`U.S. Patent No. 7,010,536
`
`
`UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
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`
`
`
`BEFORE THE PATENT TRIAL AND APPEAL BOARD
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`
`
`
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`Facebook, Inc.
`Petitioner
`
`v.
`
`Evolutionary Intelligence, LLC
`Patent Owner
`
`Patent No. 7,010,536
`Filing Date: January 28, 1999
`Issue Date: March 7, 2006
`Title: SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CREATING AND MANIPULATING
`INFORMATION CONTAINERS WITH DYNAMIC REGISTERS
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`
`
`
`Inter Partes Review No. ______
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`
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`Table of Contents
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`MANDATORY NOTICES UNDER 37 C.F.R. § 42.8(A)(1) ........................................ 1
`A.
`Real Party-ln-lnterest under 37 C.F.R. § 42.8(b)(1) .............................................. 1
`B.
`Related Matters under 37 C.F.R. § 42.8(b)(2) ....................................................... 1
`C.
`Lead and Back-Up Counsel under 37 C.F.R. § 42.8(b)(3) .................................... 2
`D.
`Service Information ............................................................................................... 2
`E.
`Power of Attorney .................................................................................................. 3
`PAYMENT OF FEES - 37 C.F.R. § 42.103 ................................................................... 3
`REQUIREMENTS FOR INTER PARTES REVIEW UNDER 37 C.F.R. §§
`42.104 AND 42.108 ........................................................................................................... 3
`A.
`Grounds for Standing under 37 C.F.R. § 42.104(a) ............................................... 3
`B.
`Identification of Challenge Under 37 C.F.R. § 42.104(b) and Statement of
`Precise Relief Requested ........................................................................................ 3
`C.
`Requirements for Inter Partes Review 37 C.F.R. § 42.108(c) .............................. 4
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SUBJECT MATTER OF THE
`CHALLENGED CLAIMS .............................................................................................. 5
`CLAIM CONSTRUCTION UNDER 37 C.F.R. § 42.104(B)(3) ................................... 8
`A.
`Legal Overview ...................................................................................................... 8
`B.
`“Container” ............................................................................................................ 8
`C.
`“Register” ............................................................................................................... 9
`D.
`“Gateway” ............................................................................................................ 10
`CLAIMS 15 AND 16 OF THE ’536 PATENT ARE UNPATENTABLE ................. 11
`A.
`Ground 1 – Claims 15 and 16 Are Anticipated by Zhang ................................... 11
`1.
`Zhang Anticipates Claim 15 of the ’536 Patent ................................................... 12
`a.
`Claim 15[a] .......................................................................................................... 16
`b.
`Claim 15[b] .......................................................................................................... 17
`c.
`Claim 15[c] .......................................................................................................... 19
`d.
`Claim 15[d] .......................................................................................................... 20
`e.
`Claim 15[e] .......................................................................................................... 21
`f.
`Claim 15[f] ........................................................................................................... 23
`2.
`Zhang Anticipates Claim 16 of the ’536 Patent ................................................... 24
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`-i-
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`I.
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`II.
`III.
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`IV.
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`V.
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`VI.
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`Table of Contents
`(continued)
`
`B.
`a.
`b.
`c.
`d.
`e.
`f.
`C.
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`Ground 2 – Claim 15 Is Anticipated by Cooper .................................................. 28
`Claim 15[a] .......................................................................................................... 32
`Claim 15[b] .......................................................................................................... 34
`Claim 15[c] .......................................................................................................... 36
`Claim 15[d] .......................................................................................................... 38
`Claim 15[e] .......................................................................................................... 40
`Claim 15[f] ........................................................................................................... 43
`Ground 3 – Claim 16 Is Obvious Over Cooper in View of Fortune and
`Veditz ................................................................................................................... 44
`CONCLUSION .............................................................................................................. 51
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`-ii-
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`VII.
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`Exhibits Cited in this Petition
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`List of Exhibits
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`Exhibit 1101: U.S. Patent No. 7,010,536 to Michael De Angelo, including
`Certificate of Correction
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`Exhibit 1102: U.S. Patent No. 6,016,478 to Qili Zhang et al.
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`Exhibit 1103: U.S. Patent No. 5,737,416 to Thomas Cooper et al.
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`Exhibit 1004: U.S. Patent No. 6,073,090 to Erik Fortune et al.
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`Exhibit 1105: U.S. Patent No. 6,496,793 to Daniel Veditz et al.
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`-iii-
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`Petition for Inter Partes Review of
`U.S. Patent No. 7,010,536
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`Petitioner Facebook, Inc. (“Petitioner”) respectfully petitions for inter
`
`partes review under 35 U.S.C. §§ 311‐319 and 37 C.F.R. § 42 of claims 15 and 16
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`of U.S. Patent No. 7,010,536 (Ex. 1101) (“the ’536 patent”).
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`I.
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`MANDATORY NOTICES UNDER 37 C.F.R. § 42.8(a)(1)
`A.
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`Real Party‐ln‐lnterest under 37 C.F.R. § 42.8(b)(1)
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`Petitioner, Facebook, Inc. is the real party‐in‐interest.
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`B.
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`Related Matters under 37 C.F.R. § 42.8(b)(2)
`
`The ’536 patent is the subject of litigation styled Evolutionary Intelligence,
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`LLC v. Facebook, Inc., No. 13‐CV‐04202, pending in the U.S. District Court for the
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`Northern District of California. The patent owner, Evolutionary Intelligence, LLC,
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`originally filed suit on October 17, 2012 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern
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`District of Texas. Facebook was served with process on October 23, 2012. The
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`patent owner alleges that Facebook infringes claims of the ’536 patent. Facebook
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`denies that it infringes and asserts that the patent is invalid. The matter was
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`transferred to the Northern District of California on August 27, 2013.
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`The patent owner has filed eight other suits against other defendants for
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`alleged infringement of the ’536 patent. See Evolutionary Intelligence, LLC v.
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`Apple Inc., No 13‐04201, Evolutionary Intelligence, LLC v. Foursquare Labs, Inc.,
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`No. 13‐04203, Evolutionary Intelligence, LLC v. GroupOn, Inc., No. 13‐04204,
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`1
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`
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`Petition for Inter Partes Review of
`U.S. Patent No. 7,010,536
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`Evolutionary Intelligence, LLC v. LivingSocial, Inc., No. 13‐04205, Evolutionary
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`Intelligence, LLC v. Twitter, Inc., No. 13‐04207, Evolutionary Intelligence, LLC v.
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`Sprint Nextel Corporation et al., No. 13‐04513, Evolutionary Intelligence, LLC v.
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`Yelp, Inc., No. 13‐03587, and Evolutionary Intelligence, LLC v. Millennial Media,
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`Inc., No. 13‐04206. These cases are pending in the Northern District of California.
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`C.
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`Lead and Back‐Up Counsel under 37 C.F.R. § 42.8(b)(3)
`
`Petitioner provides the following designation of counsel.
`
`BACK‐UP COUNSEL
`LEAD COUNSEL
`Heidi L. Keefe (Reg. No. 40,673)
`Mark R. Weinstein
`hkeefe@cooley.com
`mweinstein@cooley.com
`zpatdcdocketing@cooley.com
`zpatdcdocketing@cooley.com
`Cooley LLP
`Cooley LLP
`ATTN: Patent Group
`ATTN: Patent Group
`1299 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Suite 700
`1299 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Suite 700
`Washington, DC 20004
`Washington, DC 20004
`Tel: (650) 843‐5007
`Tel: (650) 843‐5001
`Fax: (650) 849‐7400
`Fax: (650) 849‐7400
`
`Petitioner requests authorization to file a motion for Mark R. Weinstein, an
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`experienced patent litigator and counsel for Petitioner, to appear pro hac vice.
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`D.
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`Service Information
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`The Petition is being served by Federal Express to the attorney of record for
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`the ’536 patent, Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe, LLP, IP Prosecution Department,
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`2050 Main Street, Suite 1100, Irvine, CA 92614. Facebook may be served at the
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`2
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`
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`Petition for Inter Partes Review of
`U.S. Patent No. 7,010,536
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`address provided immediately above in Section I.C. The Petitioner also consents
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`to electronic service by e‐mail at the e‐mail addresses provided above.
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`E.
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`Power of Attorney
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`Filed concurrently with this petition in accordance with 37 C.F.R, § 42.10(b).
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`II.
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`PAYMENT OF FEES ‐ 37 C.F.R. § 42.103
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`This Petition requests review of two claims of the ’536 patent and is
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`accompanied by a payment of $23,000. 37 C.F.R. § 42.15. No excess claim fees
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`are required. This Petition meets the fee requirements of 35 U.S.C. § 312(a)(1).
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`III.
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`REQUIREMENTS FOR INTER PARTES REVIEW UNDER 37 C.F.R. §§ 42.104 AND 42.108
`A.
`
`Grounds for Standing under 37 C.F.R. § 42.104(a)
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`The ’536 patent is eligible for inter partes review. The Requester certifies
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`that it is not barred or otherwise estopped from requesting IPR challenging the
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`identified claims on the grounds identified within the present petition.
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`B.
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`Identification of Challenge Under 37 C.F.R. § 42.104(b) and
`Statement of Precise Relief Requested
`
`The Petitioner respectfully requests that the Board initiate inter partes
`
`review of claims 15 and 16 of the ’536 patent, and requests that the Board find
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`both claims unpatentable. The grounds set forth in this Petition rely on the
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`following four prior art references:
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` U.S. Patent No. 6,016,478 to Qili Zhang et al. (“Zhang”);
`
`
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`3
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`
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`Petition for Inter Partes Review of
`U.S. Patent No. 7,010,536
`
`
` U.S. Patent No. 5,737,416 to Thomas Cooper et al. (“Cooper”);
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` U.S. Patent No. 6,073,090 to Erik Fortune et al. (“Fortune”); and
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` U.S. Patent No. 6,496,793 to Daniel Veditz et al. (“Veditz”).
`
`
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`Each of the references listed above qualifies as prior art to the ’536 patent
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`under at least 35 U.S.C § 102(e)(2) (pre‐AIA), because each reference is a patent
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`that issued from an application filed in the United States prior to the earliest
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`application to which the ’536 patent could claim priority. The grounds on which
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`this Petition is based are listed in the table below.
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`Basis for Challenge
`Ground Claims
`1
`15 & 16 Anticipated by Zhang under 35 U.S.C. § 102(e)
`2
`15
`Anticipated by Cooper under 35 U.S.C. § 102(e)
`3
`16
`Obvious over Cooper in view of Fortune and Veditz under 35
`U.S.C. § 103(a)
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`A detailed explanation of why each claim is unpatentable under the
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`statutory grounds identified above is provided in Part VI below.
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`C.
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`Requirements for Inter Partes Review 37 C.F.R. § 42.108(c)
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`Inter partes review of claims 15 and 16 should be instituted because this
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`Petition establishes a reasonable likelihood that Facebook will prevail with
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`respect to at least one of the claims challenged. See 35 U.S.C. § 314(a). Each
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`limitation of the challenged claims is disclosed or suggested by the prior art
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`
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`4
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`Petition for Inter Partes Review of
`U.S. Patent No. 7,010,536
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`references discussed herein. Where appropriate, this Petition identifies reasons
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`to combine the references.
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`IV.
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`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SUBJECT MATTER OF THE CHALLENGED CLAIMS
`
`The
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`’536 patent, entitled “System and Method for Creating and
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`Manipulating Information Containers with Dynamic Registers,” purports to
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`describe a system for organizing and manipulating digital information. (See Ex.
`
`1001 (“’536”).) The alleged invention is focused on the concept of “containers”
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`that encapsulate digital data, each container including one or more “registers.”
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`A container, according to the specification, “at minimum encapsulates a
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`single digital bit, a single natural number or the logical description of another
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`container, and at maximum all defined cyberspace, existing, growing and to be
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`discovered, including but not limited to all containers, defined and to be defined
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`in cyberspace.” (’536, 9:4‐9; see also 12:45‐46 (“Any container may include (n)
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`other containers, to infinity.”).) Each “container” in turn includes “registers” that
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`provide values for the container. (Id., 9:14‐19.)
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`Claims 15 and 16 recite “an apparatus for transmitting, receiving and
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`manipulating information on a computer system.” Claims 15 and 16 are very
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`similar to each other. Both claims recite “a plurality of containers,” an
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`“information item containing information,” a “plurality of registers” that includes
`5
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`Petition for Inter Partes Review of
`U.S. Patent No. 7,010,536
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`a “first register” and a “second register,” and a “gateway.” Other than the
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`“second register,” claims 15 and 16 are identical in all respects.
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`The “second register” in claim 15 provides “a representation designating
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`time” and governs interactions of the container according to the utility of the
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`information “relative to an external‐to‐the‐apparatus event time.” Claim 16, as
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`originally issued, was word‐for‐word identical to claim 15. On June 12, 2012, a
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`Certificate of Correction was issued to modify the second register to recite
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`“space” (instead of “time”) and a “three‐dimensional space” (instead of “event
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`time” in claim 15). The limitations of claims 15 and 16 are shown side‐by‐side
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`below. For the convenience of the Board, the element or limitations of claims 15
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`and 16 have been broken up and separately labeled (e.g., [p1], [a], etc.), to
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`facilitate easier comparison between the claim limitations and the prior art
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`discussed in Part VI, below.
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`Element
`Label
`[p1]
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`[p2]
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`
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`Language from Claim 15
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`An apparatus for transmitting,
`receiving and manipulating
`information on a computer
`system
`the apparatus including a
`plurality of containers, each
`container being a logically
`defined data enclosure and
`
`6
`
`Language from Claim 16
`(After Certificate of Correction)
`An apparatus for transmitting,
`receiving and manipulating
`information on a computer
`system
`the apparatus including a
`plurality of containers, each
`container being a logically
`defined data enclosure and
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`
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`Petition for Inter Partes Review of
`U.S. Patent No. 7,010,536
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`
`Element
`Label
`
`Language from Claim 15
`
`[a]
`
`[b]
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`[c]
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`[d]
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`[e]
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`[f]
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`comprising
`an information element having
`information;
`a plurality of registers, the
`plurality of registers forming part
`of the container and including
`a first register for storing a
`unique container identification
`value,
`a second register having a
`representation designating time
`and governing interactions of the
`container with other containers,
`systems or processes according
`to utility of information in the
`information element relative to
`an external‐to‐the‐apparatus
`event time, and
`at least one acquire register for
`controlling whether the container
`adds a register from other
`containers or adds a container
`from other containers when
`interacting with them; and
`a gateway attached to and
`forming part of the container, the
`gateway controlling the
`interaction of the container with
`other containers, systems or
`processes.
`
`Language from Claim 16
`(After Certificate of Correction)
`comprising
`an information element having
`information;
`a plurality of registers, the
`plurality of registers forming part
`of the container and including
`a first register for storing a
`unique container identification
`value,
`a second register having a
`representation designating space
`and governing interactions of the
`container with other containers,
`systems or processes according
`to utility of information in the
`information element relative to
`an external‐to‐the‐apparatus
`three dimensional space, and
`at least one acquire register for
`controlling whether the container
`adds a register from other
`containers or adds a container
`from other containers when
`interacting with them; and
`a gateway attached to and
`forming part of the container, the
`gateway controlling the
`interaction of the container with
`other containers, systems or
`processes.
`
`As explained in Part VI below, all limitations of claims 15 and 16 are
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`disclosed or suggested by the prior art cited in this Petition.
`7
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`Petition for Inter Partes Review of
`U.S. Patent No. 7,010,536
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`V.
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`CLAIM CONSTRUCTION UNDER 37 C.F.R. § 42.104(b)(3)
`A.
`
`Legal Overview
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`A claim subject to inter partes review must be given its “broadest
`
`reasonable construction in light of the specification of the patent in which it
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`appears.” 37 C.F.R. § 42.100(b). The claim terms from the challenged claims that
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`would benefit from claim construction by the Board are identified below. For all
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`other claim terms, the Petitioner has applied the broadest reasonable
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`construction based on the plain and ordinary meaning to one of ordinary skill in
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`the art at the time of invention.
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`As the Federal Circuit has recognized, the “broadest reasonable
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`construction” standard is fundamentally different from the manner in which the
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`scope of a claim is determined in litigation. See In re Swanson, 540 F.3d 1368,
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`1377‐78, 88 U.S.P.Q.2d 1196, 1203 (Fed. Cir. 2008). By identifying the broadest
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`reasonable construction for certain terms in the challenged claims below,
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`therefore, the Petitioner is not admitting to the correctness or reasonableness of
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`any particular interpretation for purposes of litigation, or any other purpose.
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`B.
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`“Container”
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`The term “container” is used throughout the specification and the
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`challenged claims to specify the data enclosure on which the alleged invention
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`8
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`Petition for Inter Partes Review of
`U.S. Patent No. 7,010,536
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`operates. The term is described in the following passage of the specification:
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`“The information container 100 is a logically defined data enclosure which
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`encapsulates any element or digital segment (text, graphic, photograph, audio,
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`video, or other), or set of digital segments, or referring now to FIG. 3C, any system
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`component or process, or other containers or sets of containers.” (’536, 8:64‐
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`9:2.) Accordingly, in light of this description, the Petitioner respectfully requests
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`that the Board determine that the broadest reasonable construction of
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`“container” is “a logically defined data enclosure that encapsulates any element
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`or digital segment or set of digital segments, any system component or process,
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`or other containers or sets of containers.”
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`C.
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`“Register”
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`The term “register” is also used throughout the specification and the
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`challenged claims, in a way that appears to differ from its ordinary usage in
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`computer science. The term “register” is generally understood in the computer
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`field as a storage unit used by a digital processing unit. The ’536 patent, however,
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`more generally describes a “register” as a value associated with a container.
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`(’536, 9:14‐19.) “Registers 120 are user or user‐base created or system‐created
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`values or ranges made available by the system 10 to attach to a unique container,
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`and hold system‐set, user‐set, or system‐evolved values.” (Id., 14:23‐26.)
`9
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`Petition for Inter Partes Review of
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`Registers “may be values alone or contain code to establish certain parameters in
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`interaction with other containers 100 or gateways 200.” (Id., 9:19‐22.) In light of
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`these descriptions, the Petitioner respectfully requests that the Board find that
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`the broadest reasonable construction of “register” is “a value and/or code
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`associated with a container.”
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`D.
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`“Gateway”
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`A container in the ’536 patent also includes a “gateway,” which the patent
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`describes as program code that governs the container’s interactions with other
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`containers, systems or processes.
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` Container gateways, according to the
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`specification, “gather and store container register information according to
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`system‐defined, system‐generated, or user determined rules as containers exit
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`and enter one another, governing how containers system processes or system
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`components interact within the domain of that container, or after exiting and
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`entering that container, and governing how containers, system components and
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`system processes
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`interact with that unique gateway, including how data
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`collection and reporting is managed at that gateway.” (’536, 4:58‐66.) The
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`Petitioner respectfully requests that the Board find that the broadest reasonable
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`construction of “gateway” is “code that governs a container’s interactions with
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`10
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`Petition for Inter Partes Review of
`U.S. Patent No. 7,010,536
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`other containers, systems or processes, or that can modify information within
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`containers and/or registers.”
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`VI.
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`CLAIMS 15 AND 16 OF THE ’536 PATENT ARE UNPATENTABLE
`A.
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`Ground 1 – Claims 15 and 16 Are Anticipated by Zhang
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`
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`U.S. Patent No. 6,016,478 to Qili Zhang et al. (“Zhang,” Ex. 1102) describes
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`a software‐based Personal Information Manager (PIM) that provides scheduling
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`and calendaring functionalities. (Zhang, Abstract, 4:53‐56, 5:50‐63.) Zhang issued
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`from an application filed in the United States on August 13, 1996, and therefore,
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`qualifies as prior art under at least 35 U.S.C. § 102(e)(2).
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`
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`The system in Zhang is similar in many respects to the calendaring features
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`incorporated into many popular e‐mail programs today, such as Microsoft
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`Outlook. The system of Zhang provides a graphical user interface (“Scheduling
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`Wizard”) that allows the user to create a new event such as a meeting,
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`conference call or other event. (Zhang, Fig. 5B, 5C, 11:37‐40.) The user can
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`specify the place and time for the event and the other users who will be invited to
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`participate in the event. (Id., Fig. 5D, 5E, 11:43‐61.) The user can then specify
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`certain options for the event, including the option of having the system remind
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`each participants (including the meeting organizer itself) of the upcoming
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`
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`11
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`Petition for Inter Partes Review of
`U.S. Patent No. 7,010,536
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`meeting. (Id., Fig. 5H, 12:14‐22.) “By checking ‘Page Me’ or ‘Alert Me’ and setting
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`a time,” for example, “the user can instruct the system to remind the user by
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`page or alarm.” (Id., 12:14‐17.) Zhang further discloses a Group Scheduling
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`Module (127), which includes software that uses e‐mail to communicate with
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`others, schedule events and handle responses to invitations. (Id., 5:50‐56, 10:44‐
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`52.) As explained in detail below, Zhang anticipates claim 15.
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`1.
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`Zhang Anticipates Claim 15 of the ’536 Patent
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`
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`Zhang discloses the preamble of claim 15, which recites: “An apparatus for
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`transmitting, receiving and manipulating information on a computer system, the
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`apparatus including a plurality of containers, each container being a logically
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`defined data enclosure and comprising…”
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`
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`The first half of the preamble, “[a]n apparatus for transmitting, receiving
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`and manipulating information on a computer system,” is disclosed by Zhang.
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`Claim 15[p1]
`15[p1]
`An apparatus for
`transmitting,
`receiving and
`manipulating
`information on a
`computer system,
`
`
`
`
`
`U.S. Patent No. 6,016,478 (Zhang)
`“Illustrated in FIG. 1B, a computer software system 120 is
`provided for directing the operation of the computer system
`100. . . One or more application programs, such as client
`application software or ‘programs’ 145 may be ‘loaded’ (i.e.,
`transferred from storage 107
`into memory 102) for
`execution by the system 100.” (5:25‐33.)
`
`“One application software comprises a Personal Information
`Management (PIM) System 125 which includes an Internet‐
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`12
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`Petition for Inter Partes Review of
`U.S. Patent No. 7,010,536
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`Claim 15[p1]
`
`U.S. Patent No. 6,016,478 (Zhang)
`based Group Scheduling Module 127 of the present
`invention. The Internet‐based Group Scheduling Module 127
`provides group scheduling among users connected to the
`Internet or to other commercial service providers (e.g.,
`CompuServe).” (5:50‐56.)
`
`“The system automatically invites the participants to an
`event the user schedules, and collects their replies for
`accepting or declining the invitation or for requesting that
`the user reschedule it.” (10:44‐52; see also 5:50‐56.)
`
`
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`The second half of the preamble of claim 15 specifies that the apparatus
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`includes “a plurality of containers, each container being a logically defined data
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`enclosure.” The “containers” in Zhang take the form of “group scheduling items”
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`that are stored in a group or event scheduling database (950). (See Fig. 9
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`(showing group scheduling (event) database 950); 31:60‐62.) Each group
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`scheduling item (referred to as a “GROUP_ITEM”) contains a number of fields for
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`specifying, for example, the event ID, date and time information, file attachment
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`information and other information about the event to which the item refers. (Id.,
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`18:25‐47, 18:48‐19:28, 20:1‐28, 21:1‐22:17.)
`
`
`
`A plurality of these scheduling items can exist, each defining a different
`
`event. This is shown in Figure 4 of Zhang (see chart below), which shows a single
`
`day calendar listing three different appointments and meetings. (See Fig. 4
`
`
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`13
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`Petition for Inter Partes Review of
`U.S. Patent No. 7,010,536
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`(region 450 showing plurality of group scheduling events); 9:52‐54, 61‐62
`
`(describing Figure 4).)
`
`
`
`As explained in Part V above, a container in the ’536 patent may also
`
`include program code for governing the interactions of the container. (’536, 9:9‐
`
`12 (“A container 100 contains the code to enable it to interact with the
`
`components 10 enumerated in 2A, and to reconstruct itself internally and manage
`
`itself on the network.”).) In Zhang, this code takes the form of a “Group
`
`Scheduling Module” (127), software that manages the scheduling of group events
`
`in the system. (5:50‐56, 10:44‐60, 26:52‐55, 31:9‐13.)
`
`Claim 15[p2]
`15[p2]
`the apparatus
`including a plurality
`of containers, each
`container being a
`logically defined
`data enclosure and
`comprising:
`
`U.S. Patent No. 6,016,478 (Zhang)
`“Before describing the internal methods of operation in
`further detail, it is first helpful to examine internal data
`structures which support operation of those methods. A
`group scheduling item is represented internally in the
`system by a ‘Group Item’ data structure, GROUP_ITEM.”
`(18:17‐21.)
`
`“At lines 71‐95, the method undertakes to add the event
`item to the group scheduling (event) database 950 (of Fig.
`9).” (31:60‐62.)
`
`“As shown in FIG. 4, the system provides a ‘Deskpad’
`interface 400‐‐that is, a personal information management
`interface which
`includes an electronic appointment
`calendar. . . Actual schedule events or appointments are
`displayed in the interface at region 450.” (9:52‐54, 61‐62;
`see also Figure 4 (region 450).)
`
`
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`14
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`Petition for Inter Partes Review of
`U.S. Patent No. 7,010,536
`
`
`Claim 15[p2]
`
`U.S. Patent No. 6,016,478 (Zhang)
`
`
`
`
`(Fig. 4 (region 450).)
`
`comprises a Personal
`software
`“One application
`(PIM) System 125 which
`Information Management
`includes an Internet‐based Group Scheduling Module 127
`of the present
`invention. The
`Internet‐based Group
`Scheduling Module 127 provides group scheduling among
`users connected to the Internet or to other commercial
`service providers (e.g., CompuServe).” (5:50‐56.)
`
`“The Group Scheduling module 127 uses electronic
`messaging to communicate with others to schedule events
`and book resources. Because it supports numerous e‐mail
`platforms, including the Internet, the module can provide
`group scheduling with users anywhere in the world. The
`system automatically invites the participants to an event
`the user schedules, and collects their replies for accepting
`or declining the invitation or for requesting that the user
`reschedule it.” (10:44‐52; see also 26:52‐55, 31:9‐13.)
`15
`
`
`
`
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`Petition for Inter Partes Review of
`U.S. Patent No. 7,010,536
`
`
`a.
`
`Claim 15[a]
`
`
`
`The first limitation of claim 15 following the preamble recites “an
`
`information element having information.” Zhang discloses numerous examples
`
`of information elements meeting the claim limitation. One example is a data item
`
`inside the “group scheduling item” (“GROUP_ITEM”) container that includes a
`
`“regarding” message describing the purpose of the event – in other words, “what
`
`the event is in ‘regards’ to.” (Zhang, 20:5‐8, Fig. 5 (item 541 showing textual note:
`
`“Please bring your latest budget estimates.”).) This textual message is stored in a
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`structure that is, itself, nested in and therefore a part of the GROUP_ITEM
`
`container. (Id., 18:17‐24, 19:5‐8.)
`
`Claim 15[a]
`an information
`element having
`information;
`
`U.S. Patent No. 5,737,416 (Zhang)
`“A group scheduling item is represented internally in the
`system by a ‘Group Item’ data structure, GROUP_ITEM. In an
`exemplary embodiment, this structure may be constructed as
`follows (using the C/C++ programming language, for instance).”
`(18:17‐24.)
`
`“As shown, the GROUP_ITEM data structure includes two event
`IDs: dwEventID1 and dwEventID2.” (18:49‐50.)
`
`“This [GROUP_ITEM structure] is followed by another pointer,
`lpAttach, which points to a group attachment data structure.
`The group attachment information is, therefore, nested within
`(via a pointer) each GROUP_ITEM record.” (19:5‐8.)
`
`“The next data member [of the group attachment data
`
`
`
`16
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`Petition for Inter Partes Review of
`U.S. Patent No. 7,010,536
`
`
`Claim 15[a]
`
`U.S. Patent No. 5,737,416 (Zhang)
`structure], hRegarding, is a handle pointing to a ‘regarding’
`structure which comprises the message body‐‐that is, what the
`event is in ‘regards’ to. This is followed by an integer data
`member, nRegardings, which stores a size for the regarding
`block which is being pointed to by the hRegarding handle. The
`lpMeetingNote data member is a pointer to a text block
`comprising a user‐supplied meeting note text string.” (20:5‐
`13.)
`
`See also Fig. 5F (notes 541):
`
`
`
`b.
`
`Claim 15[b]
`
`
`
`The next limitation recites “a plurality of registers, the plurality of registers
`
`forming part of the container.” Zhang discloses numerous examples of registers
`
`that form part of the container. The GROUP_ITEM structure in Zhang, for
`
`example, lists more than twenty (20) different values relating to the event.
`17
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`
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`Petition for Inter Partes Review of
`U.S. Patent No. 7,010,536
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`(Zhang, 18:25‐47.) These registers include information relating to the identity of
`
`the event, its subject, the identity of its participants, its date and time, and other
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`fields. (Id.) Additionally, as shown in the subsequent claim limitations discussed
`
`below, the GROUP_ITEM container in Zhang includes the “first register,” “second
`
`register,” and “acquire register” recited later in the claim.
`
`Claim 15[b]
`a plurality of
`registers, the
`plurality of
`registers
`forming part of
`the container
`and including
`[* * *]
`
`U.S. Patent No. 6,016,478 (Zhang)
`“A group scheduling item is represented internally in the
`system by a ‘Group Item’ dat