Ex Parte 7287119 et alDownload PDFPatent Trial and Appeal BoardNov 16, 201295001189 (P.T.A.B. Nov. 16, 2012) Copy Citation UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARKOFFICE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE United States Patent and Trademark Office Address: COMMISSIONER FOR PATENTS P.O. Box 1450 Alexandria, Virginia 22313-1450 www.uspto.gov APPLICATION NO. FILING DATE FIRST NAMED INVENTOR ATTORNEY DOCKET NO. CONFIRMATION NO. 95/001,189 05/18/2009 7287119 2805.002REX8 8867 26111 7590 11/16/2012 STERNE, KESSLER, GOLDSTEIN & FOX P.L.L.C. 1100 NEW YORK AVENUE, N.W. WASHINGTON, DC 20005 EXAMINER CHOI, WOO H ART UNIT PAPER NUMBER 3992 MAIL DATE DELIVERY MODE 11/16/2012 PAPER Please find below and/or attached an Office communication concerning this application or proceeding. The time period for reply, if any, is set in the attached communication. PTOL-90A (Rev. 04/07) UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE ____________ BEFORE THE PATENT TRIAL AND APPEAL BOARD ____________ NVIDIA CORPORATION Respondent v. RAMBUS, INC. Patent Owner, Appellant ____ Appeal 2012-004035 Reexamination Control No. 95/001,189 United States Patent 7,287,119 B2 Technology Center 3900 ____________ Before HOWARD B. BLANKENSHIP, KARL D. EASTHOM, and STEPHEN C. SIU, Administrative Patent Judges. SIU, Administrative Patent Judge. DECISION ON APPEAL Appellant, patent owner Rambus, Inc., appeals under 35 U.S.C. §§ 134(b) and 306 from a Right of Appeal Notice rejecting claims 1-8 and 10- Appeal 2012-004035 Reexamination Control 95/001,189 Patent 7,287,119 B2 2 23.1 Claim 9 was confirmed. We have jurisdiction under 35 U.S.C. §§ 134(b) and 306. An oral hearing was conducted on October 3, 2012. STATEMENT OF THE CASE This proceeding arose from a request by NVIDIA Corporation for an inter partes reexamination of U. S. Patent 7,287,119 B2 (hereinafter, the ‘119 patent), entitled “Integrated Circuit Memory Device with Delayed Write Command Processing,” and issued to Richard M. Barth, Frederick A. Ware, Donald C. Stark, Craig E. Hampel, Paul G. Davis, Abhijit M. Abhyankar, James A. Gasbarro, and David Nguyen (October 23, 2007). The ‘119 patent describes memory devices (col. 1, l. 22). Claim 1 on appeal reads as follows: 1. An integrated circuit memory device comprising: a memory core including a plurality of memory cells; a first set of pins coupled to the memory core, the first set of pins to receive a row address that identifies a row of the memory core, followed by a column address that identifies a column location of the row; a second set of pins coupled to the memory core, the second set of pins to receive a sense command followed by a write command, wherein the sense command specifies sensing of the row, wherein the write command specifies that the memory device receive write data to be stored at the column location, wherein the write command is presented internally to the memory device after a first delay time has transpired from when the write command is received at the second set of pins; a third set of pins to receive 1 Respondent and Third-Party Requester (hereinafter, NVIDIA Corporation) “withdraws its appeal to the Board, including all of its Appeal Briefs and supporting papers” (“Notice of Withdrawal of Third-Party Requester’s Appeal and Other Papers,” filed February 17, 2012, p. 1). In view of Third- Party Requester’s withdrawal from these proceedings, we need not consider issues set forth in Third-Party Requester’s cross appeal (i.e., Third Party Requester’s Cross-Appeal Brief in Inter Partes Reexamination Pursuant to 37 C.F.R. § 41.67, filed July 19, 2011) and associated briefs and papers. Appeal 2012-004035 Reexamination Control 95/001,189 Patent 7,287,119 B2 3 the write data after a second delay time has transpired from when the write command is received at the second set of pins; and a column access path coupled to the third set of pins and the memory core, the column access path to convey the write data to the column location. (App. Br. 38, Claims Appendix.) The Examiner relies on the following prior art references: Ware US 5,430,676 Jul. 4, 1995 Ryan US 6,044,429 Mar. 28, 2000 Gillingham US 6,088,774 Jul. 11, 2000 Gustavson US 6,226,723 B1 May 1, 2001 Inagaki JP 57-210495 Dec. 24, 1982 JEDEC Standard, Configurations for Solid State Memories, JEDEC Standard No. 21-C, Release 4, November 1993 (hereinafter, “JEDEC”). Shigeo Ohshima et. al., High Speed DRAMs with Innovative Architectures, IEICE Trans. Electron., Vol. E77-C, No. 8, August 1994 (hereinafter, “Ohshima”). The Examiner rejects the claims as follows: Claims 1, 2, 6, and 19 under 35 U.S.C. § 102(b) as anticipated by Ware. Claims 4, 5, 7, 8, 10-17, and 20-23 under 35 U.S.C. § 103(a) as unpatentable over the combination of Ware and one of Gustavson or Ohshima; claims 1, 2, 6, 13, 17, 19, 21, and 22 under 35 U.S.C. § 103(a) as unpatentable over the combination of Ware and JEDEC; claims 4, 5, 14-16, 20, and 23 under 35 U.S.C. § 103(a) as unpatentable over the combination of Ware, JEDEC, and Gustavson; and claims 4, 5, 7, 10-12 16, and 20 under 35 U.S.C. § 103(a) as unpatentable over the combination of Ware, JEDEC, and Inagaki. Appeal 2012-004035 Reexamination Control 95/001,189 Patent 7,287,119 B2 4 Claim 3 and 18 under 35 U.S.C. § 103(a) as unpatentable over the combination of Gillingham and one of Ryan or Ohshima. The Examiner confirms patentability of claim 9. ISSUE Did the Examiner err in rejecting claims 1-8 and 10-23? FINDINGS OF FACT 1) Ware discloses “latency between the clock cycle with the . . . write command and the clock cycle with the first word of write data is zero” but that “there is a delay of tCAA which occurs [for a read command]” (col. 8, ll. 52-55). 2) Ware discloses that because of “wasted clock cycles” (col. 8, l. 56) when the write latency is zero, “the write latency is made programmable so that is can be adjusted to equal the read latency” (col. 8, ll. 59-61). 3) Ware discloses an example of programming latency in which “DRAM control logic 500 . . . delays a signal to initiate an operation (Start R/W) 505 a certain number of clock cycles dependent upon the information loaded into the latency control register 510” (col. 8, ll. 63-67; Fig. 17) to “determine whether the signal 505 is immediately input or input after a predetermined delay . . . .” (col. 9, ll. 6-7). Appeal 2012-004035 Reexamination Control 95/001,189 Patent 7,287,119 B2 5 PRINCIPLES OF LAW In rejecting claims under 35 U.S.C. § 102, “[a] single prior art reference that discloses, either expressly or inherently, each limitation of a claim invalidates that claim by anticipation.” Perricone v. Medicis Pharm. Corp., 432 F.3d 1368, 1375 (Fed. Cir. 2005) (citation omitted). The question of obviousness is resolved on the basis of underlying factual determinations including (1) the scope and content of the prior art, (2) any differences between the claimed subject matter and the prior art, and (3) the level of skill in the art. Graham v. John Deere Co. of Kansas City, 383 U.S. 1, 17-18 (1966). “The combination of familiar elements according to known methods is likely to be obvious when it does no more than yield predictable results.” KSR Int’l Co. v. Teleflex, Inc., 550 U.S. 398, 416 (2007). ANALYSIS Ware Reference – Anticipation (claims 1, 2, 6, 19) The Examiner rejects claims 1, 2, 6, and 19 as anticipated by Ware. We agree with the Examiner for at least the reasons set forth by the Examiner (see, e.g., Right of Appeal Notice (hereinafter, “RAN”) 10-12). Claim 1 recites that a write command is “presented internally . . . after a first delay time has transpired from when the write command is received.” Appellant argues that Ware fails to disclose this feature (see, e.g., App. Br. 17-18). However, as the Examiner points out and as described above, Ware Appeal 2012-004035 Reexamination Control 95/001,189 Patent 7,287,119 B2 6 discloses that when a read latency2 is equal to a finite value (e.g., tCAA) and a write latency3 is equal to zero, there may be undesired “wasted clock cycles.” In order to address this problem, according to Ware, the write latency is “made programmable” so that the write latency may be “adjusted to equal the read latency (FF 1-3). Ware further discloses an example of programming the latency such that “a signal to initiate an operation (Start R/W) 505” is delayed within “DRAM control logic 500” (FF 1-3; Fig. 17; col. 8, ll. 63-66). Hence, Ware discloses that a write latency is “programmed” so that “a signal to initiate an operation (Start R/W)”4 is delayed. In other words, Ware discloses a delay that transpires from when the write command is received (i.e., “the clock cycle with the . . . write command” – col. 8, ll. 52-53) to when “a signal to initiate an operation” (col. 8, ll. 64-65) (i.e., the write operation) is applied. This process is further illustrated in Fig. 17 where a signal to “initiate read or write sequence” is delayed within the DRAM logic (element 500, Fig. 17). Appellant has not sufficiently pointed out any meaningful differences between these features disclosed by Ware and the presently claimed invention since both claim 1 recites and Ware discloses a delay between when the write command is received to when a signal is applied (i.e., when the write command is posted, as recited in claim 1). 2 The time measured “between the clock cycle with the . . . read command and the clock cycle with the first word of read data” (col. 8, ll. 47-49). 3 The time measured “between the clock cycle with the . . . write command and the clock cycle with the first word of write data” (col. 8, ll. 52-54). 4 Col. 8, ll. 64-65 – in this case, a signal responsive to the write command since Ware discloses this “exemplary structure” for programming the write latency “so that it can be adjusted to equal . . . the read latency” (col. 8, ll. 60-61) Appeal 2012-004035 Reexamination Control 95/001,189 Patent 7,287,119 B2 7 Appellant argues that “[t]he Start R/W signal [of Ware] is not a write command” (App. Br. 18) but does not indicate a specialized definition of “write command” in the Specification. In the absence of a specific definition of the term “write command,” we construe the term broadly but reasonably and in light of the Specification to include any instruction or functional data element that specifies that a device receive write data. This definition comports with a plain and customary meaning as would have been understood by one of skill in the art as well as the claim requirement that a write command specify “that the memory device receive write data.” As described above and as pointed out by the Examiner, Ware discloses a “clock cycle with the . . . write command” (col. 8, ll. 52-53) associated with a write latency that “is made programmable” (col. 8, ll. 60) by delaying “a signal to initiate an operation” (col. 8, ll. 64-65). We disagree with Appellant’s assertion that Ware fails to disclose a write command since Ware explicitly discloses a “write command” (see, e.g., col. 8, l. 53) and an exemplary structure in which a “Start R/W” instruction initiates an operation that one of skill in the art would have understood to be a write operation. Since “Start R/W” specifies that a device receive write data (i.e., initiates a write operation), we disagree with Appellant that there is any meaningful difference between the “write command” and “Start R/W” of Ware and the claimed “write command.” While Appellant argues that “[t]he Start R/W signal [of Ware] is not a write command” (App. Br. 18), Appellant does not adequately demonstrate any differences between the “write command” or “Start R/W” of Ware and a “write command” as recited in claim 1. As described above, the “Start R/W” of Ware, for example, is delayed (see, e.g., Fig. 17) and initiates an Appeal 2012-004035 Reexamination Control 95/001,189 Patent 7,287,119 B2 8 operation (e.g., a write operation – e.g., Fig. 17) while the claimed “write command” is also delayed “posted . . . after a first delay”) and also specifies “that the memory device receive write data.” In both cases, a write operation is being specified (after a delay). Appellant argues that the “Start R/W” of Ware differs from the claimed “write command” because the “Start R/W” of Ware “is actually a single bit” (App. Br. 18). Hence, Appellant implies that the write command recited in claim 1 must not be a “single bit” but does not indicate where in the claim such a requirement is imposed upon the “write command.” Nor do we independently find such a requirement in claim 1. Appellant also argues that the “Start R/W” of Ware differs from the claimed “write command” as received in claim 1 because “[Ware] does not even indicate whether the initiated operation is a read or a write operation” (App. Br. 18). We disagree with Appellant for at least the reasons set forth above. For example, Ware discloses that the Start R/W “initiate[s] . . . [a] write sequence” (see, e.g., Fig. 17). (Id. at 18). Appellant does not sufficiently demonstrate any differences between initiating a “write sequence” (Ware) and initiating a “write operation.” Appellant argues that “Ware does not disclose how . . . the Start R/W signal results in a delayed internal presentation of a write command” and that “there is nothing in . . . Ware that speaks to . . . [the delay of] the internal presentation of the write command” (App. Br. 19). As described above, Ware discloses receiving a write command (e.g., receiving a write command in a “clock cycle with the . . . write command” – col. 8, ll. 52-53), making the associated write latency “programmable so that it can be adjusted” (col. 8, ll. 60-61), and delaying the “signal to initiate an operation” Appeal 2012-004035 Reexamination Control 95/001,189 Patent 7,287,119 B2 9 (col. 8, ll. 64-65). Given Ware’s explicit disclosure of delaying an instruction that specifies that a device receive write data (i.e., delaying a “write command”), we disagree with Appellant’s assertion. Appellant also argues that Ware discloses a “Start R/W signal” that “. . . if anything, corresponds to the amount of data ‘latency’ (Murphy Decl., ¶¶ 35, 37.)” (App. Br. 21). However, as described above, Ware addresses the problem of “wasted clock cycles” by making a write latency “programmable” (col. 8, l. 60) and further provides a specific example of programming such a latency. One of ordinary skill in the art would have understood that the “latency” (or delay) being programmed in the specific example of Ware (the specific example immediately following and flowing from Ware’s description of the problem in which Ware explicitly discloses that a write latency needs to be programmed) is a write latency (see, in general, col. 8, ll. 52-67). Appellant also argues that “Figure 2 [of Ware] does not show any items to delay the signals . . . nor does it show anything remotely equivalent to the write delay block 2709 in FIG. 20 of the ‘119 patent” (App. Br. 20). However, as described above, Appellant has not provided sufficient evidence that Ware fails to disclose the claimed invention. Appellant does not provide additional arguments in support of claims 2, 10, or 19 (App. Br. 23-24). The Examiner did not err in rejecting claims 1, 2, 10, and 19 as anticipated by Ware. Ware Reference - Obviousness (claims 1, 2, 4-8, 10-17, and 19-23) Regarding claim 7, Appellant argues that that Ware fails to disclose or suggest a “‘first delay time . . . is capable of being different than the second Appeal 2012-004035 Reexamination Control 95/001,189 Patent 7,287,119 B2 10 delay time’” as recited in claim 7 (see, e.g., App. Br. 29-30). Appellant proposes a scenario in Ware where “the second delay . . . is shorter in time than the first delay” and states that in such a case, “this is not consistent with claim 7” (App. Br. 30). However, if the second delay “is shorter in time than the first delay,” as Appellant states, then the second delay is capable of being “different than” the first delay since the second delay is necessarily “different than” the first delay (and is therefore “capable of” being different than the first delay) if the second delay is, in fact, “shorter in time” than the first delay. We are therefore not persuaded by Appellant’s argument. Regarding claim 12, Appellant argues that Ware does not disclose “anything about the length of time before the write command is presented internally with respect to the length of time between when the read command is received and before the read command is presented internally” (App. Br. 30-31). Claim 12 recites a first delay (i.e., time from when a write command is received to the time when the write command is presented internally) is greater than the time from when a read command is received to when the read command is presented internally to the memory device. The Examiner states that “Ware teaches setting the first delay time . . . to be greater than the time between the receipt of the read command and its internal release” (RAN 16). However, Ware appears to disclose adjusting a write latency “to equal [the] read latency” (col. 8, l. 61) rather than adjusting a time between receiving a write command and presenting the write command internally to be greater than the time between receiving a read command and presenting the read command internally to the memory device. The Examiner also does not state that any of Gustavson, Shshima, JEDEC, or Inagaki discloses or Appeal 2012-004035 Reexamination Control 95/001,189 Patent 7,287,119 B2 11 suggests this feature. Therefore, we agree with Appellant that Ware in combination with any of Gustavson, Ohshima, JEDEC, or Inagaki does not disclose this feature. The Examiner erred in rejecting claim 12 as unpatentable over Ware and one of Gustavson, Ohshima, or the combination of JEDEC and Inagaki but did not err in rejecting claims 1, 2, 4-8, 10, 11, 13-17, and 19-23 as unpatentable over Ware and one of Gustavson, Ohshima, JEDEC, or the combination of JEDEC and any one of Gustavson or Inagaki. Appellant argues that it would not have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the Ware reference with any other reference because “Rambus’ Direct RDRAM technology have achieved substantial commercial success” (App. Br. 32) and “Rambus has extensively licensed the ‘119 patent” (App. Br. 33). However, we agree with the Examiner that Appellant has failed to adequately demonstrate a nexus since Appellant does not provide sufficient evidence that clearly connects the alleged commercial success to the merits of the claimed invention. The weight given to evidence of secondary considerations is dependent upon whether there is a nexus between the merits of the claimed invention and the evidence offered. Stratoflex, Inc. v. Aeroquip Corp., 713 F.2d 1530, 1539 (Fed. Cir. 1983). As one example, Appellant has not sufficiently established that the sale of“500 million memory devices incorporating the Rambus . . . memory interface” (App. Br. 32) constitutes “commercial success” when considered in relation to overall market share. In fact, Appellant does not appear to provide any data pertaining to overall market share. Even assuming that the sale of “500 million memory devices” would have constituted “commercial Appeal 2012-004035 Reexamination Control 95/001,189 Patent 7,287,119 B2 12 success” as Appellant argues, Appellant has merely alleged that “500 million memory devices” “incorporated” the “Rambus . . . memory interface.” Appellant has not adequately demonstrated that any of the “500 million memory devices” were sold because of the “Rambus . . . memory interface” supposedly contained therein. In other words, Appellant does not establish a nexus between the patented invention and the alleged commercial success. Appellant argues that “Rambus has extensively licensed the ‘119 patent” (App. Br 33). As above and as pointed out by the Examiner, Appellant does not provide an adequate showing that a nexus exists between the specific features of the claimed invention and the alleged licensing activity. Appellant states that while the Patent Owner must show some causal relation between an invention and commercial success (citing Merck & Co., Inc. v. Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc., 395 F.3d 1364, 1376 (Fed. Cir. 2005)), the Patent Owner, according to Appellant, need not demonstrate that “the claimed invention must be the sole cause of the commercial success” (App. Br. 33). Even assuming this allegation to be true, Appellant has not established the required nexus between the claimed invention and any alleged commercial success (or licensing). We agree with Appellant’s implication that Appellant failed to demonstrate that the claimed invention was the “sole” cause of any potential commercial success (or licensing). More importantly, however, without an adequate showing of a nexus between the claimed invention and any alleged commercial success (or licensing), Appellant has failed to adequately demonstrate that “the claimed invention” was a cause of the commercial success (assuming that commercial success even occurred) or that the claimed invention was in any Appeal 2012-004035 Reexamination Control 95/001,189 Patent 7,287,119 B2 13 way related to any commercial success (or licensing) that might (or might not) have occurred. Therefore, we are not persuaded by Appellant’s arguments pertaining to secondary considerations as they relate to the Examiner’s obviousness rejections. Gillingham Reference (Claims 3 and 18) Claim 3 recites a second delay time that matches the third delay time minus a channel turnaround time and claim 18 recites that the second delay time corresponds to the third delay time minus a channel turnaround time. The Gillingham reference (U.S. Patent No. 6,008,774 – the ‘774 patent) was filed September 19, 1997 (issued July 11, 2000) and is related to U.S. Provisional Applications 60/026,594 (September 20, 1996); 60/055,349 (August 11, 1997), and 60/057,092 (August 27, 1997). While the Examiner states that Gillingham (the ‘774 patent) discloses “matching the delay time accounting for a channel turnaround time (Figure 5B, gaps 525, 530; see also c8:4-19)” (RAN 7), the Examiner appears to agree that U.S. Provisional Application 60/026,594 does not disclose this feature, thus according the Gillingham reference the priority date of August 11, 1997. Appellant provides a Declaration by “the assignee of [the ‘119 patent]” (Declaration of Craig E. Hampel under 37 C.F.R. § 1.131, executed on September 8, 2010, ¶ 2), which states that the inventors of the ‘119 patent “conceived of the inventions claimed in the [‘119 patent]” prior to January 2, 1997 and “continued diligently from prior to January 2, 1997 to October 10, 1997, which is the earliest filing date of [the ‘119 patent]” (Declaration of Craig E. Hampel under 37 C.F.R. § 1.131, filed April 2, 2010, ¶ 14). Appeal 2012-004035 Reexamination Control 95/001,189 Patent 7,287,119 B2 14 The Examiner appears to agree with Appellant, however, regarding claims 3 and 18 the Examiner states that Appellant has not demonstrated that “the timing diagram [in the Davis email] shows an offset, or second delay time, of 8 cycles set to match a third delay time (9 cycles) minus a channel turnaround time (1 cycle)” (RAN 23, citing the Davis email) – Exhibit CA). In other words, the Examiner finds that Appellant has merely demonstrated prior conception and reduction to practice or diligence with constructive reduction to practice of a write delay time (e.g., of 8 cycles – Davis email) that is less than a channel turnaround time (of 1 cycle – Davis email) less than a read delay time (of 12 cycles, according to the Examiner – Davis email) rather than a write delay time (e.g., of 8 cycles – Davis email) that matches or corresponds to a channel turnaround time (of 1 cycle – Davis email) less than a read delay time (of 9 cycles – Davis email), as required by claim 3 or 18. We disagree with the Examiner for at least the reasons set forth by Appellant (App. Br. 26-28). As Appellant points out, the Davis email appears to show the disputed claimed feature at least with the specific example described in the Davis email of a write delay time of 8 cycles being equal to a read delay time of 9 cycles minus a channel turnaround time of 1 cycle (see, e.g., App. Br. 26-28). The Examiner erred in rejecting claims 3 and 18 as unpatentable over Gillingham any one of Ohshima or Ryan. CONCLUSION The Examiner erred in rejecting claims 3 and 18 over Gillingham and one of Ryan or Ohshima and claim 12 over Ware and one of Gustavson, Appeal 2012-004035 Reexamination Control 95/001,189 Patent 7,287,119 B2 15 Ohshima, or the combination of JEDEC and Inagaki. The Examiner did not not err in rejecting claims 1, 2, 4-8, 10, 11, 13-17, and 19-23 over Ware (alone or in combination with Gustavson, Ohshima, JEDEC, or Inagaki). DECISION The Examiner’s decision to reject claims 3 and 18 as obvious over Gillingham and one of Ryan or Ohshima and claim 12 as obvious over Ware and one of Gustavson, Ohshima, or the combination of JEDEC and Inagaki is reversed. The Examiner’s decision to reject claims 1, 2, 6, and 19 as anticipated by Ware; claims 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11, 13-17, and 20-23 as unpatentable over Ware and any one of Gustavson or Ohshima; claims 1, 2, 6, 13, 17, 19, 21, and 22 as unpatentable over Ware and JEDEC; claims 4, 5, 14-16, 20, and 23 as unpatentable over Ware, JEDEC, and Gustavson; and claims 4, 5, 7, 10, 11, 16, and 20 as unpatentable over Ware, JEDEC, and Inagaki is affirmed. AFFIRMED-IN-PART rvb PATENT OWNER STERNE, KESSLER, GOLDSTEIN & FOX P.L.L.C. 1100 NEW YORK AVENUE, N.W. WASHINGTON, DC 20005 Appeal 2012-004035 Reexamination Control 95/001,189 Patent 7,287,119 B2 16 THIRD PARTY REQUESTER HAYNES AND BOONE, LLP IP SECTION 2323 VICTORY AVENUE SUITE 700 DALLAS, TX 75219 Copy with citationCopy as parenthetical citation