asserted Patent are the identifications of any combinations or
`
`prior art showing obviousness and an explanation of why the prior art renders the asserted claim
`
`obvious.
`
`To the extent an anticipation contention over a prior art reference has been offered above
`
`against an Asserted Claim or a claim dependent therefrom, the anticipation contention (including
`
`any claim chart therefor) is also incorporated into any obviousness contention applying that same
`
`prior art reference.
`
`1.
`
`’490 Patent
`
`a)
`Ueno and Kawagoe, Edlund, Sweeping Strategies and/or
`Trilobite Manual
`
`Claims 1, 2, 3, 7, 8, 12 and 13 are obvious over JP11-212642 (“Ueno”) and US 6,574,536
`
`(“Kawagoe”), US Patent No. 6,682,313 (“Edlund”), Doty, Sweeping Strategies for a Sensory
`
`Driven, Behavior-Based Vacuum Cleaning Agent (“Sweeping Strategies”), and/or the Trilobite
`
`Instruction Manual. More than one of these secondary references may be combined together
`
`with Ueno.
`
`The claim chart for Ueno is referenced above in the anticipation section.
`
`To the extent it is argued that Ueno does not anticipate claim element 1[i] (“when in the
`
`obstacle following mode, the robot travels adjacent to an obstacle for a distance at least twice the
`
`work width of the robot”) or the similar feature in claim element 13[f], Kawagoe provides this
`
`express disclosure. Kawagoe at Figs. 14-16, 20A, and 20B. Specifically, Kawagoe describes a
`
`wall following mode where a “[r]unning control unit 32 calculates both a parallel degree of the
`
`wall and the cleaning robot and the distance therebetween based on the rotation angles (cid:537)1 and (cid:537)2
`
`of forward and backward side following sensors 8 a to 8 d, and then maintains a prescribed
`
`15
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`

`
`
`distance such that the lateral side of cleaning portion 31 is in contact with the wall, as well as
`
`controls running such that the cleaning robot runs in parallel with the wall.” Id. at 6:22-29.
`
`Further, Kawagoe illustrates that the cleaning robot follows the wall from one end of a room to
`
`another end until an obstacle (such as another wall) is detected. Id. at Figs. 14-16, 20A, and 20B.
`
`The length L that is covered by the cleaning robot while following a wall is clearly illustrated to
`
`be at least twice the work width of the cleaning robot. Id. at Fig. 20A.
`
`Edlund teaches wall following for more than twice the work width of the robot as shown
`
`in Fig. 4 and discussed at 5:13-20.
`
`Sweeping Strategies teaches wall following for more than twice the work width of the
`
`robot as discussed at pp. 3-6 and also discusses the advantages of doing that for improved area
`
`coverage in a floor cleaning robot.
`
`The Trilobite Instruction Manual teaches a wall following mode that is greater than two
`
`times the work width of the robot at page 20 in the context of a floor cleaning robot with
`
`multiple modes including a bounce mode and using obstacle detection sensors.
`
`Reason(s) to Combine: Since Ueno already teaches a border-following mode, describes
`
`that the border-following mode ends when the front-end contact sensor 5A contacts a boundary
`
`such as a wall, and illustrates that 100% of a coverage area is covered by the robot 1 when the
`
`border-following mode is implemented by the robot 1, it would only be logical to modify Ueno
`
`based on Kawagoe such that the robot 1 in Ueno would travel adjacent to a wall for a distance of
`
`at least twice the work width of the robot 1 (when in the border-following mode) such that the
`
`robot 1 in Ueno can achieve its objective to cover 100% of the coverage area. Ueno at ¶ [0023]-
`
`[0025] and [0050]. Kawagoe at Figs. 14-16, 20A, and 20B. That is, cleaning along the edges in
`
`a wall following mode is the most efficient way to ensure that area is cleaned and achieve
`
`16
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`4833-4448-3405.v1
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`

`
`
`Ueno’s stated goal. Thus, achieving the objective to cover 100% of the area in the manner
`
`described in Ueno by traveling at least twice the work width of the cleaning robot while
`
`following a wall in the manner illustrated in Kawagoe would meet claim element 1[i]. A mere
`
`modification of Ueno based on Kawagoe would require no more than routine experimentation,
`
`and would produce predictable results. The same applies to Edlund, Sweeping Strategies, and
`
`the Trilobite Instruction Manual, which also teach wall following for a substantial distance well
`
`greater than twice the work width of the robot, and the benefit of cleaning along the wall.
`
`b)
`Ueno or Ueno in view of Kawagoe, Edlund, the Trilobite
`Instruction Manual and/or Sweeping Strategies in further view of Bisset
`‘025
`
`Claim 12 is obvious over Ueno or Ueno in view of Kawagoe, Edlund, the Trilobite
`
`Instruction Manual and/or Sweeping Strategies in further view of WO 00/38025 (“Bisset ‘025”).
`
`Ueno alone anticipates, or together with Kawagoe, Edlund, and/or Sweeping Strategies renders
`
`obvious, claim 1 as explained above. Bisset ‘025 is added relative to claim 12.
`
`To the extent it is argued that claim 12 is not met because Ueno does not explicitly state
`
`“a means for manually selecting an operational mode” or disclose its corresponding structure, it
`
`would be obvious to do so in view of Bisset ‘025.
`
`Bisset ‘025 teaches a user interface board 29 that includes “a plurality of user switches 75
`
`by which a user can control the cleaning device.” Bisset ‘025 at page 10, lines 15-18. Further,
`
`Bisset ‘025 illustrates that the user interface board 29 and the plurality of user switches 75 are
`
`included on the robotic vacuum cleaner 100. Bisset ‘025 at Fig. 1. Additionally, Bisset ‘025
`
`describes that the robotic vacuum cleaner 100 includes a plurality of buttons on a user panel 144
`
`to control step distances of the robotic vacuum cleaner 100. Bisset ‘025 at page 22, lines 19-24.
`
`Reason(s) to Combine: Given that Ueno already describes that the different combinations
`
`or sequences of modes can be set up and registered by a worker each time or can be preregistered
`
`17
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`4833-4448-3405.v1
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`

`

`
`
`by the worker, the plurality of user switches 75 and/or plurality of buttons on the user panel 144
`
`of Bisset ‘025 can be used for the same exact purpose of manually selecting different
`
`combinations of sequences of different modes by a worker. Ueno at ¶ [0036]. Thus, selecting a
`
`mode as described in Ueno and using the plurality of user switches 75 and/or plurality of buttons
`
`on the user panel 144 of Bisset ‘025 for that purpose would meet claim 12.
`
`Furthermore, the use of the plurality of user switches 75 and/or plurality of buttons on the
`
`user panel 144 to manually select an operational mode in Bisset ‘025 is nothing but the
`
`predictable use of prior art elements according to their established functions that renders claim
`
`12 obvious.
`
`c)
`Ueno or Ueno in view of Kawagoe, Edlund, the Trilobite
`Instruction Manual and/or Sweeping Strategies in view of Erwin
`
`Claim 12 is obvious over Ueno alone, or Ueno in view or Kawagoe, Edlund, the Trilobite
`
`Instruction Manual, and/or Sweeping Strategies, in further view of DE 19849978 (“Erwin”).
`
`Ueno alone anticipates, or together with Kawagoe, Edlund, the Trilobite Instruction Manual,
`
`and/or Sweeping Strategies renders obvious, claim 1 as explained above. Erwin is added relative
`
`to claim 12, which depends from claim 1.
`
`To the extent it is argued that claim 12 is not met because Ueno does not explicitly state
`
`“a means for manually selecting an operational mode” or discloses its corresponding structure, it
`
`would be obvious to do so in view of Erwin.
`
`Erwin teaches that a cleaning device can optionally be operated on a helical (Fig. 5A), a
`
`meandering (Fig. 5B), or a serpentine (Fig. 5C) cleaning trajectory. Erwin Translation at p. 7.
`
`Further, Erwin describes that the selection of a cleaning trajectory (i.e., a cleaning mode) and the
`
`parameters of the cleaning trajectory (i.e., a cleaning mode) can be made by a user by setting a
`
`switch (or switches). Id. at p. 7.
`
`18
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`

`
`
`
`Reason(s) to Combine: Given that Ueno already describes that the different combinations
`
`of sequences of different modes can be set up and registered by a worker each time or can be
`
`preregistered by the worker, the switch (or switches) of Erwin can be used for the same exact
`
`purpose of manually selecting different combinations of sequences of different modes by a
`
`worker. Ueno at ¶ [0036]. Thus, selecting a mode as described in Ueno using the switch (or
`
`switches) of Erwin would meet claim 12.
`
`Furthermore, the use of switch (or switches) to manually select an operational mode in
`
`Erwin is nothing but the “predictable use of prior art elements according to their established
`
`functions” that renders claim 12 obvious.
`
`d)
`Ueno or Ueno in view Kawagoe, Edlund, and/or Sweeping
`Strategies in further view of Bottomley, Ohman, the Everett Book,
`and/or Bisset-026
`
`Claim 42 contains many of the same features of claim 1 and adds the further feature of “a
`
`cliff sensor” and the “control system” being operatively connected to . . . said cliff sensor.” Each
`
`of U.S. Patent No. 6,941,199 (“Bottomley”)1 , WO 93/03399 (“Ohman” or “Electrolux/Ohman”),
`
`Everett, Sensors for Mobile Robots (“the Everett Book” or “Everett”), and WO 00/38026
`
`(“Bisset-026”) discloses that feature. More than one of these secondary references may be
`
`combined together with Ueno or Ueno in view of Kawagoe, Edlund, and/or Sweeping Strategies.
`
`Ueno meets the following limitations of claim 42: “A mobile robot comprising:” “means
`
`for moving the robot over a surface,” and “an obstacle detection sensor,” “said control system
`
`configured to operate the robot in a plurality of operational modes, said plurality of operational
`
`modes comprising: a spot-coverage mode whereby the robot operates in an isolated area, an
`
`obstacle following mode whereby said robot travels adjacent to an obstacle for a distance at least
`
`
`1 The counterpart PCT Application WO 00/04430 has the same disclosure and is asserted for the same teachings.
`
`19
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`
`
`twice the work width of the robot, and a bounce mode whereby the robot travels substantially in
`
`a direction away from an obstacle after encountering the obstacle” for at least the same reasons
`
`Ueno teaches claim elements 1[a]-1[i] in the claim chart found at Appendix A. In the
`
`alternative, the combination of Ueno with Kawagoe, Edlund, the Trilobite Instruction Manual,
`
`and/or Sweeping Strategies also meets those claim elements as discussed above.
`
`Claim 42 adds the further feature of “a cliff sensor” and the “control system” being
`
`operatively connected to . . . said cliff sensor.”
`
`Bottomley describes cliff detectors 21 that are included in a robot to prevent the robot
`
`from falling down stairs. Bottomley at 6:51-65, 8:51-54 and Fig. 2.
`
`Ohman discloses a cliff sensor operative connected to its control system. Ohman at page
`
`3, lines 5-10, page 7, line 6 to page 8, line 17 and Figs. 4 and 5.
`
`The Everett Book describes a cliff sensor that is operatively connected to its control
`
`system. Everett