Untitled case

Case Overview and Background: IPR2025-00189

This case, IPR2025-00189, involves an Inter Partes Review (IPR) proceeding before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) concerning the validity of U.S. Patent No. 11,145,666. The Petitioner challenging the patent's validity is Micron Technology Inc., a prominent American multinational semiconductor company known for manufacturing computer memory and data storage products, including DRAM, flash memory, and SSDs. The Patent Owner is Yangtze Memory Technologies Co Ltd (YMTC), a Chinese semiconductor integrated device manufacturer specializing in 3D NAND flash memory chips and solid-state drives. The IPR has been instituted by the PTAB, meaning the Board has determined there is a reasonable likelihood that at least one claim of the patent is unpatentable.

The patent at issue, U.S. Patent No. 11,145,666, generally relates to the field of "Semiconductors, Electrical and Optical Systems and Components." A more specific one-line technical sketch based on the patent's abstract is not available through direct search results at this time. There is no publicly available information in the search results detailing an accused product, service, or technology in the context of an underlying infringement litigation, which would typically precede an IPR.

This case is notable due to the high-stakes nature of the parties involved. Both Micron and YMTC are major global players in the intensely competitive semiconductor memory industry. The existence of a parallel IPR (IPR2025-00099) where YMTC is the Petitioner and Micron is the Patent Owner for a different patent further suggests a broader intellectual property dispute between these two industry giants, likely driven by competition in the global memory chip market. Such disputes are common in the semiconductor sector, where technological innovation and patent portfolios are critical for market position. The PTAB provides a specialized forum for challenging patent validity, offering an alternative or complement to district court litigation for these complex technological patents.

Legal Developments for IPR2025-00189 Concerning U.S. Patent 11,145,666

This report outlines the key legal developments for IPR2025-00189, an Inter Partes Review (IPR) proceeding before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) concerning U.S. Patent No. 11,145,666. The case is currently pending and has been instituted.

Chronological Legal Developments:

1. Filing & Initial Pleadings (IPR Petition)

• 2024-11-25: Petitioner Micron Technology Inc. filed a petition for Inter Partes Review against U.S. Patent No. 11,145,666. The Patent Owner is Yangtze Memory Technologies Co Ltd. The patent falls under the technology area of Semiconductors, Electrical and Optical Systems and Components (Art Unit 2800).

2. Pre-Institution Phase & Institution Decision

• 2025-06-10: The Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) issued a decision instituting inter partes review for IPR2025-00189. This decision confirmed that Micron Technology Inc. demonstrated a reasonable likelihood of prevailing on at least one challenged claim of U.S. Patent No. 11,145,666.
  • Note on PTAB Procedure: This institution decision occurred prior to October 20, 2025, when the USPTO Director assumed personal authority over all IPR institution decisions, often issuing summary notices without detailed reasoning. Therefore, the institution decision for IPR2025-00189 would have been made by a three-member panel of PTAB judges.

3. Claim Construction

• In IPR proceedings, claims are generally construed using the broadest reasonable interpretation (BRI) in light of the patent's specification, unless the challenged patent expires during the IPR, in which case the Phillips standard applies. Specific claim construction rulings for IPR2025-00189 have not been publicly detailed in the provided search results.

4. Discovery Milestones

• Discovery in IPRs is statutorily limited compared to district court litigation, typically focusing on deposition of affiants/declarants, cross-examination, and production of exhibits. No specific significant discovery milestones for IPR2025-00189 have been identified in the public record.

5. Trial Events, Verdict, and Post-Trial Motions

• As of the current date (2026-06-16), IPR2025-00189 is listed as "Pending - Instituted," meaning the trial phase is ongoing. An oral hearing, Final Written Decision, or any post-decision motions for rehearing have not yet occurred or been publicly reported.

6. Final Disposition or Present Posture

• The IPR is currently active and in the post-institution phase before the PTAB. A final written decision determining the patentability of the challenged claims of U.S. Patent No. 11,145,666 has not yet been issued.

7. Parallel PTAB IPR/PGR Proceedings and Effect on Litigation

• No parallel district court patent infringement litigation involving U.S. Patent No. 11,145,666 has been identified in the provided search results.
• While there is another IPR listed as IPR2025-00099 between the same parties (Yangtze Memory Technologies Co Ltd. as Petitioner and Micron Technology Inc. as Patent Owner) also instituted on 2025-06-10, it concerns a different patent (U.S. Patent No. 10,872,903) and is therefore a separate proceeding, not a parallel IPR for patent 11,145,666.

Please note that IPR2025-00189 is an Inter Partes Review (IPR) proceeding before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB), not a patent infringement case in a district court. In this IPR, Micron Technology Inc. is the Petitioner and Yangtze Memory Technologies Co Ltd. is the Patent Owner. Therefore, the following information identifies the counsel representing the Petitioner, Micron Technology Inc.

As of the current date, the specific counsel of record for Micron Technology Inc. in IPR2025-00189 is not readily available through direct search results from the provided snippets. While Unified Patents is mentioned in relation to other IPRs and their counsel is listed in some Supreme Court filings, and various law firms are mentioned in the context of PTAB cases generally, a direct listing for IPR2025-00189 for Micron Technology Inc. is not present. Therefore, specific details on lead counsel, their firms, office locations, and relevant experience cannot be provided without further direct access to the IPR's docket.

Without direct access to the official PTAB docket for IPR2025-00189, it is not possible to definitively identify the counsel of record for the Petitioner, Micron Technology Inc. Filings in IPR proceedings are publicly accessible via the USPTO's Patent Trial and Appeal Board End-to-End (PTAB E2E) system, which would contain the appearances of counsel.

In IPR2025-00189, Yangtze Memory Technologies Co., Ltd. (YMTC) is the Patent Owner. Based on publicly available PTAB filings, the specific counsel of record for Yangtze Memory Technologies Co., Ltd. can be identified from their submissions.

As of the current date, the specific counsel of record for Yangtze Memory Technologies Co., Ltd. in IPR2025-00189 is not directly listed with names and firms in the provided search snippets. However, the snippets are drawn from filings in several IPRs where Yangtze Memory Technologies Co., Ltd. is the Patent Owner, including IPR2025-00189, IPR2025-00191, IPR2025-00228, and IPR2025-00098, all involving disputes with Micron Technology, Inc..

To definitively identify the counsel for Yangtze Memory Technologies Co., Ltd. in IPR2025-00189, direct access to the official PTAB docket for this specific case is necessary. Filings for IPR proceedings, which would include the appearances of counsel, are publicly accessible via the USPTO's Patent Trial and Appeal Board End-to-End (PTAB E2E) system. Without such direct access, specific details on lead counsel, their firms, office locations, and relevant experience cannot be provided.