Short Summary
Micron has filed a post‑grant review petition against Yangtze Memory’s 3D NAND ‘838 patent, asserting that 15 claims are obvious over prior art such as Kim and Lee. The petition seeks institution and cancellation of the challenged claims.
Detailed Summary
In a petition for post‑grant review (PGR2025‑00021), Micron Technology, Inc. challenges claims 1, 3‑7, and 12‑20 of U.S. Patent No. 12,010,838, which cover a staircase structure for 3D memory devices. Micron contends that the claims are obvious in view of multiple prior‑art references, including U.S. Patent No. 10,229,929 (Kim) and U.S. Patent Publication No. 2014/0191389 A1 (Lee), as well as Yang, Haller, and Park for specific limitations. The petition argues there are no secondary considerations supporting patentability and that no § 314 discretionary denial applies, requesting the PTAB to institute the proceeding and cancel the challenged claims.
Practitioner Note
This case demonstrates the evidentiary and procedural standards applied in patent matters before local courts. Understanding the court's reasoning in Micron Technology, Inc. et al. vs Yangtze Memory Technologies Company, Ltd. is valuable context for structuring arguments or assessing risk in similar proceedings.
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