PTAB

IPR2017-00528

Panduit Corp v. Corning Optical Communications LLC

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Petition
petition

1. Case Identification

2. Patent Overview

  • Title: High-Density Fiber Optic Modules and Module Housings and Related Equipment
  • Brief Description: The ’206 patent discloses high-density fiber optic modules, also referred to as cassettes, designed to support and manage fiber optic connections in data centers. The invention aims to solve problems related to increasing fiber optic connection density and simplifying installation procedures within equipment racks.

3. Grounds for Unpatentability

Ground 1: Obviousness over Rapp, Coburn, and FOCIS-10A

Claims 14-15, 18-30, 33-40, 46-53, and 55-62 are obvious over Rapp in view of Coburn and FOCIS-10A.

  • Prior Art Relied Upon: Rapp (Patent 6,920,274), Coburn (Patent 7,493,002), and FOCIS-10A (TIA/EIA Standard TIA-604-10-A).
  • Core Argument for this Ground:
    • Prior Art Mapping: Petitioner argued that Rapp taught a high-density fiber optic module with front-side adapters but lacked a rear-side multi-fiber adapter for trunk cable connections. Coburn allegedly supplied this missing element, disclosing a pass-through cassette with front-side adapters (e.g., LC duplex) internally wired to a rear-side multi-fiber adapter (e.g., MPO-type). The combination of Rapp's high-density housing with Coburn's pass-through functionality allegedly rendered the core structure of the challenged claims obvious. FOCIS-10A, an industry standard for LC-type connectors, provided the specific, standardized dimensions for the front-side adapters, which Petitioner used to demonstrate that the claimed connection densities and dimensional limitations (e.g., width and height of the front opening) would have been met or exceeded by the combination. For example, Petitioner contended that a module with six standard LC duplex adapters would provide 12 fiber connections within a 78.0mm width, satisfying the density requirement of at least one connection per 7.0mm of width.
    • Motivation to Combine: A POSITA would combine Rapp and Coburn to improve the functionality of Rapp’s module. Adding a rear-side multi-fiber adapter as taught by Coburn would allow connection to a single, high-fiber-count trunk cable, reducing cable clutter, saving costs, and simplifying installation compared to managing multiple individual cables. A POSITA would consult industry standards like FOCIS-10A to ensure interoperability and to select appropriate components, such as LC duplex adapters, to achieve the desired high connection density in a minimal footprint. Maximizing connection density by eliminating dead space was a well-known design goal in the art.
    • Expectation of Success: A POSITA would have a high expectation of success because the combination involved integrating well-known, standardized components (Rapp's module, Coburn's pass-through design, and FOCIS-10A-compliant adapters) according to established design principles to achieve the predictable result of a high-density, pass-through fiber optic module.

Ground 2: Obviousness over Rapp, Coburn, and FOCIS-5A

Claims 16-17 and 31-32 are obvious over Rapp in view of Coburn and FOCIS-5A.

  • Prior Art Relied Upon: Rapp (Patent 6,920,274), Coburn (Patent 7,493,002), and FOCIS-5A (TIA/EIA Standard TIA-604-5-A).
  • Core Argument for this Ground:
    • Prior Art Mapping: This ground built upon the same Rapp and Coburn combination from Ground 1 but focused on achieving the even higher connection densities required by claims 16, 17, 31, and 32. Petitioner argued that to meet these greater density requirements, a POSITA would replace the LC duplex adapters of the primary combination with multi-fiber MPO adapters, which are capable of supporting up to 24 fiber connections each. FOCIS-5A, the industry standard for MPO-type connectors, provided the necessary standardized dimensions and specifications. Petitioner asserted that modifying the Rapp module to incorporate six standard 24-fiber MPO adapters on the front side would result in 144 fiber connections, far exceeding the densities claimed and rendering the claims obvious.
    • Motivation to Combine: The motivation was the persistent industry demand for ever-increasing connection density. A POSITA seeking to maximize density would naturally look to replace lower-density adapters (like LC duplex) with higher-density, standardized alternatives like MPO adapters. The FOCIS-5A standard provided a well-known, reliable blueprint for implementing such a design modification. This would allow the module to interconnect with high-bandwidth trunk cables or transceivers that use an MPO interface, a common requirement in modern data centers.
    • Expectation of Success: A POSITA would have a reasonable expectation of success in making this modification. It amounted to substituting one type of standard connector for another (LC for MPO) to achieve the predictable and well-understood benefit of increased connection density, a routine design choice in the field of fiber optics.

4. Key Claim Construction Positions

  • "width of the front side" (Claims 52, 53): Petitioner argued this term should be construed to mean: "The width of the front of the physical enclosure of the module and excluding peripheral structures not enclosing the internal components of the module." This construction was critical to its obviousness argument for claim 52. Petitioner contended that the Patent Owner had previously misled the Examiner by including peripheral elements like mounting rails in the width calculation for the Rapp reference, creating a false distinction. Petitioner's proposed construction, based on the ’206 patent's own figures, excluded these rails, allowing for a proper "apples-to-apples" comparison with the prior art that showed Rapp met the claimed dimensional ratios.

5. Relief Requested

  • Petitioner requests the institution of an inter partes review and the cancellation of claims 14-40, 46-53, and 55-62 of the ’206 patent as unpatentable under 35 U.S.C. §103.