Short Summary
Sonos filed a response defending the PTAB Director’s denial to institute Google’s IPR over patent 10,541,883, arguing the Director’s discretion is unreviewable and that procedural requirements were met.
Detailed Summary
In a detailed response to Google’s request for Director review, Sonos, Inc. contends that the PTAB Director’s decision to deny institution of the IPR is beyond judicial review under 5 U.S.C. §555(e) and that the notice provided satisfies statutory mandates. The company further argues that 37 C.F.R. §42.4(a) does not limit the Director’s authority to act on behalf of the Board, and that the fee‑setting provisions of 35 U.S.C. §311(a) are not violated because the Director consulted with at least three Administrative Patent Judges. By refuting Google’s procedural challenges, Sonos seeks to keep the denial in effect and prevent any refund of the filing fee.
Practitioner Note
This case demonstrates the evidentiary and procedural standards applied in patent matters before local courts. Understanding the court's reasoning in Google LLC vs Sonos, Inc. is valuable context for structuring arguments or assessing risk in similar proceedings.
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