Dynetix Design Solutions, Inc. v. Synopsys, Inc.

Filing 559

ORDER RE: FINAL CLAIM CONSTRUCTION RULINGS. Signed by Judge Paul S. Grewal on August 21, 2013. (psglc1, COURT STAFF) (Filed on 8/21/2013)

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

8

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

9

SAN JOSE DIVISION

United States District Court
For the Northern District of California

10
11
12

DYNETIX DESIGN SOLUTIONS INC., a
California corporation,

13

Plaintiff/Counter-defendant,

14
15
16

v.
SYNOPSYS INC., a Delaware corporation,
Defendants/Counter-claimant.

17

)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)

Case No.: C 11-5973 PSG
ORDER RE: FINAL CLAIM
CONSTRUCTION RULINGS

18
19

In this patent infringement suit, Plaintiff and counter-defendant Dynetix Design Solutions,

20

Inc. (“Dynetix”) alleges that Defendant and counter-claimant Synopsys, Inc. (“Synopsys”)

21

infringes U.S. Patent No. 6,466,898 (“the ‘898 patent”). Synopsys counterclaims that Dynetix

22

infringes U.S. Patent No. 5,706,473 (“the ‘473 patent”) and U.S. Patent No. 5,784,593 (“the ‘593

23

patent”). On October 10, 2012 and January 9, 2013, the court construed terms in the ‘898 patent

24

and the ‘473 patent, respectively. The court’s final constructions are as follows:

25
26

CLAIM TERM
“Multithreaded simulation”

27

‘898 patent

CONSTRUCTION
A “thread” is a process flow in a
program that runs on a central
processing unit (“CPU”).
“Multithreaded simulation” means

28

1

Case No.: 11-5973 PSG
ORDER

a simulation of circuit
functionalities by executing
multiple process flows
concurrently on multiple CPUs.

1
2
3
4
5

“To achieve linear to super-linear scalable
performance speedup/simulation”
‘898 patent

6

A simulation is “linear” if the
speedup that is achieved is equal
to the number of available
processing units. For example, a
simulation that runs two times as
fast on hardware containing two
processing units is “linear.”

7
8
9

United States District Court
For the Northern District of California

10

Similarly, if the simulation runs
four times as fast on four
processing units, it is again
“linear.”

11
12
13

A simulation that has a speedup
greater than the number of
processing units is “super-linear.”
For example, if a process executed
on two processing units runes
three times as fast as the same
simulation on one processing unit,
it is “super-linear.”

14
15
16
17

“Scalable performance” means
there is a consistent increase in
performance for each added
processing unit.

18
19
20

“Achieving super-linear scalable”

21

‘898 patent
“Event queue”

22
23

‘898 patent

25

27

This term in the preamble limits
claims 36 and 45.
An “event” in simulation is a task
to be processed at a specified time
resulting in a change of state.
“Event queue” is a sequence of
events held in temporary storage
waiting to be processed.

24

26

The terms “linear” and “superlinear” describe the speedup that a
parallel simulation will achieve
when performing hardware
containing one or more processing
units.

“Common design database”
‘898 patent

A “design database” is a database
in which the simulation later
compiles design files and stimulus
files supplied by the user.

28
2

Case No.: 11-5973 PSG
ORDER

The phrase “common design
database” means a design database
which contains various compiled
design modules that may be coded
in different design languages that
are processed by the same
multithreaded simulation engine.

1
2
3
4
5

“To create a master thread and a plurality
of slave threads”

6

‘898 patent

7
8
9

United States District Court
For the Northern District of California

10
11

“Pre-examining each user-specified HDL
source file”
‘898 patent
“Specify remote hosts”

12

‘898 patent
“Graphical user interface” or “GUI”

13

‘898 patent

14

Creating one thread for each
processor where the master thread
is executed on one processor and
each of the slave threads is
executed on a separate remaining
processor.
The simulator examining the
content of each source file to
automatically detect its coded file
language before compiling the
source file.
The user identifying remote
computers by name.
A computer user interface that
allows interaction using graphical
objects such as icons, images, and
windows as opposed to merely a
command line interface.

15

“By at the beginning”

16

‘898 patent

The court finds this term may be
construed by correcting the
typographical error. The phrase
shall be corrected to “at the
beginning.”

“Means to provide a graphical user
interface program (‘GUI’) on the user’s
local hosts”

No ruling or construction in light
of the court’s concern that this
claim may be indefinite.

17
18
19
20
21

‘898 patent
“Finite state machine”

22

‘473 patent

23

A sequential circuit whose finite
number of output values at a given
instant depends on either the
sequence of previous inputs, the
current input, or both.

24
25
26

The parties should rest assured that the court arrived at these constructions with a full
appreciation of not only the relevant intrinsic and extrinsic evidence, but also the Federal Circuit's

27
28
3

Case No.: 11-5973 PSG
ORDER

1

teachings in Phillips v. AWH Corp.1 and its progeny. As the parties undoubtedly appreciate,

2

certain of these terms relate to claims no longer at issue in light of the court’s various summary

3

judgment rulings. So that the parties may pursue whatever recourse they believe is necessary, a

4

complete opinion will issue before entry of any judgment.

5

IT IS SO ORDERED.

6

Dated: August 21, 2013

7
_________________________________
PAUL S. GREWAL
United States Magistrate Judge

8
9

United States District Court
For the Northern District of California

10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28

1

415 F.3d 1303, 1312-15 (Fed. Cir. 2005).
4

Case No.: 11-5973 PSG
ORDER