TQ Delta LLC v. CoxCom LLC et al

Filing 212

MEMORANDUM OPINION providing claim construction for multiple terms in U.S. Patent Nos. 8,718,158, 9,014,243, 8,611,404, 9,094,268, 7,835,430, 8,238,412. Within five days the parties shall submit a proposed order consistent with this Memorandum Opinion suitable for submission to the jury. Signed by Judge Richard G. Andrews on 11/30/2016. Associated Cases: 1:15-cv-00612-RGA, 1:15-cv-00613-RGA, 1:15-cv-00614-RGA, 1:15-cv-00615-RGA, 1:15-cv-00616-RGA(nms)

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE DISTRICT OF DELAWARE

TQ DELTA, LLC,
Plaintiff,

v.

Civil Action No. 1: 15-cv-00611-RGA

COMCAST CABLE COMMUNICATIONS,
LLC
Defendant.

TQ DELTA, LLC,
Plaintiff,

v.
Civil Action No. 1:15-cv-00612-RGA
COXCOM LLC and COX
COMMUNICATIONS INC.,

Defendants.

TQ DELTA, LLC,
Plaintiff,
v.

Civil Action No. 1:15-cv-00613-RGA

DIRECTV, LLC,

Defendant.

TQ DELTA, LLC,
Plaintiff,
v.
DISH NETWORK CORPORATION, DISH
NETWORK LLC, DISH DBS
CORPORATION, ECHOSTAR
CORPORATION, and ECHOSTAR
TECHNOLOGIES, LLC

Civil Action No. 1:15-cv-00614-RGA

Defendants.

TQ DELTA, LLC,
Plaintiff,
v.
Civil Action No. 1:15-cv-00615-RGA
TIME WARNER CABLE INC. and TIME
WARNER CABLE ENTERPRISES LLC,

Defendants.

TQ DELTA, LLC,
Plaintiff,
v.

Civil Action No. 1:15-cv-00616-RGA

VERIZON SERVICES CORP.,

Defendant.

2

MEMORANDUM OPINION
Brian E. Farnan, Esq., FARNAN LLP, Wilmington, DE; Michael J. Farnan, Esq., FARNAN
LLP, Wilmington, DE; Peter J. McAndrews, Esq. (argued), MCANDREWS, HELD &
MALLOY, LTD., Chicago, IL; Thomas J. Wimbiscus, Esq., MCANDREWS, HELD &
MALLOY, LTD., Chicago, IL; Scott P. McBride, Esq., MCANDREWS, HELD & MALLOY,
LTD., Chicago, IL; Rajendra A. Chiplunkar, Esq., MCANDREWS, HELD & MALLOY, LTD.,
Chicago, IL; James P. Murphy, Esq., MCANDREWS, HELD & MALLOY, LTD., Chicago, IL.
Attorneys for Plaintiff
Jack B. Blumenfeld, Esq., MORRIS, NICHOLS, ARSHT & TUNNELL LLP, Wilmington, DE;
Jennifer Ying, Esq., MORRIS, NICHOLS, ARSHT & TUNNELL LLP, Wilmington, DE; L.
Norwood Jameson, Esq., DUANE MORRIS LLP, Atlanta, GA; Matthew C. Gaudet, Esq.
(argued), DUANE MORRIS LLP, Atlanta, GA; Corey J. Manley, Esq., DUANE MORRIS LLP,
Atlanta, GA; David C. Dotson, Esq., DUANE MORRIS LLP, Atlanta, GA; S. Neil Anderson,
Esq., DUANE MORRIS LLP, Atlanta, GA; Alice E. Snedeker, Esq., DUANE MORRIS LLP,
Atlanta, GA; John M. Baird, Esq., DUANE MORRIS LLP, Washington, DC.
Attorneys for Defendants Comcast Cable Communications LLC, CoxCom LLC, Cox
Communications Inc., DIRECTV, LLC, Time Warner Cable Inc., and Time Warner
Cable Enterprises LLC
Alex V. Chachkes, Esq. (argued), ORRICK, HERRINGTON & SUTCLIFFE LLP, New York,
NY.
Attorney for Defendant DIRECTV, LLC.
Rodger D. Smith, II, Esq., MORRIS, NICHOLS, ARSHT & TUNNELL LLP, Wilmington, DE;
Eleanor G. Tennyson, Esq., MORRIS, NICHOLS, ARSHT & TUNNELL LLP, Wilmington,
DE; Heidi L. Keefe, Esq. (argued), COOLEY LLP, Palo Alto, CA; Stephen P. McBride,
COOLEY LLP, Palo Alto, CA;.
Attorneys for Defendants Dish Network Corporation, Dish Network LLC, Dish DBS
Corporation, Echostar Corporation and Echostar Technologies, LLC.
Benjamin J. Schladweiler, Esq., ROSS ARONSTAM & MORITZ, Wilmington, DE.
Attorney for Defendant Verizon Services Corp.

NovemberJO, 2016

3

~~~
Presently before the Court is the issue of claim construction of multiple terms in U.S.
Patent Nos. 8,718,158 (''the '158 patent"), 9,014,243 ("the '243 patent"), 8,61-1,404 ("the '404
patent"), 9,094,268 ("the '268 patent"), 7,835,430 ("the '430 patent"), and 8,238,412 ("the '412
patent"). The Court has considered the Parties' Joint Claim Construction Brief. (Civ. Act. No.
15-611-RGA, D.I. 144; Civ. Act. No. 15-612-RGA, D.I. 141; Civ. Act. No. 15-613-RGA, D.I.
141; Civ. Act. No. 15-614-RGA, D.I. 135; Civ. Act. No. 15-615-RGA, D.I. 141; Civ. Act. No.
15-616-RGA; D.I. 146). 1 The Court heard oral argument on October 18, 2016. (D.I. 158).

I.

BACKGROUND
Plaintiff filed these actions on July 17, 2015, alleging infringement of eight patents. (D.I.

1). On July 14, 2016, Plaintiff dismissed two of these patents with prejudice. (D.I. 102). The
parties divide the remaining contested patents into three groupings: the phase scrambling patents,
the low power mode patents, and the diagnostic mode patents. The phase scrambling patents,
which include the '158 and '243 patents, claim methods for reducing the peak to average power
ratio of a multicarrier transmission system. The low power mode patents, which include the '404
and '268 patents, claim methods for causing a multicarrier communications system to enter a low
power mode while storing state information for full power mode to enable a rapid start up
without the need for reinitialization. The diagnostic mode patents, which include the '430 and
'412 patents, claim both an apparatus and method for the reliable exchange of diagnostic and test
information over a multicarrier communications system.

1

Unless otherwise specifically noted, all references to the docket refer to Civil Action No. 15-611-RGA.

II.

LEGALSTANDARD
"It is a bedrock principle of patent law that the claims of a patent define the invention to

which the patentee is entitled the right to exclude." Phillips v. AWH Corp., 415 F.3d 1303, 1312
(Fed. Cir. 2005) (en bane) (internal quotation marks omitted). '"[T]here is no magic formula or
catechism for conducting claim construction.' Instead, the court is free to attach the appropriate
weight to appropriate sources 'in light of the statutes and policies that inform patent law."'
SoftView LLC v. Apple Inc., 2013 WL 4758195, at *1 (D. Del. Sept. 4, 2013) (quoting Phillips,

415 F.3d at 1324) (alteration in original). When construing patent claims, a court considers the
literal language of the claim, the patent specification, and the prosecution history. Markman v.
Westview Instruments, Inc., 52 F.3d 967, 977-80 (Fed. Cir. 1995) (en bane), aff'd, 517 U.S. 370

· (1996). Of these sources, "the specification is always highly relevant to the claim construction
analysis. Usually, it is dispositive; it is the single best guide to the meaning of a disputed term."
Phillips, 415 F.3d at 1315 (internal quotation marks omitted).

"[T]he words of a claim are generally given their ordinary and customary meaning ....
[Which is] the meaning that the term would have to a person of ordinary skill in the art in
question at the time of the invention, i.e., as of the effective filing date of the patent application."
Id. at 1312-13 (citations and internal quotation marks omitted). "[T]he ordinary meaning of a

claim term is its meaning to [an] ordinary artisan after reading the entire patent." Id. at 1321
(internal quotation marks omitted). "In some cases, the ordinary meaning of claim language as
understood by a person of skill in the art may be readily apparent even to lay judges, and claim
construction in such cases involves little more than the application of the widely accepted
meaning of commonly understood words." Id. at 1314.

2

When a court relies solely upon the intrinsic evidence-the patent claims, the
specification, and the prosecution history-the court's construction is a determination oflaw.

See Teva Pharm. USA, Inc. v. Sandoz, Inc., 135 S. Ct. 831, 841 (2015). The court may also
make factual findings based upon consideration of extrinsic evidence, which "consists of all
evidence external to the patent and prosecution history, including expert and inventor testimony,
dictionaries, and learned treatises." Phillips, 415 F.3d at 1317-19 (internal quotation marks
omitted). Extrinsic evidence may assist the court in understanding the underlying technology,
the meaning of terms to one skilled in the art, and how the invention works. Id. Extrinsic
evidence, however, is less reliable and less useful in claim construction than the patent and its
prosecution history. Id.
"A claim construction is persuasive, not because it follows a certain rule, but because it
defines terms in the context of the whole patent." Renishaw PLC v. Marposs Societa 'per

Azioni, 158 F.3d 1243, 1250 (Fed. Cir. 1998). It follows that "a claim interpretation that would
exclude the inventor's device is rarely the correct interpretation:" Osram GMBH v. Int 'l Trade

Comm 'n, 505 F.3d 1351, 1358 (Fed. Cir. 2007) (citation and internal quotation marks omitted).

III.

CONSTRUCTION OF DISPUTED TERMS

A.

The Phase Scrambling Patents
The '158 patent is directed to a method for scrambling the phase characteristics of carrier

signals in a multicarrier communications system. Claim 1 is representative and reads as follows:
1.
In a multicarrier modulation system including a first transceiver in
communication with a second transceiver using a transmission signal having a
plurality of carrier signals for modulating a plurality of data bits, each carrier
signal having a phase characteristic associated with at least one bit of the plurality
of data bits, a method for scrambling the phase characteristics ofthe carrier signals
comprising:
transmitting the plurality of data bits from the first transceiver to the second
transceiver;
3

associating a carrier signal with a value determined independently of any
bit of the plurality of data bits carried by the carrier signal, the value associated
with the carrier signal determined by a pseudo-random number generator;
determining a phase shift for the carrier signal at least based on the value
associated with the carrier signal;
modulating at least one bit of the plurality of data bits on the carrier signal;
modulating the at least one bit on a second carrier signal of the plurality of
carrier signals.
(' 158 patent, claim 1) (disputed terms italicized).
The '243 patent is also directed to a method for scrambling the phase characteristics of
carrier signals in a multicarrier communications system. Claim 1 is representative and reads as
follows:
1. A method, in a multicarrier communications transceiver comprising a bit
scrambler followed by a phase scrambler, comprising:
scrambling, using the bit scrambler, a plurality of input bits to generate a
plurality of scrambled output bits, wherein at least one scrambled output bit is
different than a corresponding input bit;
scrambling, using the phase scrambler, a plurality of carrier phases
associated with the plurality of scrambled output bits;
transmitting at least one scrambled output bit on a first carrier; and
transmitting the at least one scrambled output bit on a second carrier.
('243 patent, claim 1) (disputed terms italicized).
1.

"carrier signal" and "carrier"
a.

Plaintiff's proposed construction: "plain meaning"

b.

Defendants 'proposed construction: "wave that can be modulated to carry data"

c.

Court's construction: "signal that can be modulated to carry data"

The parties agree that "carrier signal" and "carrier" should have the same construction.
(D.I. 144 at 36). Defendants argue strenuously that the proper construction for this term requires
that the carrier signal be a wave and that this construction is supported by the specification itself.
(Id. at 33). Contrary to Defendants' assertion, however, neither "wave" nor "waveform" appear

anywhere in the specification. To require that the carrier be a wave, therefore, would be to import
4

a term that itself requires construction.

Plaintiff argues that the wave Defendants refer to

throughout their briefing and during oral argument is simply the time domain representation of a
signal that exists only after the carrier signals are modulated and combined. (Id. at 21, 33, 35; D.I.
158 at 70:12-18). The specification supports Plaintiffs position, describing the carrier signals as
being modulated in the frequency domain prior to being combined into the time domain
transmission signal. ('158 patent at 4:12-24). While I find support for Plaintiffs opposition to
using the word "wave" in the construction of this term, I agree with Defendants that some
construction is needed, so I will adopt Defendants' construction modified as follows: "signal that
can be modulated to carry data."
2.

"determin[ e/ing] a phase shift for the carrier signal"
a.

Plaintiff's proposed construction: "plain meaning"

b.

Defendants' proposed construction: "use/using an equation to compute the
degrees or radians that the phase of the carrier signal can be shifted"

c.

Court's construction: "comput[ e/ing] an amount by which the phase of the carrier
signal will be shifted"

As an initial matter, the parties disagree as to whether the phase shift must be determined
in units of degrees or radians. There is no support in the intrinsic record for Defendants' attempt
to import these terms into the claim. Degrees and radians are merely units of measure, akin to feet
or meters. I see no reason to limit this claim term to require specific units of measure for the phase
shift.
Defendants next argue that this term should be construed to limit the meanmg of
"determine" to mean compute. Defendants cite the invention as described in the "Summary of the
Invention" section of the specification as support and argue that the invention as a whole is
described using the word "compute" with respect to how the phase shift is determined. (D.I. 144

5

at 38). I agree with Defendants. The specification, in describing the "present invention," states
that "[a] phase shift is computed for each carrier signal." ('158 patent at 2:39-40). Every reference
to the phase shift in the Summary of the Invention section reflects that the shift is "computed."
See id. at 2:43, 2:58-59, 2:63-64. "When a patent thus describes the features of the 'present
invention' as a whole, this description limits the scope of the invention." Verizon Servs. Corp. v.
Vonage Holdings Corp., 503 F.3d 1295, 1308 (Fed. Cir. 2007).
Defendants further argue that "by definition, to 'compute' is to use an equation." (D.I. 144
at 39). Plaintiff counters that the definition of compute is broader and that Defendants are
"attempting to import a limitation from an example embodiment." (Id. at 39-40). On this point I
agree with Plaintiff. Although the example embodiments do employ an equation to compute the
phase shifts, the specification disclaims reliance on any particular method, stating that "additional
and/or different phase shifting techniques can be used by the phase scrambler." ('158 patent at
8:14-15). Defendants also cite to the provisional application as further support for their argument;
however, the provisional application also disclaims reliance on any particular method for
determining the phase shifts, stating that "[t]he fundamental principle used in this invention is to
use known parameters at the transmitter and the receiver to randomize the phase of the tones in a
multicarrier system." (D.I. 146 at A355).
Therefore, I decline to adopt either Plaintiffs or Defendants' proposed constructions.
Instead I construe the term "determin[ e/ing] a phase shift for the carrier signal" to mean
"comput[e/ing] an amount by which the phase ofthe carrier signal will be shifted."
3.

"phase scrambler"
a.

Plaintiff's proposed construction: "a component operable to adjust the phases of
the carriers, by pseudo-randomly varying amounts"

6

b.

Defendants' proposed construction: "component that adjusts the phases of
modulated carrier signals by pseudo-randomly varying amounts"

c.

Court's construction: "component operable to adjust the phases of the carrier
signals, by pseudo-randomly varying amounts"

"scrambling the phase characteristics of the carrier signals"
a.

Plaintiff's proposed construction: "adjusting the phase characteristics of the
carrier signals by pseudo-randomly varying amounts"

b.

Defendants 'proposed construction: "adjusting the phases of the modulated
carrier signals by pseudo-randomly varying amounts"

c.

Court's construction: "adjusting the phase characteristics of the carrier signals by
pseudo-randomly varying amounts"

The parties' only dispute with respect to these two claim terms is whether the carrier signals
are modulated before or after phase scrambling occurs. Plaintiff argues that in every embodiment
disclosed in the specification phase scrambling occurs before modulation.

(D.I. 144 at 42).

Defendants counter that the specification requires "adding phase shifts to modulated carrier
signals." (Id. at 43). I find that Plaintiffs position is supported by the patent. For example, the
specification describes the process that takes place in the transmitter as "adjusting the phase
characteristic of each carrier signal and combining these carrier signals to produce the transmission
signal." ('158 patent, 5:16-19). The specification also provides descriptions of several different
phase shifting examples, and then states, "The DMT transmitter 22 then combines (step 130) the
carrier signals to form the transmission signal 38." (Id. at 8:17-19). Defendants' attempt to parse
phrases such as "method that scrambles the phase characteristics of the modulated carrier signals
in a transmission signal" to require that the signals be modulated before phase scrambling is
unavailing. (D.I. 144 at 48-49). This phrase, taken from the Summary of the Invention, is nothing
more than a high-level description of the transmission signal as being composed of modulated
carrier signals whose phases have been scrambled. Nothing in the claims or the descriptions of
7

example embodiments supports Defendants' argument that the phase scrambling occurs after
modulation. I will adopt Plaintiff's construction.
4.

"transceiver"
a.

Plaintiff's proposed construction: "a communications device capable of
transmitting and receiving data over the same physical medium wherein the
transmitting and receiving functions are implemented using at least some common
circuitry"

b.

Defendants' proposed construction: "communications device with a transmitter
and receiver"

c.

Court's construction: "communications device capable of transmitting and
receiving data wherein the transmitter portion and receiver portion share at least
some common circuitry"

This term appears in all six of the asserted patents and the parties agree that the term should
have the same construction in each claim. (D.I. 144 at 22). The parties also agree that a transceiver
is a device that can both transmit and receive data. The parties dispute, however, whether the
transmission and reception must occur over the same physical medium, e.g., over cable or air, and
whether the transmitter and receiver components of the transceiver must share common circuitry.
As to the first point of dispute, there is no support in either the intrinsic or extrinsic record for the
limitation that the transmission and reception of data occur over the same physical medium.
Plaintiff cites only to an expert declaration to support its contention that a person of ordinary skill
in the art would understand that the transmitting and receiving must occur over the same physical
medium.

(D.I. 144 at 25).

However, nothing in the claims or specification supports this

construction and Plaintiff has not pointed to any dictionary definitions or evidence other than the
expert declaration to support its construction. I decline to import this limitation into the claim
term.

8

As to the common circuitry limitation, the only information to be gleaned from the claim
language itself is that the transceiver contemplated by these patents must be able to both transmit
and receive data. (See, e.g., '158 patent, claim 1). The specifications do not provide an explicit
definition of transceiver. In the phase scrambling patents, the specification and figures indicate
that the transceiver as described is a singular device housing both a transmitter portion and a
receiver portion. (Id. at 3 :31-33). These patents do not provide any specific indication that any
circuitry is shared between the two. In the low power mode patents, however, the specification
and figure do indicate the presence of shared components. For example, the clock, controller, and
frame counter are shared by the transmitter and receiver portions of the transceiver. (' 404 patent
at Fig. 1).
The parties provide five different dictionary definitions for transceiver, three of which
include a limitation that the transmitter and receiver share common circuitry. (D.I. 146 at A423,
A433, A444, A891, A938-39). Evaluating the intrinsic evidence in light of these dictionary
definitions suggests that the transmitter and receiver portions do share common circuitry or
components. Therefore, I will construe transceiver to mean "a communications device capable of
transmitting and receiving data wherein the transmitter portion and receiver portion share at least
some common circuitry."
5.

"multicarrier"
a.

Plaintiff's proposed construction: "having multiple carrier signals that are
combined as a group by simultaneous modulation to produce a transmission
signal"

b.

Defendants' proposed construction: "having multiple carrier signals that are
combined to produce a transmission signal"

c.

Court's construction: "having multiple carrier signals that are combined to
produce a transmission signal"

9

The parties' only disagreement is whether this term should be construed to specify a
particular method by which the carrier signals are combined. Plaintiff's opposition to Defendants'
broader construction appears to stem from its disagreement with Defendants' proposed
construction of "carrier." (D.I. 158 at 30:20-31 :7). Since I have rejected Defendants' proposed
limitations on "carrier," this concern is unwarranted. As discussed above, I have concluded that
the patents disclose combination and modulation of carrier signals in the frequency domain, that
is, before a time domain signal, or wave, exists. Turning to Plaintiff's proposed limitation, I find
that the claim language itself does not impose any limitation on how the carrier signals are to be
combined.

Nor does the specification provide such limitations.

Therefore, I will adopt

Defendants' proposed construction.
6.

"bit scrambler"
a.

Plaintiff's proposed construction: "a component that pseudo-randomly changes
the value of a bit"

b.

Defendants' proposed construction: "component that pseudo-randomly inverts the
bits in a byte of data one bit after another"

c.

Court's construction: "component that pseudo-randomly changes the value of a
bit"

The parties disagree on two points in their proposed constructions of this term: first,
whether the bit scrambler operates on a byte of data; and second, whether the bits are scrambled
in sequence, one after another. The parties' disagreement appears to center around whether a
person of ordinary skill in the art would find that a bit scrambler is different from a byte scrambler.
I do not think it is necessary to resolve this disagreement as the patent itself provides sufficient
guidance as to the meaning of "bit scrambler."
The word "byte" does not appear in either the claims or specification of the '243 patent.
The patent refers to "scrambling, using the bit scrambler, a plurality of input bits." ('243 patent,
10

claim 1). A plurality of input bits simply means more than one input bit. A byte of data is
commonly understood to consist of eight bits of data. See, e.g., OXFORD ENGLISH DICTIONARY
(2d ed. 1989), available at http://www.oed.com/oed2/00030648 (defining byte as "[a] group of
eight consecutive bits operated on as a unit in a computer"). There is no basis in the claim itself
or in the specification for requiring that the "plurality of input bits" consist of a byte, or eight bits,
of data. Nor is there any indication in the patent that the data must be presented to the scrambler
a byte at a time. Rather, as Defendants themselves point out, the data is presented a bit at a time.
Defendants cite the ADSL standards as extrinsic evidence of what a person of ordinary skill would
understand a "bit scrambler" to be. (D.I. 144 at 52-53). The device described in the standards,
however, is simply called a "scrambler," not a "bit scrambler." (D.I. 145 at A503). Furthermore,
the standards show that data is input to this scrambler a byte at a time, not as a serial bit stream.
(Id.). This is inconsistent with the bit scrambler described in the specification.

As to Defendants' argument that the scrambling must be performed sequentially, the claim
language does not support such a limitation.

The claim itself is indifferent to whether the

scrambling is sequential, stating that the bit scrambler scrambles "a plurality of input bits to
generate a plurality of output bits." (Id.). The specification states that the bit scrambler "receives
the input serial bit stream" and, after scrambling, passes the bits to the QAM encoder. (Id. at 5:69). The QAM encoder is described as "receiving an input serial data bit stream." (Id. at 3:63-64).
This seems to indicate that the input and output of the bit scrambler are both serial. This does not
mean, however, that the scrambling itself necessarily takes place sequentially. Therefore, the
intrinsic evidence does not support Defendants' proposed limitations and I will adopt Plaintiffs
construction.

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B.

The Low Power Mode Patents
The '404 patent is directed to a multicarrier transmission system with low power sleep

mode and rapid-on capability. Claim 6 is representative and reads as follows:
1. An apparatus comprising a transceiver operable to:
receive, in a full power mode, a plurality of superframes, wherein the
superframe comprises a plurality of data frames followed by a synchronization
frame;
receive, in the full power mode, a synchronization signal;
transmit a message to enter into a low power mode;
store, in the low power mode, at least one parameter associated with the
full power mode operation wherein the at least one parameter comprises at least
one of a fine gain parameter and a bit allocation parameter;
receive, in the low power mode, a synchronization signal; and
exit from the low power [sic] and restore the full power mode by using the
at least one parameter and without needing to reinitialize the transceiver.

('404 patent, claim 6) (disputed terms italicized).
The '268 patent is also directed to a multicarrier transmission system with low power
sleep mode and rapid-on capability. Claim 4 is representative and reads as follows:
4. A method, in a multicarrier transceiver, comprising:
transmitting or receiving a message to enter a low power mode;
entering the low power mode, wherein a transmitter portion of the
transceiver does not transmit data during the low power mode and a receiver portion
of the transceiver receives data during the low power mode; and
storing, during the low power mode, at least one parameter associated with
a full power mode.
('268 patent, claim 4) (disputed terms italicized).
1.

"low power mode"
a.

Plaintiff's proposed construction: "a state of operation in which power is
consumed, but the amount of power consumed is less than when operating in a
state with full data trans~ission capabilities"

b.

Defendants' proposed construction: "state of operation in which available power
is reduced"

12

c.

Court's construction: "state of operation in which power is consumed, but the
amount of power consumed is less than when operating in a state with full data
transmission capabilities"

The primary dispute between the parties with respect to this term appears to center on
whether low power mode requires that less power be supplied to the circuitry or whether less power
is consumed by the device. The parties also disagree about whether the claimed "low power mode"
includes both the "sleep mode" and "idle state/mode" described in the specification.
Neither sleep mode nor idle state/mode are mentioned in any of the claims. Defendants
expended significant effort both in briefing and at oral argument to argue that "idle state" is not a
low power mode. I disagree. The specification states in a number of different places that the
invention could be incorporated into a computer and that it would be desirable in that situation that
it could "enter a 'sleep' mode in which it consumes reduced power." ('404 patent at 6:2-3). The
specification describes this as an "'idle' state ... similar in many ways to the sleep mode state."
(Id. at 6:19:24). Defendants argue that it is significant that the specification sometimes calls this

a "state" instead of a "mode." (D.I. 158 at 21 :10-22:3). I do not think so. Elsewhere in the
specification, the same idle state is referred to as an "idle mode." ('404 patent at 8:63). It seems
to me that sleep mode and idle state/mode are both low power modes implemented in different
contexts.
The dispute over whether low power mode is achieved through lower power consumption
or lower power supply is readily resolved by looking to the claim language. Low power mode
appears in independent claims 1, 6, 11, and 16 of the '404 patent. Although claim 1 of the '404
patent is not asserted, "we look to the words of the claims themselves, both asserted and
nonasserted, to define the scope of the patented invention." Vitronics Corp. v. Conceptronic, Inc.,
90 F.3d 1576, 1582 (Fed. Cir. 1996). Claims 1 and 11 read, in part, "[enter/entering] into the low

13

power mode by reducing a power consumption of at least one portion of a transmitter." (' 404
patent, claims 1 & 11). Claims 6 and 16 do not include this phrase describing how low power
mode is achieved. "Unless the patent otherwise provides, a claim term cannot be given a different
meaning in the various claims of the same patent." Georgia-Pac. Corp. v. U.S. Gypsum Co., 195
F.3d 1322, 1331 (Fed. Cir. 1999). Read in the context of the specification, I find no reason why
the term should be given different meaning in claims 6 and 16 than it has in claims 1 and 11, which
indicate that low power mode is achieved through lower consumption of power.
Finally, the parties dispute whether low power mode includes, as Defendants argue, a state
in which the device is completely off. (D.1. 144 at 61). Defendants' argument on this point is
inconsistent with the claims and specification. While in low power mode, the transceiver must be
able to either transmit or receive a synchronization signal. ('404 patent, claims 1 and 6). The
argument that some power is consumed by the transceiver even in low power mode is supported
by the specification. (Id. at 7:44-56). For these reasons, I will adopt Plaintiffs construction.
2.

"stor[ e/ing], in [a/the] low power mode, at least one parameter"
a.

Plaintiff's proposed construction: "maintaining in memory at least one parameter
associated with a mode of operation with full data transmission capabilities, while
in a low power mode"

b.

Defendants' proposed construction: "maintain[ing] in memory throughout a/the
low power mode, at least one parameter"

c.

Court's construction: "maintain[ing] in memory, while in low power mode, at
least one parameter"

The parties first dispute whether the construction should include the limitation that the
parameter must be associated with full power mode. Defendants argue that this limitation already
appears in the claim language and including this in the claim construction would be superfluous.
(D.1. 144 at 66). Plaintiff did not reply to this argument. I agree with Defendants. The claim

14

language includes this limitation already when it calls for storing "at least one parameter associated
with the full power mode operation." ('404 patent, claim 6). It would be redundant to include this
in the court's construction of this term.
The parties also disagree about whether the parameter must be maintained throughout the
duration of the low power mode. Plaintiff argues that there is no support in the claim language for
requiring a particular duration for how long the parameter is stored. (D.I. 144 at 65). Defendants
counter that it is a "fundamental requirement" of the invention that the parameter be stored for the
entire duration of the low power mode. (Id.). Reading the claim as a whole, I find it is unnecessary
to include this requirement in the construction of this term. The claim specifies that the device
will "exit from the low power mode and restore the full power mode by using the at least one
parameter." (' 404 patent, claim 6). Therefore, the rest of the claim itselfimplies that the parameter
is stored at least until the device exits from low power mode. This is captured by the court's
construction of"maintain[ing] in memory, while in low power mode, at least one parameter."
3.
"wherein the at least one parameter comprises at least one of a fine gain parameter and a
bit allocation parameter"
a.

Plaintiff's proposed construction: "wherein the at least one parameter includes a
fine gain parameter and/or a bit allocation parameter"

b.

Defendants' proposed construction: "wherein the at least one parameter includes
both a fine gain parameter and a bit allocation parameter"

c.

Court's construction: "wherein the at least one parameter includes a fine gain
parameter and/or a bit allocation parameter"

Plaintiff argues that its construction follows the plain language of the claim and notes that
the parameters listed in the claim are not categories but rather two parameters from a list of
parameters that may be stored. (D.I. 144 at 90-92). Defendants argue that the phrase "at least one
of' modifies both terms, requiring that both a fine gain and a bit allocation parameter must be

15

. stored, citing Federal Circuit case law in support of their position. (Id. at 91 ). Defendants are
correct that the Federal Circuit has previously construed this same phrase to require one of each of
the terms in the list as a matter of grammatical construction. SuperGuide Corp. v. DirecTV
Enterprises, Inc., 358 F.3d 870, 886 (Fed. Cir. 2004). As a number of district courts have
recognized, however, "SuperGuide did not erect a universal rule of construction for all uses of 'at
least one of in all patents." Fujifilm Corp. v. Motorola Mobility LLC, 2015 WL 1265009, at *8
(N.D. Cal. Mar. 19, 2015).
I find that this phrase is readily construed by looking at the full context of the claim itself,

without having to resort to grammatical arguments. The relevant portion of the claim reads
"storing, in the low power mode, at least one parameter associated with the full power mode
operation wherein the at least one parameter comprises at least one of a fine gain parameter and a
bit allocation parameter." ('404 patent, claim 11 (emphasis added)). The phrase "at least one
parameter" indicates that the patent contemplates a situation where only one parameter would be
stored. Defendant's construction would require a minimum of two parameters to be stored and is,
therefore, inconsistent with the plain language of the claim. For this reason, I will adopt Plaintiffs
construction.
4.

"fine gain parameter"
a.

Plaintiff's proposed construction: "a parameter used to determine power level on
a per subcarrier basis"

b.

Defendants' proposed construction: "Indefinite"

c.

Court's construction: "parameter used to determine power level on a per
subcarrier basis"

Defendants only argument with respect to this term is that "fine" is a word of degree and,
therefore, this term is necessarily indefinite. (D.I. 144 at 68). I disagree. The claim language does

16

not instruct that anything be measured or adjusted, as in, "make a fine adjustment to the gain," for
example. Rather, the claim instructs that a specific parameter, named the "fine gain parameter,"
is to be stored. Although the claim language itself does not provide specific guidance as to the
meaning of this term, the specification supports Plaintiffs construction, particularly when
considered in the context of the extrinsic evidence Plaintiff presents to show that a person of
ordinary skill in the art would understand that "fine gain" refers to the gain on a subchannel. For
example, the specification discusses the requirements of initialization, and in doing so
distinguishes between "setting the channel gains" and "adjusting the fine gains on the
subchannels." ('404 patent at 3:12-14). This distinction is substantially supported by the ITU-T
G.992.1 Standards Plaintiff referenced in its briefing and presented at oral argument as evidence
of what a person of ordinary skill in the art would understand "fine gain" to mean. 2 (D.I. 144 at
70; D.I. 190 at 121:17-122:5). Therefore, I will adopt Plaintiffs construction.
5.

"bit allocation parameter"
a.

Plaintiff's proposed construction: "parameter used to determine a number of bits
to be carried by a subcarrier on a per subcarrier basis"

b.

Defendants' proposed construction: "parameter specifying the number of bits to
be carried by a subchannel"

c.

Court's construction: "parameter used to determine a number of bits to be carried
by a subcarrier on a per subcarrier basis"

The parties have two disputes in construing this term. First, they disagree on whether the
parameter is used to determine the number of bits or whether it specifies the number of bits.
Second, they dispute whether the parameter provides the number of bits carried by a single
subcarrier or whether it provides the number of bits on a per subcarrier basis, i.e. whether the Bit

2

The relevant time period for this understanding is January 26, 1998, the priority date of both the '404 and '268
patents.

17

Allocation Table referenced in the specification is itself a bit allocation parameter. As to the first
dispute, limiting the term to mean "specifying" would encompass how the number of bits is
determined when a Bit Allocation Table is used, as described in the exemplary embodiment. The
word "determine" also encompasses the use of a table to perform this task. Defendants argue that
using "determine" unduly broadens the definition. I disagree. Only if I were to limit the claim to
require that the only form of a bit allocation parameter be a Bit Allocation Table would
Defendants' argument carry the day. The specification describes a method for constructing the Bit
Allocation Table. But it is a parameter and not the Table itself that is claimed. It is not difficult
to imagine other methods of determining the number of bits to be carried that do not involve a Bit
Allocation Table being the parameter that is stored. Thus, I do not limit the construction to the
exemplary embodiment.
The second dispute is readily resolved by turning to the specification. The patent lists some
of the requisite parameters for waking from sleep mode and "Bit Allocation Tables" is included in
that list. ('404 patent at 8:6-12). It seems to me that a full Bit Allocation Table is one example of
the bit allocation parameter referenced in the claims. Therefore, Defendants' argument that a bit
allocation parameter is nothing more than a single entry in a Bit Allocation Table must fail.
Plaintiffs position that the number of bits must be specified for each subcarrier, not just a single
subcarrier, is supported by the specification and comports with the purpose of the invention, i.e.,
allowing a transceiver to wake from sleep mode without reinitializing. Furthermore, the claim
does not limit the form of the parameter to only a Bit Allocation Table. Therefore, I will adopt
Plaintiff's construction.
6.

"synchronization frame"
a.

Plaintiff's proposed construction: "a frame that indicates a superframe boundary"

18

b.

Defendants' proposed construction: "frame that carries no user or overhead bitlevel data and is inserted to establish superframe boundaries"

c.

Court's construction: "frame that indicates a superframe boundary"

The parties agree that synchronization frames indicate or establish superframe boundaries.
The parties disagree, however, as to whether the synchronization frame must be limited to that
defined in the ITU Document G922.2. Defendants insist that it must be so limited, pointing to the
specification, which references this ITU Document. ('404 patent at 5:5-12). There are two
problems with Defendants' argument, however. First, the reference to the ITU document is made
after the reference to data frames and is also given specifically as an example ("data frames (e.g.,
sixty-eight frames for ADSL as specified in ITU Document G.992.2)"). No reference is made to
the ITU document after the synchronization frame is mentioned. Second, this is a simply an
exemplary embodiment and I find no evidence to support limiting the claim to one exemplary
embodiment. Therefore, I will adopt Plaintiffs construction.
7.

"synchronization signal"
a.

Plaintiff's proposed construction: "an indication used to establish or maintain a
timing relationship between transceivers"

b.

Defendants' proposed construction: "reference wave used to establish or maintain
a timing relationship between transceivers"

c.

Court's construction: "signal used to establish or maintain a timing relationship
between transceivers"

The only dispute between the parties with respect to this term is whether the signal is "an
indication" or a "reference wave." Defendant argues strenuously that the signal must be a wave,
arguing that all of the examples of synchronization signals given in the specification are "reference
waves." (D.I. 144 at 81). Defendant does not explain, however, what exactly a reference wave is
in this context.

The phrase "reference wave" does not appear anywhere in the patent and

19

Defendant has offered no definition. I will not construe this claim term to include a phrase that
adds ambiguity and uncertainty to the meaning of the term. Plaintiff's proposal of "indication,"
however, is little better as the word "indication" could easily be deemed to include things that are
not "signals." It seems to me that "signal" is a well-understood term that has a plain meaning to
those skilled in the art. I see no need to substitute a different word that would introduce ambiguity
into the meaning of the term. Therefore, I will adopt Plaintiffs proposed construction, modified
as follows: "signal used to establish or maintain a timing relationship between transceivers."
8.

"apparatus comprising a transceiver operable to"
a.

Plaintiff's proposed construction: "See above for the construction of
'transceiver'; otherwise plain meaning"

b.

Defendants' proposed construction: "The preamble is limiting3 and this is a
means-plus-function limitation. The "transceiver" is the CPE transceiver depicted
in Figure 2"

c.

Court's construction: "plain meaning with 'transceiver' as previously construed"

Defendants argue that this element from the preamble of several claims is limiting as a
means-plus-function claim element governed by 35 U.S.C. § 112 if 6 because the word transceiver
does not impart definite structure. (D.I. 144 at 85). Plaintiff responds that transceiver has a wellunderstood structural meaning in the art. (Id. at 86). When the word "means" does not appear in
the claim element, there is a presumption that the element is not means-plus-function. Williamson
v. Citrix Online, LLC, 792 F.3d 1339, 1349 (Fed. Cir. 2015). "[T]hepresumption can be overcome

and § 112, para. 6 will apply if the challenger demonstrates that the claim term fails to 'recite
sufficiently definite structure' or else recites 'function without reciting sufficient structure for
performing that function."' Id.

3

Defendants argue only that the preamble provides a functional limitation. Therefore, I decline to address whether
the preamble is otherwise limiting.

20

I conclude that§ 112 ii 6 does not apply to this claim element. The word "means" does not
appear in the claim element, so I begin with the presumption that § 112

ii

6 does not apply.

Defendants have not overcome this presumption. Although "apparatus" is a non-structural term,
the word "transceiver" imparts sufficient structure to the claim element. Transceiver is not a
generic term like module or device. Id. at 1350. Rather, transceiver is the name of a device well
known in the field of communications and, furthermore, the claimed transceiver is sufficiently
described in the specification. (See '404 patent at 4:14-5:36). I will adopt Plaintiffs construction.
9.

"data"
a.

Plaintiff's proposed construction: "non-control information"

b.

Defendants' proposed construction: "digital information"

c.

Court's construction: "content"

Plaintiff initially argued that this term should be construed to have its plain meaning. (D.I.
144 at 87-88). Plaintiff proposed "non-control information" in response to Defendants' initial
proposed construction, "information." (Id. at 89). At oral argument, Defendants proposed to
narrow their construction to "digital information." (D.I. 190 at 144:21). I am not persuaded that
any of these constructions provide any clarity as to the meaning of the term "data." At oral
argument, I proposed construing the term to mean "content." (Id. at 151:21). Plaintiff agreed to
this proposed construction. (Id. at 155:9-156:1).
Defendants, however, argue that construing data to mean "content" would impermissibly
narrow the meaning of "data" in some of the claims because "user data" is used in other claims.
(Id. at 156:4-12). According to Defendants, user data is content. This position is contradicted by

the patent specification, however. The specification provides that during sleep mode, "user data
provided by the CO transceiver will be benign idle data such as ATM IdleCells or HDLC Flag

21

octets." ('268 patent at 7:34-36). Although this information is defined to be user data by the patent
itself, it is not content. Therefore, I will construe data to mean content.
C.

The Diagnostic Mode Patents

The '430 patent is directed to multicarrier modulation messaging for frequency domain
received idle channel noise information. Claim 1 is representative and reads as follows:
1. A transceiver capable of transmitting test information over a communication
channel using multicarrier modulation comprising:
a transmitter portion capable of transmitting a message, wherein the
message comprises one or more data variables that represent the test information,
wherein bits in the message are modulated onto DMT symbols using Quadrature
Amplitude Modulation (QAM) with more than 1 bit per subchannel and wherein at
least one data variable of the one or more data variables comprises an array
representing frequency domain received idle channel noise information.
('430 patent, claim 1) (disputed terms italicized).
The '412 patent is directed to multicarrier modulation messaging for power level per
subchannel information. Claim 1 is representative and reads as follows:
1. A transceiver capable of transmitting test information over a communication
channel using multicarrier modulation comprising:
a transmitter portion capable of transmitting a message, wherein the
message comprises one or more data variables that represent the test information,
. wherein bits in the message are modulated onto DMT symbols using Quadrature
Amplitude Modulation (QAM) with more than 1 bit per subchannel and wherein at
least one data variable of the one or more data variables compnses an array
representing power level per subchannel information.
('412 patent, claim 1) (disputed terms italicized).
1.

"[transmitting/receiving] test information over a communication channel"
a.

Plaintiff's proposed construction: "plain meaning"

b.

Defendants' proposed construction: "transmitting/receiving test information
to/from a central office modem"

c.

Court's construction: "plain meaning"

22

I
Defendants seek to import a limitation into this claim requiring that the test information be
transmitted either to or from a central office modem. This limitation is unsupported by either the
claims or the specification.

The specification does indicate that the receiving transceiver is

"typically located" at the central office, but typically does not mean always. (' 412 patent at 1:53).
Defendants argue that the patent is directed to the solution of a particular problem: diagnosing
problems without the need to dispatch a technician to the customer's home. (D.I. 144 at 97). This
may be a problem identified in the specification that is solved by this patent, but the solution to
the problem is not so limited. I find no basis for importing this limitation into the claim. I agree
with Plaintiff that this term should be given its plain meaning. Defendants are prohibited from
arguing that the term is limited to communications over a channel that includes the central office
modem.
2.

"test information"
a.

Plaintiff's proposed construction: "information relating to a measured
characteristic of a communication channel"

b.

Defendants' proposed construction: "information relating to a disturbance in the
communication channel"

c.

Court's construction: "information relating to a characteristic of a communication
channel or the communications equipment operating on that channel"

The parties dispute whether the test information must be measured and whether the
information must relate to a disturbance in the communications channel. I find that neither of these
limitations is supported by the intrinsic evidence.
Defendants contend that the description of the invention as a whole in the specification is
limiting and that test information must therefore be limited to information "relate[d] to the
diagnosis and resolution of communications problems caused by a disturbance on a
communications channel."

(D.I. 144 at 102).
23

Defendants' argument is unavailing.

The

specification states, "The systems and methods of this invention are directed toward reliably
exchanging diagnostic and test information between transceivers over a digital subscriber line in
the presence of voice communications and/or other disturbances." (' 430 patent at 1:44-47).
Nothing in this description provides any limitation on the definition of test information. The
reference to disturbances means only that the invention provides a method for the exchange of test
information when there is a disturbance on the line. The specification later provides an extensive,
but not exhaustive, list of what test information might include. (Id. at 2:24-43). Many of the items
in this list are unrelated to disturbances. It would be inappropriate to limit the definition of test
information when nothing in the specification indicates such a limitation.
With respect to whether the information must be measured, Plaintiff argues that a person
of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that the test information as claimed must be measured.
(D.I. 144 at 105). Defendants counter that the specification includes a list of categories of
information that may be included as the test information and that a number of the items on the list,
such as Chip Type, do not require measurement to determine.

(Id. at 104).

I agree with

Defendants. Although some types of test information, as defined in the specification, must be
measured, other types are simply characteristics of the communications system.
Defendants further challenge Plaintiff's construction as improperly limiting the test
information to characteristics of a communications channel. (Id.) Defendants point out that
information such as Chip Type and Vendor ID are characteristics of the modems, not of the
communications channel itself. (Id.). I agree with Defendants. The test information defined in
the specification appears to more broadly encompass information related not only to the
communications channel itself, but also to the equipment used at one end of the channel.
Therefore, I will adopt the following construction for test information: "information relating to a

24

characteristic of a communication channel or the communications equipment operating on that
channel."
3.

"array representing frequency domain received idle channel noise information"
a.

Plaintiff's proposed construction: "ordered set of values representative of noise in
the frequency domain measured on respective subchannels while no input signals
are being transmitted on the subchannels"

b.

Defendants' proposed construction: "ordered set of values representative of noise
in the frequency domain that was received by a transceiver on a channel in the
absence of a transmission signal"

c.

Court's construction: "ordered set of values representative of noise in the
frequency domain that was received by a transceiver on respective subchannels in
the absence of a transmission signal"

The parties have three disputes with respect to this term: whether the values must be
measured; whether the values represent noise on a subchannel basis; and whether the idle channel
noise corresponds to "no input signals" being transmitted or simply "the absence of a transmission
signal." The first and third disputes are readily resolved. There is no indication, either in the
claims or in the specification, as to how these values are obtained. Certainly the values may be
measured, but I cannot find support in the intrinsic evidence to limit the construction to measured
values only. Furthermore, Plaintiffs own extrinsic evidence, and the only evidence presented with
respect to the meaning of "idle channel noise," indicates that Defendants propose the better
construction. See NEWTON'S TELECOM DICTIONARY 410 (15th ed. 1999) (defining idle channel
noise as "[n]oise which exists in a communications channel when no signals are present"). There
is no support for limiting idle channel noise to noise present in the absence of "input signals."
Therefore, as to these two disputes, I adopt Defendants' proposed construction.
As to the dispute over whether the values are measured on respective subchannels, I find
Defendants' arguments unavailing. Defendants are correct to point out that the applicants used the

25

phrase "per subchannel" explicitly in the '412 patent. ('412 patent, claim 1). However, the "array"
terms of the two patents are differently worded. Thus, the absence of this phrase in the claims of
the '430 patent does not necessarily render the phrase superfluous in the '412 patent. Furthermore,
the fact that what is claimed is an "array" implies that more than one value is included. Therefore,
I decline to adopt either party's proposed construction and instead will construe this term to mean
"ordered set of values representative of noise in the frequency domain that was received by a
transceiver on respective subchannels in the absence of a transmission signal."
4.

"array representing power level per subchannel information"
a.

Plaintiff's proposed construction: "ordered set of values representative of power
levels measured on respective subchannels"

b.

Defendants' proposed construction: "ordered set of values representative of
power levels of respective subchannels"

c.

Court's construction: "ordered set of values representative of power levels of
respective subchannels"

The parties' only dispute with respect to this term is whether the values must be measured.
Plaintiff argues that without specifying that the values are measured, the term could be understood
to mean that the values represent power level settings. (D.1. 144 at 115). Plaintiff further argues
that the very definition of test information requires that the values be measured. (Id. at 116). I
have already rejected the argument that all test information must be measured, however. Plaintiff
cites to dependent claims specifying that the power levels are "based on a Reverb signal" and,
therefore, must be measured. (Id.). Plaintiff further points to the specification, which provides
that the power levels are "detected during the ADSL Reverb signal." (Id.). Defendants counter
that detecting is not the same as measuring and that nothing in the claims or specification require
that "the only way to obtain power level information is to measure it." (Id. at 117). Defendants

26

further argue that there is a presumption that a limitation present in a dependent claim is not present
in the independent claim. (Id.).
As an initial matter, I reject Defendants' argument that detect and measure have different
meanings in this context. I do, however, agree with Defendants argument that the limitation in the
dependent claim should not be imported into the independent claim. Plaintiffs citations to the
specification describe a preferred embodiment which, it seems to me, directly corresponds with
the dependent claims. While I do not see any reason these power levels could not be measured, or
that they must be obtained in any particular way, I also do not see any support for requiring that
they be measured. Therefore, I will adopt Defendants' proposed construction.
5.

"Reverb signal"
a.

Plaintiff's proposed construction: "a signal generated by modulating carriers in a
multicarrier system with a known pseudo-random sequence to generate a
wideband modulated signal"

b.

Defendants' proposed construction: "any 'REVERB' signal defined in the ITU or
ANSI ADSL standards in existence as of January 8, 2001"

c.

Court's construction: "signal generated by modulating carriers in a multi carrier
system with a known pseudo-random sequence to generate a wideband modulated
signal"

The primary dispute between the parties with respect to this construction is whether, as
Defendants argue, the Reverb signal is limited to that defined in the referenced standards.
Defendants find support for this limitation both in the fact that the term is capitalized, which
Defendants take to indicate a reference to the REVERB 1 signal from the standards, as well as from
the reference to the standards in the specification. (D.I. 144 at 112-13). I find Defendants'
argument unconvincing. Although the term "Reverb" is capitalized in the claims, it is not spelled
out in all capital letters, nor does it include the number "l" at the end. Everywhere the specific
standard is mentioned in the specification, it is given as "REVERBI." ('412 patent at 3:57-4:3).
27

If the applicant had meant to claim the specific REVERB 1 signal from the relevant standards, it
seems likely he would have named that specific signal in the claim. The specification refers to the
REVERB 1 signal from the standards when describing an exemplary embodiment and there is no
evidence in the specification of any disclaimer of other ways of generating a Reverb signal.
Plaintiffs proposed construction, on the other hand, is drawn directly from the
specification. (Id. at 3:62-64). The applicant chose to define how the Reverb signal was to be
generated. Having found no compelling reason to impose additional limitations on the meaning
of this term, I will adopt Plaintiffs construction.
IV.

CONCLUSION
Within five days the parties shall submit a proposed order consistent with this

Memorandum Opinion suitable for submission to the jury.

28