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`By:
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`Matthew L. Cutler (mcutler@hdp.com)
`Bryan K. Wheelock (bwheelock@hdp.com)
`Douglas A. Robinson (drobinson@hdp.com)
`Greg W. Meyer (gmeyer@hdp.com)
`Harness, Dickey & Pierce, PLC
`7700 Bonhomme Ave., Suite 400
`Clayton, MO 63105
`Tel: (314) 726-7500
`Fax: (314) 726-7501
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`UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
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`_____________
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`BEFORE THE PATENT TRIAL AND APPEAL BOARD
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`_____________
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`MICROSOFT CORPORATION
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`Petitioner
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`v.
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`PROXYCONN, INC.
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`Patent Owner
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`_____________
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`Case IPR2012-00026
`Case IPR2013-00109
`Patent 6,757,717 B 1
`_____________
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`PROXYCONN’S REMAND BRIEF
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`INTRODUCTION
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`Case No.: IPR2012-00026 & IPR2013-00109
`Patent 6,757,717 B1
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`Logically, a Petitioner should assert claim constructions just broad enough to
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`result in the invalidation of the challenged claims over the available prior art. In
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`these proceedings Microsoft’s “just broad enough” claim constructions were found
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`unreasonable and rejected in two respects: the construction of “sender/computer”
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`and “receiver/computer” and the construction of “at least two other
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`computers.” These erroneously broad constructions underpinned the determination
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`of unpatentability of claims 1, 3, 6, 7, 9, 10 and 22–23, and without these
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`unreasonably broad constructions what remains of Microsoft’s grounds is
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`insufficient to show that these claims are unpatentable.
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`At no point during these proceedings did Microsoft ever explain (let alone
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`assert) that these claims were unpatentable under any other claim construction. It
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`cannot do so for the first time on remand, long after these proceedings were to
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`have terminated, when Proxyconn does not even have a chance to defend the
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`claims. By definition any claim construction or argument that Microsoft presents
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`for the unpatentability of claims 1, 3, 6, 7, 9, 10 and 22–23 is new, and should be
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`rejected as untimely and unfair.
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`Inter Partes Review is not examination – unlike an ex parte appeal there is
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`no provision for the Board to modify the grounds of unpatentability submitted by
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`the Petitioner. Inter Partes Review is an adjudication of those grounds properly
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`1
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`before the Board, i.e., the grounds as presented by the Petitioner that the Board
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`Case No.: IPR2012-00026 & IPR2013-00109
`Patent 6,757,717 B1
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`instituted. Microsoft chose to present grounds that required expansive claim
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`constructions that the Federal Circuit found unreasonable. Because Microsoft
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`relied exclusively on those constructions, without arguing any other
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`constructions, there is no other option but to conclude that Microsoft failed to
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`prove these grounds. There is no provision for changing the instituted grounds
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`whether that change is the result of new prior art, new evidence, or new claim
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`constructions. The Inter Partes Review proceeding is already skewed in favor of
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`Petitioner, but to allow a patent to be invalidated based upon claim constructions or
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`arguments that the Patent Owner was never permitted to address is not only unfair,
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`but a denial of due process.
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`Microsoft has had a full and fair chance to present its chosen claim
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`construction and arguments for unpatentability, and it has lost. The Board is
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`respectfully requested to merely modify its Final Written Decision to remove the
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`findings of unpatentability of claims 1, 3, 6, 7, 9, 10, and 22–23, in view of the
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`Federal Circuit’s vacatur. Nothing more is required, warranted or permitted.
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`ARGUMENT
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`Microsoft’s arguments in its two Petitions, and the Board’s Final Written
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`Decision (IPR2012-00026, Paper 73 and IPR2013-00109, Paper 16, (“FWD”))
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`depend upon the claim constructions now rejected by the Federal Circuit. In
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`2
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`modifying its Final Written Decision1, the Board should find that Microsoft failed
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`Case No.: IPR2012-00026 & IPR2013-00109
`Patent 6,757,717 B1
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`to show, by a preponderance of evidence, that claims 1, 3, 6, 7, 9, 10, and 22–23
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`are unpatentable on the instituted grounds.
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`Claims 6, 7, and 9
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`Unpatentability over DRP
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`The Board’s decision that claims 6, 7 and 9, were unpatentable over DRP
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`was based upon its rejection of Proxyconn’s argument that “two other computers”
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`excluded the caching computer. FWD at 47. The Federal Circuit held that this was
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`error:
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`The Board erred in concluding that the “two other computers” could include
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`the caching computer.
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`Microsoft Corp. v. Proxyconn, Inc, 789 F.3d 1292, 1299 (Fed. Cir. 2015). The
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`proper construction is at odds with Microsoft’s reading of DRP. The protocol of
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`DRP provides an efficient transfer of data from the server to the client. As shown
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`1
`The Board’s finding of unpatentability of claims 1, 3, 6, 7, 9, 10, and 22–23
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`has been vacated. Because that time period permitted for the Board to make a final
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`determination has expired (i.e., at most 18 months from institution), the Board is
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`without authority to take further action. 35 U.S.C. § 316 (a)(11); 37 C.F.R. §
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`42.100(c).
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`3
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`below, the proxy cache (or caching computer) is intermediate between the server
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`Case No.: IPR2012-00026 & IPR2013-00109
`Patent 6,757,717 B1
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`and client. With this construction of DRP, only the proxy cache is connected
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`between two “other” computers, as construed by the Federal Circuit – yet the
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`proxy cache does not include a “means for calculating” as required by claims 6, 7
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`and 9.
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`The only disclosed parts of DRP
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`Because Microsoft’s construction was in error and forms the only basis for
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`its argument of anticipation of claims 6, 7 and 9 based on DRP, and further at no
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`point did Microsoft ever attempt to show that DRP anticipated claims 6, 7 and 9 if
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`the “two other computers” excluded the caching computer, the only possible
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`conclusion is that Microsoft has failed to show that claims 6, 7 and 9 are
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`unpatentable as anticipated by DRP.
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`Unpatentability over Mattis and DRP
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`Microsoft indicated in the August 27, 2015, conference call that on remand
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`it wanted to raise the unpatentability of claims 6, 7 and 9 in view of Mattis and
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`DRP, which the Board’s Final Written Decision found to be moot. FWD at 53.
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`4
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`Microsoft did not raise the combination of Mattis and DRP on appeal to the
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`Case No.: IPR2012-00026 & IPR2013-00109
`Patent 6,757,717 B1
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`Federal Circuit, and thus waived any appeal of the Board’s decision. Issues in the
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`Board’s Final Written Decision, that were not appealed, are concluded. There is
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`nothing more for this Board to do.
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`Moreover, even if the Board were to reconsider Mattis and DRP, Microsoft
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`failed to establish the obviousness of claims 6, 7 and 9 in view of Mattis and DRP.
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`The Board instituted on the grounds of Mattis and DRP because it agreed that
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`“when combined the references meet all requirements of these claims.” Institution
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`Decision in IPR2013-00109, Paper 14 at 18. However this was under the
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`erroneous belief that DRP anticipated the claims. Now that the Federal Circuit has
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`corrected the claim construction of the ‘717 patent and DRP no longer anticipates
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`the correctly construed claims, the combination of Mattis and DRP likewise does
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`not make the claims obvious. It is beyond dispute that DRP lacks the required two
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`other computers when the caching computer is not considered. Microsoft never
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`showed how Mattis makes up for this deficiency of DRP because Microsoft never
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`appreciated this deficiency of DRP.
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`Similarly, the Board held that Mattis lacked “means for comparison between
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`a digital digest on data in its network cache memory and a digital digest received
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`from said packet switched network through said gateway.” Institution Decision in
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`IPR2013-00109, Paper 14 at 17. Microsoft cannot contest this finding because it
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`5
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`failed to appeal it, and Microsoft never showed how DRP makes up for this
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`Patent 6,757,717 B1
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`deficiency of Mattis because Microsoft never appreciated this deficiency of Mattis.
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`For at least these reasons, even if Microsoft were entitled to reconsideration
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`of the unpatentability of claims 6, 7 and 9 in view of Mattis and DRP, Microsoft
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`has not shown how these claims are unpatentable from Mattis and DRP, and it
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`cannot do so now.
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`Claims 1 and 3
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`Unpatentability over Santos
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`The Board’s decision that claims 1 and 3 are unpatentable over Santos was
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`based upon the Board’s rejection of Proxyconn’s argument that describes a
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`Receiver/Computer as that term is used in these claims:
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`Microsoft counters that Proxyconn’s argument rests upon an incorrect
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`interpretation of “receiver/computer.” We agree. We have interpreted
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`“receiver/computer” to refer to a “computer that receives data.” We also
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`concluded that each of these respective computers can encompass multiple
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`devices including intermediaries.
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`FWD at 40, emphasis added. The Federal Circuit held that this was error:
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`The Board erred in concluding that the terms “sender/computer” and
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`“receiver/computer” were broad enough to include the intermediary gateway
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`and caching computers . . .
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`6
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`Microsoft, 789 F.3d at 1300.
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`In its anticipation arguments, Microsoft relied on the compressor and
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`decompressor of Santos for the recited “sender” and “receiver.” Santos, however,
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`makes clear that the compressor and decompressor are intermediate computers,
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`and not senders or receivers (when properly construed). See EX1004 FIG. 3
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`below. Specifically, Santos expressly states the compressor, for example, is a
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`“router” (EX1004 at § 3.1), which the ‘717 patent defines as an intermediary (“…
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`term ‘gateway’ as used herein also includes network proxies and routers….”)
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`EX1002 at 2:14–15 (emphasis added). The “compressors” and “decompressors”
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`are routers separate in from any servers or clients and function independently.
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`They act as a “go-between” from the “many” servers and clients. EX1004 at
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`§§2.1, 3.1.2 and FIG. 3. The functionality of the compressors and decompressors,
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`as relied on by Microsoft, thus are not present in any “sender” or “receiver” as is
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`recited in claims 1 and 3 of the ‘717 patent.
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`FIG. 3, annotated with Server(s) and Client(s)
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`7
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`Because Microsoft’s construction was in error and forms the only basis for
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`its argument of anticipation of claims 1 and 3 by Santos, and further at no point did
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`Microsoft ever attempt to show that Santos anticipated claims 1 and 3 if receiver
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`computer did not include intermediaries (i.e., the compressor or the decompressor),
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`the only possible conclusion is that Microsoft has failed to show that claims 1 and
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`3 are unpatentable as anticipated by Santos.
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`Unpatentability over Yohe and Perlman
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`The Board’s decision that claims 1 and 3 were obvious from Yohe and
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`Perlman was likewise based upon a rejected claim construction. The Board said
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`that “[t]he only limitation recited in claims 1 and 3 not described by Yohe is the
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`‘means for comparison of digital digests on data’ located in the
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`receiver/computer.” FWD at 51. However this statement was based upon the
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`Board’s agreement with Microsoft that “the combination of Yohe’s cache
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`verifying computer 14 and file server 18 constitutes the claimed sender/computer.”
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`FWD at 36. The Federal Circuit rejected the construction that the sender/computer
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`includes the cache verifying computer:
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`The Board erred in concluding that the terms “sender/computer” and
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`“receiver/computer” were broad enough to include the intermediary gateway
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`and caching computers . . .
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`Microsoft, 789 F.3d at 1300.
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`8
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`Moreover, in support of its obviousness argument, Microsoft presented
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`Case No.: IPR2012-00026 & IPR2013-00109
`Patent 6,757,717 B1
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`testimony from Dr. Long based on his understanding of “sender” and “receiver”
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`which was found to be erroneous by the Federal Circuit. In particular, Dr. Long
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`refers to “Yohe’s sender” or “Yohe’s receiver” in categorizing the prior art. Ex.
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`1007, Dec. of Long at 15:11–16:13. And, in deposition, in response to the question
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`“In the Perlman reference, what is the sender computer?” Dr. Long states “It’s
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`going to be the routers [an intermediate computer].” EX1026 at 142:22–25
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`(emphasis added). Microsoft’s challenge to claims 1 and 3 was premised on Dr.
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`Long’s testimony, which, in turn, was founded entirely in Microsoft’s erroneous
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`construction. Thus, by finding error in Microsoft’s construction, the Federal
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`Circuit destroys the probative value of Dr. Long’s testimony.
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`Because Microsoft’s construction was in error and forms the only basis for
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`its arguments as to obviousness (i.e., Dr. Long’s declaration), and at no point did
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`Microsoft ever attempt to show that Yohe and Perlman met the claim limitations if
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`the caching computer was not considered part of the sender/computer, the only
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`possible conclusion is that Microsoft has failed to show that claims 1 and 3 are
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`unpatentable as obvious from Yohe and Perlman.
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`9
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`Case No.: IPR2012-00026 & IPR2013-00109
`Patent 6,757,717 B1
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`Claim 10
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`Unpatentability over Yohe
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`The Board’s decision that claim 10 was anticipated by Yohe depended upon
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`the Board’s agreement with Microsoft that “the combination of Yohe’s cache
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`verifying computer 14 and file server 18 constitutes the claimed sender/computer.”
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`FWD at 36. The Federal Circuit rejected the construction that the sender/computer
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`includes the cache verifying computer:
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`The Board erred in concluding that the terms “sender/computer” and
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`“receiver/computer” were broad enough to include the intermediary gateway
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`and caching computers . . .
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`Microsoft, 789 F.3d at 1300.
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`Because Microsoft’s construction was in error and forms the only basis for
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`its argument of anticipation of claim 10 by Yohe, and at no point did Microsoft
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`ever attempt to show that Yohe met the claim limitations of claim 10 if the caching
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`computer was not considered part of the sender/computer, the only possible
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`conclusion is that Microsoft has failed to show that claim 10 is unpatentable as
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`anticipated by Yohe.
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`Unpatentability over Santos
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`The Board’s decision that claim 10 is unpatentable over Santos was based
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`upon the Board’s rejection of Proxyconn’s argument that Santos fails to describe a
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`10
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`Receiver/Computer as that term is used in this claim. FWD at 43, see also FWD
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`Case No.: IPR2012-00026 & IPR2013-00109
`Patent 6,757,717 B1
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`40–42. The Federal Circuit held that this was error:
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`The Board erred in concluding that the terms “sender/computer” and
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`“receiver/computer” were broad enough to include the intermediary gateway
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`and caching computers . . .
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`Microsoft, 789 F.3d at 1300. As explained above, with reference to claims 1 and 3
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`(which, like claim 10, require a “sender/computer” and a “receiver/computer”),
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`Santos fails to disclose the sender and receiver recited in claim 10, when those
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`terms are properly constructed.
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`Because Microsoft’s construction was an error and forms the only basis for
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`its argument of anticipation by Santos, and further at no point did Microsoft ever
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`attempt to show that Santos anticipated claim 10 if “receiver/computer” did not
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`include intermediaries (i.e., the compressor or the decompressor), the only possible
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`conclusion is that Microsoft has failed to show that claim 10 is unpatentable as
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`anticipated by Santos.
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`Unpatentability over Yohe and Perlman
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`The Board’s decision that claim 10 was obvious from Yohe and Perlman
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`was based upon a rejected claim construction, that resulted in a finding that claim
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`10 was anticipated by Yohe. This was based upon the Board’s agreement with
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`Microsoft that “the combination of Yohe’s cache verifying computer 14 and file
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`11
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`server 18 constitutes the claimed sender/computer.” FWD at 36. The Federal
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`Case No.: IPR2012-00026 & IPR2013-00109
`Patent 6,757,717 B1
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`Circuit rejected the construction that the “sender/computer” includes the cache
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`verifying computer:
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`The Board erred in concluding that the terms “sender/computer” and
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`“receiver/computer” were broad enough to include the intermediary gateway
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`and caching computers . . .
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`Microsoft, 789 F.3d at 1300.
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`Moreover, as explained above with reference to claims 1 and 3, Microsoft’s
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`challenge to claim 10 was premised on Dr. Long’s testimony, which, in turn, was
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`founded entirely in Microsoft’s erroneous construction. Thus, by finding error in
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`Microsoft’s construction, the Federal Circuit destroys the probative value of Dr.
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`Long’s testimony.
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`Because Microsoft’s construction was in error and forms the only basis for
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`its arguments as to obviousness (i.e., Dr. Long’s declaration), and at no point did
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`Microsoft ever attempt to show that Yohe and Perlman met the claim limitations if
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`the caching computer was not considered part of the “sender/computer,” and
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`because the combination is based on expert testimony premised on the erroneous
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`construction (as explained above), the only possible conclusion is that Microsoft
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`has failed to show that claim 10 is unpatentable as obvious from Yohe and
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`Perlman.
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`12
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`Case No.: IPR2012-00026 & IPR2013-00109
`Patent 6,757,717 B1
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`Claims 22 and 23
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`Unpatentability over Santos
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`The Board’s decision that claims 22 and 23 (which depends from claim 22)
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`are unpatentable over Santos was based upon the same construction applied to
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`claims 1 and 3 and discussed above:
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`For the same reasons described above in connection with claims 1 and 3, we
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`find that Santos describes the claimed receiver/computer.
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`FWD at 43. However, as Proxyconn showed above with respect to claims 1 and 3,
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`the Federal Circuit held that this was error:
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`The Board erred in concluding that the terms “sender/computer” and
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`“receiver/computer” were broad enough to include the intermediary gateway
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`and caching computers . . .
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`Microsoft, 789 F.3d at 1300. As explained above, with reference to claim 1 and 3,
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`Santos fails to disclose the “receiver/computer” recited in claims 22-23, when
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`those terms are properly constructed.
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`Because Microsoft’s construction was in error and forms the only basis for
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`its argument of anticipation by Santos, and at no point did Microsoft ever attempt
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`to show that Santos had a “receiver/computer” without the intermediaries (i.e., the
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`compressor or the decompressor), the only possible conclusion is that Microsoft
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`13
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`has failed to show that claims 22 and 23 (which depends from claim 22) are
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`Case No.: IPR2012-00026 & IPR2013-00109
`Patent 6,757,717 B1
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`unpatentable as anticipated by Santos.
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`CONCLUSION
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`A petitioner has the opportunity to select any claim construction and any
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`grounds it believes it can prove. Presumably, Microsoft crafted the claim
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`constructions that were necessary to make out its claim of unpatentability. The
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`Federal Circuit, in turn, found that the constructions Microsoft deemed necessary
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`were unreasonable, essentially wiping out each of Microsoft’s arguments as to
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`claims 1, 3, 6, 7, 9, 10, and 22–23.
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`Even if Microsoft could show unpatentability under a narrower claim
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`construction, the fact is that it did not. To permit Microsoft, after presenting the art
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`and arguments of it choosing to remake and reconstruct the prior art to sidestep the
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`decision handed down by the Federal Circuit, is not only without authority but is
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`fundamentally unfair. By definition, any effort by Microsoft to rework the Petition
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`(and the prior art) are new arguments (to which Proxyconn will be unable to
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`respond), and should be rejected.
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`The findings of unpatentability of claim 10 over Yohe, of claims 1, 3, 10 and
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`22 over Santos, of claims 6, 7 and 9 over DRP, and claims 1, 3, and 10 over Yohe
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`and Perlman depended upon claim constructions that the Federal Circuit vacated.
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`Microsoft made no showing (by argument or evidence) how any of these claims
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`14
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`are unpatentable under the correct, narrower construction, and thus Microsoft
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`cannot prevail on these grounds.
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`In view of the narrower claim construction mandated by the Federal Circuit,
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`in modifying its Final Written Decision, the Board must find that Microsoft failed
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`to show, by a preponderance of evidence, that claims 1, 3, 6, 7, 9, 10, and 22–23
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`are unpatentable on the instituted grounds.
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`Dated: September 11, 2015
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`Respectfully Submitted by:
`
`
`/s/ Matthew L. Cutler
`MATTHEW L. CUTLER, Reg. No., 43574
`BRYAN K. WHEELOCK, Reg. No., 31441
`DOUGLAS ROBINSON, Reg. No., 59703
`GREG W. MEYER, Reg. No., 59915
`HARNESS, DICKEY & PIERCE, PLC
`7700 Bonhomme Ave., Suite 400
`St. Louis, MO 63105
`Tel: (314) 726-7500
`Fax: (314) 726-7501
`mcutler@hdp.com
`bwheelock@hdp.com
`drobinson@hdp.com
`gmeyer@hdp.com
`
`Attorneys for Patent Owner, Proxyconn, Inc.
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`15
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`CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE UNDER 37 C.F.R. § 42.6 (e)(4)
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`Case No.: IPR2012-00026 & IPR2013-00109
`Patent 6,757,717 B1
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`It is hereby certified that on this 11th day of September, 2015, a copy of the
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`foregoing document was served via Electronic mail upon the following:
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`John D. Vandenberg
`john.vandenberg@klarquist.com
`Stephen J. Joncus
`stephen.joncus@klarquist.com
`Klarquist Sparkman LLP
`One World Trade Center
`Suite 1600
`121 S.W. Salmon Street
`Portland, Oregon 97204-2988
`Tel.: (503) 595-5300
`Fax: (503) 595-5301
`
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`Attorneys for Petitioner, Microsoft Corporation
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`/s/ Matthew L. Cutler
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`16