Patent No. 9,636,583 —Petition for Post Grant Review
`
`Filed on behalf of Supercell Oy
`
`By:
`JENNIFER R. BUSH, Reg. No 50,784
`MICHAEL J. SACKSTEDER
`FENWICK & WEST LLP
`801 California Street
`Mountain View, CA 94041
`Telephone: 650.988.8500
`Facsimile: 650.938.5200
`
`
`
`
`UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
`_______________
`
`BEFORE THE PATENT TRIAL AND APPEAL BOARD
`_____________
`
`SUPERCELL OY,
`Petitioner
`
`v.
`
`GREE, INC.,
`Patent Owner.
`
`
`Post Grant Review No. ___________________
`Patent 9,636,583 B2
`_____________
`
`PETITION FOR POST GRANT REVIEW OF
`U.S. PATENT 9,636,583
`
`

`

`Patent No. 9,636,583 — Petition for Post Grant Review
`
`
`
`TABLE OF CONTENTS
`
`Page
`
`I.
`
`INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................... 1
`
`II. MANDATORY NOTICES (37 CFR § 42.8(A)(1)) ....................................... 1
`
`A.
`
`B.
`
`C.
`
`Real Party-In-Interest (37 CFR § 42.8(b)(1)) ...................................... 1
`
`Notice of Related Matters (37 CFR § 42.8(b)(2)) ................................ 1
`
`Designation of Lead and Backup Counsel
`(37 CFR § 42.8(b)(3)) .......................................................................... 2
`
`D.
`
`Service of Information (37 CFR § 42.8(b)(4)) ..................................... 2
`
`III. ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS ............................................................... 2
`
`A.
`
`B.
`
`Timing .................................................................................................. 2
`
`Grounds for Standing (37 CFR § 42.104(a)) ....................................... 2
`
`IV. DESCRIPTION OF THE ’583 PATENT ....................................................... 3
`
`A.
`
`Specification ......................................................................................... 3
`
`1.
`
`2.
`
`Functionality ................................................................................ 3
`
`System Description ...................................................................... 8
`
`B.
`
`Prosecution History ............................................................................ 10
`
`V.
`
`IDENTIFICATION OF CHALLENGE UNDER 37 CFR
`§ 42.104(B) AND RELIEF REQUESTED .................................................. 11
`
`A.
`
`B.
`
`Effective Filing Date of the Challenged Claims ................................ 11
`
`Claims for Which PGR Is Requested, Precise Relief
`Requested, and Specific Statutory Grounds on Which
`the Challenge Is Based [37 CFR § 42.104(b)(1) &
`37 CFR § 42.104(b)(2)] ...................................................................... 11
`
`i
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`

`

`Patent No. 9,636,583 — Petition for Post Grant Review
`
`TABLE OF CONTENTS
`(continued)
`
`
`C.
`
`Claim Construction (37 CFR § 42.104(b)(3)) .................................... 11
`
`1. The Claimed Invention............................................................... 12
`
`Page
`
`VI.
`
`IT IS MORE LIKELY THAN NOT THAT AT LEAST ONE
`OF THE CHALLENGED CLAIMS OF THE ’583 PATENT IS
`UNPATENTABLE ....................................................................................... 16
`
`A.
`
`Claims 1-15 of the ’583 Patent Are Invalid Under 35 U.S.C.
`§ 101 for Failing to Be Directed Toward Patent-Eligible
`Subject Matter .................................................................................... 16
`
`B.
`
`Legal Standard .................................................................................... 17
`
`1.
`
`35 U.S.C. § 101 Bars Claims that Recite Abstract
`Ideas and Lack an Inventive Concept. ....................................... 17
`
`C.
`
`Section 101 Was Not Addressed During Prosecution. ...................... 19
`
`D. Alice Step 1: The ’583 Patent Claims the Abstract Idea
`of Displaying a Video Game Based on Stored Panel
`Information. ........................................................................................ 21
`
`E.
`
`F.
`
`G.
`
`
`
`Alice Step 2: Claims 1-15 of the ’583 Patent Do Not
`Disclose An “Inventive Concept” Sufficient to Transform
`Their Ineligible Abstract Idea into a Patent-Eligible Invention. ........ 26
`
`The Dependent Claims Add Nothing Inventive ................................. 29
`
`Claims 1-15 of the ’583 Patent Are Invalid Under
`35 U.S.C. § 112(a) for Lack of Written Description .......................... 31
`
`ii
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`

`

`Patent No. 9,636,583 — Petition for Post Grant Review
`
`TABLE OF CONTENTS
`(continued)
`
`
`
`Page
`
`1. Claims 1-15 of the ’583 patent are unpatentable
`under 35 U.S.C. § 112(a) because the specification
`of the ’583 patent fails to provide adequate written
`description of a points set for the first user, storage,
`selection of a panel according to the points set, and
`decreasing the points set by disposing a panel. ......................... 32
`
`2. Claims 1-15 of the ’583 patent are unpatentable under
`35 U.S.C. § 112(a) for lack of written description because
`the specification of the ’583 patent fails to provide
`adequate written description of a target division for
`disposing of a selected panel and the panel being allowed
`to be disposed in the target division. .......................................... 36
`
`H.
`
`Claims 1-15 of the ’583 Patent Are Invalid Under 35 U.S.C. § 112(b)
`as Indefinite ........................................................................................ 39
`
`V.
`
`CONCLUSION ............................................................................................. 42
`
`
`
`
`
`iii
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`

`

`Patent No. 9,636,583 — Petition for Post Grant Review
`
`TABLE OF AUTHORITIES
`
`
`
`Page(s)
`
`CASES
`Affinity Labs of Tex., LLC v. DIRECTV, LLC
`838 F.3d 1253 (Fed. Cir. 2016) ...................................................................passim
`
`Alice Corp. Pty. Ltd. v. CLS Bank Int’l,
`134 S. Ct. 2347 (2014) .................................................................................passim
`
`All. Research Mtg. Says. v. Troy,
`659 F.3d 1345 ..................................................................................................... 31
`
`Apple, Inc. v. Ameranth, Inc.,
`842 F.3d 1229 (Fed. Cir. 2016) .......................................................................... 27
`
`BASCOM Global Internet Services, Inc. v. AT&T Mobility LLC,
`827 F.3d 1341 (Fed. Cir. 2016) .................................................................... 18, 19
`
`Bilski v. Kappos,
`561 U.S. 593 (2010) ............................................................................................ 31
`
`Content Extraction & Transmission LLC v. Wells Fargo Bank, N.A.,
`776 F.3d 1343 (Fed. Cir. 2014) .......................................................................... 13
`
`Elec. Power Grp., LLC v. Alstom S.A.,
`830 F.3d 1350 (Fed. Cir. 2016) .................................................................... 23, 25
`
`Enfish, LLC v. Microsoft Corp.,
`822 F.3d 1327 (Fed. Cir. 2016) ...................................................................passim
`
`GREE, Inc. v. Supercell K.K.,
`Case 2017 (Yo) No. 22165 ................................................................................... 2
`
`In re Anderson,
`1997 U.S. App. Lexis 167 (Fed. Cir. Jan. 6, 1997) ............................................ 40
`
`In re Cohn,
`438 F.2d 989, 169 USPQ 95 (CCPA 1971) ........................................................ 39
`
`iv
`
`

`

`Patent No. 9,636,583 — Petition for Post Grant Review
`
`TABLE OF AUTHORITIES
`(continued)
`
`In re Collier,
`397 F.2d 1003, 158 USPQ 266 (CCPA 1968) .................................................... 41
`
`Page(s)
`
`
`In re Cuozzo Speed Techs., LLC,
`778 F.3d 1271 (Fed. Cir. 2015), affirmed, Cuozzo Speed Techs.,
`LLC v. Lee, 136 S. Ct. 2131 (2016) .................................................................... 12
`
`In re Hammack,
`427 F.2d 1378, 166 USPQ 204 (CCPA 1970) .................................................... 39
`
`In re Katz Interactive Call Processing Patent Litigation.,
`639 F.3d 1303 (Fed. Cir. 2011) .......................................................................... 31
`
`In re Mayhew,
`527 F.2d 1229, 188 USPQ 356 (CCPA 1976) .................................................... 40
`
`In re Moore,
`439 F.2d 1232 (CCPA 1971) .............................................................................. 39
`
`In re Packard,
`751 F.3d 1307 (Fed. Cir. 2014) .................................................................... 39, 40
`
`In re Paulsen,
`30 F.3d 1475 (Fed. Cir. 1994) ............................................................................ 12
`
`In re TLI Commc’ns LLC Patent Litig.,
`823 F.3d 607 (Fed. Cir. 2016) .......................................................... 18, 19, 23, 26
`
`In re Translogic Tech., Inc.,
`504 F.3d 1249 (Fed. Cir. 2007) .......................................................................... 12
`
`In re Venezia,
`530 F.2d 956, 189 USPQ 149 (CCPA 1976) ...................................................... 40
`
`Intellectual Ventures I LLC v. Capital One Bank,
`792 F.3d at 1370 ................................................................................................. 29
`
`Internet Patents Corp. v. Active Network, Inc.,
`790 F.3d 1343 (Fed. Cir. 2015) .............................................................. 17, 23, 25
`
`
`
`v
`
`
`
`

`

`Patent No. 9,636,583 — Petition for Post Grant Review
`
`TABLE OF AUTHORITIES
`(continued)
`
`Lockwood v. Amer. Airlines, Inc.,
`107 F.3d 1565, 41 USPQ2d 1961 (Fed. Cir. 1997) ............................................ 32
`
`Page(s)
`
`
`Loyalty Conversion Sys. Corp. v. Am. Airlines, Inc.,
`66 F. Supp. 3d 829 (E.D. Tex. 2014) (Bryson, J.) .............................................. 16
`
`Mayo Collaborative Servs. v. Prometheus Labs., Inc.,
`132 S. Ct. 1289 (2012) ........................................................................................ 18
`
`McRO, Inc. v. Bandai Namco Games Am. Inc.,
`837 F.3d 1299 (Fed. Cir. 2016) ........................................................ 19, 23, 24, 25
`
`Mortg. Grader v. First Choice Loan Services,
`811 F.3d 1314 (Fed. Cir. 2016) .......................................................................... 26
`
`Smartflash LLC v. Apple Inc.,
`2017 WL 786431 (Fed. Cir. Mar. 1, 2017) ......................................................... 28
`
`Telebrands Corp. v. Tinnus Enterprises, LLC,
`PGR2015-00018, Paper 75 (PTAB Dec. 30, 2016) ............................................ 39
`
`Two-Way Media Ltd. v. Comcast Cable Commnc’n,
`LLC, 874 F.3d 1329 (Fed. Cir. 2017) ........................................................... 21, 22
`
`Vas-Cath Inc. v. Mahurkar,
`935 F.2d 1555 (Fed.Cir.1991) ............................................................................ 31
`
`Vehicle Intelligence & Safety, LLC v Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC,
`635 Fed. App’x. 914 (Fed. Cir. 2015) ................................................................ 27
`
`Vivid Techs., Inc. v. Am. Sci. & Eng’g, Inc.,
`200 F.3d 795 (Fed. Cir. 1999) ............................................................................ 12
`
`Wang Labs. v. Toshiba Corp.,
`993 F.2d 858, 26 USPQ2d 1767 (Fed. Cir. 1993) .............................................. 32
`STATUTES AND RULES
`35 U.S.C. § 101 .................................................................................................passim
`
`
`
`vi
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`

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`Patent No. 9,636,583 — Petition for Post Grant Review
`
`TABLE OF AUTHORITIES
`(continued)
`
`Page(s)
`
`35 U.S.C. § 112 .................................................................................................. 10, 36
`
`35 USC §112(a) ................................................................................................passim
`
`35 USC §112(b) ..................................................................................... 11, 39, 40, 42
`
`35 USC §§ 311-319.............................................................................................. 1, 43
`
`Rule 42.204(a) ............................................................................................................ 2
`OTHER AUTHORITIES
`37 C.F.R. § 42.8(a)(1) ................................................................................................ 1
`
`37 C.F.R. § 42.8(b)(1) ................................................................................................ 1
`
`37 C.F.R. § 42.8(b)(3) ................................................................................................ 2
`
`37 C.F.R. § 42.8(b)(4) ................................................................................................ 2
`
`37 C.F.R. § 42.100(b) .............................................................................................. 12
`
`37 C.F.R. § 42.104(a) ................................................................................................. 2
`
`37 C.F.R. § 42.104(B) .............................................................................................. 11
`
`37 C.F.R. § 42.104(b)(3) .......................................................................................... 11
`
`37 CFR § 42.104(b)(2) § 42.104(b)(1) & ................................................................ 11
`
`37 CFR §§ 42.200 et seq. ..................................................................................... 1, 43
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`vii
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`Patent No. 9,636,583 — Petition for Post Grant Review
`
`EXHIBIT LIST (37 CFR § 42.63(e))
`
`Exhibit
`
`Description
`
`1001
`
`1002
`
`1003
`
`1004
`
`1005
`
`1006
`
`U.S. Patent No. 9,636,583 to Atobe
`
`Prosecution History of U.S. Patent No. 9,636,583
`
`USPTO Memorandum on Recent Subject Matter Eligibility
`Decisions, dated May 19, 2016
`
`USPTO Memorandum on Recent Subject Matter Eligibility
`Decisions, dated November 2, 2016
`
`Prosecution History of U.S. Patent 9,457,273
`
`Prosecution History of U.S. Patent Application Serial No.
`15/686,268
`
`viii
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`

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`Patent No. 9,636,583 — Petition for Post Grant Review
`
`INTRODUCTION
`In accordance with 35 USC §§ 311-319 and 37 CFR §§ 42.200 et seq.,
`
`I.
`
`Petitioner requests Post Grant Review of claims 1-15 of United States Patent No.
`
`9,636,583 to Atobe, titled “Storage Medium Storing Game Program, Game
`
`Processing Method, And Information Processing Apparatus” (the “’583 patent”;
`
`“Ex. 1001”), owned by GREE, Inc. (“GREE” or “Patent Owner”). This Petition
`
`demonstrates that Petitioner is more likely than not to prevail in invalidating at
`
`least one of the challenged claims. The challenged claims of the ’583 patent should
`
`be canceled as unpatentable.
`
`II. MANDATORY NOTICES (37 CFR § 42.8(a)(1))
`A. Real Party-In-Interest (37 CFR § 42.8(b)(1))
`The sole real party-in-interest for this Petition is the Supercell Oy, Petitioner.
`
`Due to the related matter listed below having been filed against Supercell K.K.,
`
`Petitioner hereby discloses this related entity information out of an abundance of
`
`caution. Supercell K.K. is a fully-owned subsidiary of Supercell Oy, but does not
`
`exercise control over this PGR proceeding.
`
`B. Notice of Related Matters (37 CFR § 42.8(b)(2))
`The ’538 patent is a continuation of U.S. Ser. No. 14/291,358 that claims the
`
`benefit of Japanese Patent Application No. 2013-116039 filed on May 31, 2013,
`
`which published as JP 6,125,128. JP 6,125,128 is asserted by GREE against
`
`
`
`1
`
`
`
`

`

`Patent No. 9,636,583 — Petition for Post Grant Review
`
`Supercell Oy and Supercell K.K. in the following patent infringement lawsuit:
`
`GREE, Inc. v. Supercell K.K., Case 2017 (Yo) No. 22165 Petition for Provisional
`
`Disposition before Civil Department 29 of the Tokyo District Court.
`
`C. Designation of Lead and Backup Counsel (37 CFR § 42.8(b)(3))
`Petitioner designates Jennifer R. Bush (Reg. No. 50,784) as lead counsel and
`
`Michael J. Sacksteder as back-up counsel.
`
`D. Service of Information (37 CFR § 42.8(b)(4))
`Service of any documents via hand-delivery may be made at the postal
`
`mailing address of Fenwick & West LLP, 801 California Street, Mountain View,
`
`CA 94041 (Tel: (650) 988-8500 and Fax: (650) 988-5200), with courtesy copies to
`
`the email address JBush-PTAB@fenwick.com. Petitioner consents to electronic
`
`service to JBush-PTAB@fenwick.com.
`
`III. ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS
`A. Timing
`The ’583 patent was granted on May 2, 2017, and the present petition is
`
`being filed on or before the date that is nine months after the date of the grant of
`
`the patent, or February 2, 2018. See Ex. 1001.
`
`B. Grounds for Standing (37 CFR § 42.104(a))
`Petitioner certifies pursuant to Rule 42.204(a) that the ’583 patent is
`
`available for Post Grant Review (“PGR”) and that Petitioner is not barred or
`
`
`
`2
`
`
`
`

`

`Patent No. 9,636,583 — Petition for Post Grant Review
`
`estopped from requesting a Post Grant Review challenging the validity of the
`
`above-referenced claims of the ’583 patent on the grounds identified in the
`
`Petition.
`
`IV. DESCRIPTION OF THE ’583 PATENT
`
`A.
`
`Specification
`1.
`The ’583 patent is directed to the idea of displaying a video game based on
`
`Functionality
`
`stored panel information. The specification describes a game program, a game
`
`processing method, and an information processing apparatus that controls a game
`
`in which two characters battle against one another. Each describes the same series
`
`of generalized steps: a data storage step, a panel selection step, a panel layout step,
`
`a screen display control step, and an emphasized display step.1 Id. at 4:18-22.
`
`These steps, shown in Figure 1 below, purport to provide a user of the battle video
`
`game with “a high visual effect” by displaying a video game based on information
`
`in panels possessed by the characters. Ex. 1001, 1:48-51.
`
`
`1 The emphasized display step is referenced throughout the specification as a
`part of the claimed method, but it is not recited in any of the independent claims.
`See, e.g., Ex. 1001, 4:18-22, 4:52-62, 5:5-10, 6:36-40, FIG. 1, FIG. 2.
`
`
`
`3
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`

`

`Patent No. 9,636,583 — Petition for Post Grant Review
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`
`
`
`In the game as described in the ’583 specification, each of the two characters
`
`possesses “panels.” These panels are stored as part of a “panel database.” Storage
`
`of the panel database is accomplished by the “storage function” shown in Step 110.
`
`See Ex. 1001, 4:25-30 (FIG. 1 flowchart description of storage step 110).
`
`The panels possessed by the characters are then “selected” in order to be
`
`disposed in the “frames” 2 of the game display screen. The selection of the panels
`
`
`2 The term “frames” is used throughout the specification to refer to regions
`of the display screen where the panels are placed or disposed, but it is not recited in
`the independent claims of the ’583 patent. See, e.g. Ex. 1001, 2:9-12 (“a panel
`selection function of selecting panels to be disposed in frames of a game display
`
`
`
`4
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`

`Patent No. 9,636,583 — Petition for Post Grant Review
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`is accomplished by the “selection function.” Ex. 1001, 4:31-38 (FIG. 1 flowchart
`
`description of storage step 120).
`
`After being selected, the panels are “disposed” in the frames of the display
`
`screen. This is referred to in the specification as the “panel layout step.” The
`
`specification describes, as illustrated in Figure 3 below, the game display screen
`
`being divided into distinct “frames” where the panels are disposed. Ex. 1001,
`
`4:39-42 (FIG. 3 description). The panels are described as being “disposed by the
`
`panel layout section, in predetermined order.” Ex. 1001, 3:29-30.
`
`
`
`screen including a display region formed by one or more frames, from the first and
`second panel databases”). Instead, the term “divisions” is used in the independent
`claims, and dependent claim 12 recites that the “divisions” have “frame portions.”
`See, e.g., Ex. 1001, 9:21-23, 9:24-25, 9:34-37.
`
`
`
`5
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`Patent No. 9,636,583 — Petition for Post Grant Review
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`In Figure 3 the display screen represents the “battle display region” 310 where the
`
`characters battle one another. The battle display region is divided into frames A
`
`through G, into which the panels are to be disposed. Ex. 1001, 6:14-20. After the
`
`panels are disposed in the frames, the game display screen is displayed on a screen
`
`display unit. Ex. 1001, 4:43-45.
`
`Finally, using the emphasized display function, the panel that was disposed
`
`by the panel layout function in a frame is emphasized and displayed on the screen
`
`display unit according to information indicating characteristics of the panel.
`
`Ex. 1001, 4:53-62.
`
`The specification states that enhanced visual effect can be accomplished by
`
`executing these generalized steps. In a preferred embodiment, the emphasized
`
`display step executes the frames in a predetermined order and emphasizes the
`
`panels disposed in the executed frames. Ex. 1001, 6:36-43. In this embodiment,
`
`described with reference to Figure 3 above, the battle between the two players
`
`proceeds by executing the frames A through G, one after another, in alphabetical
`
`order. Ex. 1001, 6:41-46. The purported effect of executing the frames in a
`
`sequence is that the battle between the first and second characters will proceed
`
`“like a cartoon.” Ex. 1001, 6:41-46.
`
`Another enhanced effect purportedly achieved by executing these
`
`generalized steps is that the frames in which the panels are disposed are able to
`
`
`
`6
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`Patent No. 9,636,583 — Petition for Post Grant Review
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`display text and produce sound effects. Ex. 1001, 7:38-53. Figure 6 is an
`
`exemplary panel of frame F shown in Figure 3. Ex. 1001, 7:38-40.
`
`
`The specification notes that the frame in which the panel was disposed
`
`preferably has “a sound effect display portion,” shown as 20 in Figure 6, which can
`
`cause text associated with the panel to be displayed, a sound effect to occur or
`
`cause the processing apparatus to vibrate in conjunction with the sound effect.
`
`Ex. 1001, 7:44-49 (FIG. 6 description). Further preferred methods of achieving
`
`enhanced visual effect is to move the panel disposed of in the frame to the middle
`
`of the game display screen, and having the frames on the display screen be
`
`constructed in different colors associated with each player. Ex. 1001, 7:54-65.
`
`
`
`7
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`

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`Patent No. 9,636,583 — Petition for Post Grant Review
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`
`2.
`
` System Description
`
`No particular program, algorithm, or method is disclosed for accomplishing
`
`these effects. The specification states only that the frames will have a “portion”
`
`capable of producing the desired effect. Ex. 1001, 7:38-65.
`
`The specification expressly notes that the information processing apparatus
`
`that controls the claimed method is not limited in any meaningful way. It states
`
`that the information processing apparatus 200 shown in Figure 2 above, “can be a
`
`server apparatus or a user terminal such as a mobile phone or a smart phone, [it]
`
`can also be configured to include a user terminal and a server apparatus.” Ex.
`
`1001, 6:9-13. The same is true for the recording media storing the game program.
`
`The recording media is not limited beyond the requirement that it can be read by a
`
`computer, such as a CD-ROM and/or a DVD. Ex. 1001, 4:63-5:2.
`
`Similarly, as shown below in Figure 2, the components of the apparatus are
`
`described in purely functional terms.
`
`
`
`8
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`Patent No. 9,636,583 — Petition for Post Grant Review
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`
`
`
`Figure 2, depicts “a block diagram showing an example of an information
`
`processing apparatus.” Ex. 1001, 5:36-37. The specification is devoid of
`
`technical explanation as to how the apparatus stores the data or executes the
`
`described functions. Instead, the specification describes the components of the
`
`apparatus as purely functional black boxes. Ex. 1001, 5:36-61. The data storage
`
`unit 210, which performs the data storage step, is described merely as performing
`
`the function of storing panel databases. Ex. 1001, 5:42-45. The control unit,
`
`which performs the panel selection step, panel layout step, screen display step, and
`
`emphasized display step, is described solely as containing its functionally
`
`described components: a screen display control section that “displays a game
`
`display screen”; a panel selection section that “selects panels to be disposed in the
`
`frames of the battle display region”; a panel layout section that “disposes the
`
`
`
`9
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`Patent No. 9,636,583 — Petition for Post Grant Review
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`panels selected by the panel selection section in the frames”; and an emphasized
`
`display section that “emphasizes and displays the panels.” Id.
`
`Prosecution History
`
`B.
`The ’583 patent was filed on September 1, 2016 as Application Serial No.
`
`15/253,964 (“the ’964 application”), and is a continuation of U.S. Application
`
`Serial No. 14/291,358, filed on May 30, 2014, now issued as U.S. Patent
`
`9,457,273. The ’964 application was assigned to art unit 3716. See Prosecution
`
`History of U.S. Patent 9,636,583 (“Ex. 1002”), pp. 87, 191.
`
`The ’964 application was originally filed with claims 1-15. See Ex. 1002,
`
`pp. 220-25.
`
`On November 4, 2016, a non-final office action was issued in the ’964
`
`application, rejecting claims 1-15 under the judicially created doctrine of
`
`obviousness-type double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1-25 of U.S.
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`Pat. No. 9,457,273. See Ex. 1002, pp. 88-92.
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`A Terminal Disclaimer was filed on November 29, 2016. See Ex. 1002,
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`pp. 76-77.
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`The ’964 application was allowed on February 7, 2017. See Ex. 1002,
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`54-61.
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`No other rejections were raised, including no rejections under 35 U.S.C.
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`§ 101 or § 112, during prosecution of the ’964 application. See generally Ex. 1002.
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`V.
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`Patent No. 9,636,583 — Petition for Post Grant Review
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`IDENTIFICATION OF CHALLENGE UNDER 37 CFR § 42.104(b)
`AND RELIEF REQUESTED
`A. Effective Filing Date of the Challenged Claims
`The ’583 patent issued from Application Serial No. 15/253,964 (“the ’964
`
`application”), filed on September 1, 2016. The ’964 application is a continuation of
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`Application Serial No. 14/291,358 (“the ’358 application”), filed on May 30, 2014,
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`now issued as U.S. Patent 9,457,273. The ’358 application claims the benefit of JP
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`2013-116039, filed on May 31, 2013, JP 2013-268385, filed on Dec. 26, 2013, and
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`JP 2014-42491, filed on Mar. 5, 2014. Thus, the effective filing date of the
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`challenged claims is no earlier than May 31, 2013. The ’594 patent is subject to the
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`post-AIA provisions of the Patent Statute; all statutory references in this Petition
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`are to the applicable post-AIA provision.
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`B. Claims for Which PGR Is Requested, Precise Relief Requested,
`and Specific Statutory Grounds on Which the Challenge Is Based
`[37 CFR § 42.104(b)(1) & 37 CFR § 42.104(b)(2)]
`
`Petitioner requests Post Grant Review of claims 1-15 of the ’583 patent.
`
`Claims 1-15 are challenged on the grounds that they relate to unpatentable subject
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`matter under 35 USC §101, that they do not provide adequate written description
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`under 35 USC §112(a), and are indefinite under 35 USC §112(b).
`
`C. Claim Construction (37 CFR § 42.104(b)(3))
`The terms in the challenged claims are to be given their broadest reasonable
`
`interpretation (“BRI”), as understood by one of ordinary skill in the art and
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`Patent No. 9,636,583 — Petition for Post Grant Review
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`consistent with the disclosure. See 37 CFR § 42.100(b); see also In re Cuozzo
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`Speed Techs., LLC, 778 F.3d 1271, 1278 (Fed. Cir. 2015), affirmed, Cuozzo Speed
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`Techs., LLC v. Lee, 136 S. Ct. 2131 (2016). Under that standard, claim terms are
`
`given their ordinary and customary meaning, as would be understood by one of
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`ordinary skill in the art in the context of the entire disclosure. In re Translogic
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`Tech., Inc., 504 F.3d 1249, 1257 (Fed. Cir. 2007). Any special definition for a
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`claim term must be set forth in the specification with reasonable clarity,
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`deliberateness, and precision. In re Paulsen, 30 F.3d 1475, 1480 (Fed. Cir. 1994).
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`Only those terms that are in controversy need be construed, and only to the extent
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`necessary to resolve the controversy. Vivid Techs., Inc. v. Am. Sci. & Eng’g, Inc.,
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`200 F.3d 795, 803 (Fed. Cir. 1999).
`
`The Claimed Invention
`
`1.
`The ’583 patent contains 15 claims. Claims 1, 14, and 15 are independent.
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`Each is directed to the same abstract concept of displaying a video game based on
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`stored panel information. Claim 1 is a directed to a game program, claim 14 is a
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`method claim for a game, and claim 15 is directed to an apparatus controlling a
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`game. All three independent claims provide for the same steps, which are nothing
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`Patent No. 9,636,583 — Petition for Post Grant Review
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`more than commands to be executed by a computer to control a video game.
`
`Claim 1 is representative3 and reproduced below:
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`1. A non-transitory computer readable recording medium storing
`game program code instructions for a game in which a first user and a
`second user do battle, and when the game program code instructions are
`executed by a computer, the game program code instructions cause the
`computer to perform:
`a data storage function of storing a first panel database that includes a
`plurality of panels that the first user possesses, and a second panel
`database that includes a plurality of panels that the second user
`possesses;
`a panel selection function of selecting one or more panels to be disposed in
`one or more divisions of a game display screen including a display
`region formed by the divisions, from the first panel database and the
`second panel database;
`a panel layout function of disposing the panels selected by the panel
`selection function in the divisions; and
`a screen display control function of displaying the game display screen on
`a screen display unit, wherein
`the data storage function further stores points set for the first user, which
`are decreased by disposing a panel,
`
`3 In Alice, the Supreme Court considered a representative method claim and,
`after finding the method claim ineligible, found the asserted system claims invalid
`as “add[ing] nothing of sub-stance to the underlying idea” without performing a
`claim-by-claim analysis. See Alice Corp. Pty. Ltd. v. CLS Bank Int’l, 134 S. Ct.
`2347, 2360 (2014). Following Alice, district courts and the Federal Circuit have
`done the same. In Content Extraction & Transmission LLC v. Wells Fargo Bank,
`N.A., the district court found 242 claims of four patents ineligible under Section
`101 based on its analysis of two representative claims, even where the parties had
`not agreed beforehand on the set of representative claims. 776 F.3d 1343, 1348
`(Fed. Cir. 2014). The Federal Circuit rejected the patentee’s contention that the
`district court erred by failing to address each claim individually, finding that such
`an analysis was “unnecessary.” Id. The Federal Circuit found the claims of the
`patents, which, like here, shared a common specification, all drawn to the same
`abstract idea, and noted that the patentee failed to identify any claim that was
`distinguishable from the representative claims. Id. at 1347-48.
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`Patent No. 9,636,583 — Petition for Post Grant Review
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`
`the panel selection function selects a panel from the first panel database
`according to the points set for the first user,
`the divisions include a division where a panel selected from the first panel
`database is allowed to be disposed and a division where a panel
`selected from the second panel database is allowed to be disposed, and
`the panel layout function disposes the panel selected by the panel selection
`function in a target division when the panel is allowed to be disposed
`in the target division.
`
`
`Ex. 1001, 9:17-40 (emphasis added).
`
`The claim is written in such non-specific and functional terms that it covers
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`any system that provides for the storage, selection, and disposal on a game screen
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`of “panels” associated with two characters of a video game. The claimed
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`functions, to the extent they are definite, can be anything, including technology
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`that has not yet been developed, so long as they perform the recited functions. The
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`claim, like the specification, is agnostic as to how those functions are performed,
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`and the functions themselves are not new or novel. Each of the recited functions –
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`storing, selecting, and disposing of panels on a display screen and displaying a