InterDigital Communications Inc. et al v. ZTE Corporation et al

Filing 360

MEMORANDUM ORDER regarding the construction of a claim term found in U.S. Patent No. 7,286,847 (see Memorandum Order for further details). Signed by Judge Richard G. Andrews on 8/8/2014. Associated Cases: 1:13-cv-00009-RGA, 1:13-cv-00010-RGA(nms)

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE DISTRICT OF DELAWARE

INTERDIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS,
INC., et al.,
Plaintiffs and
Counterclaim
Defendants;

Civil Action No. 1: 13-cv-00009-RGA

v.

ZTE CORP., et al.,
Defendants and
Counterclaim
Plaintiffs.

INTERDIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS,
INC., et al.,
Plaintiffs and
Counterclaim
Defendants;

Civil Action No. 1: 13-cv-00010-RGA

v.

NOKIA CORP., et al.
Defendants and
Counterclaim
Plaintiffs.

MEMORANDUM ORDER

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I

Before the Court is a dispute regarding the construction of a claim term found in U.S.
Patent No. 7,286,847. (1:13-cv-00009-RGA, D.I. 261; 1:13-cv-00010-RGA, D.I. 225). 1 The
Court has considered the Parties' Amended Joint Claim Construction Brief along with the
parties' supplemental briefing. (D.1. 140, 303, 304, 319, 321). The Court heard oral argument
on June 23, 2014. (D.I. 302). This is a continuation of the Court's April 22, 2014 Markman
Opinion and the Court's May 29, 2014 Memorandum Order. (D.I. 253, 271).
A.

"[re-]synchroniz[ed/ing] to the/a pilot signal. "
1.

Plaintiffs' proposed construction: "establish a timing reference with a pilot signal

transmitted by said base station"
2.

Defendants' proposed construction: "align the beginning of the subscriber unit's

received and transmit spreading codes to the beginning of a pilot signal"
3.

Court's Construction: "establish a timing reference with a pilot signal"

The Plaintiffs argue that their construction is "undisputedly the plain meaning of the
claim language." (D.I. 304 at 1). The Plaintiffs maintain that the claim does not limit the scope
of the term. Id. at 2. Furthermore, the Plaintiffs contend that "The fact that transmissions are
mentioned later in the claims and are important to the invention has no bearing on the
construction of the claim term .... " Id. at 3 (internal citation and quotation marks omitted).
Conversely, ZTE argues that both the plain language of the claim and the specification supports
its claim construction. (D.I. 303 at 2). ZTE argues that because the second half of the claim
refers to a transmitter, this must be read onto the portion of the claim the includes the disputed

1

Unless otherwise noted, all subsequent citations to the Docket will be for case 1: 13-cv-00009-RGA.

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f
claim term. Id. Furthermore, ZTE argues that the relevant portion of the specification describes
the present invention by limiting it to aligning the beginning of the transmit spreading code with
the pilot code. Id. at 3. The Court agrees with the Plaintiffs.
The Court construes "[re-]synchroniz[ed/ing] to the/a pilot signal" to mean "establish a
timing reference with a pilot signal." The Court finds that if it were to adopt ZTE' s construction,
it would improperly read limitations from the specification into the claim. I do not agree with
ZTE that column 5 of the specification limits the scope of the term. The specification describes
one embodiment of the specification by stating, "In accordance with the present invention ... "
'84 7 Pat. at 5 :6-7. This phrase does not limit the claimed invention, but instead indicates that the
description that follows is simply providing one possible embodiment. Furthermore, the Court
agrees with the Plaintiffs that simply because "transmission" signals are discussed later in the
claim, such discussion does not serve to limit the claim term. Furthermore, the Court finds that
the phrase "transmitted by said base station," which the Plaintiffs wish to be included in the
claim construction, appears to serve no purpose other than to clarify where the pilot signal comes
from. The patent claims make clear that the pilot signal derives from the base station, thereby
making this phrase redundant and unnecessary. As the inventor did not limit the meaning of the
claim term in the specification, nor elsewhere in the patent's file wrapper, the Plaintiffs'
construction is appropriate, with the exception of the phrase "transmitted by said base station," as
the Defendant's construction would inappropriately limit the claim term.

~6

Entered this {J__ day of August, 2014.

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