throbber
Trials@uspto.gov
`Tel: 571-272-7822
`
`
`
`
`Paper 8
`Entered: April 25, 2014
`
`UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
`_______________
`
`BEFORE THE PATENT TRIAL AND APPEAL BOARD
`_______________
`
`APPLE INC.
`Petitioner
`
`v.
`
`EVOLUTIONARY INTELLIGENCE, LLC
`Patent Owner
`_______________
`
`Case IPR2014-00079
`Patent 7,702,682 B2
`_______________
`
`
`Before KALYAN K. DESHPANDE, TREVOR M. JEFFERSON,
`BRIAN J. McNAMARA, NEIL T. POWELL, and GREGG I. ANDERSON
`Administrative Patent Judges.
`
`JEFFERSON, Administrative Patent Judge.
`
`
`
`DECISION
`Denying Institution of Inter Partes Review
`37 C.F.R. § 42.108
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`

`

`Case IPR2014-00079
`Patent 7,702,682 B2
`
`
`I. INTRODUCTION
`
`A. Background
`
`Apple Inc. (“Petitioner”) filed a Petition (Paper 1, “Pet.”) to institute an inter
`
`partes review of claims 1-23 of U.S. Patent No. 7,702,682 B2 (Ex. 1001, “the
`
`’682 patent”). See 35 U.S.C. § 311. Evolutionary Intelligence, LLC (“Patent
`
`Owner”) filed a Preliminary Response (Paper 6, “Prelim. Resp.”).
`
`The standard for instituting an inter partes review is set forth in 35 U.S.C.
`
`§ 314(a), which provides as follows:
`
`THRESHOLD—The Director may not authorize an inter
`partes review to be instituted unless the Director
`determines that the information presented in the petition
`filed under section 311 and any response filed under
`section 313 shows that there is a reasonable likelihood
`that the petitioner would prevail with respect to at least 1
`of the claims challenged in the petition.
`
`Upon consideration of the petition, we conclude that Petitioner has not
`
`established a reasonable likelihood that it would prevail with respect to claims 1-23
`
`of the ’682 patent. Accordingly, we do not institute an inter partes review of
`
`claims 1-23 of the ’682 patent.
`
`
`
`B. Related Matters
`
`Patent Owner has sued Petitioner for infringement of the ’682 patent in
`
`Evolutionary Intelligence LLC v Apple Inc., Case No. 3:13-cv-04201-LB (N.D.
`
`Cal.). Pet. 4. Petitioner was served on October 23, 2012. Id. Petitioner also filed
`
`a petition for Inter Partes Review of claims 1-23 of the ’682 patent, IPR2014-
`
` 2
`
`
`
`00080. Id. at 5.
`
`
`
`

`

`Case IPR2014-00079
`Patent 7,702,682 B2
`
`
`Petitioner indicates that the ’682 patent is also the subject of litigation in the
`
`following cases, originally filed in the Eastern District of Texas and transferred to
`
`the Northern District of California: Evolutionary Intelligence LLC v. Facebook,
`
`Inc., Case No. 3:13-cv-04202-JSC (N.D. Cal.); Evolutionary Intelligence LLC v.
`
`FourSquare Labs, Inc., Case No. 3:13-cv-04203-EDL (N.D. Cal.); Evolutionary
`
`Intelligence LLC v. Groupon, Inc., Case No. 3:13-cv-04204-LB (N.D. Cal.);
`
`Evolutionary Intelligence LLC v. LivingSocial, Inc., Case No. 3:13-cv-04205-EDL
`
`(N.D. Cal.); Evolutionary Intelligence LLC v. Millennial Media, Inc., Case No.
`
`5:13-cv-04206-HRL (N.D. Cal.); Evolutionary Intelligence LLC v. Twitter, Inc.,
`
`Case No. 5:13-cv-04207-KAW (N.D. Cal.); Evolutionary Intelligence LLC v.
`
`Sprint Nextel Corp, Case No. 3:13-cv-4513-JCS (DMR) (N.D. Cal.); and
`
`Evolutionary Intelligence LLC v. Yelp Inc., Case No. 4:13-cv-03587 (DMR) (N.D.
`
`Cal.). See Apple Inc. v. Evolutionary Intelligence, LLC, IPR2014-00080, Paper 1
`
`at 5 (providing case numbers); see Pet. 5.
`
`
`
`
`
`C. References Relied Upon
`
`Petitioner relies upon the following prior art references:
`
`Ex. 1005 Wachtel
`
`Ex. 1006 Culliss
`
`Ex. 1008 Chang
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`US 6,195,654 B1 Feb. 27, 2001
`
`US 6,006,222
`
`Dec. 21, 1999
`
`US 6,298,343
`
`Oct. 2, 2001
`
`Ex. 1007 Howe, A., et al., SavvySearch: A Meta-Search Engine that
`Learns which Search Engines to Query, AI MAGAZINE, January 28,
`1997. (“SavvySearch”)1
`
`
`
`1 Although Petitioner’s brief contains no discussion supporting its contention that
`SavvySearch (Ex. 1007) qualifies as a printed publication, Petitioner’s declarant,
`Henry Houh, states that Ex. 1007 was published in AI Magazine in 1997, vol. 19,
`no. 2. Ex. 1003 ¶ 269.
`
` 3
`
`
`
`
`
`

`

`Case IPR2014-00079
`Patent 7,702,682 B2
`
`
`D. The Asserted Grounds
`
`Petitioner contends that the challenged claims are unpatentable based on the
`
`following specific grounds (Pet. 6-7):
`
`Reference[s]
`
`Basis
`
`Claim(s) Challenged
`
`Wachtel
`Wachtel
`Wachtel and Culliss
`Wachtel and Chang
`Wachtel and SavvySearch
`
`
`E. The ’682 Patent
`
`§ 102(b)
`§ 103
`§ 103
`§ 103
`§ 103
`
`1-23
`6, 18, 20, and 22
`3, 5, and 6
`3, 5, and 6
`4, 5, 6, and 7
`
`The ’682 Patent is directed to developing intelligence in a computer or
`
`digital network by creating and manipulating information containers with dynamic
`
`interactive registers in a computer network. Ex. 1001, 1:20-29, 3:10-16. The
`
`system includes an input device, an output device, a processor, a memory unit, a
`
`data storage device, and a means of communicating with other computers. Id. at
`
`3:17-22. The memory unit includes an information container made interactive
`
`with, among other elements, dynamic registers, a search engine, gateways, data
`
`collection and reporting means, an analysis engine, and an executing engine. Id. at
`
`3:26-35.
`
`The ’682 patent describes a container as an interactive nestable logical
`
`domain, including dynamic interactive evolving registers and maintaining a unique
`
`network-wide lifelong identity. Id. at 3:37-46. A container, at minimum, includes
`
`a logically encapsulated portion of cyberspace, a register, and a gateway. Id. at
`
`9:7-9. Registers determine the interaction of that container with other containers,
`
`system components, system gateways, events and processes on the computer
`
`network. Id. at 3:54-57. Container registers may be values alone or contain code
`
` 4
`
`
`
`
`
`

`

`Case IPR2014-00079
`Patent 7,702,682 B2
`
`
`to establish certain parameters in interaction with other containers or gateways. Id.
`
`at 9:24-26. Gateways are structurally integrated into each container or strategically
`
`placed at container transit points. Id. at 4:63-66. Gateways govern the interaction
`
`of containers encapsulated within their domain by reading and storing register
`
`information of containers entering and exiting that container. Id. at 4:66-5:8,
`
`15:46-49.
`
`The system for creating and manipulating information containers is set forth
`
`in Figure 2B as follows:
`
`
`
`Figure 2B illustrates a computer network showing nested containers,
`
`computer servers, and gateways, at Site 1 through Site 7. Id. at 10:60-65. Any of
`
`Sites 1 through 7 may interact dynamically within the system, for example, Site 1
`
`shows a single workstation with a container and gateway connected to an Intranet.
`
`Id.at 10:65-67. Site 2 shows a server with a gateway in relationship to various
`
`containers. Id. at 11:2-4. Site 3 shows an Internet web page with a container
`
`residing on it. Id. at 11:4-5. Site 4 shows a personal computer with containers and
`
`a gateway connected to the Internet. Id. at 11:5-6. Site 5 shows a configuration of
`
` 5
`
`
`
`
`
`

`

`Case IPR2014-00079
`Patent 7,702,682 B2
`
`
`multiple servers and containers on a Wide Area Network. Id. at 11:6-8. Site 6
`
`shows a work station with a gateway and containers within a container connected
`
`to a Wide Area Network. Id. at 11:8-10. Site 7 shows an independent gateway,
`
`capable of acting as a data collection and data reporting site as it gathers data from
`
`the registers of transiting containers, and as an agent of the execution engine as it
`
`alters the registers of transient containers. Id. at 11:10-14.
`
`An example of a configuration the containers may have is provided in Figure
`
`4 as follows:
`
`Figure 4 shows example container 100 that includes containerized elements
`
`01, registers 120, and gateway 200. Id. at 13:1-3. Registers 120 included in the
`
`container 100 include, inter alia, active time register 102000, passive time register
`
`103000, neutral time register 104000, active space register 111000, passive space
`
`
`
` 6
`
`
`
`
`
`

`

`Case IPR2014-00079
`Patent 7,702,682 B2
`
`
`register, 112000, neutral space register 113000, and acquire register 123000. Id. at
`
`14:31-40.
`
`
`
`F. Illustrative Claim
`
`
`
`Independent claim 1, reproduced below with added paragraphs and roman
`
`numerals, is illustrative of the claimed subject matter:
`
`1. A computer-implemented method comprising:
`
`[i]
`
`receiving a search query;
`
`first
`computer,
`the
`searching, using
`[ii]
`container registers encapsulated and
`logically
`defined in a plurality of containers to identify
`identified containers responsive to the search
`query, the container registers having defined
`therein data comprising historical data associated
`with interactions of the identified containers with
`other containers from the plurality of containers,
`wherein searching the first container registers
`comprises searching the historical data;
`
`[iii] encapsulating the identified containers in a
`new container; updating second container registers
`of the identified containers with data associated
`with interactions of the identified containers with
`the new container; and
`
`[iv] providing a list characterizing the identified
`containers.
`
`
`
`II. ANALYSIS
`
`A. Claim Construction
`
`We determine the meaning of the claims as the first step of our analysis. The
`
`Board interprets claims using the broadest reasonable construction. See 37 C.F.R.
`
` 7
`
`
`
`
`
`

`

`Case IPR2014-00079
`Patent 7,702,682 B2
`
`
`§ 100(b); Office Patent Trial Practice Guide, 77 Fed. Reg. 48,756, 48,766
`
`(Aug. 14, 2012). Claim terms generally are given their ordinary and customary
`
`meaning, as would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art in the context
`
`of the entire disclosure. See In re Translogic Tech., Inc., 504 F.3d 1249, 1257
`
`(Fed. Cir. 2007). If an inventor acts as his or her own lexicographer, the definition
`
`must be set forth in the specification with reasonable clarity, deliberateness, and
`
`precision. Renishaw PLC v. Marposs Societa’ per Azioni, 158 F.3d 1243, 1249
`
`(Fed. Cir. 1998).
`
`1. “container”
`
`Independent claims 1 and 18-23 recite the terms “a plurality of containers”
`
`and “container.” As discussed above, the ’682 specification describes a container
`
`as an interactive nestable logical domain, including dynamic interactive evolving
`
`registers and maintaining a unique network-wide lifelong identity. Id. at 3:37-46.
`
`Petitioner argues that the ’682 specification further defines container as “a
`
`logically defined data enclosure which encapsulates any element or digital segment
`
`(text, graphic, photograph, audio, video, or other) or set of digital segments (text,
`
`graphic, photograph, audio, video, or other) or set of digital segments, or referring
`
`now to FIG. 3C, any system component or process, or other containers or sets of
`
`containers.” Pet. 9 (quoting Ex. 1001, 9:2-7). Petitioner argues that broadest
`
`reasonable construction, in light of the specification, “encompasses a logically
`
`defined data structure that contains a whole or partial digital element (e.g., text
`
`graphic, photograph, audio, video or other), or set of digital segments, or any
`
`system component or process or other containers or set of containers.” Id. at 9-10
`
`(emphasis added).
`
`Patent Owner argues that Petitioner’s proposed construction is circular and
`
`ignores the relationship between containers and encapsulation discussed in the
`
` 8
`
`
`
`
`
`

`

`Case IPR2014-00079
`Patent 7,702,682 B2
`
`
`’682 specification. Prelim. Resp. 29-30. Patent Owner asserts that the proper
`
`broadest reasonable interpretation of “container” is “a logically defined data
`
`enclosure which encapsulates any element or digital segment (text, graphic,
`
`photograph, audio, video, or other), or set of digital elements.” Id. at 28-29
`
`(emphasis added).
`
`Patent Owner acknowledges that the parties’ proposed constructions differ in
`
`that Petitioner inserts the term “contain” for encapsulate. Pet. 29. Patent Owner’s
`
`proposed construction is narrower because of Patent Owner’s narrow interpretation
`
`of “logically defined” and “encapsulated.” Prelim. Resp. 29-30. Patent Owner
`
`argues that “encapsulation” refers to “treat[ing] a collection of structured
`
`information as a whole without affecting or taking notice of its internal structure”
`
`and further refers “to the process of wrapping data in protocols that allow its
`
`transmission from one network to another, as occurs when a web page is sent using
`
`HTML.” Id. at 29-30 (citing Ex. 2001).
`
`We are not persuaded by Patent Owner’s contentions. The ʼ682 patent states
`
`that “[a] container 100 at minimum includes in its construction a logically
`
`encapsulated portion of cyberspace, a register and a gateway” and “[a container] at
`
`minimum encapsulates a single digital bit, a single natural number or the logical
`
`description of another container, and at maximum all defined cyberspace, existing,
`
`growing and to be discovered, including but not limited to all containers, defined
`
`and to be defined in cyberspace.” Ex. 1001, 9:7-14. The ’682 patent also states
`
`that “container 100 contains the code to enable it to interact with the components
`
`enumerated in 2A and reconstruct itself internally and manage itself on the
`
`network.” The ’682 patent does not describe the terms “logically defined” or
`
`“encapsulated” as limited to the “structured information as a whole” regardless of
`
`its internal structure or “wrapping data” in preparation for transmission. The
`
` 9
`
`
`
`
`
`

`

`Case IPR2014-00079
`Patent 7,702,682 B2
`
`
`claims do not require such limitations. Therefore, we do not agree with Patent
`
`Owner that “logically defined” and “encapsulated” requires anything more than
`
`simply “contained within.”
`
`Accordingly, based on the proposed construction by Petitioner and Patent
`
`Owner, and for purposes of this decision, we conclude that “container” means “a
`
`logically defined data enclosure which encapsulates any element or digital segment
`
`(text, graphic, photograph, audio, video, or other), or set of digital elements.”
`
`2. “register” and “container register”
`
`Petitioner contends that “register,” as recited in the claims, should be
`
`construed to “encompass a value or code associated with a container,” and that
`
`“container register” should be construed to be “a register that is appended to the
`
`logical enclosure of an information container.” Pet. 10-11. Petitioner’s
`
`construction relies on the ’682 patent specification. Id. (citing Ex. 1001, 14:24-29,
`
`9:19-23).
`
`The Patent Owner contends that “register,” as recited in the claims, is
`
`consistent with the ordinary meaning of the term in computing. Prelim. Resp. 30.
`
`Patent Owner cites two dictionaries in support of the construction that “register” is
`
`“a memory location within a computer that stores data.” Id. at 31 (citing Exs.
`
`2002, 2003). Patent Owner also notes that the ’682 patent specification discussion
`
`of “dynamic registers” as part of containers comports with this proposed
`
`construction. Id. at 31 (citing Ex. 1001, 2:66-3:5, 3:14-15, 3:29-32). Following
`
`this construction, Patent Owner contends that a “container register” should simply
`
`be construed as “a register of a container.” Id.
`
`The ’682 patent discusses dynamic registers are part of containers that make
`
`the container interactive. Ex. 1001, 3:26-32. As discussed above, the ’682 patent
`
`describes a container as “an interactive nestable logical domain configurable as
`
`
`
`
`10
`
`

`

`Case IPR2014-00079
`Patent 7,702,682 B2
`
`
`both subset and superset, including a minimum set of attributes coded into dynamic
`
`interactive evolving registers, containing any information component, digital code,
`
`file, search string, set, database, network, event or process, and maintaining a
`
`unique network-wide lifelong identity.” Id. at 3:40-45. In discussing registers, the
`
`’682 specification states that “[r]egisters 120 are user or user-base created or
`
`system-created values or ranges made available by the system 10 to attach to a
`
`unique container, and hold system-set, user-set, or system-evolved values.” Id. at
`
`14:24-27. Such “[r]egisters 120 may be active, passive or interactive and may
`
`evolve with system use” (id. at 14:29-31) and are “unique in that they operate
`
`independently of the encapsulated contents” of an information container (id. at
`
`13:4-6). The ’682 specification also refers to memory unit 22 as including
`
`container 100 and container registers 120. Id. at 8:46-48.
`
`In light of the foregoing, we disagree with Patent Owner that the broadest
`
`reasonable interpretation of a register is a memory location for storing data. With
`
`respect to “container registers,” the ’682 patent states:
`
`Container registers 120 are interactive dynamic values
`appended to the logical enclosure of an information container
`100, and serve to govern the interaction of that container 100
`with other containers 100, container gateways 200 and the
`system 10, and to record the historical interaction of that
`container 100 on the system 10. Container registers 120 may
`be values alone or contain code to establish certain parameters
`in interaction with other containers 100 or gateways 200.
`
`Id. at 9:19-26. Therefore, we are persuaded that the broadest reasonable
`
`construction of “register,” as that term is used in the ’682 patent, is a “value or
`
`code associated with a container.” Such a construction encompasses the values
`
`associated with a container as described in the ’682 patent. Furthermore, a
`
`“container register” is a register appended to a container.
`
`
`
`11
`
`
`
`

`

`Case IPR2014-00079
`Patent 7,702,682 B2
`
`
`3. “gateway”
`
`Independent claims 18, 20, and 22 recite “a plurality of gateways.”
`
`Petitioner contends that the ’682 patent does not expressly define gateway as a
`
`standalone term but refers to it as an interface between process, system
`
`components and data files, such as containers or registers. Pet. 11 (citing Ex. 1001,
`
`4:66-5:6). Petitioner argues that container gateways are defined expressly as
`
`“logically defined gateways residing both on containers 100 and independently in
`
`the system 10.” Ex. 1001, 9:28-32. Petitioner further argues that the broadest
`
`reasonable interpretation of gateway encompasses code that governs interactions
`
`between containers and that can alter registers associated with containers. Pet. 12.
`
`Patent Owner cites a computing dictionary definition of gateway as a device
`
`that connects two networks (Prelim. Resp. 32-33), but agrees that the ’682 patent
`
`refers also to logical gateways created by manipulation of programming on a
`
`computer (Prelim. Resp. 33). Thus, a gateway may be logic embodied in software.
`
`Patent Owner argues that a person of ordinary skill in the art would understand that
`
`a “gateway” is “a hardware device that facilitates the transfer of information
`
`between containers, systems and/or processes on two different networks or
`
`devices, or software that processes network data.” Id. at 34.
`
`We disagree with Patent Owner. The ’682 specification states that “unique
`
`gateways” are “structurally integrated into each container, or strategically placed
`
`within a network at container transit points” such that these
`
`[g]ateways gather and store container register
`information according to system-defined, system-
`generated, or user determined rules as containers exit and
`enter one another, governing how containers system
`processes or system components interact within the
`domain of that container, or after exiting and entering
`that container, and governing how containers, system
`
`
`
`
`12
`
`

`

`Case IPR2014-00079
`Patent 7,702,682 B2
`
`
`components and system processes interact with that
`unique gateway, including how data collection and
`reporting is managed at that gateway.
`
`Ex. 1001, 4:63-5:6. Gateways are described logically as being “nestable in a
`
`hierarchical or set and class network scheme” and are not limited to a particular
`
`network. Id. at 4:65-66. Accordingly, we do not agree that, as used in the ’682
`
`patent, gateways are limited to “hardware devices” for communicating across two
`
`different networks as proposed in Patent Owner’s construction or limited to
`
`software that processes network data. Prelim. Resp. 33-34. Indeed, in the ’682
`
`patent gateways may be integrated into each container, which is logically defined.
`
`Ex. 1001, 4:63-5:6.
`
`We also disagree with Petitioner’s construction that focusses on the gateway
`
`only as it relates to containers and registers. Indeed, the ’682 patent describes
`
`gateways as entities of an information container system in Fig. 3C (Ex. 1001,
`
`12:31-61) and as part of a conventional computer network shown in Fig. 2B
`
`(Ex 1001, 10:60-11:2).
`
`Based on the record before us, the broadest reasonable interpretation of
`
`“gateway” in light of the’682 specification is hardware or software that facilitates
`
`the transfer of information between containers, systems, and/or processes.
`
`4. “encapsulated” and “encapsulating”
`
`Patent Owner contends that “encapsulation” refers to “treat[ing] a collection
`
`of structured information as a whole without affecting or taking notice of its
`
`internal structure.” Prelim. Resp. 35 (citing Ex. 2001). Petitioner does not offer a
`
`construction for encapsulated or encapsulating.
`
`As discussed above with respect to “container,” we are not persuaded by
`
`Patent Owner that the broadest reasonable interpretation of “encapsulate” means
`
`
`
`13
`
`
`
`

`

`Case IPR2014-00079
`Patent 7,702,682 B2
`
`
`“the process of preparing information for transmission over a network by treating it
`
`‘as a whole, without affecting or taking notice of its internal structure.’”
`
`Accordingly, we construe “encapsulated” to mean “contained within” and
`
`“encapsulating” to mean “containing within” for the same reasons discussed above.
`
`5. “new container”
`
`Patent Owner contends that “new container” as recited in the claims of the
`
`’682 patent requires that the container “have recently come into existence” and
`
`must not have existed prior to performance of the claimed step. Prelim. Resp. 36.
`
`Petitioner offers no construction but argues the “new container” includes updating
`
`a pre-existing file. Pet. 15, 27.
`
`We determined above that “container” is a “logically defined data enclosure
`
`which encapsulates any element or digital segment (text, graphic, photograph,
`
`audio, video, or other), or set of digital elements.” The ’682 patent states that
`
`“[r]egisters 120, once constructed, may be copied and appended to other containers
`
`100 with their internal values reset, to form new containers.” Ex. 1001, 13:20-23
`
`(emphasis added). Thus, new containers are not limited to those that recently came
`
`into existence, but also are formed when they are copied with new internal values.
`
`Id. Thus, we decline to construe “new container” as limited to those containers
`
`that did not exist previously as Patent Owner suggests.
`
`6. “polling”
`
`Petitioner does not offer a proposed construction for polling but equates it to
`
`querying in the comparison of the ’682 patent claims to the prior art. Pet. 22.
`
`Patent Owner contends that the proper construction of polling is “to periodically
`
`collect data from.” Prelim. Resp. 36-37 (citing Ex. 2001 for dictionary definition).
`
`Patent Owner contends that this construction comports with the plain meaning of
`
`the term as understood by one skilled in the art and the specification, which
`
`
`
`14
`
`
`
`

`

`Case IPR2014-00079
`Patent 7,702,682 B2
`
`
`provides examples of repeated, periodic data access via gateways. Prelim. Resp.
`
`36-37 (citing Ex. 1001, 20:12-16, 20:21-32, 5:55-63, 10:44-50, 23:58-65).
`
`The ’682 patent does not use the term “polling” apart from claims 18, 20,
`
`and 22, which recite “polling” a “plurality of gateways.” The ’682 patent
`
`specification, however, discusses gateways using a time scheduler to set reporting
`
`frequency. Ex. 1001, 20:21-22. The ’682 patent also states that “[t]he gateways
`
`report the register information or make it available for collection by the data
`
`reporting and collection means” as part of the gateway process. Id. at 23:59-61.
`
`Based on the record before us, we agree with Patent Owner and construe
`
`“polling” to mean periodically collecting data from.
`
`
`
`B. Asserted Grounds of Unpatentability
`
`1. Anticipation based on Wachtel (Ex. 1005)
`
`Petitioner contends that Wachtel anticipates claims 1-23 under 35 U.S.C.
`
`§ 102(b). Pet. 13-25. Petitioner relies on the Declaration of Henry Houh, Ph.D.,
`
`(“Houh”) (Ex. 1003) to support Petitioner’s contentions.
`
`a. Wachtel (Ex. 1005)
`
`Wachtel generally discusses searching for information on databases found
`
`on clients, servers, or servers gathering information from the Internet. Ex. 1005,
`
`3:16-20, 4:13-20. Wachtel discloses a networked information sharing model using
`
`multiple databases, namely, “a shared information database, a shared category
`
`database, a shared interest profile database and a shared client enhancement
`
`database, each of which is continually and dynamically updated.” Id. at 3:16-20.
`
`Wachtel, which describes a client-server or client only model, also discloses
`
`maintaining shared databases—such as the shared category database containing
`
`categories of interest, shared interests profiles associated with clients that also
`
`
`
`15
`
`
`
`

`

`Case IPR2014-00079
`Patent 7,702,682 B2
`
`
`contain useful client categories, and shared client enhancement lists—to identify
`
`useful sources of information. Id. at 3:20-30. Wachtel further discloses a client-
`
`specific database maintained at the client that is used with the shared databases to
`
`provide access to shared search information specific to the individual’s needs. Id.
`
`at 3:30-35. The shared information is used to improve search results and decrease
`
`network load.
`
`Wachtel states that:
`
`This invention offers a method of intelligently offering and deleting
`categories from interest client database 28, intelligently offering
`information within an interest category from information database 20
`and judiciously gathering information for information database 20 for
`categories in complete category database 18.
`
`Id. at 58-63. The continuous and dynamic updating of shared databases and client
`
`specific databases residing on clients and servers, and identifying and weighting of
`
`useful resources based on history, access and preference, allows intelligent access
`
`to search information. Id. at 3:38-56.
`
`b. Independent Claims 1, 19, and 21
`
`Petitioner contends that the processes and systems that use a computer to
`
`search in Wachtel correspond to the “first container registers encapsulated and
`
`logically defined in a plurality of containers to identify identified containers
`
`responsive to the search query,” as recited in independent claim 1 and in similar
`
`limitations in independent claims 19 and 21. Pet. 14 (emphasis added). Petitioner
`
`identifies “client-based information” and various databases discussed in Wachtel as
`
`corresponding to the remaining limitations of claim 1, citing numerous paragraphs
`
`in the declaration Houh declaration (Ex. 1003) to support the description of these
`
`“client-based repositories of information” used to perform searches. Pet. 13-14
`
`(citing Ex. 1003 ¶¶ 81, 84-88, 91-103, 114-116, 117).
`
`
`
`16
`
`
`
`

`

`Case IPR2014-00079
`Patent 7,702,682 B2
`
`
`We are not persuaded by Petitioner’s contentions. Instead, we agree with
`
`Patent Owner’s argument that Petitioner fails to “identify how the disclosures of
`
`Wachtel relate to the claim or establish all elements of the claim arranged as in the
`
`claim.” Prelim. Resp. 41.
`
`Petitioner’s discussion of Wachtel refers generally to “searches,” “client-
`
`based information,” and “client-based collections of information” (Pet. 14-15) but
`
`does not identify specifically what Petitioner regards as the “first container
`
`registers encapsulated and logically defined in a plurality of containers” as recited
`
`in claim 1. Similarly, Petitioner has not identified which “client-based
`
`information” in Wachtel corresponds to the “container registers having defined
`
`therein data comprising historical data associated with interactions of the identified
`
`containers with other containers from the plurality of containers.” Id. at 15-16.
`
`Instead, Petitioner’s discussion of the various databases in Wachtel (category,
`
`shared interested profile and shared client enhancement) is vague,2 failing to
`
`identify which client-based repositories of information are the “first container
`
`registers” or how they are encapsulated in a plurality of containers as recited in
`
`claim 1 and related claims. Pet 13-14.
`
`Petitioner’s numerous citations to the Houh declaration (Ex. 1003) are
`
`equally unpersuasive. Pet. 13-14 (citing Ex. 1003 ¶¶ 81, 84-88, 91-103, 114-116,
`
`
`2 Petitioner bears the burden of proof that it is entitled to the relief requested in its
`petition. 37 C.F.R. § 42.20(c). The petition “must specify where each element of
`the claim is found in the prior art patents or printed publications relied upon;” and
`it “must include . . . a detailed explanation of the significance of the evidence
`including material facts.” 37 C.F.R. § 42.104(b)(4); 37 C.F.R. § 42.22(a)(2). “The
`Board may exclude or give no weight to the evidence where a party has failed to
`state its relevance or to identify specific portions of the evidence that support the
`challenge.” 37 C.F.R. § 42.104(b)(5).
`
`
`
`17
`
`
`
`

`

`Case IPR2014-00079
`Patent 7,702,682 B2
`
`
`117). The Houh declaration provides a limited discussion of what containers and
`
`registers are found in Wachtel. In the only testimony discussing containers and
`
`registers for claim 1, Houh states that:
`
`For each category of information stored in the client-resident
`database, there is a complete collection of that information resident on
`the server. As stored on the client database, and as stored on the
`complete category database, each collection of information will
`include data (“registers”) associated with specific results
`(“containers”) that are responsive to a query. See [Ex. 1003] ¶ 69-86.
`In addition, Wachtel shows that these stored records may concern
`bulletin boards or archie servers which provide access to other records
`through additional searches performed at those bulletin boards or
`servers. See, e.g., [Ex. 1003] ¶¶ 91-97, 103.
`
`Ex. 1003 ¶ 117. Although the Houh declaration describes multiple server and
`
`client databases used to refine searches in Wachtel, and discusses searches using
`
`Archie servers and bulletin boards referenced in Wachtel (id. at ¶¶ 81, 84-88, and
`
`91-103), Houh only identifies generally “data (‘registers’) associated with specific
`
`results (‘containers’) that are responsive to a query” as the registers and containers
`
`of claim 1 (id. at ¶ 117). The Houh declaration fails to identify which registers are
`
`the “first container registers” or how they are encapsulated in a plurality of
`
`containers as recited in claim 1 and related claims.
`
`Petitioner’s brief is vague with respect to which “client-based collection of
`
`information” in Wachtel discloses the containers, registers, and first register
`
`containers and does not show persuasively that they are arranged as recited in
`
`claim 1. Pet. 14. Petitioner’s arguments and supporting Houh declaration are
`
`equally vague with respect to what portions of the client-based information in
`
`Wachtel corresponds to “updating second container registers of the identified
`
`containers with data associated with interactions of the identified containers with
`
`the new container,” as recited in claim 1. Id. at 15-16 (citing Ex. 1003 ¶¶ 66, 87,
`
`
`
`
`18
`
`

`

`Case IPR2014-00079
`Patent 7,702,682 B2
`
`
`137). Petitioner’s references to several different client databases (e.g., the interest
`
`profile database, the client database enhancement list) fail to identify or discuss
`
`what database corresponds to the “second container registers” or show how any
`
`client databases are a part “of the identified containers” of claim 1. See Pet. 15-16.
`
`Based on the record before us, we are not persuaded by Petitioner’s general
`
`description of client-based databases residing on clients and servers and searching
`
`that Wachtel discloses or teaches “first container registers” or “updating second
`
`container registers of the identified containers” limitations a

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