throbber
Case 1:19-cv-11278-RGS Document 44 Filed 02/20/20 Page 1 of 25
`
`
`
`IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
`FOR THE DISTRICT OF MASSACHUSETTS
`
`UNILOC 2017 LLC,
`
`
`
`
`Plaintiff,
`
`vs.
`
`Defendant.
`
`
`PAYCHEX, INC.,
`
`
`
`
`UNILOC 2017 LLC,
`
`
`
`
`Plaintiff,
`
`vs.
`
`
`ATHENAHEALTH, INC.,
`
`
`
`
`Defendant.
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`








`








`
`
`
`
`
`
`Civil Action No. 1:19-CV-11272-RGS
`
`Civil Action No. 1:19-CV-11278-RGS
`
`DEFENDANTS’ JOINT RESPONSIVE BRIEF ON CLAIM CONSTRUCTION
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`

`

`Case 1:19-cv-11278-RGS Document 44 Filed 02/20/20 Page 2 of 25
`
`
`
`TABLE OF CONTENTS
`
`Page
`
`I.
`
`Introduction ........................................................................................................... 1
`
`II.
`
`Uniloc’s Improper Approach ............................................................................... 1
`
`III. Construction of the Disputed Claim Terms........................................................ 4
`
`IV.
`
`Indefiniteness ....................................................................................................... 19
`
`V.
`
`Conclusion ........................................................................................................... 20
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`- i -
`
`

`

`Case 1:19-cv-11278-RGS Document 44 Filed 02/20/20 Page 3 of 25
`
`
`
`Cases
`
`TABLE OF AUTHORITIES
`
`
`
`Page(s)
`
`Amgen Inc. v. Hoechst Marion Roussel, Inc.,
`314 F.3d 1313 (Fed. Cir. 2003)....................................................................................11
`
`Chef Am., Inc. v. Lamb-Weston, Inc.,
`358 F.3d 1371 (Fed. Cir. 2004)....................................................................................19
`
`Nike, Inc. v. Puma North America, Inc.,
`2019 WL 5457917 (D. Mass. 2019) ..............................................................................3
`
`Phillips v. AWH Corp.,
`415 F.3d 1303 (Fed. Cir. 2005)......................................................................................2
`
`Rembrandt Patent Innovations, LLC v. Apple, Inc.,
`2017 WL 5632684 (Fed. Cir. 2017)...............................................................................2
`
`Sensor Elec. Tech., Inc. v. Bolb, Inc.,
`2019 WL 4645338 (N.D. Cal. Sept. 24, 2019) ............................................................19
`
`Sinorgchem Co., Shandong v. Int’l Trade Comm’n,
`511 F.3d 1132 (Fed. Cir. 2007)......................................................................................9
`
`TVIIM, LLC v. McAfee, Inc.,
`851 F.3d 1356 (Fed. Cir. 2017)....................................................................................11
`
`Uniloc USA, Inc. v. ADP, LLC,
`772 Fed. Appx. 890 (Fed. Cir. 2019) .............................................................5, 8, 11, 18
`
`Vitronics Corp. v. Conceptronic, Inc.,
`90 F.3d 1576 (Fed. Cir. 1996)....................................................................................1, 2
`
`
`
`
`
`- ii -
`
`

`

`Case 1:19-cv-11278-RGS Document 44 Filed 02/20/20 Page 4 of 25
`
`
`
`I.
`
`Introduction
`
`Defendants Paychex, Inc. and athenahealth, Inc. (collectively, “Defendants”)
`
`respectfully submit this responsive brief in support of their proposed constructions of
`
`disputed terms and phrases in United States Patent Nos. 6,324,578 (“the ’578 patent”) and
`
`7,069,293 (“the ’293 patent”).
`
`II.
`
`Uniloc’s Improper Approach
`
`After serving a disclosure of claim terms and proposed constructions for only two
`
`claim terms, see Plaintiff’s Disclosure of Claim Terms & Proposed Constructions, served
`
`December 12, 2019, Exhibit A, Uniloc filed a scant seven and a half pages of claim
`
`construction argument, which largely offloaded the heavy lifting to the declaration of its
`
`expert, Dr. Shamos. See generally Uniloc’s Opening Brief (Dkt. No. 26).1 In at least two
`
`basic respects, Uniloc’s approach violates the rules of claim construction.
`
`First, Uniloc’s approach violates the fundamental rules of claim construction by
`
`looking to extrinsic evidence when the claims can and should be construed by intrinsic
`
`evidence. Dr. Shamos’ declaration is itself extrinsic evidence. Here, a declaration was
`
`unnecessary, because the disputed claim terms can be construed from the intrinsic record.
`
`In Vitronics Corp. v. Conceptronic, Inc., the Federal Circuit expressed the general rule that
`
`extrinsic evidence should only be used where the intrinsic evidence leaves the meaning of
`
`the claim ambiguous: “In most situations, an analysis of the intrinsic evidence alone will
`
`
`1 Uniloc has filed an unopposed motion to substitute a corrected declaration of Dr. Shamos,
`which the Court granted. See Docket Nos. 34 and 35. Defendants agreed not to oppose
`the correction to the declaration, provided that Uniloc did not use Defendants’ agreement
`as a basis for justifying the deposition testimony and exhibit for which the Court granted
`Defendants’ motion to strike. Docket No. 33 (Order). The present brief cites to the
`substituted Corrected Declaration of Dr. Shamos (“Cor. Shamos Dec.”), Docket No. 34-2,
`in which the numbering of some paragraphs differs from that in Dr. Shamos’ original
`declaration.
`
`
`
`1
`
`

`

`Case 1:19-cv-11278-RGS Document 44 Filed 02/20/20 Page 5 of 25
`
`
`
`resolve any ambiguity in a disputed claim term. In such circumstances, it is improper to
`
`rely on extrinsic evidence. In those cases where the public record unambiguously describes
`
`the scope of the patented invention, reliance on any extrinsic evidence is improper.” 90
`
`F.3d 1576, 1583 (Fed. Cir. 1996). As “stated in Vitronics, the specification ‘is always
`
`highly relevant to the claim construction analysis. Usually, it is dispositive; it is the single
`
`best guide to the meaning of a disputed term.’” Phillips v. AWH Corp., 415 F.3d 1303,
`
`1315 (Fed. Cir. 2005) (quoting Vitronics, 90 F.3d at 1582). More recent cases continue to
`
`apply the Vitronics holding. In Rembrandt Patent Innovations, LLC v. Apple, Inc., 2017
`
`WL 5632684, *4 (Fed. Cir. 2017), the Federal Circuit held that the district court had
`
`properly disregarded the patentee’s expert testimony on claim construction that was
`
`contrary to the construction supported by the intrinsic evidence. The court found that the
`
`specification was clear in determining the scope of the claims.
`
`Again, Dr. Shamos’ declaration, in and of itself, is extrinsic. Although the Local
`
`Rules permit proper declarations, Dr. Shamos’ declaration is improper to the extent that it
`
`opines that Uniloc’s proposed construction is consistent with unrelated patents, articles,
`
`and a dictionary to attempt to argue that a term in the patents-in-suit was used similarly.
`
`See, e.g., Dkt. No. 34-2 (Cor. Shamos Dec.) at ¶¶ 43, 48, 64. There is a difference between,
`
`on the one hand, describing the state of the art at the time of the alleged invention (proper
`
`for an expert), and, on the other hand, opining that Uniloc’s proposed construction was
`
`consistent with a cherry-picked extrinsic reference (improper).
`
`In addition, to a large extent, Dr. Shamos’ declaration simply adopts Uniloc’s
`
`attorney argument, and such testimony is unhelpful to the Court. His declaration also
`
`improperly, repeatedly paraphrases and interprets the intrinsic record. See, e.g., Dkt. No.
`
`
`
`2
`
`

`

`Case 1:19-cv-11278-RGS Document 44 Filed 02/20/20 Page 6 of 25
`
`
`
`34-2 (Cor. Shamos Dec.) at ¶¶ 46, 47. That, too, is a far cry from explaining the state of
`
`the art. The Court is well able to read the intrinsic record without Uniloc’s expert’s
`
`guidance. In Nike, Inc. v. Puma North America, Inc., 2019 WL 5457917, *3 (D. Mass.
`
`2019) the district court refused to rely on accused infringer’s expert declarations submitted
`
`on claim construction where the experts “cites no authority for his opinions other than the
`
`intrinsic record of the patents about which he opines and makes no reference to any subject
`
`matter outside the intrinsic record” and did “not explain the state of the art at the time of
`
`the claimed inventions or how their experience or expertise leads them to construe the
`
`disputed claim terms in a way that is different from the way in which the terms might be
`
`construed by a layperson who reads them in the context of the patent claims, the
`
`specification, and the prosecution history.” The court held that “because the intrinsic
`
`record before the Court suffices to permit the Court to determine the meaning of the
`
`disputed claim terms, the Court does not rely on the declarations of Puma's proffered
`
`experts to construe the disputed claim terms.” Id.
`
`Even if the Court were to consider, Dr. Shamos’ declaration, Dr. Shamos admitted
`
`that, although Uniloc’s counsel had provided legal principles to apply, he had not been
`
`provided with the tools to weigh the relationships between intrinsic and extrinsic evidence:
`
`Q. What instructions, if any, were given to you about the legal
`principles to be used in a situation where a claim term could be
`construed based upon the intrinsic evidence alone?
`A. I don't think that there was specific instruction given to me by
`counsel in this case on that issue.
`
`
`Ex. B (Shamos Dep.) at 81:17–23. See also id. at 80:19–81:14. Even if it were proper for
`
`an expert to interpret the intrinsic record and to cherry pick extrinsic references for a
`
`
`
`3
`
`

`

`Case 1:19-cv-11278-RGS Document 44 Filed 02/20/20 Page 7 of 25
`
`
`
`purpose other than to show the state of the art, it is apparent that Dr. Shamos was not
`
`equipped with the tools to weigh that evidence.
`
`III. Construction of the Disputed Claim Terms
`
`
`
`“Application Program(s)”
`
`Term
`Application program(s)
`
`(all asserted claims of both
`patents-in-suit)
`
`Defendants’ Proposal
`The code associated with
`the underlying program
`functions that is a separate
`application from a browser
`interface and does not
`execute within the browser
`window
`
`Plaintiff’s Proposal
`Ordinary meaning, which
`is software that performs
`tasks for an end-user
`
`
`
`Defendants’ proposed construction is based on clear definitional language in the
`
`patent specifications and on the prosecution history for the parent of the ’293 patent.
`
`Defendants’ proposed claim construction for this same claim term was adopted by the
`
`United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas. EDTX Markman Order,
`
`Docket No. 25-1 at 14–23 (E.D. Tex. Aug. 16, 2017).
`
`Uniloc’s opening brief cites to cases that construed the term “application program”
`
`in connection with other, unrelated, patents, but does not even acknowledge that a court
`
`has construed that term in these patents exactly as proposed by Defendants. Id. While not
`
`binding on this Court, the Eastern District’s construction of the term in view of the same
`
`intrinsic evidence is certainly more persuasive than constructions informed by unrelated
`
`extrinsic references. Moreover, in this case, Uniloc initially proposed nearly the same the
`
`construction that Defendants now propose:
`
`
`
`4
`
`
`
`

`

`Case 1:19-cv-11278-RGS Document 44 Filed 02/20/20 Page 8 of 25
`
`
`
`Ex. A at 1. In this construction, Uniloc contended that the code for the application program
`
`is separate from a browser interface. Uniloc abandoned that position by the time of its
`
`January opening brief.
`
`Dr. Shamos opined in inter partes review proceedings that it is common in the
`
`industry for an “application program” to be distinguished from an “applet,” “plug-in,” or
`
`“browser extension” which may also “perform tasks for a user” but is not an application
`
`program because it executes only within a web browser. See Google LLC v. Spring
`
`Ventures, Ltd., IPR 2017-01653, Ex. 1052 (Declaration of Michael Shamos), Ex. C at
`
`¶¶ 64–72 (describing plug-ins, applets, and browser extensions as “software that add[s]
`
`additional functionality to an existing application”).
`
`As Dr. Shamos previously explained in his Google v. Spring Ventures declaration,
`
`when an applet is run in a browser, the browser is the application, and not the applet. Thus,
`
`the applet enhances the functionality of the browser, but is not itself an “application.” This
`
`distinction is important because browsers are locally stored on the client computers.
`
`Browsers are not downloaded on-demand when a user desires to execute the browser. On
`
`the other hand, in the patents-in-suit, an application launcher causes an on-demand server
`
`to install an application for execution on a client. See Uniloc USA, Inc. v. ADP, LLC, 772
`
`Fed. Appx. 890, 898 (Fed. Cir. 2019) (“The positioning of these components on the
`
`application server together with the application launcher on the client computer allows
`
`customization by both the administrator and the user in such a way as the installation can
`
`proceed on-demand with both sets of preferences.”) (emphasis added).). The entire purpose
`
`and benefit of the invention is lost if the bulk of the application—the browser prior to applet
`
`enhancement—must already be resident at the client.
`
`
`
`5
`
`

`

`Case 1:19-cv-11278-RGS Document 44 Filed 02/20/20 Page 9 of 25
`
`
`
`This distinction — between applications and non-applications that execute in a
`
`browser window — previously noted by Dr. Shamos is the exact same distinction that the
`
`patent applicants made in the intrinsic record here. As discussed in detail in Defendants’
`
`Opening Brief, the applicant made clear during prosecution of the ’528 application (which
`
`issued as the ’466 patent) that the application launcher program (described as an “applet”
`
`in some embodiments) “interacts with a user browser interface,” but the “application
`
`program” “executes locally at the client as a separate application from the browser
`
`interface.” Docket No. 25-2 at Paychex_PTO_0000161; see Defendants’ Opening Brief,
`
`Docket No. 25 at pp. 5–6.
`
`Uniloc argues that the ’528 application is not intrinsic evidence to the ’578 patent,
`
`Docket No. 26 at 7–8, but does not even cite the Eastern District’s specific rejection of that
`
`argument, EDTX Markman Order, Docket 25-1, at 11–14, or explain any of the cases cited
`
`by the Eastern District (which were discussed in Defendants’ Opening Brief at 9–10). For
`
`the reasons cited in the EDTX Markman Order and in Defendant’s Opening Brief, the ’528
`
`application is highly relevant intrinsic evidence that compels a conclusion that the
`
`application program is a separate application from a browser interface and does not execute
`
`within the browser window.
`
`Uniloc also argues that the ’528 application would be relevant only to claims that
`
`expressly require “an instance of the application for execution locally at the client.”
`
`Uniloc’s Opening Brief at 8. That is incorrect for at least three reasons. First, as discussed
`
`below in connection with construction of the term “application launcher program,” when
`
`properly construed, all claims of the ’578 patent require local execution. Second, the ’528
`
`patent applicant made the statement that Defendants quoted from the ’528 application
`
`
`
`6
`
`

`

`Case 1:19-cv-11278-RGS Document 44 Filed 02/20/20 Page 10 of 25
`
`
`
`prosecution history in response to a rejection from the Patent Office of claims both with
`
`and without an express “instance” limitation. See Docket 25 at 9–10. Third, the asserted
`
`claims of the ’578 patent (like the claims in the ’528 application) include both claims with
`
`and without an express reference to “an instance of the application.” Compare ’528 patent
`
`at cl. 17 (“means for providing an instance of the application program”) with cl. 1
`
`(“executing the application program”). Uniloc has provided no basis for construing the
`
`term “application program” differently in these claims.
`
`
`
`“Application Launcher Program”
`
`Term
`Application launcher
`program
`
`(all asserted claims of
`the ’578 patent)
`
`
`
`Defendants’ Proposal
`A program distributed to a
`client to initially populate a
`user desktop and to request
`an instance of the
`application for execution at
`the client
`
`Plaintiff’s Proposal
`Computer program that
`launches, i.e., starts
`another program
`
`Defendants’ proposed construction is based on the intrinsic evidence, and the Court
`
`need look no further.
`
`The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas adopted
`
`Defendants’ proposed construction. Docket No. 25-1, EDTX Markman Order, Ex. A to
`
`Defendants’ Opening Brief at 28–29; see also, id. at 24–32. As noted in Defendants’
`
`Opening Brief, Uniloc argued in the Eastern District of Texas for a construction that
`
`included “a program distributed to a client to initially populate a user desktop” and that the
`
`program “request execution of the application program.” EDTX Markman Order, Ex. A at
`
`23. In December 2019, Uniloc initially proposed that same construction in this case:
`
`
`
`7
`
`
`
`

`

`Case 1:19-cv-11278-RGS Document 44 Filed 02/20/20 Page 11 of 25
`
`
`
`Ex. A at 1. Dr. Shamos admitted that even he endorsed that proposal. Ex. B (Shamos
`
`Dep.) at 100:3–7 (“I did endorse the position because the issue of whether it had populated
`
`desktop or not was not an issue in the case. So, you might say I let it slide. I didn’t
`
`investigate whether it would be a requirement.”); see also id. at 98:20–100:2. Remarkably,
`
`two months later, Uniloc says that is wrong and, instead, says that the term means
`
`something different, by using Dr. Shamos’ declaration to try to make an end run around
`
`the patent specification. But, neither Dr. Shamos’ declaration, nor his citation to cherry-
`
`picked prior art references that were not of record in prosecution of the ’578 patent and that
`
`may have used the term “application launcher” in a different way in a different context can
`
`overcome the clear requirements of the intrinsic evidence and the context that they provide,
`
`particularly in light of Uniloc’s successful arguments to the Federal Circuit that relied on
`
`the more limited meaning of the term. Uniloc v. ADP, 772 Fed. Appx. at 898.
`
`Neither Uniloc’s Opening Brief, nor the improper expert declaration upon which it
`
`relies, provides or can provide any justification for Uniloc to back away from its previous
`
`agreement to this portion of the construction.
`
`At most, Dr. Shamos cites a portion of the ’578 patent specification that relates to
`
`an unclaimed embodiment. Dkt. No. 34-2 (Cor. Shamos Dec.) at ¶ 46 (quoting ’578 patent
`
`at 12:22–26). That passage states that, in certain embodiments, the application launcher
`
`program may be the “entire program” or “a portion thereof.” Id. The asserted claims,
`
`however, require 1) “installing an application program … on a server,” and 2) “distributing
`
`an application launcher program associated with the application program to a client.” ’578
`
`Patent at cl. 1 (accord cl. 16, 17, 32). Because the claims at issue here require installation
`
`of an application program and distribution of a separate associated application launcher
`
`
`
`8
`
`

`

`Case 1:19-cv-11278-RGS Document 44 Filed 02/20/20 Page 12 of 25
`
`
`
`program, the passage cited by Dr. Shamos has no bearing on the construction of
`
`“application launcher program” in these claims. Sinorgchem Co., Shandong v. Int'l Trade
`
`Comm'n, 511 F.3d 1132, 1138 (Fed. Cir. 2007).
`
`Moreover, Uniloc’s brief ignores the arguments that Uniloc made to the Federal
`
`Circuit – specifically that “[t]he application launcher causes the server to provide a user
`
`interface that allows the user to specify user-configurable parameters of the application,
`
`and to execute the application.” Uniloc USA, Inc. v. ADP, LLC, Case No. 18-cv-1132,
`
`Docket No. 53 (Uniloc’s Opening Appeal Brief), Docket No. 25-4 at 47 (Fed. Cir. Aug.
`
`22, 2018). Having argued this more limited construction to reverse an Alice challenge,
`
`Uniloc cannot now disavow that the intrinsic record supports a construction requiring the
`
`application launcher program to “provide a user interface” (i.e. “populate a desktop”). And
`
`indeed, Dr. Shamos does not appear to have considered the Federal Circuit appeal of this
`
`patent at all. See Dkt. No. 34-2 (Cor. Shamos Dec.) at 31–32 (materials considered).
`
`Furthermore, Uniloc’s arguments in the Eastern District of Texas directly
`
`contradict the portion of the Shamos Declaration upon which Uniloc relies here. Although
`
`Dr. Shamos now opines that “there is no requirement for the application launcher program
`
`to ‘populate a desktop,’” Id. at ¶ 46, in the Eastern District of Texas, Uniloc, itself, cited to
`
`portions of the specification that describe just such a requirement:
`
`The ’578 patent describes a launcher as a program the server distributes to
`a client to “initially populate the user desktop” (12:26–27) by “providing
`for a user interface” (e.g., displaying an icon that corresponds to the
`application) “to execute the application.” (3:64 – 4:2). The program is called
`a “launcher” because when the user “selects” the application (by, e.g.,
`mouse-clicking on
`the
`icon),
`the
`launcher requests execution of
`(“launches”) the application itself.
`
`Uniloc USA, Inc. v. ADP, LLC, No. 2:16-cv-00741, Docket No. 210 (Plaintiffs’
`
`Supplemental Opening Markman Brief), Docket No. 25-5 at 1–2 (footnotes omitted).
`
`
`
`9
`
`

`

`Case 1:19-cv-11278-RGS Document 44 Filed 02/20/20 Page 13 of 25
`
`
`
`Uniloc’s positions cannot be reconciled; and Uniloc cannot run from court to court taking
`
`different positions.
`
`Dr. Shamos expressly acknowledged that he did not review the prosecution history
`
`of the ’854 application (which was a divisional of the application that issued as the ’578
`
`patent and itself issued as the ’766 patent) before making his declaration. Dkt. No. 34-2
`
`(Cor. Shamos Dec.) at 31–32 (materials considered); Ex. B (Shamos Dep.) at 85:10–88:12.
`
`Accordingly, Dr. Shamos’ Declaration should be given little or no weight, because it was
`
`during prosecution of the ’854 application that the applicants explained what they meant
`
`by the term “application launcher program” – software that is requested through the
`
`desktop but executes locally at the client as a separate application from the browser
`
`interface. See Defendants’ Opening Brief (Dkt. No. 25) at 9–10.
`
`
`
`“Executing the Application Program…Authorized Users”
`
`Plaintiff’s Proposal
`Ordinary meaning
`
`Term
`Executing the application
`program using the obtained
`user set and the obtained
`administrator set responsive
`to a request from the one of
`the plurality of authorized
`users
`
`(’578 patent claim 1)
`
`
`Defendants’ Proposal
`Initiating execution of the
`application program in
`response to a launch
`request from the
`application launcher
`program using the obtained
`user set and the obtained
`administrator set
`
`Defendants’ proposed construction conforms to the claim’s requirement that
`
`execution of the application program must take place after the user set and administrator
`
`set of preferences are obtained. ’578 patent at cl. 1, 10:6–15 (“The application program is
`
`then executed at block 86 using the retrieved user set and administrator set of configurable
`
`preferences.”) (emphasis added).
`
`
`
`10
`
`

`

`Case 1:19-cv-11278-RGS Document 44 Filed 02/20/20 Page 14 of 25
`
`
`
`Moreover, Defendants’ construction simply captures the requirements (argued by
`
`Uniloc) that the Federal Circuit found significant in finding the claims of the ’578 patent
`
`were not abstract. See Uniloc v. ADP, 772 Fed. Appx. at 898 (“This positioning of the
`
`components allows the application to launch in response to a request from one of the
`
`plurality of authorized users pursuant to both sets of preferences. In other words, it allows
`
`for on-demand installation of two-tier customized applications.”) (internal quotations and
`
`modifications omitted). Uniloc’s Opening Brief completely ignores Uniloc’s own
`
`arguments before the Federal Circuit, and Dr. Shamos’ declaration, which provides the
`
`entire basis for Uniloc’s position, is completely inconsistent with the Federal Circuit’s
`
`opinion and Uniloc’s arguments before that Court. See Cor. Shamos Dec. at 31–32 (mat’ls
`
`considered).
`
`In addition, claim 8, which depends from claim 1, further confirms that the
`
`“executing” term in claim 1 refers to the initiation of execution rather than ongoing
`
`execution, because claim 8 specifically refers to the antecedent executing step of claim 1
`
`as the “initiating execution step.” ’578 Patent, claim 8.
`
`Accordingly, the Court should adopt Defendants’ proposed construction, because
`
`Uniloc cannot construe the term one way for Section 101 validity and a different way for
`
`infringement. “Claim terms must be construed the same way for the purpose of
`
`determining invalidity and infringement.” TVIIM, LLC v. McAfee, Inc., 851 F.3d 1356,
`
`1362 (Fed. Cir. 2017) (citing Amgen Inc. v. Hoechst Marion Roussel, Inc., 314 F.3d 1313,
`
`1330 (Fed. Cir. 2003)).
`
`
`
`11
`
`

`

`Case 1:19-cv-11278-RGS Document 44 Filed 02/20/20 Page 15 of 25
`
`
`
`
`
` “Configuration Manager Program”
`
`Term
`Configuration manager
`program
`
`(claims 2–3, 18–19, and 33–
`34 of the ’578 patent)
`
`
`Defendants’ Proposal
`A program separate from the
`application program [that
`manages configuration]*
`
`*see below
`
`Plaintiff’s Proposal
`Ordinary meaning
`
`Defendants’ proposed claim construction makes the important clarification that the
`
`configuration manager program and the application program are different programs.
`
`Although Uniloc relies exclusively on the Declaration of Dr. Shamos, the specification
`
`passages cited by Dr. Shamos actually support Defendants’ position.
`
`In Paragraphs 79–81, Dr. Shamos discusses the “administrator console 200” and
`
`“configuration management servlet 210” as disclosed in the ’293 patent. Defendants agree
`
`that these are clear examples of “configuration manager program[s]” within the
`
`specification. However, Dr. Shamos is incorrect when he states that these are part of the
`
`“application program,” because the actual language quoted by Dr. Shamos relates to a
`
`separate administrator console, and has nothing to do with the application program:
`
`Administrator console 200 provides a modified desktop interface for an
`administrator authorized user. The administrator desktop is preferably
`provided by a configuration management servlet which allows a user with
`administrative authority to modify system parameters and settings.
`Functions typically provided through the administrator console 200 could
`include adding or modifying users, user groups, software, customizing
`applications for users or groups, and granting or denying application access
`to certain users or groups.
`
`’293 patent at 8:25–34 (emphasis added).
`
`Likewise, in Figure 3 of the ’293 patent (reproduced below) configuration
`
`management servlet 210 is shown as a part of “Web Server 204” and not part of the
`
`application program.
`
`
`
`12
`
`

`

`Case 1:19-cv-11278-RGS Document 44 Filed 02/20/20 Page 16 of 25
`
`
`
`
`
`’293 Patent, Fig. 3 (highlighting added). The ’293 patent explains the configuration
`
`management is completely separate from the application program, and, instead, is part of
`
`the web management server. ’293 patent at 10:25–37.
`
`Dr. Shamos’ declaration also accuses Defendants of reading out “configuration
`
`management” from the construction of this term. Dkt. 34-2 (Cor. Shamos Dec.) at ¶ 78.
`
`Defendants recognize that, while their proposal was an attempt to isolate the dispute
`
`between the parties as to whether the configuration manager program is separate from the
`
`application program, it was incomplete because it omitted an aspect of what they intended.
`
`A more complete construction would be “a program separate from the application program
`
`that manages configuration.”
`
`
`
`“Registration Operations”2
`
`Term
`Registration operations
`
`(all asserted claims of
`the ’293 patent)
`
`2 Uniloc’s arguments in its brief for this term offer no analysis of the intrinsic record and
`rely solely on the Shamos Declaration.
`
`Plaintiff’s Proposal
`Recording at the target on-
`demand server information
`about authorized users of
`the application program.
`
`Defendants’ Proposal
`Operations on the target
`on-demand server that
`include specifying a set of
`users who may access the
`
`
`
`13
`
`

`

`Case 1:19-cv-11278-RGS Document 44 Filed 02/20/20 Page 17 of 25
`
`
`
`
`
`application program
`associated with the file
`packet.
`
`The deposition testimony of Dr. Shamos confirmed what is clear from the context
`
`of the claims and specification of the ’293 Patent — registration operations specify which
`
`users are authorized to use the application program being registered. Dr. Shamos
`
`acknowledged that one meaning of “registration” in the software context is “licensing
`
`software so that only a registered user can use the software” and confirmed that “I think
`
`that’s what register is about in the patents-in-suit.” Ex. B (Shamos Dep.) at 70:3–11.
`
`Dr. Shamos further confirmed that, in the ’293 Patent, the registration operations
`
`will specify what users can run the registered application. Id. at 72:11–73:8; see also ’293
`
`Patent at 18:11–18, 18:30–36, 20:15–20. The registration may specify a set of users
`
`directly, or the registration operations may provide a rule that would indirectly specify
`
`which users may access the application program. One rule, for example, may be that
`
`“anyone in the marketing group can use the sales database software.” Ex. B (Shamos Dep.)
`
`at 72:11–73:8.
`
`Accordingly, Dr. Shamos has confirmed that “registration” requires specifying
`
`which users may access the application, and is not simply and merely storing information
`
`about users. Such specification may be direct (“Authorized users: Bob and Jessica.”) or
`
`such specification may be by rule (“Authorized users: the Marketing Department”).
`
`But, contrary to Uniloc’s construction, the storage of user birthdays or password
`
`reminder questions, for example, would clearly not be “registration operations” even
`
`though they would fall within Uniloc’s vague construction of “information about”
`
`authorized users.
`
`
`
`14
`
`

`

`Case 1:19-cv-11278-RGS Document 44 Filed 02/20/20 Page 18 of 25
`
`
`
`In contrast, in the patent the “registration operations” for the distributed application
`
`program makes the application program available for use by a set of users. See, e.g. ’293
`
`Patent, 4:16–22, 18:10–36, claim 1.
`
`Finally, in his Declaration at paragraphs 99–100, Dr. Shamos asserts that the
`
`“registration operations” need not specify users because “[t]hat can be done by an
`
`administrator.” There are three flaws in Dr. Shamos’ statement. First, it contradicts his
`
`deposition testimony, in which Dr. Shamos acknowledges that registration operations
`
`specify (directly or indirectly) the set of users who can run an application program. Ex. B
`
`(Shamos Dep.) at 70:3–11, 72:11–73:8. Second, an administrator may very well have a
`
`role in assigning users to applications—and that role would eventually generate the file
`
`packet for distributing application programs. Nobody is suggesting that the file packets
`
`are produced without human input. Compare with ’293 Patent at 18:11–18, 18:30–36,
`
`20:15–20. Third, the paragraph cited by Dr. Shamos in paragraph 99 of his Declaration
`
`does not support Uniloc’s (or his) argument. That paragraph is referring to preparation of
`
`the application launcher or other software on the desktop, and not on the on-demand server,
`
`which is where the registration operations take place. This is clear from the final sentence
`
`of the quoted paragraph omitted from Dr. Shamos’ quote in paragraph 99: “The database
`
`is updated so that when individual users next bring up their end-user client desktop, they
`
`will be provided an icon that may be used to launch the new application.” ’293 Patent,
`
`9:4–7. Thus, the system contemplates a two-gate process—a user needs to be granted
`
`access on his or her local machine to reach the on-demand server, and then the user must
`
`be authorized at the on-demand server as well before the user can access the application.
`
`
`
`15
`
`

`

`Case 1:19-cv-11278-RGS Document 44 Filed 02/20/20 Page 19 of 25
`
`
`
`The Court should adopt Defendants’ construction because it correctly requires that
`
`the “registration operations” must be “operations on the target on-demand server that
`
`include specifying a set of users who may access the application program associated with
`
`the file packet.”
`
`
`
`

This document is available on Docket Alarm but you must sign up to view it.


Or .

Accessing this document will incur an additional charge of $.

After purchase, you can access this document again without charge.

Accept $ Charge
throbber

Still Working On It

This document is taking longer than usual to download. This can happen if we need to contact the court directly to obtain the document and their servers are running slowly.

Give it another minute or two to complete, and then try the refresh button.

throbber

A few More Minutes ... Still Working

It can take up to 5 minutes for us to download a document if the court servers are running slowly.

Thank you for your continued patience.

This document could not be displayed.

We could not find this document within its docket. Please go back to the docket page and check the link. If that does not work, go back to the docket and refresh it to pull the newest information.

Your account does not support viewing this document.

You need a Paid Account to view this document. Click here to change your account type.

Your account does not support viewing this document.

Set your membership status to view this document.

With a Docket Alarm membership, you'll get a whole lot more, including:

  • Up-to-date information for this case.
  • Email alerts whenever there is an update.
  • Full text search for other cases.
  • Get email alerts whenever a new case matches your search.

Become a Member

One Moment Please

The filing “” is large (MB) and is being downloaded.

Please refresh this page in a few minutes to see if the filing has been downloaded. The filing will also be emailed to you when the download completes.

Your document is on its way!

If you do not receive the document in five minutes, contact support at support@docketalarm.com.

Sealed Document

We are unable to display this document, it may be under a court ordered seal.

If you have proper credentials to access the file, you may proceed directly to the court's system using your government issued username and password.


Access Government Site

We are redirecting you
to a mobile optimized page.





Document Unreadable or Corrupt

Refresh this Document
Go to the Docket

We are unable to display this document.

Refresh this Document
Go to the Docket