Case5:11-cv-01846-LHK Document2811 Filed11/20/13 Page1 of 6 1 QUINN EMANUEL URQUHART & SULLIVAN, LLP Charles K. Verhoeven (Bar No. 170151) charlesverhoeven@quinnemanuel.com 2 50 California Street, 22nd Floor 3 San Francisco, California 94111 Telephone: (415) 875-6600 4 Facsimile: (415) 875-6700 Kevin P.B. Johnson (Bar No. 177129) kevinjohnson@quinnemanuel.com Victoria F. Maroulis (Bar No. 202603) 6 victoriamaroulis@quinnemanuel.com 555 Twin Dolphin Drive, 5th Floor 7 Redwood Shores, California 94065-2139 (650) 801-5000 8 Telephone: Facsimile: (650) 801-5100 9 William C. Price (Bar No. 108542) williamprice@quinnemanuel.com 10 Michael T. Zeller (Bar No. 196417) michaelzeller@quinnemanuel.com 11 865 S. Figueroa St., 10th Floor 12 Los Angeles, California 90017 Telephone: (213) 443-3000 13 Facsimile: (213) 443-3100 5 14 Attorneys for SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS 15 CO., LTD., SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS AMERICA, INC. and SAMSUNG 16 TELECOMMUNICATIONS AMERICA, LLC 17 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 18 NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA, SAN JOSE DIVISION 19 APPLE INC., a California corporation, CASE NO. 11-cv-01846-LHK (PSG) 20 SAMSUNG’S EMERGENCY RENEWED MOTION FOR STAY PENDING REEXAMINATION OF U.S. PATENT NO. 7,844,915 21 Plaintiff, vs. 22 SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD., a Korean business entity; SAMSUNG 23 ELECTRONICS AMERICA, INC., a New York corporation; SAMSUNG 24 TELECOMMUNICATIONS AMERICA, LLC, a Delaware limited liability 25 company, 26 Defendants. 27 28 02198.51855/5587955.2 Case No. 11-cv-01846-LHK (PSG) EMERGENCY RENEWED MOTION FOR STAY PENDING REEXAMINATION OF ’915 PATENT Case5:11-cv-01846-LHK Document2811 Filed11/20/13 Page2 of 6 1 Pursuant to the Court’s Case Management Order of April 29, 2013, Samsung files a 2 renewed motion for stay of the new damages trial pending reexamination of U.S. Patent No. 3 7,844,915 (the “’915 patent”) or, in the alternative, to stay all proceedings after any verdict. 4 Today, the PTO Examiner issued an Advisory Action finding all claims of the ’915 patent invalid. 5 Dkt. 2809 and 2810. The Advisory Action is the Examiner’s final word on the invalidity of the 6 ’915 patent. This decision by the PTO jeopardizes the jury’s findings in the damages trial and 7 may render all of the post-trial proceedings a waste of time and resources. 8 9 Facts The ’915 patent has been subject to ex parte reexamination proceedings which began on 10 May 30, 2012, by request of an anonymous third party. On July 26, 2013, the PTO issued a Final 11 Office Action rejecting all claims of the ’915 patent as anticipated or rendered obvious in view of 12 U.S. Patent No. 7,724,242 to Hillis, Japanese Publ. No. 2000-163031A to Nomura, and other prior 13 art references. Dkt. 2349-1. This final rejection included claim 8, the only claim of the ’915 14 patent at issue in this action. Apple was given until September 26, 2013 to file either a Notice of 15 Appeal to the PTAB or a Response to the Examiner’s Final Action. 16 On September 6, 2013, Apple filed a request for extension of time, seeking an additional 17 month to file a Response to the Examiner’s Final Action. Dkt. 2421-1. On September 13, 2013, 18 the PTO granted Apple’s request for a one-month extension. Dkt. 2421-2. On October 28, 2013, 19 Apple filed its Response to the Examiner’s Final Action. Dkt. 2614. 20 Today, November 20, 2013, the Examiner issued an Advisory Action, maintaining his 21 position that the ’915 patent is anticipated or rendered obvious in view of Hillis, Nomura, and 22 other references. Dkt. 2809 and 2810. This Advisory Action is the Examiner’s final word 23 regarding the validity of the ’915 patent. At this point, Apple’s only option is to file a Notice of 24 Appeal, or else “the prosecution of the present ex parte reexamination proceeding WILL BE 25 TERMINATED and a Notice of Intent to Issue Ex Parte Reexamination Certificate will be mailed 26 in due course. Any finally rejected claims, or claims objected to, will be CANCELLED.” Id. at 27 ¶1; see MPEP 2272. 28 02198.51855/5587955.2 Case No. 11-cv-01846-LHK (PSG) -1EMERGENCY RENEWED MOTION FOR STAY PENDING REEXAMINATION OF ’915 PATENT Case5:11-cv-01846-LHK Document2811 Filed11/20/13 Page3 of 6 1 The jury has begun deliberations on the damages retrial in this case and they are currently 2 deliberating on awarding damages on an invalid ‘915 patent for 12 of the 13 products at issue (the 3 Replenish was not held to infringe the ‘915 patent). 4 5 Argument Samsung should not be compelled to face damages for a patent that the PTO has already 6 found to be invalid. Accordingly, Samsung moves for an immediate stay of this action and 7 requests that this matter be heard by the Court immediately, before the jury completes its 8 deliberations. This Court has already recognized that a stay of proceedings is likely appropriate 9 should the PTO finally determine that Apple’s patents are invalid. 10 11 12 13 14 SO WHAT I'M GOING TO DO IS FOR NOW I AM DENYING THE STAY REQUEST. HOWEVER, I WOULD ASK THAT YOU KEEP THE COURT INFORMED OF ANY NEW DEVELOPMENTS WITH THE PTO, BECAUSE IF THE EXAMINER DOES NOT REOPEN THE PROSECUTION AND APPLE IS FORCED TO FILE A NOTICE OF APPEAL, THEN THE COURT WILL LIKELY STAY ANY PROCEEDINGS AS TO THE '381. OKAY? AND THAT WILL NOT BE ANY -- IN ANY RETRIAL. OKAY? SO THAT'S MY RULING ON THE REEXAMS. 15 Dkt. 2320, April 29, 2013 Hearing Transcript. The Court extended this reasoning to the ’915 patent 16 in an order issued the same day. See Dkt. 2316 at 2, Case Management Order. During that hearing, 17 the Court recognized that the balancing analysis would tip in Samsung’s favor should the PTO 18 refuse to reopen prosecution, leaving Apple’s only recourse to seek appeal of the rejection. That 19 balancing analysis continues to favor of Samsung. 20 Courts typically consider three factors in determining whether to issue a stay pending 21 reexamination: “(1) the stage of the case; (2) whether a stay will simplify the court proceedings; 22 and (3) whether a stay would unduly prejudice or present a clear tactical disadvantage to the 23 nonmoving party,” Network Appliance, Inc. v. Sun Microsystems Inc., 2010 WL 545855, *2 (N.D. 24 Cal. Feb. 11, 2010). Here, the overriding factor weighing in favor of a stay is the prejudice in 25 light of the determination by the PTO. It would be unjust to have damages evaluated and awarded 26 on a patent found to be invalid by the PTO. Indeed, it may be an abuse of discretion not to issue a 27 stay. See Standard Havens v. Gencor, 996 F.2d 1236 (Fed. Cir. 1993) (unpublished) (reversing an 28 order denying stay of damages trial, where patent was held invalid on reexamination by the PTO 02198.51855/5587955.2 Case No. 11-cv-01846-LHK (PSG) -2EMERGENCY RENEWED MOTION FOR STAY PENDING REEXAMINATION OF ’915 PATENT Case5:11-cv-01846-LHK Document2811 Filed11/20/13 Page4 of 6 1 Examiner and the BPAI but appeals process was ongoing). If the decision by the PTO Examiner 2 is upheld, then “the patent was void ab initio, [and] damages would also be precluded.” Id. Any 3 further litigation on the ’915 patent would proceed under a “cloud of invalidity.” See Juxtacomm4 Texas Software, LLC v. Lanier Parking Sys. of Virginia, Inc., 2011 WL 3322554 (E.D. Va. Aug. 2, 5 2011) at *2 (granting a stay following a Final Office Action of invalidity). It would be manifestly 6 unjust to continue this litigation and have damages awarded against Samsung on an invalid patent. 7 Conversely, Apple would suffer no prejudice from a stay. Apple claims that delay would 8 prejudice its ability to protect its intellectual property rights. “Mere delay, without more though, 9 does not demonstrate undue prejudice.” Nanometrics Inc. v. Nova Measuring Instruments, Ltd., 10 2007 WL 627920 at *3 (N.D. Cal. Feb. 26, 2007). If, on appeal, Apple is able to reverse the 11 decision of the PTO, Apple’s “potential recovery of damages will not be affected by the re12 examination proceeding.” Id. 13 The remaining factors favor a stay. The stage of the case is not considered in a vacuum, 14 but rather should be viewed “in comparison to the stage of the PTO reexaminations.” See 15 Juxtacomm-Texas Software, 2011 WL 3322554 at *2. Here, reexamination proceedings are in an 16 advanced state, as the Examiner has already determined the patent to be invalid. Moreover, 17 Samsung acted in good faith in filing a motion for stay at this juncture. Samsung did not initiate 18 the reexamination for the purpose of delay. Indeed, Samsung did not initiate the reexamination at 19 all. Instead, Samsung is seeking a stay only after the PTO Examiner has found Apple’s patent to 20 be invalid. 21 Conversely, Apple has acted in bad faith in attempting to delay the reexamination 22 proceedings beyond the scheduled date of the damages trial. Apple sought and received an 23 extension of time to respond to the Examiner, despite knowing that the outcome of the 24 reexamination was a crucial issue for the upcoming damages trial. Dkt. 2421. Apple filed this 25 extension of time misleadingly using this damages trial as a basis for extension. In support of its 26 request, Apple alleged that an extension was necessary because Apple needs to “[c]onsult[] with 27 litigation counsel in the Concurrent [N.D. Cal.] Litigation to ensure that the obligations under 37 28 C.F.R. § 1.565(a) and 37 C.F.R. § 1.555.” Id. at 2. (“[T]he ongoing activity in the Concurrent 02198.51855/5587955.2 Case No. 11-cv-01846-LHK (PSG) -3EMERGENCY RENEWED MOTION FOR STAY PENDING REEXAMINATION OF ’915 PATENT Case5:11-cv-01846-LHK Document2811 Filed11/20/13 Page5 of 6 1 Litigation, including a damages trial set for November 12, 2013, is highly relevant to Patent 2 Owner’s obligations under 37 C.F.R. § 1.565(a) and 37 C.F.R. § 1.555.”). As Apple well knew, 3 no new prior art was allowed by the Court at the new damages trial. The damages trial thus had 4 no relevance to the proceedings before the PTO under either 37 C.F.R. § 1.565(a) (the duty to 5 notify the PTO of concurrent litigation) or 37 C.F.R. § 1.555 (the duty to inform the PTO of 6 additional prior art). No activities pertinent to the PTO occurred in the damages trial, and no new 7 prior art was involved. Apple continued to seek additional time for an interview even after filing a 8 Response to Final Office Action. Dkt. 2614 at 3. Apple, not Samsung, is the reason why this 9 renewed motion for stay is being brought at this juncture in the new trial. 10 Finally, a stay would simplify the proceedings. A jury verdict on damages for the invalid 11 ‘915 patent will be unsupportable, and will make post-trial proceedings inefficient and wasteful. 12 Apple made a deliberate, strategic decision in its presentation not to separate its damages between 13 the different asserted patents. As a result, unless the jury awards a lump sum royalty for the ‘915 14 patent, the portion of a verdict attributable to the ’915 patent would likely be unknown, rendering 15 unsupportable the entire damages verdict on 12 of the 13 products. See Verizon Servs. Corp. v. 16 Vonage Holdings Corp., 503 F.3d 1295, 1310 (Fed. Cir. 2007) (“[W]here the jury rendered a 17 single verdict on damages, without breaking down the damages attributable to each patent, the 18 normal rule would require a new trial as to damages.”). For each product other than the Replenish, 19 Apple’s expert presented the jury with a combined royalty that included damages on the ‘915 20 patent. Apple’s expert gave the jury no method to calculate damages on a per-patent basis. Thus, 21 any damages award based on Apple’s damages theory will likely be tainted for every product 22 other than the Replenish. Invalidation of the ‘915 patent will thus potentially require vacatur of 23 the damages awards as to all products at issue other than the Replenish. 24 Furthermore, it will be a complete waste of the Court’s time and resources to have post- 25 trial proceedings on a verdict that includes an award of damages for the ‘915 patent using Apple’s 26 damages theory. The Court would be presented with many legally and factually complicated 27 arguments as to the proper amount of damages on the ‘915 patent, all of which are rendered moot 28 02198.51855/5587955.2 Case No. 11-cv-01846-LHK (PSG) -4EMERGENCY RENEWED MOTION FOR STAY PENDING REEXAMINATION OF ’915 PATENT Case5:11-cv-01846-LHK Document2811 Filed11/20/13 Page6 of 6 1 by the invalidity of the patent. Apple should not be permitted to waste the Court’s and Samsung’s 2 time. A stay is, therefore, warranted. 3 4 5 DATED: November 20, 2013 6 QUINN EMANUEL URQUHART & SULLIVAN, LLP 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 By /s/ Victoria F. Maroulis Charles K. Verhoeven Kevin P.B. Johnson Victoria F. Maroulis William C. Price Michael T. Zeller Attorneys for SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD., SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS AMERICA, INC., and SAMSUNG TELECOMMUNICATIONS AMERICA, LLC 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 02198.51855/5587955.2 Case No. 11-cv-01846-LHK (PSG) -5EMERGENCY RENEWED MOTION FOR STAY PENDING REEXAMINATION OF ’915 PATENT