`571-272-7822
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`Paper: 8
`Date: September 1, 2020
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`UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
`____________
`
`BEFORE THE PATENT TRIAL AND APPEAL BOARD
`____________
`
`LKQ CORPORATION and
`KEYSTONE AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRIES, INC.,
`Petitioner,
`
`v.
`
`GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC,
`Patent Owner.
`____________
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`PGR2020-00022
`Patent D850,341 S
`____________
`
`
`Before GRACE KARAFFA OBERMANN, SCOTT A. DANIELS, and
`CHRISTOPHER G. PAULRAJ, Administrative Patent Judges.
`OBERMANN, Administrative Patent Judge.
`
`DECISION
`Denying Institution of Inter Partes Review
`35 U.S.C. § 324(a)
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`PGR2020-00022
`Patent D850,341 S
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`I. INTRODUCTION
`
`A. Background
`Petitioner filed a Petition (Paper 2, “Pet.”) requesting post-grant
`review of the sole claim for a “vehicle fender” design disclosed in U.S.
`Patent D850,341 S (Ex. 1001, “the ’341 Patent”). Ex. 1001, code (54).
`Patent Owner filed a Preliminary Response. Paper 7 (“Prelim. Resp.”). We
`have authority to determine whether to institute post-grant review upon a
`showing “that it is more likely than not that” the challenged claim is
`unpatentable. 35 U.S.C. § 324(a). Based on the information presented in
`the Petition and Preliminary Response, we find that Petitioner has not met
`that threshold for review. We deny the Petition and do not institute review.
`
`
`
`B. Real Parties in Interest
`Petitioner identifies LKQ Corporation and Keystone Automotive
`Industries, Inc. as real parties-in-interest. Pet. 5. Patent Owner identifies
`General Motors LLC and GM Global Technology Operations LLC as real
`parties-in-interest. Paper 3, 2.
`C. Related Matters
`The parties identify various other inter partes and post-grant review
`proceedings in which Petitioner challenges different patents owned by Patent
`Owner. Neither party states that any of those proceedings would affect, or
`be affected by, the outcome in this proceeding. Pet. 5–6; Paper 3, 2.
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`D. The Claim of the ’341 Patent
`The ’341 Patent claims an “ornamental design for a vehicle fender” as
`depicted in the following figures. Ex. 1001, code (57).
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`Ex. 1001. Figures 1–4 above are line drawings that depict, respectively, a
`front and left perspective view, a top plan view, a left end elevation view,
`and a front elevation view of the claimed vehicle bumper design. Id. (57).
`
`E. Prior Art and Asserted Grounds
`Petitioner challenges the patentability of the claim based on the
`following grounds of unpatentability.
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`Ground
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`1
`2
`3
`4
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`35 U.S.C. §
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`171
`102
`103
`103
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`Claim
`Challenged
`1
`1
`1
`1
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`Reference(s)/Basis
`Patent Exhaustion,
`Right-of-Repair
`2015 ATS Coupe1
`2015 ATS Coupe
`2015 ATS Coupe,
`Munson2
`See Pet. 8 (statement of grounds, lacking any particularity), 43, 46, 58, 64
`(identifying statutory provisions and, where applicable, prior art relied
`upon). Petitioner submits the Declaration of James M. Gandy (Ex. 1003)
`and the Declaration of Jason C. Hill (Ex. 1004) in support of its arguments.
`
`ANALYSIS
`II.
`The Designer of Ordinary Skill
`A.
`Petitioner, relying on opinion testimony provided by Mr. Gandy and
`Mr. Hill, contends that a designer of ordinary skill in the art
`would be an individual who has at least an undergraduate degree
`in transportation or automotive design and work experience in
`the field of transportation design, or someone who has several
`years’ work experience in the field of transportation or
`automotive design.
`Pet. 40 (citing Ex. 1003 ¶ 40; Ex. 1004 ¶ 38). Patent Owner responds,
`without citation to evidence:
`A designer of ordinary skill in the art relevant to the ’341 Patent
`would have at least an undergraduate degree in automotive
`design, or other related industrial design field, with at least two
`years of relevant practical experience in designing automotive
`
`1 We adopt Petitioner’s convention and refer to Exhibit 1008 as “2015 ATS
`Coupe.” Pet. 3.
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` We adopt Petitioner’s convention and refer to Exhibit 1009 as “Munson.”
`Pet. 21.
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`body parts. An increase in experience could compensate for less
`education, and an
`increase in education could
`likewise
`compensate for less experience.
`Prelim. Resp. 9. The parties do not identify, and we do not discern, a
`material difference between the two proposed definitions. For purposes of
`this decision and on the record presented, which includes testimony only
`from Petitioner’s declarants, we adopt Petitioner’s proposed definition of the
`designer of ordinary skill. But adoption of Patent Owner’s definition would
`not alter the outcome of this decision.
`B.
`The Ordinary Observer
`The parties also offer somewhat differing definitions of an “ordinary
`observer.” Pet. 41–42; Prelim. Resp. 6–9. According to Petitioner, “the
`ordinary observer should be the retail consumer of an automobile.” Pet. 41–
`42 (citing Ex. 1003 ¶ 38; Ex. 1004 ¶ 37). Petitioner directs us to no
`objective proof for that assessment, and does not elaborate on who may
`qualify as a retail consumer of an automobile.
`Patent Owner expresses general disagreement with Petitioner’s
`definition of the ordinary observer. Prelim. Resp. 6–9. Specifically, Patent
`Owner contends that Petitioner’s definition is “unsupported.” Id. at 8.
`Further, in Patent Owner’s view, “the ordinary observer includes
`commercial buyers who purchase replacement vehicle front fenders to repair
`a customer’s vehicle, such as repair shop professionals.” Id. at 7. Patent
`Owner also contends that Petitioner admitted in a related proceeding that
`“customers for aftermarket automotive parts primarily consist of
`professional auto body and mechanical repair shops who are knowledgeable
`about the automotive industry.” Id. (quoting IPR2020-00065, Paper 2, at 21)
`(emphasis omitted). Patent Owner observes, “Because a repair shop buyer
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`reviews and analyzes various products as part of his or her job duties, that
`buyer is particularly discerning.” Id.; Ex. 2003, 4 (“LKQ’s customers for
`aftermarket automotive parts primarily consist of professional auto body and
`mechanical repair shops who are knowledgeable about the automotive
`industry.”) (emphasis omitted).
`Based on the information presented, we agree with Patent Owner that
`the definition of the ordinary observer includes a repair shop professional.
`The evidence also supports a finding that a retail consumer, such as the
`owner of a vehicle, may also be in the position of an ordinary observer. A
`vehicle owner may have a contract with its insurance agent that “require[s]
`the insurer to repair vehicles with parts of ‘like kind and quality’ to the OEM
`parts.” Ex. 2003, 14, see id. at 11 (“Automobile owners seek to repair their
`automobiles in a way that returns their automobile as closely as possible to
`its original appearance and condition.”). Accordingly, for purposes of this
`decision, we accept that both parties’ definitions are within the purview of
`an ordinary observer. But adopting one parties’ definition of the ordinary
`observer over the other would not change the result in this case.
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`Claim Construction
`C.
`In an inter partes review requested in a petition filed on or after
`November 13, 2018, we apply the same claim construction standard used in
`district courts, namely, that articulated in Phillips v. AWH Corp., 415 F.3d
`1303 (Fed. Cir. 2005) (en banc). See 37 C.F.R. § 42.100(b) (2019). A
`design claim is represented better by an illustration than a textual
`description. Egyptian Goddess, Inc. v. Swisa, Inc., 543 F.3d 665, 679 (Fed.
`Cir. 2008) (en banc) (citing Dobson v. Dornan, 118 U.S. 10, 14 (1886)).
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`The ’341 patent claim does not require an express (that is, textual)
`construction for purposes of this decision. We rely on Figures 1–4 of
`the ’341 patent, which reflect the scope of the patented design. Accordingly,
`we determine that no articulated verbal description is necessary to describe
`the overall ornamental nature of the ’341 design. Nonetheless, we have
`taken into account Petitioner’s verbal description of the design in our
`analysis, but agree with Patent Owner’s contention that Petitioner’s verbal
`description is an incomplete description of the actual design. Although we
`do not undertake a specific verbal construction, we acknowledge in our
`following analysis the relevant design characteristics of the claimed design,
`including key similarities and distinctions relative to the prior art. See MRC
`Innovations, Inc. v. Hunter Mfg., LLP, 747 F.3d 1326, 1332 (Fed. Cir. 2014)
`(Affirming that a verbal claim construction was unnecessary, the Federal
`Circuit explained that “the district court did not err by failing to provide an
`express verbal description of the claimed design; rather, it described the
`claimed design in the context of comparing it to the prior art.”).
`D.
`Petitioner Fails to Discern the Correct Visual
`Impression Created by the Claimed Design as a Whole
`
`As an initial matter, for reasons that follow, we find that Petitioner
`fails to discern the correct visual impression created by the claimed design
`as a whole. That defect, when considered along with Petitioner’s
`comparison to the prior art, supports declining to institute review based on
`the anticipation and obviousness grounds.
`Petitioner describes the claimed design as a vehicle fender
`comprising: (1) “a protrusion extending upwardly and rearwardly from an
`upper rear portion of the fender”; (2) “a first crease substantially parallel and
`proximal to a top edge of the fender”; (3) “a beak-like front portion”; (4) “an
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`arcuate wheel arch defining an obtuse angle with the beak-like front
`portion”; (5) “a rear lower portion comprising a second crease that is
`downwardly curved, and a bottom crease feature”; and (6) “a generally
`convex front elevation profile” that “slants upwards and inwards above the
`wheel arch.” Pet. 13–18 (citing Ex. 1001, Figs. 3, 4; Ex. 1003 ¶ 35;
`Ex. 1004 ¶ 33). Petitioner advances five annotated versions of Figure 3 of
`the ’341 patent that correspond, respectively, to each of the first five asserted
`features, and an annotated version of Figure 4 that corresponds to the sixth
`asserted feature. We reproduce them by number in the chart below.
`1.
`2.
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`4.
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`6.
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`3.
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`5.
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`Id. The above chart contains six annotated and color-coded line drawings
`that correspond to the six features Petitioner identifies as features of the
`claimed design. Petitioner further alleges all six relevant features are
`identified in a color coded, annotated version of Figure 3, reproduced below.
`
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`Id. at 19 (citing Ex. 1001, Fig. 3; Ex. 1003 ¶ 36; Ex. 1004, ¶ 34). The above
`figure is a color-coded and annotated version of Figure 3 of the ’341 patent
`that highlights (1) a protrusion (in purple shading); (2) a first crease (without
`color coding); (3) a beak-like front portion (in green shading); (4) an obtuse
`angle (in red lines); and (5) a rear lower portion that includes a second, third,
`and fourth crease (in blue shading). We observe that this figure refers to the
`first five asserted features but ignores the sixth.
`Petitioner asserts that its description “identifies all features of the
`claimed design that materially contribute to the overall visual impression it
`creates.” Pet. 19 (citing Ex. 1003 ¶ 36; Ex. 1004 ¶ 34). For reasons that
`follow, we disagree with that contention based on persuasive information
`presented by Patent Owner. Specifically, Patent Owner identifies three
`features, which contribute to the overall visual impression of the claimed
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`design, but which are not addressed adequately, if at all, in the Petition.
`Prelim. Resp. 17–22.
`First, Patent Owner points out that the protrusion (shaded in purple by
`Petitioner in the annotated version of Figure 3 above) is formed of two
`distinct surface portions, “an arcuate-shaped top portion” and “a unique
`bottom portion.” Id. at 18. Patent Owner highlights those portions in color-
`coded and annotated versions of Figures 1–4, which we reproduce below.
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`Id. at 18–19. The above illustration includes annotated versions of
`Figures 1–4 of the ’341 patent, color coded to highlight (in blue) the asserted
`arcuate crease line that divides the protrusion into an upper portion
`(highlighted in yellow) and bottom portion (highlighted in orange).
`Petitioner fails to account for these features in its proposed claim
`construction. Pet. 13–18. Patent Owner shows persuasively that those
`features (and, in particular, the elongated portion highlighted in orange by
`Patent Owner) contribute to the overall visual impression created by the
`challenged claim. Prelim. Resp. 18–19.
`Further, as Patent Owner points out, the Petition includes “no analysis
`of the relative width and proportions of the fender frame” or “the main
`body” of the claimed design, and focuses instead on general “design
`concepts.” Id. at 20-21. On that point, we find particularly persuasive
`Patent Owner’s observation that the main body of the claimed fender design
`“is substantially smooth and has no crease lines, and includes a substantially
`vertical rear perimeter edge.” Id. at 20–21. We reproduce below a figure
`provided by Patent Owner that illustrates Petitioner’s focus on “peripheral
`features” and the lack of analysis of the visual impact created by the main
`body portion of the fender. Id. at 21.
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`Id. The above figure is Petitioner’s annotated version of Figure 3 of the ’341
`patent, as further annotated by Patent Owner to include a red dotted line that
`highlights a main body shape, defined by solid lines in the challenged claim,
`which is not addressed in Petitioner’s claim construction. See Pet. 19
`(Petitioner’s annotated version, reproduced, supra, at 9).
`
`Third, Patent Owner argues that Petitioner’s claim construction
`highlights an “‘obtuse angle’ feature associated with the wheel arch” but
`“fails to acknowledge the obtuse angle formed by the rear lateral edge” of
`the fender. Prelim. Resp. 22 (quoting Pet. 16–17). We agree. The obtuse
`angle identified by Patent Owner, and ignored by Petitioner, is illustrated in
`the following figure.
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`Id. The above figure is an annotated and color-coded version of Figure 3 of
`the ’341 patent, in which Patent Owner highlights in red and blue the obtuse
`angle feature formed by the rear lateral edge of the claimed fender design.
`Taken together, the features identified by Patent Owner “affect the
`overall shape of the claimed design and contribute to its” overall “visual
`appearance.” Prelim. Resp. 26–27. Those features are ignored (or at least
`not sufficiently considered) in the analysis set forth in the Petition. See
`Pet. 55, 57, 59 (arguing that only a single “minor” difference exists between
`the 2015 ATS Coupe fender design and the challenged claim, but failing to
`address the features identified by Patent Owner and discussed above).
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`E.
`Ground Based on Anticipation
`Petitioner asserts that the challenged design claim is anticipated by the
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`2016 ATS Coupe. Pet. 46–58. In that regard, Petitioner argues, “There is
`only one potential difference between the 2015 ATS Coupe” and the claimed
`design; namely, a “minor difference” related to the “’bottom crease’ feature,
`made of the third and fourth creases” in the challenged claim. Pet. 55; see
`supra 9 (for Petitioner’s annotated version of Figure 3, which highlights (in
`blue shading) the creases at issue).
`
`We are persuaded by Patent Owner that Petitioner ignores prominent
`features that contribute to the overall visual impression of the claimed
`design. Prelim. Resp. 25–35. Those features are discussed above in
`connection with Petitioner’s failure to discern the overall visual impression
`created by the claimed design. We highlight below illustrations from the
`Preliminary Response, which persuasively show how and why Petitioner’s
`analysis is inadequate to demonstrate sufficiently that the 2015 ATS Coupe
`fender design anticipates the challenged claim. See id. (comparative
`illustrations advanced by Patent Owner).
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`Id. at 24 (citing Pet. 48). The above illustration is a side-by-side comparison
`of Figure 2 of the ’341 patent (on the left) and a cropped and flipped
`illustration of the 2015 ATS Coupe (on the right). Notably, as Patent Owner
`observes, this illustration represents Petitioner’s only attempt to address “the
`plan view of the claimed design” as claimed in Figure 2. Id. Petitioner’s
`comparison of that claimed plan view to “a perspective view of the side of
`the [prior art] vehicle” leaves us unable to meaningfully assess whether the
`“full three-dimensionality of the claimed design” is met by the 2015 ATS
`Coupe. Id. (emphasis in original).
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`Id. at 25–26. The above illustration is a side-by-side comparison of Patent
`Owner’s partial, reversed, annotated version of Figure 1 of the ’341 patent
`(on the left) and a partial, annotated version of Exhibit 1008 (on the right).
`This comparison represents compelling evidence that the protrusion of the
`claimed design is characterized by an arcuate crease line that creates a
`materially different visual impression than the horizontal crease line that
`characterizes the protrusion in the 2015 ATS Coupe. The protrusion of the
`claimed design is defined by two surface shapes significantly different from
`corresponding shapes in the prior art design, as further illustrated in the
`following comparison illustration.
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`Prelim. Resp. 27. The above illustration compares Patent Owner’s color
`coded, partial views of the claimed protrusion feature (on the left) with
`photographs of the protrusion feature of the 2015 ATS Coupe (on the right).
`This illustration demonstrates persuasively that, in the claimed design, an
`arcuate crease divides in the protrusion into two surfaces having “unique and
`complex geometry,” whereas, in the prior art fender design, a horizontal
`crease divides the protrusion into a triangular upper surface and “a
`substantially parallelogram-shaped bottom portion.” Id.
`
`Further, as explained above, the Petition fails to address the “crease-
`less” and “smooth surface characteristics of the claimed design’s main
`body.” Id. at 28. That feature stands in stark contrast to the main body of
`the fender in the prior art, which is characterized by a prominent crease that
`“extends along the entire length of the vehicle.” Id. at 30. This further
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`distinguishes the claimed and prior art designs, as illustrated in the following
`comparison illustration.
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` Id. at 28, 31. The above illustration compares Patent Owner’s color coded,
`annotated version of Figure 1 from the ’341 patent (on the top) with a
`partial, annotated photograph from 2015 ATS Coupe (Ex. 1008, 2) (on the
`bottom). The illustration shows the smooth, crease-less main body of the
`claimed design, and the contrasting main body of the prior art fender, which
`features a horizontal crease.
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`Patent Owner raises other differences, including dissimilarities in
`angles and curves as between the claimed and prior art fender designs, which
`further expose the inadequacy of the analysis provided in the Petition.
`Prelim. Resp. 31–35. On this record, we are persuaded that Petitioner does
`not acknowledge, much less analyze adequately, a host of visually
`prominent features that distinguish the claimed fender design from that
`disclosed in 2015 ATS Coupe. Accordingly, we find that Petitioner fails to
`meet its burden of demonstrating that it is more likely than not that the
`subject matter of the challenged claim is anticipated by 2015 ATS Coupe.
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`Grounds Based on Obviousness
`F.
`Petitioner advances two obviousness grounds; one based on the 2015
`ATS Coupe alone, and another based on that reference in combination with
`Munson. To meet the threshold showing for trial institution on these
`grounds, Petitioner must first identify “a reference, a something in existence,
`the design characteristics of which are basically the same as the claimed
`design.” In re Rosen, 673 F.2d 388, 391 (CCPA 1982). As part of that
`inquiry, Petitioner must “discern the correct visual impression created by the
`patented design as a whole.” Durling v. Spectrum Furniture Co., 101 F.3d
`100, 103 (Fed. Cir. 1996). For reasons explained above, we find that
`Petitioner fails to “discern the correct visual impression created by the
`patented design as a whole.” Id. That failure, standing alone, justifies
`declining to institute trial on the obviousness grounds.
`Alternatively, the Petition is deficient because it fails to identify “a
`reference, a something in existence, the design characteristics of which are
`basically the same as the claimed design.” In re Rosen, 673 F.2d at 391.
`Petitioner asserts that the 2015 ATS Coupe is a Rosen reference. Pet. 58.
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`Patent Owner responds that Petitioner does not “provide any explanation”
`accounting for the “visible differences” between the fender design disclosed
`in 2015 ATS Coupe and the challenged claim, which we discuss above.
`Prelim. Resp. 36 n.4. On that basis, we agree with Patent Owner that
`Petitioner fails also to demonstrate that the 2015 ATS Coupe qualifies “as a
`proper Rosen reference.” Id. Accordingly, Petitioner fails to meet its burden
`of demonstrating that it is more likely than not that the subject matter of the
`challenged claim would have been obvious over the asserted prior art.
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`G. Ground Based on Patent Exhaustion and, Right-to-Repair
`In addition to the obviousness grounds present in the Petition,
`Petitioner contends that the ’341 patent should be found unpatentable
`because “it is a design applied to a functionless component part of a
`functional whole, and therefore empowers [Patent Owner] and other OEMs
`with the ability to improperly subvert the exhaustion doctrine and prevent
`consumers from exercising their right to repair their own vehicles.” Pet. 43.
`In Petitioner’s view, a design patent properly can issue only for a complete
`article, not a part or sub-part. Id. at 43.
`Patent Owner, for its part, counters that the law permits design patents
`to issue on particular vehicle components. Prelim. Resp. 10 (citing
`Automotive Body Parts Ass’n v. Ford Global Techs., 930 F.3d 1314, 1325
`(Fed. Cir. 2019)). Patent Owner further argues, persuasively, “Exhaustion is
`not an invalidity ground, but rather, an affirmative defense to patent
`infringement,” and that “right of repair is a related doctrine and similarly is
`not an invalidity ground.” Id. at 11. We are further persuaded by Patent
`Owner’s position that, because the doctrines of exhaustion and right-of-
`repair are not permitted grounds for post-grant review, they cannot serve as a
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`basis for invalidity in this proceeding. Id. at 12 (citing 37 C.F.R. §42.204).
`In addition, as Patent Owner points out, the facts in Automotive Body Parts
`and the present case are similar; thus, the outcome should be similar as well,
`and “there is no exhaustion.” Id. at 13 (citing Automotive Body Parts, 930
`F.3d at 1322). Patent Owner asserts similar, and similarly persuasive,
`arguments in connection with the right-of-repair issue. Id. at 13–14.
`Having considered the information presented in the Petition and
`Preliminary Response, we find Petitioner’s assertions insufficient legally,
`and underdeveloped factually, to adequately support this ground. It appears
`that Petitioner is making more of a policy argument as to why design patents
`should not extend to automotive body parts rather than relying upon any
`particular statutory basis for unpatentability. See 37 C.F.R. § 42.204
`(requiring Petitioner to identify “[t]he specific statutory grounds permitted
`under 35 U.S.C. 282(b)(2) or (3) on which the challenge to the claim is
`based”). Petitioner contends that design patents are limited to an “article of
`manufacture” under 35 U.S.C. § 171 and the “original meaning of an ‘article
`of manufacture’ was an article that was complete in itself, and not a part or
`sub-part of something that needed further assembly to be functional.”
`Pet. 43. The Supreme Court more recently has interpreted the term “article
`of manufacture,” as used in 35 U.S.C. § 289, to encompass both a product
`sold to a consumer and a component of that product. Samsung Elecs. Co. v.
`Apple Inc., 137 S. Ct. 429, 434–435 (2016) (noting that the fact that “a
`component may be integrated into a larger product . . . does not put it
`outside the category of articles of manufacture.”). The Court also indicated
`that this reading of article of manufacture in § 289 is consistent with how
`“[t]he Patent Office and courts have understood § 171 to permit a design
`patent for a design extending to only a component of a multicomponent
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`product.” Id. at 435 (citations omitted). The Federal Circuit has likewise
`recognized that design patents for auto-body components are permissible
`under § 171. See Automotive Body Parts Association, 930 F.3d at 1325
`(“Ford chose to claim designs as applied to portions of particular
`components, and the law permits it to do so.”). Petitioner does not address
`this case law in the Petition.
`Accordingly, on this record, Petitioner has not met its burden of
`demonstrating that it is more likely than not that the challenged claim is
`unpatentable based on this ground.
`
`III. CONCLUSION
`For the above reasons, we find that Petitioner has not demonstrated
`
`that it is more likely than not that the challenged claim of the ’341 patent is
`unpatentable. Accordingly, we deny the Petition and do not institute review.
`
`IV. ORDER
`
`It is
`ORDERED that that the Petition is denied and post-grant review is
`not instituted.
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`PETITIONER:
`Barry Irwin
`birwin@irwinip.com
`
`Reid Huefner
`rhuefner@irwinip.com
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`
`PATENT OWNER:
`
`Dorothy Whelan
`whelan@fr.com
`
`Jennifer Huang
`jjh@fr.com
`
`Craig Deutsch
`deutsch@fr.com
`
`Grace Kim
`gkim@fr.com
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