NavBlazer, LLC

Patent Trials and Appeals Board

Dec 16, 2020

IPR2020-01254 (P.T.A.B. Dec. 16, 2020)

Trials@uspto.gov Paper 8
571-272-7822 Entered: December 16, 2020

UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
____________

BEFORE THE PATENT TRIAL AND APPEAL BOARD
____________

APPLE INC.,
Petitioner,

v.

NAVBLAZER, LLC,
Patent Owner.
_______________

IPR2020-01253 (Patent 9,075,136 B1)1
IPR2020-01254 (Patent 9,885,782 B2)
____________

Before KEVIN F. TURNER, JOHN A. HUDALLA, and
AARON W. MOORE, Administrative Patent Judges.

TURNER, Administrative Patent Judge.

DECISION
Settlement Prior to Institution of Trial
37 C.F.R. § 42.74
On December 14, 2020, the parties filed a Joint Motion to Terminate
Proceedings in each of the above cited proceedings, with joint requests to
treat as confidential the Settlement Agreement in each (Papers 6 and 7, in
each proceeding). The above filings were authorized pursuant to an email
sent by the Board on December 11, 2020.

1 The parties are not authorized to use this case caption, or to file
consolidated papers.
IPR2020-01253, IPR2020-01254
Patents 9,075,136 B1; 9,885,782 B2

2

There are strong public policy reasons to favor settlement between the
parties to a proceeding. Office Patent Trial Practice Guide, 84 Fed. Reg.
64,280 (Nov. 21, 2019). These matters are in the preliminary stage;
decisions whether to institute trial have not been issued in these cases. In
view of the early stage of these proceedings and the settlement between the
parties, we determine that it is appropriate to dismiss the petitions and
terminate the proceedings as to the parties without rendering a decision on
institution or a final written decision.
The Settlement Agreement appears to be a true copy of the agreement
between the parties, specifies the instant proceedings, and identifies other
matters that are to be settled between the parties. IPR2020-01253, Ex. 1010;
IPR2020-01254, Ex. 1009. It also appears to contain confidential business
information regarding the terms of settlement. Thus, we determine the
Settlement Agreement between the parties shall be treated as business
confidential information under 37 C.F.R. § 42.74(c) and shall be kept
separate from the files of the involved patents and associated proceeding.
This paper does not constitute a final written decision pursuant to
35 U.S.C. § 318(a).
Accordingly, it is
ORDERED that the Joint Motions to Terminate Proceeding are
granted; and
FURTHER ORDERED that the Settlement Agreement (IPR2020-
01253, Ex. 1010; IPR2020-01254, Ex. 1009) shall be treated as business
confidential information, be designated “Board and Parties Only,” and be
kept separate from the file of the involved patent under the provisions of 37
C.F.R. § 42.74(c).
IPR2020-01253, IPR2020-01254
Patents 9,075,136 B1; 9,885,782 B2

3

PETITIONER:
Adam P. Seitz
Paul R. Hart
ERISE IP, P.A.
adam.seitz@eriseip.com
paul.hart@eriseip.com

PATENT OWNER:
René A. Vazquez
SINERGIA TECHNOLOGY LAW GROUP, PLLC
rvazquez@sinergialaw.com

M. Scott Fuller
GARTEISER HONEA PLLC
sfuller@ghiplaw.com