Trials@uspto.gov
`571-272-7822
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Paper 14
`Date: July 2, 2020
`
`UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
`____________
`
`BEFORE THE PATENT TRIAL AND APPEAL BOARD
`____________
`
`VOLKSWAGEN GROUP OF AMERICA, INC.,
`Petitioner,
`
`v.
`
`MICHIGAN MOTOR TECHNOLOGIES LLC,
`Patent Owner.
`
`____________
`
`IPR2020-00231
`Patent 6,612,287 B2
`____________
`
`
`
`
`Before MITCHELL G. WEATHERLY, JAMES A. TARTAL, and
`SEAN P. O’HANLON, Administrative Patent Judges.
`
`O’HANLON, Administrative Patent Judge.
`
`
`
`
`SCHEDULING ORDER
`
`
`
`
`
`
`571-272-7822
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Paper 14
`Date: July 2, 2020
`
`UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
`____________
`
`BEFORE THE PATENT TRIAL AND APPEAL BOARD
`____________
`
`VOLKSWAGEN GROUP OF AMERICA, INC.,
`Petitioner,
`
`v.
`
`MICHIGAN MOTOR TECHNOLOGIES LLC,
`Patent Owner.
`
`____________
`
`IPR2020-00231
`Patent 6,612,287 B2
`____________
`
`
`
`
`Before MITCHELL G. WEATHERLY, JAMES A. TARTAL, and
`SEAN P. O’HANLON, Administrative Patent Judges.
`
`O’HANLON, Administrative Patent Judge.
`
`
`
`
`SCHEDULING ORDER
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`IPR2020-00231
`Patent 6,612,287 B2
`
`A. GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS
`
`1. Initial Conference Call
`
`The parties are directed to contact the Board within a month of this
`Order if there is a need to discuss proposed changes to this Scheduling Order
`or proposed motions that have not been authorized in this Order or other
`prior Order or Notice. See Patent Trial and Appeal Board Consolidated Trial
`Practice Guide (“Consolidated Practice Guide”)1 at 9–10, 56 (guidance in
`preparing for the initial conference call); see also 84 Fed. Reg. 64,280
`(Nov. 21, 2019). A request for an initial conference call shall include a list
`of proposed motions, if any, to be discussed during the call.
`
`The parties may request additional conference calls as needed. Any
`email requesting a conference call with the Board should: (a) copy all
`parties, (b) indicate generally the relief being requested or the subject matter
`of the conference call, (c) include multiple times when all parties are
`available, (d) state whether the opposing party opposes any relief requested,
`and (e) if opposed, either certify that the parties have met and conferred
`telephonically or in person to attempt to reach agreement, or explain why
`such meet and confer did not occur. The email may not contain substantive
`argument and, unless otherwise authorized, may not include attachments.
`See Consolidated Practice Guide at 9–10.
`
`2. Protective Order
`
`No protective order shall apply to this proceeding until the Board
`enters one. If either party files a motion to seal before entry of a protective
`
`
`1 Available at https://www.uspto.gov/TrialPracticeGuideConsolidated.
`
`2
`
`
`
`IPR2020-00231
`Patent 6,612,287 B2
`
`order, a jointly proposed protective order shall be filed as an exhibit with the
`motion. It is the responsibility of the party whose confidential information is
`at issue, not necessarily the proffering party, to file the motion to seal.2 The
`Board encourages the parties to adopt the Board’s default protective order if
`they conclude that a protective order is necessary. See Consolidated Practice
`Guide at 107–22 (App. B, Protective Order Guidelines and Default
`Protective Order). If the parties choose to propose a protective order
`deviating from the default protective order, they must submit the proposed
`protective order jointly along with a marked-up comparison of the proposed
`and default protective orders showing the differences between the two and
`explain why good cause exists to deviate from the default protective order.
`
`The Board has a strong interest in the public availability of trial
`proceedings. Redactions to documents filed in this proceeding should be
`limited to the minimum amount necessary to protect confidential
`information, and the thrust of the underlying argument or evidence must be
`clearly discernible from the redacted versions. We also advise the parties
`that information subject to a protective order may become public if
`identified in a final written decision in this proceeding, and that a motion to
`expunge the information will not necessarily prevail over the public interest
`in maintaining a complete and understandable file history. See Consolidated
`Practice Guide at 21–22.
`
`
`2 If the entity whose confidential information is at issue is not a party to the
`proceeding, please contact the Board.
`
`3
`
`
`
`IPR2020-00231
`Patent 6,612,287 B2
`
`3. Discovery Disputes
`
`The Board encourages parties to resolve disputes relating to discovery
`on their own. To the extent that a dispute arises between the parties relating
`to discovery, the parties must meet and confer to resolve such a dispute
`before contacting the Board. If attempts to resolve the dispute fail, a party
`may request a conference call with the Board.
`
`4. Testimony
`
`The parties are reminded that the Testimony Guidelines appended to
`the Consolidated Trial Practice Guide at pages 127–30 (App. D, Testimony
`Guidelines) apply to this proceeding. The Board may impose an appropriate
`sanction for failure to adhere to the Testimony Guidelines. 37 C.F.R.
`§ 42.12 (2019). For example, reasonable expenses and attorneys’ fees
`incurred by any party may be levied on a person who impedes, delays, or
`frustrates the fair examination of a witness.
`
`5. Cross-Examination
`
`Except as the parties might otherwise agree, for each due date:
`
`Cross-examination ordinarily takes place after any supplemental
`evidence is due. 37 C.F.R. § 42.53(d)(2).
`
`Cross-examination ordinarily ends no later than a week before the
`filing date for any paper in which the cross-examination testimony is
`expected to be used. 37 C.F.R. § 42.53(d)(2).
`
`4
`
`
`
`IPR2020-00231
`Patent 6,612,287 B2
`
`6. Motion to Amend
`
`Patent Owner may file a motion to amend without prior authorization
`from the Board. Nevertheless, Patent Owner must confer with the Board
`before filing such a motion. 37 C.F.R. § 42.121(a). To satisfy this
`requirement, Patent Owner should request a conference call with the Board
`no later than two weeks prior to DUE DATE 1. See Section B below
`regarding DUE DATES.
`
`Patent Owner has the option to receive preliminary guidance from the
`Board on its motion to amend. See Notice Regarding a New Pilot Program
`Concerning Motion to Amend Practice and Procedures in Trial Proceedings
`under the America Invents Act before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board,
`84 Fed. Reg. 9497 (Mar. 15, 2019) (“MTA Pilot Program Notice”); see also
`Consolidated Practice Guide at 67. If Patent Owner elects to request
`preliminary guidance from the Board on its motion, it must do so in its
`motion to amend filed on DUE DATE 1.
`
`Any motion to amend and briefing related to such a motion shall
`generally follow the practices and procedures described in the MTA Pilot
`Program Notice unless otherwise ordered by the Board in this proceeding.
`The parties are further directed to the Board’s Guidance on Motions to
`Amend in view of Aqua Products, Inc. v. Matal, 872 F.3d 1290 (Fed. Cir.
`2017) and Lectrosonics, Inc. v. Zaxcom, Inc., IPR2018-01129, Paper 15
`(PTAB Feb. 25, 2019) (designated precedential).
`
`At DUE DATE 3, Patent Owner has the option to file a reply to the
`opposition to the motion to amend and preliminary guidance, or a revised
`motion to amend. See MTA Pilot Program Notice at 9500–01. Patent
`Owner may elect to file a revised motion to amend even if Patent Owner did
`
`5
`
`
`
`IPR2020-00231
`Patent 6,612,287 B2
`
`not request to receive preliminary guidance on its motion to amend. A
`revised motion to amend must provide amendments, arguments, and/or
`evidence in a manner that is responsive to issues raised in the preliminary
`guidance and/or Petitioner’s opposition.
`
`If Patent Owner files a revised motion to amend, the Board shall enter
`a revised scheduling order setting the briefing schedule for that revised
`motion and adjusting other due dates as needed. See MTA Pilot Program
`Notice at 9501, App. 1B.
`
`As also discussed in the MTA Pilot Program Notice, if the Board
`issues preliminary guidance on the motion to amend, and Patent Owner files
`neither a reply to the opposition to the motion to amend nor a revised motion
`to amend at DUE DATE 3, Petitioner may file a reply to the Board’s
`preliminary guidance, no later than three weeks after DUE DATE 3. The
`reply may only respond to the preliminary guidance. Patent Owner may file
`a sur-reply in response to Petitioner’s reply to the Board’s preliminary
`guidance. The sur-reply may only respond to arguments made in the reply
`and must be filed no later than three weeks after Petitioner’s reply. See
`MTA Pilot Program Notice at 9502. No new evidence may accompany the
`reply or the sur-reply in this situation.
`
`7. Oral Argument
`
`Requests for oral argument must comply with 37 C.F.R. § 42.70(a).
`To permit the Board sufficient time to schedule the oral argument, the
`parties may not stipulate to an extension of the request for oral argument
`beyond the date set forth in the Due Date Appendix.
`
`6
`
`
`
`IPR2020-00231
`Patent 6,612,287 B2
`
`Unless the Board notifies the parties otherwise, oral argument, if
`
`requested, will be held at the USPTO headquarters in Alexandria. The
`parties may request that the oral argument instead be held at a USPTO
`Regional Office. The parties should meet and confer, and jointly propose
`the parties’ preference at the initial conference call, if requested.
`Alternatively, the parties may jointly file a paper stating their preference for
`the hearing location within one month of this Order. Note that the Board
`may not be able to honor the parties’ preference of hearing location due to,
`among other things, the availability of hearing room resources and the needs
`of the panel. The Board will consider the location request and notify the
`parties accordingly if a request for change in location is granted.
`
`Seating in the Board’s hearing rooms may be limited, and will be
`available on a first-come, first-served basis. If either party anticipates that
`more than five individuals will attend the argument on its behalf, the party
`should notify the Board as soon as possible, and no later than the request for
`oral argument. Parties should note that the earlier a request for
`accommodation is made, the more likely the Board will be able to
`accommodate additional individuals.
`
`B. DUE DATES
`
`This Order sets due dates for the parties to take action after institution
`of the proceeding. The parties may stipulate different dates for DUE
`DATES 1, 5, and 6, as well as the portion of DUE DATE 2 related to
`Petitioner’s reply (earlier or later, but no later than DUE DATE 3 for Patent
`Owner’s sur-reply) and the portion of DUE DATE 3 related to Patent
`Owner’s sur-reply (earlier or later, but no later than DUE DATE 7). The
`
`7
`
`
`
`IPR2020-00231
`Patent 6,612,287 B2
`
`parties may not stipulate to a different date for the portion of DUE DATE 2
`related to Petitioner’s opposition to a motion to amend, or for the portion of
`DUE DATE 3 related to Patent Owner’s reply to an opposition to a motion
`to amend (or Patent Owner’s revised motion to amend) without prior
`authorization from the Board. In stipulating to move any due dates in the
`scheduling order, the parties must be cognizant that the Board requires four
`weeks after the filing of an opposition to the motion to amend (or the due
`date for the opposition, if none is filed) for the Board to issue its preliminary
`guidance, if requested by Patent Owner. A notice of the stipulation,
`specifically identifying the changed due dates, must be promptly filed. The
`parties may not stipulate an extension of DUE DATES 4, 7, and 8.
`
`In stipulating different times, the parties should consider the effect of
`the stipulation on times to object to evidence (37 C.F.R. § 42.64(b)(1)), to
`supplement evidence (§ 42.64(b)(2)), to conduct cross-examination
`(§ 42.53(d)(2)), and to draft papers depending on the evidence and cross-
`examination testimony.
`
`1. DUE DATE 1
`
`Patent Owner may file—
`
`a. A response to the petition (37 C.F.R. § 42.120). If Patent Owner
`elects not to file a response, Patent Owner must arrange a conference call
`with the parties and the Board. Patent Owner is cautioned that any
`arguments for patentability not raised in the response may be deemed
`waived.
`
`b. A motion to amend the patent (37 C.F.R. § 42.121).
`
`8
`
`
`
`IPR2020-00231
`Patent 6,612,287 B2
`
`2. DUE DATE 2
`
`Petitioner may file a reply to the Patent Owner’s response.
`
`Petitioner may file an opposition to the motion to amend.
`
`3. DUE DATE 3
`
`Patent Owner may file a sur-reply to Petitioner’s reply.
`
`Patent Owner may also file either:
`
`a. a reply to the opposition to the motion to amend and/or preliminary
`guidance (if provided); or
`
`b. a revised motion to amend.
`
`NOTE: If Patent Owner files neither of the above papers (a reply to
`the opposition or a revised motion to amend), and the Board has issued
`preliminary guidance, Petitioner may file a reply to the preliminary
`guidance, no later than three weeks after DUE DATE 3. Patent Owner may
`file a sur-reply to Petitioner’s reply to the preliminary guidance no later than
`three weeks after Petitioner’s reply.
`
`4. DUE DATE 4
`
`Either party may file a request for oral argument (may not be extended
`by stipulation).
`
`5. DUE DATE 5
`
`Petitioner may file a sur-reply to Patent Owner’s reply to the
`opposition to the motion to amend.
`
`Either party may file a motion to exclude evidence (37 C.F.R.
`§ 42.64(c)).
`
`9
`
`
`
`IPR2020-00231
`Patent 6,612,287 B2
`
`6. DUE DATE 6
`
`Either party may file an opposition to a motion to exclude evidence.
`
`Either party may request that the Board hold a pre-hearing conference.
`
`7. DUE DATE 7
`
`Either party may file a reply to an opposition to a motion to exclude
`evidence.
`
`8. DUE DATE 8
`
`The oral argument (if requested by either party) shall be held on this
`date. Approximately one month prior to the argument, the Board will issue
`an order setting the start time of the hearing and the procedures that will
`govern the parties’ arguments.
`
`10
`
`
`
`IPR2020-00231
`Patent 6,612,287 B2
`
`
`DUE DATE APPENDIX
`
`DUE DATE 1 ................................................................... September 23, 2020
`
`Patent owner’s response to the petition
`
`Patent owner’s motion to amend the patent
`DUE DATE 2 .................................................................... December 16, 2020
`
`Petitioner’s reply to Patent Owner’s response to the petition
`
`Petitioner’s opposition to Patent Owner’s motion to amend
`DUE DATE 3 ........................................................................ January 27, 2021
`
`Patent Owner’s sur-reply to Petitioner’s reply
`
`Patent Owner’s reply to Petitioner’s opposition to the motion to
`amend (or Patent Owner’s revised motion to amend)3
`DUE DATE 4 ...................................................................... February 17, 2021
`
`Request for oral argument (may not be extended by stipulation)
`DUE DATE 5 .......................................................................... March 10, 2021
`
`Petitioner’s sur-reply to Patent Owner’s reply to the opposition to the
`motion to amend
`
`Motion to exclude evidence
`DUE DATE 6 .......................................................................... March 17, 2021
`
`Opposition to motion to exclude
`
`Request for prehearing conference
`DUE DATE 7 .......................................................................... March 24, 2021
`
`Reply to opposition to motion to exclude
`DUE DATE 8 .............................................................................. April 6, 2021
`
`Oral argument (if requested)
`
`3 If Patent Owner files neither a reply to Petitioner’s opposition to the MTA
`nor a revised MTA, the parties are directed to Section B(3) above.
`
`11
`
`
`
`IPR2020-00231
`Patent 6,612,287 B2
`
`For PETITIONER:
`Michael D. Specht
`Ryan C. Richardson
`Jason A. Fitzsimmons
`Danny E. Yonan
`STERNE, KESSLER, GOLDSTEIN & FOX P.L.L.C.
`mspecht-PTAB@sternekessler.com
`rrichardson-PTAB@sternekessler.com
`jfitzsimmons-PTAB@sternekessler.com
`dyonan-PTAB@sternekessler.com
`
`
`For PATENT OWNER:
`Timothy Devlin
`DEVLIN LAW FIRM LLC
`TD-PTAB@devlinlawfirm.com
`
`12
`
`
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