Monterey Research LLC

Patent Trials and Appeals Board

Nov 30, 2021

IPR2020-00985 (P.T.A.B. Nov. 30, 2021)

Trials@uspto.gov Paper No. 31
571-272-7822 Date: November 30, 2021

UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE

BEFORE THE PATENT TRIAL AND APPEAL BOARD

ADVANCED MICRO DEVICES, INC.,
STMICROELECTRONICS, INC.,
Petitioners,
v.
MONTEREY RESEARCH, LLC,
Patent Owner.

IPR2020-009851
Patent 6,651,134 B1

Before KRISTEN L. DROESCH, JOHN F. HORVATH, and
JASON W. MELVIN, Administrative Patent Judges.
MELVIN, Administrative Patent Judge.

JUDGMENT
Final Written Decision
Determining All Challenged Claims Unpatentable
35 U.S.C. § 318(a)

1 STMicroelectronics, Inc., which filed a petition in IPR2021-00355, has
been joined as a party to this proceeding.
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I. INTRODUCTION
A. BACKGROUND
Advanced Micro Devices, Inc., (“AMD”) filed a Petition (Paper 1,
“Pet.”) requesting institution of inter partes review of claims 1–21 (“the
challenged claims”) of U.S. Patent No. 6,651,134 B1 (Ex. 1001,
“the ’134 patent”). Monterey Research, LLC, (“Patent Owner”) filed a
Preliminary Response. Paper 9. After our email authorization, Petitioner
filed a Preliminary Reply (Paper 10) and Patent Owner filed a Preliminary
Sur-Reply (Paper 11). We instituted review. Paper 13 (“Institution Decision”
or “Inst.”).
After we instituted review, STMicroelectronics, Inc. (“STM”) was
joined as a Petitioner to this proceeding. Paper 23. Thus, AMD and STM
are, collectively, the “Petitioner.” Patent Owner filed a Response. Paper 19
(“PO Resp.”). Petitioner filed a Reply. Paper 21 (“Pet. Reply”). Patent
Owner filed a Sur-Reply. Paper 22 (“PO Sur-Reply”). We held a hearing on
September 1, 2021, and a transcript appears in the record. Paper 30 (“Tr.”).
This is a final written decision as to the patentability of the challenged
claims. For the reasons discussed below, we determine Petitioner has shown
by a preponderance of the evidence that claims 1–21 of the ’134 patent are
unpatentable.
B. REAL PARTIES IN INTEREST
AMD identifies itself and ATI Technologies ULC as the real parties
in interest. Pet. 3. STM identifies itself, a related company under common
ownership, STMicroelectronics International N.V., and their parent
company, STMicroelectronics N.V., as real parties in interest. IPR2021-
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00355, Paper 1, 3. Patent Owner identifies itself and IPValue Management
as real parties in interest. Paper 5, 1.
C. RELATED MATTERS
The parties identify the following matters related to the ’134 patent:
Monterey Research, LLC v. Qualcomm Inc., No. 1:19-cv-02083-NIQA-LAS
(D. Del.); Monterey Research, LLC v. Nanya Tech. Corp., No. 1:19-cv-
02090-NIQA-LAS (D. Del.); Monterey Research, LLC v. Advanced Micro
Devices Inc., No. 1:19-cv02149-NIQA-LAS (D. Del.); Monterey Research,
LLC v. STMicroelectronics N.V., No. 1:20-cv-00089-NIQA-LAS (D. Del.);
Monterey Research, LLC v. Marvell Tech. Grp. Ltd., No. 1:20-cv-00158-
NIQA-LAS (D. Del.); and Marvell Semiconductor, Inc. v. Monterey
Research, LLC, No. 3:20-cv-03296 (N.D. Cal.). Pet. 3; Paper 5, 1.
The parties identify two additional adjudications, now complete,
which involved the ’134 patent: In the matter of: Certain Static Random
Access Memories and Products Containing Same, Inv. No. 337-TA-792
(ITC); and Cypress Semiconductor Corp. v. GSI Tech., Inc., No. 3:13-cv-
02013-JST and No. 3:13-cv-03757-JST (N.D. Cal). Pet. 3; Paper 5, 1–2.
D. THE ’134 PATENT
The ’134 patent is titled Memory Device with a Fixed Length Non
Interruptible Burst. Ex. 1001, code (54). The patent discloses that “the data
burst transfers of conventional memories can be interrupted and single
access made,” and proposes a memory device “that has a fixed burst length.”
Id. at 1:37–45.
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Figure 1 is reproduced below:

Ex. 1001, Fig. 1. Figure 1 depicts circuit 100 configured as a fixed burst
memory, in which circuit 102 accepts external signals including external
address signal ADDR_EXT, and “generate[s] the signal ADDR_INT as a
fixed number of addresses in response to the signal CLK.” Id. at 3:21–22.
The ’134 patent states that “[o]nce the circuit 102 has started generating the
fixed number of addresses, the circuit 102 will generally not stop until the
fixed number of addresses has been generated (e.g., a non-interruptible
burst).” Id. at 3:25–28.
The ’134 patent depicts two embodiments for circuit 102, in Figures 2
and 3. Figure 2 is reproduced below:
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Id. Fig. 2. Figure 2 shows burst counter 128 receiving signal CLK (a clock
signal), signal ADV, and signal BURST, and providing signal
BURST_CLK. “When the signal ADV is asserted, the burst counter 128 will
generally present the signal BURST_CLK in response to the signal CLK.
The signal BURST_CLK generally contains a number of pulses that has
been programmed by the signal BURST.” Id. at 4:10–14. Figure 3 and the
associated description disclose an alternative circuit, in which “counter 138
may be configured to generate a number of addresses in response to the
signals CLK, BURST[,] and ADV” and where “[t]he number of addresses
generated by the counter 138 may be programmed by the signal BURST.”
Id. at 4:29–31. The ’134 patent describes more generally that, “[w]hen the
signal ADV is asserted, the circuit 100 will generally generate a number of
address signals” and that “[t]he address signals will generally continue to be
generated until the Nth address signal is generated.” Id. at 4:42–48.
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E. CHALLENGED CLAIMS
Challenged claim 1 is reproduced below:
1. A circuit comprising:
a memory comprising a plurality of storage elements each
configured to read and write data in response to an
internal address signal; and
a logic circuit configured to generate a predetermined
number of said internal address signals in response to
(i) an external address signal, (ii) a clock signal and
(iii) one or more control signals, wherein said generation
of said predetermined number of internal address signals
is non-interruptible.
Ex. 1001, 5:22–32. Independent claim 16 recites limitations similar to those
of claim 1, expressed as means-plus-function elements. Id. at 6:20–30.
Independent claim 17 recites limitations similar to those of claim 1,
expressed as a “method of providing a fixed burst length data transfer.” Id.
at 6:31–39. Claims 2–15 depend, directly or indirectly, from claim 1. Id.
at 5:33–6:19. Claims 18–21 depend, directly or indirectly, from claim 17. Id.
at 6:40–48.
F. PRIOR ART AND ASSERTED GROUNDS
Petitioner asserts the following grounds of unpatentability:
Claim(s) Challenged 35 U.S.C. § References/Basis
1–3, 8, 12, 13, 16, 17 102 Wada2
1–4, 8, 12–14, 16, 17 103 Wada
1–4, 8, 12–14, 16, 17 103 Wada, Barrett3

2 U.S. Patent No. 6,115,280 (Ex. 1005).
3 U.S. Patent No. 5,584,033 (Ex. 1010).
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Claim(s) Challenged 35 U.S.C. § References/Basis
4–7, 18–20 103 Wada, Fujioka4
4–7, 18–20 103 Wada, Barrett, Fujioka
9–10, 14, 21 103 Wada, Reeves5
9–10, 14, 21 103 Wada, Barrett, Reeves
11, 15 103 Wada, Lysinger6
11, 15 103 Wada, Barrett, Lysinger
Pet. i–iii, 5. Petitioner relies also on the Declaration of R. Jacob Baker,
Ph.D., P.E. Ex. 1002.
II. ANALYSIS
A. LEVEL OF ORDINARY SKILL IN THE ART
Petitioner proposes that a person of ordinary skill “would have had a
bachelor’s degree in electrical or computer engineering, applied physics, or a
related field, and at least two years of experience in design, development,
and/or testing of memory circuits, related hardware design, or the equivalent,
with additional education substituting for experience and vice versa.” Pet. 11
(citing Ex. 1002 ¶ 43). Patent Owner does not dispute this definition of a
person of ordinary skill. See generally PO Resp. We adopt Petitioner’s
proposed level of ordinary skill as it is consistent with the level of skill
reflected in the specification and in the asserted prior art references.

4 U.S. Patent No. 6,185,149 (Ex. 1006).
5 U.S. Patent No. 6,226,755 (Ex. 1008).
6 U.S. Patent No. 5,748,331 (Ex. 1009).
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B. CLAIM CONSTRUCTION
In inter partes reviews, we interpret a claim “using the same claim
construction standard that would be used to construe the claim in a civil
action under 35 U.S.C. 282(b).” 37 C.F.R. § 42.100(b) (2019). Under this
standard, a claim is construed “in accordance with the ordinary and
customary meaning of such claim as understood by one of ordinary skill in
the art and the prosecution history pertaining to the patent.” Id. Only claim
terms which are in controversy need to be construed and only to the extent
necessary to resolve the controversy. See Nidec Motor Corp. v. Zhongshan
Broad Ocean Motor Co., 868 F.3d 1013, 1017 (Fed. Cir. 2017).
1. “non-interruptible”
As to “non-interruptible,” Petitioner submits that the prior art
discloses the claim elements under the following construction adopted by the
parties in an International Trade Commission (ITC) investigation—“cannot
be stopped or terminated once initiated until the fixed number of internal
addresses has been generated.” Pet. 12 (citing Ex. 1011, 12–13). We adopted
that construction in the Institution Decision. Inst. 8–9. Patent Owner agrees
with that construction (PO Resp. 21), and we apply it here.
One dispute in this proceeding relates to whether the prior art
discloses a non-interruptible burst; specifically, whether the need to maintain
an external control signal prevents a burst from being “non-interruptible.”
We stated in the Institution Decision that the agreed construction would not
encompass “a circuit in which burst operation depends on external control.”
Inst. 18. Patent Owner relies on that view of the claim scope to argue that the
claim excludes a system in which an external signal must be maintained in a
certain state for a burst to be completed. PO Resp. 28.
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We note that the claim itself requires certain external signals for the
claimed address generation. Claim 1 recites a logic circuit configured to
generate address signals “in response to (i) an external address signal, (ii) a
clock signal and (iii) one or more control signals.” Ex. 1001, 5:22–32. Those
three recited external signals may influence the circuit’s ability to generate
internal addresses as claimed. For example, stopping the clock signal or
removing power from the circuit would prevent (or interrupt) address
generation. See Pet. Reply 12; Tr. 19:17–22. Doing so, however, would
prevent all operation by the circuit. This, in our view, would not represent an
interrupted burst, which we determine requires interruption during continued
circuit operation, such as interruption to generate a new burst or to accept
another command. Thus, as a matter of logic, the need to maintain the clock
signal does not render address generation interruptible.
Further, we agree with Patent Owner that the claimed “external
address signal” need only be provided at the beginning of the process, not
maintained throughout, for the circuit to generate a burst of address signals.
See Tr. 54:11–13. As the specification instructs, that external address signal
provides an “initial address” to “determine the initial location where data
transfers to and from the memory 104 will generally begin.” Ex. 1001, 2:66–
3:4.
The parties agree that the “one or more control signals” term relates to
the ADV signal described in the specification. See, e.g., Tr. 12:19–23,
54:15–18; Ex. 1001, 3:5–6 (“The signal ADV may be, in one example, used
as a control signal.”). The corresponding signal in the prior art lies at the
core of the parties’ dispute regarding using control signals to generate
address signals without interruption.
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The specification describes that “[w]hen the signal ADV is asserted,
the circuit 100 will generally begin transferring a predetermined number of
words.” Ex. 1001, 3:8–10. It states that the “[t]he transfer is generally non-
interruptible.” Id. at 3:10–11. The specification describes also that the ADV
signal may be combined with a LOAD signal, which loads the initial
address, as the combined ADV/LDb signal. Id. at 3:14–15. It states that
“[w]hen the signal ADV/LDb is in the first state, the circuit 102 will
generally load an address presented by the signal ADDR_EXT as an initial
address” and that “[w]hen the signal ADV/LDb is in the second state, the
circuit 102 may be configured to generate the signal ADDR_INT as a fixed
number of addresses in response to the signal CLK.” Id. at 3:17–22. Just like
the standalone ADV signal, the specification states that, for the combined
ADV/LDb signal, “[o]nce the circuit 102 has started generating the fixed
number of addresses, the circuit 102 will generally not stop until the fixed
number of addresses has been generated (e.g., a non-interruptible burst).” Id.
at 3:25–28.
Ultimately, we conclude that we need not resolve whether the need to
hold the ADV line high to complete a burst renders the burst interruptible
and, therefore, is outside the claim scope. As discussed below, Petitioner’s
assertions regarding Wada and Barrett render the subject matter of the
challenged claims obvious even under Patent Owner’s view of the claim
scope. Accordingly, for purposes of this Decision, we apply Patent Owner’s
view—that a non-interruptible burst does not require the control signals be
maintained in a particular state once a burst begins.
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2. “predetermined number of internal address signals”
Petitioner states that the ITC expressly construed the term as “a fixed
number of internal address signals for a burst access.” Pet. 16. Petitioner
submits that the ITC further applied the term in a narrower manner, such that
it did not read on prior art “fixing the burst length before a data transfer by
using a mode register” because that burst length “could be programmed.”
Pet. 16 (citing Ex. 1013, 24–25). Thus, Petitioner submits that a
“predetermined number” under the ITC’s construction must be a number
determined at manufacture time. Id. Thus, Petitioner maps the claims to the
prior art asserted here using what it views as the ITC’s implied
construction—“fixed or programmable at manufacture time using bond
options or voltage levels.” Pet. 16.
We do not understand any dispute raised by the parties to turn on
whether we adopt Petitioner’s view that the predetermined number must be
fixed at manufacture time. Moreover, such a construction would not appear
to be consistent with dependent claim 5, which recites that the “fixed burst
length is programmable.” Ex. 1001, 5:40–41. Thus, we do not adopt
Petitioner’s proposed construction and proceed with no express construction
for “predetermined number.”
3. “means for reading data . . . / means for generating a predetermined
number of said internal address signals in response to (i) an external
address signal, (ii) a clock signal and (iii) one or more control signals”
The parties agree that the structure corresponding to the means for
reading data is “memory array 104.” Pet. 13; PO Resp. 21.
The parties appear to agree that the structure corresponding to the
means for generating a predetermined number of internal address signals is
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“burst address counter/register 102,” which may take the form shown in
either Figure 2 or Figure 3. Pet. 14–15; PO Resp. 21.
We proceed with both proposed constructions.
C. OBVIOUSNESS OVER WADA AND BARRETT
Wada discloses a “semiconductor memory for operating in burst
mode.” Ex. 1005, code (57). Petitioner relies on two aspects of Wada—its
description of a first “conventional SRAM” and its “Second Embodiment.”
See, e.g., Pet. 24–30 (identifying, for each challenged limitation, Wada’s
disclosures of a “Conventional Embodiment” and “Second Embodiment”).
Petitioner submits that it would have been obvious to a skilled artisan “to
apply the teachings of Barrett to achieve an uninterruptible data transmission
stream.” Pet. 52–53 (emphasis omitted).
1. Wada’s disclosures
Wada’s first conventional embodiment is depicted in Figure 12,
reproduced below:

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Ex. 1005, Fig. 12. Figure 12 depicts burst counter unit 80 that starts with
external address signal EXT.ADD and increments the address to create
internal address signal INT.ADD, which is provided to decoder 2 to select
word line 11 in memory cell array 1 for reading or writing data. Id. at 1:22–
2:33, 3:5–32. Wada discloses that “every time the clock signal CLK is at a
leading edge and the advance signal ADV is High,” the internal address “is
incremented by the burst counter.” Id. at 3:5–9. Wada notes that speed
improvement in the conventional embodiment described above is limited by
the “operative delays resulting from the parts of the memory cell array” such
as “delay times in the operations of the word lines.” Id. at 5:26–42.
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Wada discloses a second conventional SRAM embodiment, depicted
in Figure 15, reproduced below:

Id. Fig. 15. Figure 15 depicts memory cell array 1 where the word line 11
selected for reading or writing is determined by memory address input signal
MADD, which is sent to the decoder as internal address signal INT.ADD.
Id. at 3:33–62. Figure 15 depicts output register 5, which retains data
received from memory cell array 1 through sense amplifier 41. Id. at 3:42–
4:13. Rather than using a burst counter to increment the address identifying a
memory word line as in the first conventional embodiment, the second
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conventional embodiment uses burst counter 8 to accept external chunk
address signal EXT.CHA and increment it, producing internal chunk address
signal INT.CHA, which allows multiplexer 7 to select from one of four
blocks, 50 through 53, in output register 5, to provide to data input/output
pin 9. Id. at 4:6–40.
Wada indicates its second conventional embodiment avoids the
operative delays involved in its first conventional embodiment. Id. at 5:43–
45. Wada notes that the second conventional embodiment has the
disadvantage of one clock-cycle delay between two burst outputs relating to
two memory addresses. Id. at 5:50–53. That delay arises because data must
be retained in the output register until output, preventing new data from
being captured from the memory cell array. Id. at 5:11–24. Thus, Wada
proposes an improved approach using burst mode that does not suffer from
the operative delays of the conventional embodiment described above or the
additional conventional embodiment with “data output interruptions”
between bursts associated with different addresses. Id. at 5:66–6:7. Wada
describes six enumerated embodiments that purport to address deficiencies
of the prior art. Id. at 12:28–14:52 (First Embodiment), 14:53–16:50
(Second Embodiment), 16:51–18:48 (Third Embodiment), 18:49–19:34
(Fourth Embodiment), 19:35–20:60 (Fifth Embodiment), 20:61–38 (Sixth
Embodiment).
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Wada’s Second Embodiment is depicted in Figure 3, reproduced
below:

Id. Fig. 3. Figure 3 depicts a system sharing most components with
Figure 15 (the second conventional embodiment) described above, but using
multiple output registers 5A through 5K in place of single output register 5,
and using additional multiplexers 60a through 63a to select among the
multiple output registers. See id. at 14:63–15:2 (describing differences
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between the First Embodiment and Second Embodiment), 12:36–13:13
(describing differences between the second conventional embodiment and
the First Embodiment). As with Wada’s second conventional embodiment,
its Second Embodiment uses burst counter unit 8 to convert external chunk
address signal EXT.CHA into internal chunk address signal INT.CHA,
which controls which block of the selected output register is transferred to
output pin 9. Id. at 15:66–16:3.
Because the Second Embodiment uses multiple output registers, it can
“execute data burst output in uninterrupted fashion.” Id. at 16:12–15. That is,
it avoids the one clock-cycle delay associated with the single output register
used in the second conventional embodiment. See id. at 5:50–53 (describing
that “a data-free period (an interruption in the flow of data output) is bound
to occur between two burst outputs”), 14:28–33 (describing that using two
output registers as in the First Embodiment “permit[s] uninterrupted burst
output of data), 16:12–15 (describing that the Second Embodiment
“provides one advantage identical to that of the first embodiment, i.e., the
ability to execute data burst output in uninterrupted fashion”).
2. Barrett’s disclosures
Barrett discloses “a burst transfer protocol [that] allows pausing only
at pre-determined, fixed intervals of n data words.” Ex. 1010, code (57).
Barrett’s protocol allows sender or receiver devices to “cause transmission
to pause” only after each burst of data. Id. It notes that “[t]he essential
feature of burst communication is that the data transfer takes place at high
speed and without interruption.” Id. at 1:64–66. Barrett also discloses that,
“[i]n effect, allowing a pause at any point defeats the purpose of burst
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transmission, which is to send data a[s] rapidly as possible in an
uninterrupted stream.” Id. at 2:39–41.
Petitioner asserts that Barrett’s teachings are applicable to Wada
because both are directed to high-speed data exchange. Pet. 51–52.
Petitioner asserts that “applying Barrett’s teachings to Wada to render bursts
uninterruptible would result in improved transmission efficiency by
minimizing overhead associated with terminating and initiating packets.” Id.
at 52.
3. Unpatentability disputes
Petitioner contends that both the first conventional embodiment and
the Second Embodiment of Wada disclose the elements of claim 1. Pet. 24–
30. As to the claimed “logic circuit configured to generate a predetermined
number of said internal address signals,” Petitioner identifies burst counter
unit 80 in Wada’s first conventional embodiment (Pet. 26) and burst counter
unit 8 in Wada’s Second Embodiment (Pet. 28). As described above, Wada
teaches that those two circuits are “identical in structure” other than being
provided with different external address signals. See Ex. 1005, 4:18–21
(describing differences between the burst counter unit 80 and burst counter
unit 8), 12:36–39 (describing differences between the second conventional
embodiment and the First Embodiment, not including any difference in burst
counter unit 8), 14:63–15:5 (same, as between the First Embodiment and
Second Embodiment), Figs. 1, 2 (showing the First Embodiment and Second
Embodiment contain the same burst counter unit 8). Thus, Wada’s two
embodiments identified by Petitioner for the claimed logic circuit offer no
functional difference for our analysis.
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a. Non-interruptible address generation
Patent Owner argues that the identified circuits in Wada do not satisfy
the limitation “wherein said generation of said predetermined number of
internal address signals is non-interruptible” appearing in each independent
claim.7 PO Resp. 27–33. In each circuit Wada describes, if the ADV signal
is not maintained in a high state throughout a burst, the circuit will not
continue generating addresses for the burst. See Ex. 1005, 2:55–59, 3:5–9.
Petitioner, however, asserts a combination in which Wada’s system is
modified in light of Barrett’s teachings to render Wada’s system non-
interruptible. Pet. 50–53.
Patent Owner challenges whether the combination of Wada and
Barrett would result in non-interruptible address generation, arguing that
Barrett lacks any disclosure “for preventing the burst transmission from
being interrupted by external signals.” PO Resp. 35. We do not agree.
Barrett discloses that “allowing a pause at any point defeats the purpose of
burst transmission, which is to send data a[s] rapidly as possible in an
uninterrupted stream.” Ex. 1010, 2:39–41. Barrett thus discloses a system in
which a device transfers data “in successive cycles, without interruption.” Id.
at 6:8–10; accord id. at 3:14–16 (“Once burst transfer is initialized, the
sending device transmits an uninterrupted stream of n data transfer cycles
over the communications bus.”). As to the controlling device’s ability to
interrupt a burst, Barrett provides that transmission may be paused only
“[a]fter a predetermined number of n data transfer cycles, where n is greater

7 Patent Owner argues also that Wada fails to disclose a “predetermined
number” of generated addresses. PO Resp. 24–27. We address that
argument below in the context of obviousness. See infra at 22.
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than one.” Id. at 3:16–19. Patent Owner points to Barrett’s discussion of
allowing a pause after a burst, before completing a “data transmission,” but
the claim language here does not exclude such an approach. Rather, as long
as a burst of predetermined length cannot be stopped, the claim is satisfied.
We find that, in the above disclosures, Barrett teaches a non-interruptible
burst.
b. Combining Barrett and Wada
Patent Owner argues that skilled artisans would have had no reason to
combine Barrett’s teachings with Wada to result in the asserted combination.
PO Resp. 36–48. Petitioner’s case in this regard relies on Barrett’s teaching
that “allowing a pause at any point defeats the purpose of burst transmission,
which is to send data a[s] rapidly as possible in an uninterrupted stream.”
Ex. 1010, 2:39–41; see Pet. 52–53. Petitioner further reasons that “applying
Barrett’s teachings to Wada to render bursts uninterruptible would result in
improved transmission efficiency by minimizing overhead associated with
terminating and initiating packets.” Pet. 52.
Patent Owner argues that because “Wada is directed to memory burst
operation and Barrett is directed to burst data transfers between I/O
devices,” there would have been no reason to combine their teachings.
PO Resp. 37. While Patent Owner identifies differences in the data-transfer
rates between the two types of devices, we do not agree those differences
overcome Barrett’s disclosure of the desirability of precluding burst
interruptions. Rather, Barrett’s teaching explains an aspect of burst data
transfer that Wada leaves silent. Although Wada does not disclose any burst
interruption, Wada also does not disclose the desirability of prohibiting burst
interruptions. Barrett does. Barrrett discloses that allowing burst
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interruptions is undesirable, thus motivating a skilled artisan to modify
Wada’s circuit to prohibit such interruptions.
According to Patent Owner, Petitioner’s stated motivation does not
justify a device that “relinquishes control of the burst output.” PO Sur-
Reply 12–13. We do not agree. Petitioner explains that there would be a
benefit to “minimizing overhead associated with terminating and initiating
packets.” Pet. 52. Relinquishing control of the burst output, as the
consequence of the asserted combination, logically reduces overhead in the
overall system—if a burst cannot be stopped, then there is no requirement to
determine whether to stop it. Petitioner’s stated rationale has a logical basis
and would have motivated skilled artisans to modify Wada’s circuit to
render it non-interruptible.
While Patent Owner complains that Petitioner has not sufficiently
explained “how Wada’s control circuit would have been modified” (PO Sur-
Reply 13; accord PO Resp. 48–50 (regarding reasonable expectation of
success)), the ’134 patent contains no detail about how its circuit renders a
burst non-interruptible (see Ex. 1001, 3:5–4:48, Figs. 1–3). By treating such
details as within the ordinary skill in the art, the ’134 patent precludes Patent
Owner’s argument that Petitioner needed to show additional detail regarding
how to implement the asserted combination. Indeed, Patent Owner’s
declarant agreed that “the reader would understand” the “pulse circuit
design” required to generate a certain number of pulses. Ex. 1015, 153:24–
159:2. Thus, regardless of the ’134 patent’s disclosures, the record supports,
and we find that the required modification would have been well within the
ordinary skill in the art.
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Patent Owner submits further that Barrett operates using
asynchronous data transfer whereas Wada uses synchronous, clock-driven
transfer. PO Resp. 43–46. Because Barrett’s approach allows pauses
between successive bursts, Patent Owner contends it is not compatible with
Wada’s approach of eliminating delay between bursts. Id. The claims here
do not relate to multiple successive bursts, and Barrett’s behavior in that
regard is not relevant to whether the prior art discloses the claimed
limitations. While it is possible that Barrett’s approach would create a
problem if implemented in Wada’s system, Petitioner’s proposed
combination does not include Barrett’s full approach to controlling data
flow, including data flow between bursts. Rather, Petitioner’s proposed
combination includes only the particular desire to prohibit interruptions
within Wada’s bursts. See Pet. 50–53. Thus, we do not agree that Barrett’s
teachings that allow for inter-burst pauses would apply in the asserted
combination and defeat Wada’s ability to permit successive, uninterrupted
bursts. See PO Resp. 46.
Having reviewed the full record and considered the parties’
contentions, we find that skilled artisans would have had reason to modify
Wada’s circuit in light of Barrett’s teachings to render Wada’s burst-address
generation non-interruptible.
c. Predetermined number of internal address signals
For Wada’s first conventional embodiment, Petitioner asserts that
incrementing a k-bit portion of the EXT.ADD provided to burst counter
unit 80 means that 2^k addresses are generated for INT.ADD, a number
predefined by the number of bits separated from an n-bit EXT.ADD for
incrementing. Pet. 26–27.
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For Wada’s Second Embodiment, Petitioner asserts that “the burst
length is fixed by the choice of a four-input multiplexer and the choice of
dividing the memory into four blocks (M0-M3).” Pet. 29. Petitioner points
out that Wada’s Figure 4 shows that the internal chunk address INT.CHA
takes on four successive values in response to incrementing the address Ac
received as external chunk address signal EXT.CHA. Id. (citing Ex. 1005,
Fig. 4).
Patent Owner argues that neither of Wada’s asserted embodiments
discloses generating a predetermined number of internal addresses.
PO Resp. 23–27. As to Wada’s conventional embodiment, Patent Owner
submits that, while it is limited to 2^k unique addresses for a given external
address, external signals may cause it to stop short of that number, or cause
it to generate additional, duplicate, addresses. Id. at 24–25; PO Sur-Reply 7.
Petitioner points out that Patent Owner’s declarant agrees that Wada
discloses a burst counter that can generate 2^k addresses. Pet. Reply 7
(citing Ex. 1015, 193:16–194:5).
As to Wada’s Second Embodiment, Patent Owner argues that
“[n]either the number of memory blocks nor the number of multiplexer
inputs has any bearing whatsoever on how many INT.CHA signals are
generated.” PO Resp. 26. Patent Owner relies in part on deposition
testimony from Petitioner’s declarant. Id. (citing Ex. 2006, 91:10–92:1). But
that testimony relates to a statement the declarant, Dr. Baker, had written
about “burst of data to or from the memory [that] comes from a single
bank.” Ex. 2006, 90:22–24. That is not the case in Wada, which describes
four multiplexers used to transfer data to another multiplexer for a burst
output. Ex. 1005, 15:66–16:3. Wada does not describe an arbitrary burst
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length but instead describes that a burst involves successively transferring
data from four multiplexers. Id. (“Given the internal chunk address signal
INT.CHA sent from the burst counter unit 8, the multiplexer 7 successively
transfers to the data input/output pin 9 the data fed from the multiplexers 60a
through 63a.”). Thus, at least in Wada’s Second Embodiment, the circuit is
designed to generate a predetermined number of internal addresses,
corresponding to the multiplexers 60a through 63a that provide data to
multiplexer 7 for input/output.
While we agree with Patent Owner that generating the expected
number of addresses in Wada depends on completing an uninterrupted burst,
that is exactly the case in the asserted combination. As discussed above,
when Wada is modified in light of Barrett, the result is a system in which a
burst cannot be stopped once started. In that system, the burst counter
generates the expected number of addresses—one for each multiplexer 60a
through 63a.
d. Objective indicia of nonobviousness
Patent Owner argues that objective indicia of nonobviousness show
that the subject matter of the claimed invention would not have been
obvious. PO Resp. 53–66. Specifically, Patent Owner asserts that “there was
a long-felt but unmet need for an SDRAM8 that could transfer data quickly
and efficiently using predetermined, non-interruptible bursts.” Id. at 54.
According to Patent Owner, before the ’134 patent, “burst accesses of
JEDEC-compliant SDRAM memories were interruptible.” Id. As support,

8 Synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM). See PO Resp. 1,
4.
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Patent Owner points to a standard—JESD79F (Ex. 2010)—that it asserts
was “first published in 2000” and includes a “BURST TERMINATE”
command to truncate read bursts. Id. at 54–55 (citing Ex. 2010, 23, 27)9. The
exhibit, however, bears a date of February 2008, and indicates it is a revision
of a document published May 2005. Ex. 2010, 1. Nowhere does Patent
Owner explain the discrepancy, or attempt to show that any revisions
following the purported initial publication in 2000 were unrelated to the
asserted burst terminate disclosures. That is, Patent Owner fails to
demonstrate that the burst terminate command was part of the standard that
was published in 2000 as opposed to the revised standard that was published
in 2008. For that simple reason, we conclude Patent Owner has failed to
meet its burden of showing that memory burst access prior to the ’134 patent
was interruptible.
Further, even if we were to accept that the burst terminate disclosures
in the 2008 publication were also disclosed in the 2000 publication, the
document does not support Patent Owner’s substantive assertion. It notes
that the “BURST TERMINATE” command “[a]pplies only to read bursts
with autoprecharge disabled” and that “this command is undefined (and
should not be used) for read bursts with autoprecharge enabled.” Ex. 2010,
16 n.8.10 Thus, even if the revised JESD79F standard had predated the
’134 patent, it shows that non-interruptible bursts (which, in Patent Owner’s

9 Citations to the Joint Electron Device Engineering Council (JEDEC)
standards (Exs. 2010–2018) refer to the page numbers added to the bottom
of each page for this proceeding.
10 The JESD79F standard provides auto precharge is an “option for each
burst access” “to provide a self-timed row precharge that is initiated at the
end of the burst access.” Ex. 2010, 5.
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view, are those with no option to terminate) were known and used before the
’134 patent. The JESD79F standard discloses a logic circuit that can be
configured to generate bursts with no option to terminate them—such as any
write burst and any read burst with autoprecharge enabled. Thus, the
standard contradicts Patent Owner’s assertion that “[b]efore the invention of
the ’134 Patent, which issued on November 18, 2003, burst accesses of
JEDEC-compliant SDRAM memories were interruptible.” See PO Resp. 54.
Cf. ParkerVision, Inc. v. Qualcomm Inc., 903 F.3d 1354, 1361 (Fed.
Cir. 2018) (holding that a reference discloses a device as claimed when it
discloses a device that may operate as claimed at least in some
configurations.
Moreover, Patent Owner’s entire theory that the ’134 patent met a
long-felt need is unsupported and illogical. Patent Owner contends that prior
to the ’134 patent’s invention, in DRAM11 and SDRAM, “longer, more
efficient bursts were not possible given the need to regularly refresh the
DRAM cells.” PO Resp. 64. In Patent Owner’s view, that establishes “a
long-felt need in the industry for a memory that could provide
predetermined, non-interruptible burst operations.” Id. at 65.
As explained above, the JESD79F standard already allowed
predetermined non-interruptible bursts—i.e., bursts that could not be
terminated with the burst terminate command. Moreover, the need to refresh
DRAM cells could not have been solved by making bursts non-interruptible,
because simply preventing interruption does not itself refresh the memory.
Indeed, Patent Owner’s declarant agreed that the ’134 patent does not teach

11 Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM). See PO Resp. 1, 4.
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eliminating DRAM refreshes. See id. at 14 (citing Ex. 1015, 27:12–19).
Rather, the patent discusses hiding refreshes by performing internal actions.
Ex. 1001, 5:6–10, Fig. 6. As Petitioner explains, work prior to the
’134 patent disclosed partitioning memory such that one portion may be
refreshed while another is accessed—an approach termed “hiding” the
refresh. See Pet. Reply 14–15 (citing Ex. 1008, code (57)); Pet. 60–65.
Patent Owner has not sufficiently explained how the challenged claims
addressed the need for memory refresh. We therefore find that Patent Owner
has not demonstrated that the invention claimed in the ’134 patent addressed
a long-felt but unmet need.12
Finally, we note that Patent Owner’s theory based on the JEDEC
standards contradicts its claim-construction position. As evidence that later
JEDEC standards (e.g., DDR3, DDR4) produced “non-interruptible” bursts,
Patent Owner points to the standards removing the “BURST TERMINATE”
command (Ex. 2011, 44, 92) or expressly stating that “[b]urst interrupts are
not allowed” (Ex. 2012, 31). PO Resp. 55–56; accord id. at 57 (citing
Ex. 2014, 34 n.5 (“Burst reads or writes cannot be terminated or
interrupted.”)). Indeed, Patent Owner draws a parallel between the burst
terminate command in the early JEDEC standards (e.g., DDR) and “the
falling of the advance signal” in Wada, which would “terminate the burst”

12 Moreover, only claims 9 and 10 require the memory to be DRAM, and
only claim 10 requires a burst sufficiently long to provide time for a
DRAM refresh cycle (i.e., time for a hidden refresh). See Ex. 1001, 5:21–
6:48. Thus, Patent Owner’s evidence could at most show a nexus between
claim 10 and the JEDEC standard. But as explained, Patent Owner has not
established that non-interruptible bursts themselves addressed the need for
DRAM refresh, or that non-interruptible bursts were required for other
mechanisms to address DRAM refresh.
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according to Patent Owner. Tr. 60:5–13. But the later JEDEC standards that
eliminate the burst terminate command nonetheless require control signals
that must be maintained high during read and write burst access, just as
Wada requires the ADV signal must be maintained high during read and
write burst access. See, e.g., Ex. 2014, 27 (§ 2.1, “CKE must be maintained
high throughout read and write access.”). Thus, the later JEDEC standards
that Patent Owner identifies as showing non-interruptible bursts describe
circuits that depend on maintaining external signals in a particular way—
which, according to Patent Owner, would make their bursts interruptible
rather than non-interruptible.13, 14 Accordingly, even if we were to accept
Patent Owner’s contention that there was a long-felt but unmet need for non-

13 We note that accepting Patent Owner’s assertions regarding the later
JEDEC standards would require a finding that Wada anticipates the
challenged claims. That is because the JEDEC standards, like Wada,
describe interactions between external control devices and memory circuits
to maintain certain control signals. See, e.g., Ex. 2012, 12 (§ 2.4,
describing functionality for external connections). If a circuit requires
external devices to maintain control signals for non-interruptible address
generation, then Wada discloses non-interruptible address generation.
14 Even ignoring the dependence on external signals, we question Patent
Owner’s reliance on the DDR2 specification, which expressly allows for
burst interruption for 8-bit bursts. Ex. 2011, 29–30 (§ 2.6 “However, in
case of BL = 8 setting, two cases of interrupt by a new burst access are
allowed, one reads interrupted by a read, the other writes interrupted by a
write with 4 bit burst boundary respectively.”). Patent Owner has not
addressed how the claims, which require the bursts to be non-interruptible,
are consistent with making bursts interruptible only in certain conditions.
As for the standards that Patent Owner asserts “explicitly made bursts non-
interruptible,” the significantly later dates on those standards raise
questions regarding their connection with the ’134 patent. See Ex. 2012, 1
(May 2012); Ex. 2013, 1 (Aug. 2014); Ex. 2014, 1 (July 2012); Ex. 2015, 1
(June 2017); Ex. 2016, 1 (Feb. 2016).
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interruptible bursts, we would find that Patent Owner has not shown the
required nexus between the claimed invention and the later JEDEC
standards because those standards do not generate non-interruptible bursts
per Patent Owner’s own interpretation of what that means. See WMS
Gaming, Inc. v. Int’l Game Tech., 184 F.3d 1339, 1359 (Fed. Cir. 1999)
(“The patentee bears the burden of showing that a nexus exists between the
claimed features of the invention and the objective evidence offered to show
non-obviousness.”).
e. Conclusion
As discussed, we find that a person of ordinary skill in the art had
reason to modify Wada’s system in light of Barrett, and that the combined
teachings disclose all of claim 1’s limitations. We have considered Patent
Owner’s assertions regarding objective indicia of nonobviousness together
with Petitioner’s proofs regarding the combined teachings of Wada and
Barret and find the subject matter of claim 1 would have been obvious over
Wada and Barrett.
For claims 2–4, 8, 12–14, 16, and 17, Petitioner provides contentions
showing how the same combination of Wada and Barrett teach each of the
elements recited in these claims. Pet. 17–53. Other than as addressed above
regarding claim 1, Patent Owner does not challenge Petitioner’s contentions
regarding Wada’s and Barrett’s disclosures with respect to claims 2–4, 8,
12–14, 16, and 17. See PO Resp. 22–50. We determine Patent Owner has
waived any such argument regarding these claims. See Paper 14, 8 (“Patent
Owner is cautioned that any arguments not raised in the response may be
deemed waived.”); In re NuVasive, Inc., 842 F.3d 1376, 1380–81 (Fed. Cir.
2016); Consolidated Trial Practice Guide 52 (Nov. 2019). We have reviewed
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the parties’ contentions and the evidence presented, including objective
evidence of nonobviousness, and conclude that Petitioner has shown by a
preponderance of the evidence that the subject matter of each of claims 2–4,
8, 12–14, 16, and 17 would have been obvious over Wada and Barrett.
D. ADDITIONAL OBVIOUSNESS GROUNDS BASED ON WADA AND BARRETT
Petitioner asserts further that Fujioka, Reeves, and Lysinger, each
disclose the limitations of challenged dependent claims and that skilled
artisans had reasons to combine teachings from Fujioka, Reeves, or Lysinger
with Wada and Barrett to arrive at those dependent claims. Pet. 53–72. Other
than as discussed regarding claim 1, Patent Owner does not challenge
Petitioner’s contentions regarding combinations including Fujioka, Reeves,
or Lysinger. See PO Resp. 50–53. We determine Patent Owner has waived
any such argument. See Paper 14, 8; In re NuVasive, Inc., 842 F.3d at 1380–
81; Consolidated Trial Practice Guide 52.
We have reviewed the parties’ contentions and evidence, including
objective evidence of nonobviousness, and conclude that Petitioner has
shown by a preponderance of the evidence: that the subject matter of each of
claims 4–7 and 18–20 would have been obvious over Wada, Barrett, and
Fujioka; that the subject matter of each of claims 9, 10, 14, and 21 would
have been obvious over Wada, Barrett, and Reeves; and that the subject
matter of each of claims 11 and 15 would have been obvious over Wada,
Barrett, and Lysinger. See Pet. 53–72.
E. GROUNDS BASED ON WADA WITHOUT BARRETT
Petitioner also challenges claims 1–21 as anticipated or rendered
obvious over Wada alone or in combination with Fujioka, Reeves, or
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Lysinger. See Pet. 17–71. We need not determine the merits of these
challenges because, as explained above, Petitioner has demonstrated the
unpatentability of claims 1–21 over the combination of Wada and Barrett,
alone or in further combination with Fujioka, Reeves, or Lysinger. See
Beloit Corp. v. Valmet Oy, 742 F.2d 1421, 1423 (Fed. Cir. 1984) (finding an
administrative agency is at liberty to reach a decision based on a single
dispositive issue because doing so “can not only save the parties, the
[agency], and [the reviewing] court unnecessary cost and effort,” but can
“greatly ease the burden on [an agency] faced with a . . . proceeding
involving numerous complex issues and required by statute to reach its
conclusion within rigid time limits”).
III. CONCLUSION15
For the reasons discussed, we conclude:
Claim(s)

35
U.S.C.
§
Reference(s)/Basis
Claim(s)
Shown
Unpatentable
Claim(s)
Not Shown
Unpatentable
1–3, 8,
12, 13,
16, 17
102 Wada Not decided Not decided

15 Should Patent Owner wish to pursue amendment of the challenged claims
in a reissue or reexamination proceeding subsequent to the issuance of this
decision, we draw Patent Owner’s attention to the April 2019 Notice
Regarding Options for Amendments by Patent Owner Through Reissue or
Reexamination During a Pending AIA Trial Proceeding. See 84 Fed. Reg.
16,654 (Apr. 22, 2019). If Patent Owner chooses to file a reissue
application or a request for reexamination of the challenged patent, we
remind Patent Owner of its continuing obligation to notify the Board of
any such related matters in updated mandatory notices. See 37 C.F.R.
§ 42.8(a)(3), (b)(2).
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Claim(s)

35
U.S.C.
§
Reference(s)/Basis
Claim(s)
Shown
Unpatentable
Claim(s)
Not Shown
Unpatentable
1–3, 8,
12, 13,
16, 17
103 Wada Not decided Not decided
1–3, 8,
12, 13,
16, 17
103 Wada, Barrett 1–3, 8, 12, 13, 16, 17
4–7, 18–
20 103 Wada, Fujioka Not decided Not decided
4–7, 18–
20 103
Wada, Barrett,
Fujioka 4–7, 18–20
9, 10, 14,
21 103 Wada, Reeves Not decided Not decided
9, 10, 14,
21 103
Wada, Barrett,
Reeves 9, 10, 14, 21
11, 15 103 Wada, Lysinger Not decided Not decided
11, 15 103 Wada, Barrett, Lysinger 11, 15
Overall
Outcome 1–21
IV. ORDER
It is
ORDERED that Petitioner has proven that claims 1–21 of the ’134
patent are unpatentable; and
FURTHER ORDERED that, because this is a Final Written Decision,
parties to the proceeding seeking judicial review of the decision must
comply with the notice and service requirements of 37 C.F.R. § 90.2.

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PETITIONER:

Xin-Yi Zhou
Ryan K. Yagura
Nicholas J. Whilt
Brian M. Cook
O’MELVENY & MYERS LLP
vzhou@omm.com
ryagura@omm.com
nwhilt@omm.com
bcook@omm.com

PETITIONER:

Tyler R. Bowen
Roque Thuo
PERKINS COIE LLP
bowen-ptab@perkinscoie.com
thuo-ptab@perkinscoie.com

PATENT OWNER:

Theodoros Konstantakopoulos
Kevin McNish
DESMARAIS LLP
tkonstantakopoulos@desmaraisllp.com
kkm-ptab@desmarisllp.com