Filed: April 23, 2020
`
`Filed on behalf of Amazon.com, Inc.
`By: Colin B. Heideman
`
`Joseph R. Re
`Joshua J. Stowell
`Jeremy A. Anapol
`KNOBBE, MARTENS, OLSON & BEAR, LLP
`2040 Main St., 14th Floor
`Irvine, CA 92614
`Telephone: 206-405-2000
`Facsimile: 206-405-2001
`Email: BoxSEAZNL1608LP@knobbe.com
`
`UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
`__________________________________
`
`BEFORE THE PATENT TRIAL AND APPEAL BOARD
`__________________________________
`
`AMAZON.COM, INC.,
`Petitioner,
`
`v.
`
`VOCALIFE LLC,
`Patent Owner.
`
`IPR2020-00864
`U.S. Patent No. RE47,049
`
`PETITION FOR INTER PARTES REVIEW OF CLAIMS 1-8, 19, 20,
`22-25, AND 30 OF U.S. PATENT NO. RE47,049
`
`IPR PETITION
`US RE48,371
`Sonos Ex. 1036
`
`
`
`Filed on behalf of Amazon.com, Inc.
`By: Colin B. Heideman
`
`Joseph R. Re
`Joshua J. Stowell
`Jeremy A. Anapol
`KNOBBE, MARTENS, OLSON & BEAR, LLP
`2040 Main St., 14th Floor
`Irvine, CA 92614
`Telephone: 206-405-2000
`Facsimile: 206-405-2001
`Email: BoxSEAZNL1608LP@knobbe.com
`
`UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
`__________________________________
`
`BEFORE THE PATENT TRIAL AND APPEAL BOARD
`__________________________________
`
`AMAZON.COM, INC.,
`Petitioner,
`
`v.
`
`VOCALIFE LLC,
`Patent Owner.
`
`IPR2020-00864
`U.S. Patent No. RE47,049
`
`PETITION FOR INTER PARTES REVIEW OF CLAIMS 1-8, 19, 20,
`22-25, AND 30 OF U.S. PATENT NO. RE47,049
`
`IPR PETITION
`US RE48,371
`Sonos Ex. 1036
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`TABLE OF CONTENTS
`
`INTRODUCTION ---------------------------------------------------------------- 1
`
`THE ’049 PATENT --------------------------------------------------------------- 4
`
` Overview ------------------------------------------------------------------- 4
`
`
`
`Prosecution History ------------------------------------------------------- 9
`
` THE PRIOR ART --------------------------------------------------------------- 10
`
` Grounds in This IPR ---------------------------------------------------- 10
`
`
`
`
`
`Brief Overview of References ----------------------------------------- 11
`
`The Asserted References Are Analogous Art. ----------------------- 15
`
` LEVEL OF ORDINARY SKILL --------------------------------------------- 15
`
`
`
`CLAIM CONSTRUCTION --------------------------------------------------- 15
`
` SPECIFIC PROPOSED GROUNDS FOR REJECTION ------------------ 19
`
` Ground 1a: Saric and Dmochowski ----------------------------------- 19
`
`
`
`
`
`Overview of Saric and Dmochowski -------------------------- 19
`
`Claim 1 ------------------------------------------------------------ 22
`
`
`
`
`
`Preamble --------------------------------------------------- 22
`
`Providing a Microphone Array System --------------- 22
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`“providing a microphone array
`system … in a linear, circular, or
`other configuration…” --------------------------- 22
`
`“a sound source localization unit” -------------- 23
`
`“an adaptive beamforming unit” --------------- 24
`
`-i-
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`“a noise reduction unit” -------------------------- 25
`
`“wherein said sound source
`localization unit, said adaptive
`beamforming unit, and said noise
`reduction unit are integrated in a
`digital signal processor,” ------------------------ 25
`
`“wherein said sound source
`localization unit, said adaptive
`beamforming unit, and said noise
`reduction unit are in operative
`communication with said array of
`said sound sensors;” ------------------------------ 26
`
`Receiving Sound Signals -------------------------------- 27
`
`Determining a Delay ------------------------------------- 28
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`“determining a delay. . .when said
`target sound source that emits said
`target sound signal is in a two
`dimensional plane” ------------------------------- 28
`
`“wherein said delay is represented
`in terms of number of samples” ---------------- 30
`
`“wherein … said delay enables
`beamforming for said array of
`sound sensors in a plurality of
`configurations”------------------------------------ 31
`
`Estimating a Spatial Location of Target
`Sound Signal … by Said Sound Source
`Localization Unit ----------------------------------------- 32
`
`Adaptive Beamforming. --------------------------------- 33
`
`Suppressing Ambient Noise ---------------------------- 34
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`-ii-
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Claim 22 ---------------------------------------------------------- 34
`
`Claims 20 and 30 ------------------------------------------------ 36
`
`Claim 7 ------------------------------------------------------------ 38
`
`Claim 19 ---------------------------------------------------------- 38
`
`
`
`Ground 1b: Saric, Dmochowski, and Brandstein -------------------- 39
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Overview of Saric, Dmochowski, and
`Brandstein --------------------------------------------------------- 40
`
` Motivations to Combine SRP-PHAT with
`Saric -------------------------------------------------------- 40
`
` Motivations to Combine Dmochowski’s
`Delay Calculation with SRP-PHAT ------------------- 41
`
`Claims 1, 7, 19-20, 22, and 30 --------------------------------- 43
`
`Claim 2 ------------------------------------------------------------ 43
`
`Claims 3 and 23 -------------------------------------------------- 44
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Providing a Fixed Beamformer, a
`Blocking Matrix, and an Adaptive Filter -------------- 44
`
`Steering Directivity Pattern of Fixed
`Beamformer ----------------------------------------------- 46
`
`Adaptive Filtering Using a Blocking
`Matrix ------------------------------------------------------ 46
`
`Adaptively Filtering Ambient Noise
`Signals in Response to Detecting One of
`Presence and Absence of Target Sound
`Signal ------------------------------------------------------ 47
`
` Motivations to Combine Brandstein’s
`Adaptive Beamformer with Saric ---------------------- 47
`
`-iii-
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Claim 4 ------------------------------------------------------------ 49
`
`Claims 6, 24 ------------------------------------------------------ 50
`
`
`
`Ground 1c: Saric, Dmochowski, Brandstein, and
`Greenberg ----------------------------------------------------------------- 53
`
`
`
`Overview of Greenberg ----------------------------------------- 53
`
` Motivation to Combine Saric, Dmochowski,
`Brandstein, and Greenberg ------------------------------------- 53
`
`
`
`Claims 6, 24 ------------------------------------------------------ 54
`
` Ground 1d: Saric, Dmochowski, Brandstein, and
`Hoshuyama --------------------------------------------------------------- 55
`
`
`
`Overview of Hoshuyama --------------------------------------- 56
`
` Motivation to Combine Saric, Dmochowski,
`Brandstein, and Hoshuyama ------------------------------------ 56
`
`
`
`Claims 6, 24 ------------------------------------------------------ 56
`
`
`
`Ground 1e: Saric, Dmochowski, Brandstein, and
`Abutalebi ----------------------------------------------------------------- 57
`
`
`
`Overview of Abutalebi ------------------------------------------ 58
`
` Motivations to Use Subband Processing with
`Saric and Brandstein --------------------------------------------- 58
`
`
`
`Dependent Claim 5 ---------------------------------------------- 60
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Sub-band Adaptive Filtering ---------------------------- 60
`
`Splitting Enhanced Target Sound Signal
`and Ambient Noise Signals ----------------------------- 61
`
`Adaptively Filtering Ambient Noise
`Signals in Each Frequency Sub-Band ----------------- 62
`
`-iv-
`
`
`
`
`
`Synthesizing a Full-Band Sound Signal --------------- 63
`
`
`
`Claims 8, 25 ------------------------------------------------------ 63
`
`
`
`Ground 2a: Li and Brandstein Render Obvious Claims
`1-4, 6-7, 19, and 22-24 -------------------------------------------------- 65
`
`
`
`
`
`Overview of Li and Brandstein -------------------------------- 65
`
`Claim 1 ------------------------------------------------------------ 67
`
`
`
`
`
`Preamble --------------------------------------------------- 67
`
`Providing a Microphone Array System --------------- 68
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`“providing a microphone array
`system comprising an array of
`sound sensors positioned in a
`linear, circular, or other
`configuration” ------------------------------------- 68
`
`“a sound source localization unit” -------------- 68
`
`“an adaptive beamforming unit” --------------- 69
`
`“a noise reduction unit” -------------------------- 70
`
`“wherein said sound source
`localization unit, said adaptive
`beamforming unit, and said noise
`reduction unit are integrated in a
`digital signal processor,” ------------------------ 70
`
`“wherein said sound source
`localization unit, said adaptive
`beamforming unit, and said noise
`reduction unit are in operative
`communication with said array of
`said sound sensors;” ------------------------------ 71
`
`
`
`Receiving Sound Signals -------------------------------- 73
`
`-v-
`
`
`
`
`
`Determining a Delay ------------------------------------- 73
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`“determining a delay … when said
`target sound source that emits said
`target sound signal is in a two
`dimensional plane” ------------------------------- 73
`
`“wherein said delay is represented
`in terms of number of samples” ---------------- 75
`
`“ wherein said determination of
`said delay enables beamforming for
`said array of sound sensors in a
`plurality of configurations” --------------------- 75
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Estimating a Spatial Location of Said
`Target Signal ---------------------------------------------- 76
`
`Adaptive Beamforming --------------------------------- 76
`
`Suppressing Ambient Noise ---------------------------- 78
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Claim 22 ---------------------------------------------------------- 79
`
`Claim 2 ------------------------------------------------------------ 80
`
`Claims 3, 23 ------------------------------------------------------ 80
`
`Claim 4 ------------------------------------------------------------ 81
`
`Claims 6, 24 ------------------------------------------------------ 82
`
`Claim 7 ------------------------------------------------------------ 82
`
`Claim 19 ---------------------------------------------------------- 82
`
` Ground 2b: Li, Brandstein, and Dmochowski ----------------------- 83
`
`
`
`Claims 1-4, 6-7, 19, and 22-24 --------------------------------- 83
`
`-vi-
`
`
`
` Motivation to Combine Li, Brandstein,
`and Dmochowski ----------------------------------------- 83
`
`
`
`Dmochowski Discloses“Determining a
`Delay” ----------------------------------------------------- 84
`
`
`
`Claims 20 and 30 ------------------------------------------------ 84
`
` Ground 2c: Li, Brandstein, Dmochowski, and
`Greenberg ----------------------------------------------------------------- 85
`
`
`
`
`
`Ground 2d: Li, Brandstein, Dmochowski, and
`Hoshuyama --------------------------------------------------------------- 85
`
`Ground 2e: Li, Brandstein, Dmochowski, and
`Abutalebi ----------------------------------------------------------------- 85
`
` Motivations to Use Subband Processing with Li
`and Brandstein --------------------------------------------------- 86
`
`
`
`
`
`Claim 5 ------------------------------------------------------------ 87
`
`Claims 8, 25 ------------------------------------------------------ 87
`
` SECONDARY CONSIDERATIONS OF
`NONOBVIOUSNESS ---------------------------------------------------------- 87
`
` DISCRETIONARY FACTORS UNDER 314(A) -------------------------- 88
`
` MANDATORY NOTICES ---------------------------------------------------- 90
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Real Parties-In-Interest Under 37 C.F.R. § 42.8(b)(1) -------------- 90
`
`Related Matters Under 37 C.F.R. § 42.8(b)(2) ---------------------- 90
`
`Lead and Backup Counsel Under 37 C.F.R.
`§ 42.8(b)(3) --------------------------------------------------------------- 90
`
`Service Information Under 37 C.F.R. § 42.8(b)(4) ----------------- 91
`
`Payment of Fees Under 37 C.F.R. § 42.103 ------------------------- 91
`
`-vii-
`
`
`
`
`
`Grounds for Standing Under 37 C.F.R. § 42.104(a) ---------------- 91
`
`
`
`CONCLUSION ------------------------------------------------------------------ 92
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`-viii-
`
`
`
`
`
`Cases:
`
`TABLE OF AUTHORITIES
`
`Page(s):
`
`Amazon.com, Inc. v. CustomPlay, LLC,
`IPR2018-01496, Paper 12 (PTAB March 7, 2019) ------------------------- 88, 89
`Bumble Trading Inc. v. Match Group, LLC,
`IPR2019-01583, Paper 13 (PTAB March 11, 2020) --------------------------- 88
`Comcast Cable Commc’ns, LLC v. Veveo, Inc.,
`IPR2019-00239 Paper 15 (PTAB July 5, 2019) -------------------------------- 88
`Diebold Nixdorf, Inc. v. Int’l Trade Comm’n,
`899 F.3d 1291 (Fed. Cir. 2018) --------------------------------------------------- 17
`Ericsson Inc. v. Intellectual Ventures II, LLC,
`IPR2018-01689, Paper 15 (PTAB Apr. 16, 2019) ------------------------------ 88
`Leapfrog Enters. v. Fisher-Price, Inc.,
`485 F.3d 1157 (Fed. Cir. 2007) --------------------------------------------------- 87
`Newell Cos. v. Kenney Mfg. Co.,
`864 F.2d 757 (Fed. Cir. 1988) ----------------------------------------------------- 87
`Nidec Motor Corp. v. Zhongshan Broad Ocean Motor Co.,
`868 F.3d 1013 (Fed. Cir. 2017) --------------------------------------------------- 15
`In re Nilssen,
`851 F.2d 1401 (Fed. Cir. 1988) --------------------------------------------------- 15
`Unwired Planet, LLC v. Google Inc.,
`841 F.3d 995 (Fed. Cir. 2016) ----------------------------------------------------- 15
`Williamson v. Citrix Online, LLC,
`792 F.3d 1339 (Fed. Cir. 2015) --------------------------------------------------- 16
`
`Statutes and Rules:
`35 U.S.C. § 102 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12
`35 U.S.C. § 315 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 88
`
`-ix-
`
`
`
`35 U.S.C. § 112 -------------------------------------------------------------------- passim
`35 U.S.C. § 112 -------------------------------------------------------------------- passim
`35 U.S.C. §§ 311-319 -------------------------------------------------------------------- 1
`35 U.S.C. §§ 311-319 -----nnnnnnnncncnnnecnncnnneeneneennnnnnnnnnn 1
`35 U.S.C. § 314 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 88
`35 U.S.C. § 314 n-neannecncenennnnnnnnns 88
`37 C.F.R. § 42.8 --------------------------------------------------------------------- 90, 91
`37 CER. § 42,9 -----nannennncencenceeenecnnnnennnnennnn 90, 91
`37 C.F.R. § 42.10 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 91
`37 CAER. § 42.10 ---nn---nnnnnnnenncnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnns 9]
`37 C.F.R. § 42.15 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 91
`37 CAER. § 42,15 ---nnnnnnnannennncnnceceecnnennnnnnnnnnnnnns 9]
`37 C.F.R. §42.100 ------------------------------------------------------------------- 1, 16
`37 C.E.R. 842.100 --------nn--nennncnnnneennnnnnnnnnes 1, 16
`37 C.F.R. § 42.103 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 91
`37 CER. § 42.103 --------nnnnnnennnnncececnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnns 9]
`37 C.F.R. § 42.104 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 91
`37 CAE. § 42.104 --------nnnnnnnnncencencnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnns 9]
`
`
`
`
`-x-
`
`
`
`Amazon.com v. Vocalife LLC
`IPR Petition – U.S. Patent No. 7,177,049
`TABLE OF EXHIBITS
`
`Exhibit No.
`
`Description
`
`1001
`
`1002
`
`1003
`
`1004
`
`1005
`
`1006
`
`1007
`
`1008
`
`1009
`
`1010
`
`U.S. Patent No. RE47,049 (“the ’049 patent”)
`
`Excerpts from the ’049 patent prosecution file history
`
`U.S. Patent No. 8,861,756 (“the ’756 patent”)
`
`Excerpts from the ’756 patent prosecution file history
`
`WO 2008/041878 (“Saric”)
`
`Dmochowski, Jacek, et al., Direction of Arrival Estimation
`Using a Parameterized Spatial Correlation Matrix, 15 IEEE
`Transactions on Audio, Speech, and Language Processing 4
`(May 2007) (“Dmochowski”)
`
`Li, Qi, et al., A Portable USB-Based Microphone Array
`Device for Robust Speech Recognition, 2009 IEEE
`International Conference of Acoustics, Speech, and Signal
`Processing (2009) (“Li”)
`
`Declaration of Gerard P. Grenier, Senior Director of Content
`Management of The Institute of Electrical and Electronics
`Engineers, Inc.
`
`Declaration of Lin-Shan Lee, General Chair, ICASSP 2009
`
`Excerpts from BRANDSTEIN, MICHAEL, MICROPHONE
`ARRAYS: SIGNAL PROCESSING TECHNIQUES AND
`APPLICATIONS (Springer 2001) (“Brandstein”)
`
`1011
`
`U.S. Patent Pub. No. 2004/0071284 (“Abutalebi”)
`
`Table of Exhibits, Page 1
`
`
`
`Amazon.com v. Vocalife LLC
`IPR Petition – U.S. Patent No. 7,177,049
`
`Exhibit No.
`
`Description
`
`1012
`
`1013
`
`1014
`
`1015
`
`1016
`
`1017
`
`1018
`
`1019
`
`1020
`
`1021
`
`Greenberg, Julie, et al., Evaluation of an Adaptive
`Beamforming Method for Hearing Aids, The Journal of the
`Acoustical Society of America 91 (1992) (“Greenberg”)
`
`Hoshuyama, Osamu, et al. A Realtime Robust Adaptive
`Microphone Array Controlled by an SNR Estimate,
`Proceedings of the 1998 IEEE International Conference on
`Acoustics, Speech and Signal Processing (ICASSP ’98)
`(“Hoshuyama”)
`
`Screenshot of Hoshuyama article information from publicly-
`available online database IEEE Xplore
`
`Declaration of Dr. Richard M. Stern, Jr., Ph.D.
`
`Curriculum Vitae of Dr. Richard M. Stern, Jr., Ph.D.
`
`Excerpts from WOLFEL, MATTHIAS, ET AL., DISTANT SPEECH
`RECOGNITION (Wiley 2009) (“Wolfel”)
`
`Excerpts from HAYKIN, SIMON AND LUI, K.J., HANDBOOK ON
`ARRAY PROCESSING AND SENSOR NETWORKS (Wiley 2010)
`(“Haykin”)
`
`U.S. Patent Publication 2009/0141907 (“Kim”)
`
`U.S. Patent Publication 2004/0161121 (“Chol”)
`
`DiBiase, Joseph, A High-Accuracy, Low-Latency Technique
`for Talker Localization in Reverberant Environments Using
`Microphone Arrays, Thesis, Brown University (May 2002)
`(“DiBiase”)
`
`Table of Exhibits, Page 2
`
`
`
`Amazon.com v. Vocalife LLC
`IPR Petition – U.S. Patent No. 7,177,049
`
`Exhibit No.
`
`Description
`
`1022
`
`1023
`
`1024
`
`1025
`
`1026
`
`1027
`
`1028
`
`1029
`
`Vocalife’s Complaint for Patent Infringement in Vocalife
`LLC v. Amazon.com, Inc. and Amazon.com LLC, No. 2:19-
`cv-00123-JRG (E.D. TX filed April 16, 2019)
`
`Vocalife’s Disclosure of Asserted Claims and Infringement
`Contentions in Vocalife LLC v. Amazon.com, Inc. and
`Amazon.com LLC, No. 2:19-cv-00123-JRG (E.D. TX filed
`April 16, 2019)
`
`Vocalife’s First Amended Disclosure of Asserted Claims
`and Infringement Contentions in Vocalife LLC v.
`Amazon.com, Inc. and Amazon.com LLC, No. 2:19-cv-
`00123-JRG (E.D. TX filed April 16, 2019)
`
`Plaintiff Vocalife LLC’s Opening Claim Construction Brief
`from Vocalife LLC v. Amazon.com, Inc. and Amazon.com
`LLC, No. 2:19-cv-00123-JRG (E.D. TX filed April 16,
`2019)
`
`Amazon’s Responsive Claim Construction Brief from
`Vocalife LLC v. Amazon.com, Inc. and Amazon.com LLC,
`No. 2:19-cv-00123-JRG (E.D. TX filed April 16, 2019)
`
`Expert Report of Dr. Richard M. Stern on Claim
`Construction from Vocalife LLC v. Amazon.com, Inc. and
`Amazon.com LLC, No. 2:19-cv-00123-JRG (E.D. TX filed
`April 16, 2019)
`
`Claim Construction Memorandum and Order from Vocalife
`LLC v. Amazon.com, Inc. and Amazon.com LLC, No. 2:19-
`cv-00123-JRG (E.D. TX filed April 16, 2019)
`
`Plaintiff Vocalife LLC’s Responses and Objections to
`Amazon’s Interrogatory No. 13 from Vocalife LLC v.
`
`Table of Exhibits, Page 3
`
`
`
`Amazon.com v. Vocalife LLC
`IPR Petition – U.S. Patent No. 7,177,049
`
`Exhibit No.
`
`Description
`
`Amazon.com, Inc. and Amazon.com LLC, No. 2:19-cv-
`00123-JRG (E.D. TX filed April 16, 2019)
`
`Final Rejection from prosecution history of U.S. Patent
`Application No. 16/052,623 dated January 29, 2020
`
`Leahy-Smith America Invents Act, Congressional Record
`157, p. S5429 (2011)
`
`Excerpts from FISCHER, R.B. ET AL., DICTIONARY OF
`COMPUTER VISION AND IMAGE PROCESSING (Wiley 2005)
`
`Excerpts from SMITH, STEVEN W., THE SCIENTIST AND
`ENGINEER’S GUIDE TO DIGITAL SIGNAL PROCESSING (2nd ed.
`1999)
`
`Thompson, Tom, Digital Signal Processing,
`ComputerWorld (May 12, 2001)
`
`Asaei, Afsaneh, et al., Verified speaker localization utilizing
`voicing level in split-bands, 89 Signal Processing 1038-1049
`(2009)
`
`Excerpts from OPPENHEIM, ALAN V., ET AL., DISCRETE-TIME
`SIGNAL PROCESSING (2d ed. Prentice Hall 1999)
`
`Excerpts from TASHEV, IVAN, SOUND CAPTURE AND
`PROCESSING (Wiley 2009)
`
`1030
`
`1031
`
`1032
`
`1033
`
`1034
`
`1035
`
`1036
`
`1037
`
`
`
`Table of Exhibits, Page 4
`
`
`
`Amazon.com v. Vocalife LLC
`IPR Petition – U.S. Patent No. RE47,049
`
`
`
`
`INTRODUCTION
`
`Petitioner Amazon.com, Inc. (“Petitioner” or “Amazon”) requests inter partes
`
`review (“IPR”) pursuant to 35 U.S.C. §§ 311-319 and 37 C.F.R. § 42.100 et seq. of
`
`claims 1-8, 19-20, 22-25, and 30 (“the Challenged Claims”) of U.S. Patent No.
`
`RE47,049 (“the ’049 patent”), which Vocalife LLC (“Patent Owner”) purports to
`
`own.
`
`The ’049 patent is a reissue of U.S. Patent No. 8,861,756. It describes a
`
`system having a collection of microphones, referred to as a “microphone array,” that
`
`captures sound signals from a room, such as a person’s speech. The sound signals
`
`are fed to a digital signal processor (“DSP”), which executes three mathematical
`
`algorithms to focus the microphone array on the speaker and improve the sound
`
`clarity. First, the “sound source localization unit” estimates the speaker’s location
`
`within the room. Second, the “beamforming unit” focuses the microphone array on
`
`the speaker’s location and filters out sounds from other parts of the room. Third,
`
`the “noise reduction unit” eliminates additional, unwanted noise.
`
`The use of microphone arrays with the three units was known in the art and
`
`predates the ’049 patent by at least a decade. Persons of ordinary skill in the art
`
`(“POSITAs”) had already developed and tested the specific algorithms for sound
`
`source localization, beamforming, and noise reduction disclosed in the patent.
`
`-1-
`
`
`
`Amazon.com v. Vocalife LLC
`IPR Petition – U.S. Patent No. RE47,049
`
`
`The obviousness grounds presented in this petition fall into two groups
`
`depending on the references. Grounds 1a-1e are based on the combination of Saric
`
`and Dmochowski. Grounds 2a-2e are based on the combination of Li and
`
`Brandstein.
`
`Specifically, Ground 1a shows how Saric and Dmochowski render the claims
`
`obvious. Saric discloses a microphone array and a DSP that executes algorithms for
`
`sound source localization, beamforming, and noise reduction. Dmochowski
`
`discloses a specific geometric calculation for implementing an alternative sound
`
`source localization algorithm, which would have been obvious to combine with
`
`Saric.
`
`Ground 1b shows how Saric, Dmochowski, and Brandstein render the claims
`
`obvious. Brandstein discloses a specific algorithm for sound source localization
`
`(“SRP-PHAT”) required by dependent claim 2 (and the independent claims if
`
`“sound source localization unit” is construed as a means-plus-function term).
`
`Ground 2a shows how Li and Brandstein render the claims obvious. Li is a
`
`prior-art publication authored by the ’049 patent’s inventors but not disclosed during
`
`prosecution. Li discloses a microphone array and a DSP that executes algorithms
`
`for beamforming and noise reduction. Brandstein discloses several sound source
`
`-2-
`
`
`
`Amazon.com v. Vocalife LLC
`IPR Petition – U.S. Patent No. RE47,049
`
`
`localization algorithms, which would have been obvious to combine with Li’s
`
`system.
`
`
`
`Ground 2b shows how Li, Brandstein, and Dmochowski render the claims
`
`obvious. To the extent Li does not disclose the delay calculation required by the
`
`claims, Dmochowski does.
`
`Grounds 1c-1e and 2c-2e build on the combinations above and show how
`
`Greenberg, Hoshuyama, and Abutalebi disclose other well-known features of
`
`adaptive beamformers that are recited in dependent claims 5-6, 8, and 24-25.
`
`Because it would have been obvious to a POSITA to combine the teachings
`
`of these references to arrive at the claimed inventions, the claims should never have
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`issued. The Challenged Claims recite no advancement in the art and should be
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`canceled.
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`Amazon.com v. Vocalife LLC
`IPR Petition – U.S. Patent No. RE47,049
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`
` THE ’049 PATENT
` Overview
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`The ’049 Patent discloses a well-known method of using a microphone array
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`to enhance a target sound signal, such as a person’s speech, using basic beamforming
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`techniques disclosed in many prior art articles and textbooks. The array consists of
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`microphones (Mn) arranged in a circular (Figure 3), linear (Figure 4), or other
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`configuration:
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`(Id., Figures 3-4, 2:11-20.)1
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` 1
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` All color in the Petition has been added for clarity.
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`Amazon.com v. Vocalife LLC
`IPR Petition – U.S. Patent No. RE47,049
`
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`The microphones receive sound signals and send them to a DSP. As
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`illustrated below, the DSP (yellow) executes three units: a “sound source localization
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`unit” (purple), an “adaptive beamforming unit” (pink), and a “noise reduction unit”
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`(blue). These units were known in the art. (Ex. 1015, ¶¶43-54.)
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`
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`The “sound source localization unit” is an algorithm that estimates the
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`location of a target sound source, such as a person’s speech. (Ex. 1001, 6:54-59.)
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`The ’049 patent identifies the steered response power-phase transform (“SRP-
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`PHAT”) algorithm as the specific algorithm used in the patent. (Id., 11:25-55.) The
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`SPR-PHAT algorithm, as well as several others, was widely known in the art. (See
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`Amazon.com v. Vocalife LLC
`IPR Petition – U.S. Patent No. RE47,049
`
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`Ex. 1010, 161 (time delay of arrival (TDOA), 169 (steered response power (SRP),
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`170 (SRP-PHAT); Ex. 1015, ¶¶50-53.)
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`The “noise reduction unit” uses additional algorithms to filter the sound signal
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`and “further suppress the ambient noise signals.” (Ex. 1001, 7:9-14.) Such noise
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`reduction algorithms were known for decades. (See, e.g., Ex. 1010, 39-57; Ex. 1007,
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`1303; Ex. 1015, ¶54 (describing state of the art).)
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`The “adaptive beamforming unit” enhances sound signals coming from the
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`estimated target direction and suppresses signals from other directions. (Ex. 1001,
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`2:33-38.) It does this by steering the microphone array’s “directivity pattern” toward
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`the target direction. (Id.) An example of a directivity pattern (yellow) centered at
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`15 degrees is shown in Figure 16E:
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`Amazon.com v. Vocalife LLC
`IPR Petition – U.S. Patent No. RE47,049
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`(Id., FIG. 16E, 18:6-10.)
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`The adaptive beamforming unit uses information from the sound source
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`localization unit to steer the array’s directivity pattern to follow a moving sound
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`source. (Id., 12:18-38.) This is what makes the beamformer “adaptive.” (Id.) Many
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`adaptive beamforming algorithms were known in the art. (See, e.g., Ex. 1010, 3-16,
`
`24-36, 87-106; Ex. 1005, 11:32-12:15; Ex. 1017, 409-491; Ex. 1018, 231-296; Ex.
`
`1015, ¶¶47-49 (describing state of the art).)
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`The beamformer’s directivity pattern is steered by calculating certain delays.
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`(Ex. 1001, 7:57-8:33.) Different microphones in the array receive the target sound
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`signal at different times, so each microphone captures the signal with a different
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`delay relative to an “origin.” (Id.) These delays depend on the direction of arrival
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`of the target signal. By using simple math to calculate the delays for a desired
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`direction, the array’s directivity pattern can be steered in that direction. (Id.)
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`For example, Figure 5 shows a target sound signal (yellow) intersecting a
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`circular array at an angle θ from the Y-axis (reference axis, red):
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`Amazon.com v. Vocalife LLC
`IPR Petition – U.S. Patent No. RE47,049
`
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`Using the distance (d) between each microphone and the origin (the array
`
`center in this example), and the angle (Φ) between each microphone and the Y-axis,
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`the system calculates the delay between the microphone and the origin.
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`
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`-8-
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`Amazon.com v. Vocalife LLC
`IPR Petition – U.S. Patent No. RE47,049
`
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`For example, as shown below, the delay between microphone M3 and the origin is
`
`τ3. The delay between the origin and microphone M1 is τ1. (Id., 8:23-33.) The
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`formula for delay τ3 is simply -d cos(θ - ϕ3)fs/c where fs is the sampling rate in
`
`samples per second and c is the speed of sound. (Id., Figure 6A-6B; Ex. 1015, ¶¶67-
`
`70.)
`
`As shown above, calculating the delay between each microphone and the origin
`
`involves basic math that was well known in the art. (See e.g., Ex. 1006, 1328-29;
`
`
`
`Ex. 1015, ¶¶45-46, 63-70.)
`
`
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`Prosecution History
`
`During prosecution of the original ’756 patent, the Examiner rejected the
`
`claims as obvious. (Ex. 1004, 27; Ex. 1019; Ex. 1020.) The Examiner found that
`
`the art disclosed a microphone array, sound source localization unit, adaptive
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`-9-
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`
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`Amazon.com v. Vocalife LLC
`IPR Petition – U.S. Patent No. RE47,049
`
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`beamforming unit, and noise reduction unit. (Ex. 1004, 28.) Thus, the applicant
`
`added the simple delay calculation discussed above and argued that none of the prior
`
`art taught it. (Id., 21-23.) The Examiner allowed the claims. (Id., 6.)
`
`During reissue, the application was again rejected over prior art. The
`
`applicant responded by adding the DSP limitation and again arguing that the prior
`
`art lacked the delay calculation. (Ex. 1002, 39-42.) The Examiner allowed the
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`claims. (Id., 7.)
`
` THE PRIOR ART
` Grounds in This IPR
`
`Petitioner has grouped its grounds by primary reference. Grounds 1a-1e rely
`
`on Saric as the primary reference. Grounds 2a-2e rely on Li as the primary reference.
`
`As discussed in the claim construction section below, the parties dispute
`
`whether the phrase “sound source localization unit” is subject to 35 U.S.C. §112, ¶6.
`
`Amazon relies on Ground 1a only if “sound source localization unit” is not subject
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`to §112, ¶6. Amazon relies on all other grounds regardless of whether §112, ¶6
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`applies.
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`• Ground 1a: Saric and Dmochowski render obvious claims 1, 7, 19-20, 22, 30.
`
`• Ground 1b: Saric, Dmochowski, and Brandstein render obvious claims 1, 2-
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`4, 7, 19-20, 22-24 and 30.
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`-10-
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`Amazon.com v. Vocalife LLC
`IPR Petition – U.S. Patent No. RE47,049
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`• Ground 1c: Saric, Dmochowski, Brandstein, and Greenberg render obvious
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`claims 6 and 24.
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`• Ground 1d: Saric, Dmochowski, Brandstein, and Hoshuyama render obvious
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`claims 6 and 24.
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`• Ground 1e: Saric, Dmochowski, Brandstein, and Abutalebi render obvious
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`claims 5, 8, and 25.
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`• Ground 2a: Li and Brandstein render obvious claims 1-4, 6-7, 19, and 22-24.
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`• Ground 2b: Li, Brandstein, and Dmochowski render obvious claims 1, 2-4, 7,
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`19-20, 22-24 and 30.
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`• Ground 2c: Li, Brandstein, Dmochowski, and Greenberg render obvious
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`claims 6 and 24.
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`• Ground 2d: Li, Brandstein, Dmochowski, and Hoshuyama render obvious
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`claims 6 and 24.
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`• Ground 2e: Li, Brandstein, Dmochowski, and Abutalebi render obvious
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`claims 5, 8, and 25.
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`
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`Brief Overview of References
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`The ’049 patent claims priority to a September 24, 2010 provisional
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`application. Even if the patent were entitled to this priority date, each reference is
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`-11-
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`
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`Amazon.com v. Vocalife LLC
`IPR Petition – U.S. Patent No. RE47,049
`
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`prior art under 35 U.S.C. § 102(b). Of the below references, only Saric was before
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`the Examiner, who never relied on it.
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`Saric is PCT application published on April 10, 2008. (Ex. 1005.) Saric
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`describes a microphone array (green) for tracking a speaker’s movement. (Id.,
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`Abstract.) The array is connected to a DSP (yellow) that runs algorithms for sound
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`source localization (purple), adaptive beamforming (pink), and noise reduction
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`(blue). (Id., 4:29-35.)
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`
`
`
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`Dmochowski is an IEEE article published in May 2007. (Ex. 1006, 1327.)
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`Dmochowski discloses calculating the delays for SRP-based sound source
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`localization algorithms. (Id., 1330-1331.) As shown in the figure below, the delays
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`are calculated between each microphone and the origin of a circular array using the
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`same geometric variables (ψ, θ) described in the ’049 patent:
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`-12-
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`
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`Amazon.com v. Vocalife LLC
`IPR Petition – U.S. Patent No. RE47,049
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`
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`(Id., 1328-1329.)
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`Brandstein is a seminal textbook on microphone arrays published in 2001.
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`(Ex. 1010, 4.) Both Saric and Dmochowski cite Brandstein. (Ex. 1005, 2:43-3:1;
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`Ex. 1006, 1338.) Brandstein discloses the specific sound source localization
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`algorithm—SRP-PHAT—described in the ’049 patent. (Id., 170-172). Brandstein
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`also discloses adaptive beamforming and noise reduction algorithms. (Id., 39-57,
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`87-106.)
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`-13-
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`Amazon.com v. Vocalife LLC
`IPR Petition – U.S. Patent No. RE47,049
`
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`Li is an article authored by the ’049 patent’s inventors and published for the
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`2009 IEEE International Conference on Acoustics, Speech, and Signal Processing.
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`(Ex. 1007, 1-3; Ex. 1008, ¶11, Ex. A; Ex. 1009.) Li describes a portable microphone
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`array with four microphones (green), a beamforming unit (pink) and a noise
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`reduction unit (blue). (Ex. 1007, 1301.) A DSP (yellow) executes the beamforming
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`and noise reduction algorithms. (Id., 1302, Figure 2.)
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`
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`Greenberg is a journal article published in March 1992. (Ex. 1012, 1662.)
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`Hoshuyama is an IEEE conference paper published in May 1998. (Ex. 1013, 3605;
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`Ex. 1014; Ex. 1010, 109, reference [46].) These references disclose an adaption
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`control unit for controlling the adaptive beamformer, as recited in claims 6 and 24.
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`
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`Abutalebi is a patent application published on April 15, 2004. (Ex. 1011.)
`
`Abutalebi discloses subband processing, as recited in dependen
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