throbber
Mail Stop “PATENT BOARD”
`Patent Trial and Appeal Board
`U.S. Patent & Trademark Office
`P.O. Box 1450
`Alexandria, VA 22313-1450
`
`UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
`
`
`
`
`
`
`BEFORE THE PATENT TRIAL AND APPEAL BOARD
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`APPLE INC.
`Petitioner
`
`v.
`
`UNILOC LUXEMBOURG S.A.
`Patent Owner
`
`
`
`Case IPR2017-00222
`Patent 8,243,723
`
`
`
`
`PETITION FOR INTER PARTES REVIEW
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`

`
`Petition for Inter Partes Review of
`U.S. Pat. No. 8,243,723
`
`I.
`II.
`
`TABLE OF CONTENTS
`Introduction ........................................................................................................ 1
`Identification of challenge (37 C.F.R. § 42.104(b)) .......................................... 2
`A. Identification of challenge and statement of relief requested ....................... 2
`B. Meaningful distinction between Vuori and Stubbs ....................................... 3
`III. The ’723 Patent .................................................................................................. 4
`A. Overview of the ’723 Patent ......................................................................... 4
`B. POSITA ......................................................................................................... 5
`C. Claim construction ........................................................................................ 6
`1. “intercom mode” (Claims 4, 6, and 8) .................................................. 6
`IV. Claims 1-8 are unpatentable under 35 U.S.C. §103 ........................................... 6
`A. Ground 1: Claim 1 is unpatentable under 35 U.S.C. § 103 as being
`obvious over Vuori. ...................................................................................... 7
`1. Vuori ...................................................................................................... 7
`2. Claim 1 .................................................................................................. 8
`B. Ground 2: Claims 2-7 are obvious over Vuori and Malik .......................... 17
`1. Malik....................................................................................................17
`2. KSR .....................................................................................................19
`3. Claim 2: “wherein the instant voice message includes one or more
`files attached to an audio file” .............................................................21
`4. Claim 3: “controlling a method of generating the instant voice
`message based upon the connectivity status of said one or more
`recipient” .............................................................................................22
`5. Claim 4: “wherein said method of generating said instant voice
`message is selected from a group comprising a record mode and an
`intercom mode” ...................................................................................25
`6. Claim 5: “wherein said record mode is selected as a default when
`at least one recipients are unavailable” ...............................................27
`7. Claim 6: “wherein said intercom mode is selected as a default
`when at least one recipients are available” .........................................28
`8. Claim 7: “wherein said record mode comprises the steps of: [7.1]
`recording the instant voice message; [7.2] receiving a stop
`
`
`
`- i -
`
`

`
`Petition for Inter Partes Review of
`U.S. Pat. No. 8,243,723
`indicator; and [7.3] transmitting the recorded instant voice message
`after the receipt of said stop indicator” ...............................................29
`C. Ground 3: Claim 8 is obvious over Vuori, Malik, and Lerner ................... 34
`1. Lerner ..................................................................................................34
`2. KSR .....................................................................................................35
`3. Claim 8: “wherein said intercom mode comprises the steps of:
`[8.1] buffering each of a plurality of successive portions of the
`instant voice as the instant message is recorded; [8.2] transmitting
`from each successive buffered portion; and [8.3] delivering each
`successive portion to the recipients wherein the recipients audibly
`playing each successive portion as it is delivered.” ............................37
`D. Ground 4: Claims 1-7 are unpatentable under 35 U.S.C. § 103 as being
`obvious over Stubbs and Abburi. ................................................................ 43
`1. Stubbs ..................................................................................................43
`2. Abburi ..................................................................................................44
`3. KSR .....................................................................................................45
`4. Claim 1 ................................................................................................47
`5. Claim 2 ................................................................................................58
`6. Claim 3 ................................................................................................60
`7. Claim 4 ................................................................................................63
`8. Claim 5 ................................................................................................65
`9. Claim 6 ................................................................................................67
`10. Claim 7 ................................................................................................70
`E. Ground 5 – Claim 8 is obvious over Stubbs, Abburi, and Lerner .............. 73
`1. Claim 8 ................................................................................................73
`V. Mandatory notices under 37 C.F.R. §42.8 .......................................................75
`A. Real parties-in-interest (§42.8(b)(1)) .......................................................... 75
`B. Notice of related matters (§42.8(b)(2)) ....................................................... 75
`C. Lead and back-up counsel with service information (§42.8(b)(3) and
`(4)) ............................................................................................................... 79
`VI. Grounds for standing ........................................................................................79
`VII. Conclusion ........................................................................................................80
`
`
`
`- ii -
`
`

`
`Petition for Inter Partes Review of
`U.S. Pat. No. 8,243,723
`
`Exhibit
`
`EXHIBIT LIST
`Description
`
`1001
`
`1002
`
`1003
`
`1004
`
`1005
`
`1006
`
`1007
`
`1008
`
`1009
`
`1010
`
`1011
`
`1012
`
`1013
`
`Rojas, U.S. Patent No. 8,243,723 (earliest priority date December 18,
`2003; filed March 4, 2009; issued August 14, 2012).
`
`File History for U.S. Patent No. 8,243,723.
`
`Declaration of Leonard J. Forys, Ph.D.
`
`Curriculum Vitae of Leonard J. Forys, Ph.D.
`
`Vuori, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2002/0146097 (filed
`July 23, 2001, published October 10, 2002).
`
`SMSS, Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UTMS);
`Technical realization of the Short Message Service (SMS) (3G TS
`23.040 version 3.5.0 Release 1999) (published on August 16, 2000).
`
`Holtzberg, U.S. Patent No. 6,625,261 (filed December 20, 2000,
`issued September 23, 2003).
`
`Väänänen, U.S. Patent No. 7,218,919 (filed August 8, 2001, issued
`May 15, 2007).
`
`Dahod et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0022208
`(filed on August 1, 2002, published February 5, 2004).
`
`Hogan et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,619,554 (filed June 8, 1994, issued
`April 8, 1997).
`
`Logan et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,732,216 (filed October 2, 1996, issued
`March 24, 1998).
`
`Peersman et al., The Global System for Mobile Communications
`Short Message Service, IEEE Personal Communications (June 2000).
`
`SMS Forum, SMPP v3.4 Protocol Implementation guide for GSM /
`UMTS, Version 1.0 (May 30, 2002).
`
`
`
`- iii -
`
`

`
`Petition for Inter Partes Review of
`U.S. Pat. No. 8,243,723
`
`Description
`
`Clarke et al., Experiments with packet switching of voice traffic, IEE
`Proceedings G - Electronic Circuits and Systems, Vol.130, Pt. G, No.
`4, pp. 105-13 (August 1983).
`
`Oouchi et al., Study on Appropriate Voice Data Length of IP Packets
`for VoIP Network Adjustment, Proceedings of the IEEE Global
`Telecommunications Conference (GLOBECOM) 2002, V. 2, Taipei,
`Taiwan, 2002, pp. 1618–1622.
`
`Lotito et al., U.S. Patent No. 4,625,081 (filed November 30, 1982,
`issued November 25, 1986).
`
`Pershan, U.S. Patent No. 5,260,986 (filed April 23, 1991, issued
`November 9, 1993).
`
`Old Version of AOL Instant Messenger 2.1 Download, retrieved
`from http://www.oldapps.com/aim.php?old_aim=4#screenshots.
`
`Malik, Patent Publication No. 2003/0219104 (filed August 19, 2002,
`published November 27, 2003).
`
`Staack et al., WO Patent Publication No. 02/07396 (filed July 13,
`2000, published January 24, 2002).
`
`Lerner et al., U.S. Patent No. 6,192,395 (filed December 17, 1999,
`issued February 20, 2001).
`
`Stubbs, WO Patent Publication No. 99/63773 (filed June 3, 1999,
`published December 9, 1999).
`
`Abburi, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0147512 (filed
`on February 1, 2002, published August 7, 2003).
`
`Exhibit
`
`1014
`
`1015
`
`1016
`
`1017
`
`1018
`
`1019
`
`1020
`
`1021
`
`1022
`
`1023
`
`1024
`
`File History for U.S. Patent No. 7,535,890.
`
`
`
`- iv -
`
`

`
`Exhibit
`
`1025
`
`1026
`
`1027
`
`Petition for Inter Partes Review of
`U.S. Pat. No. 8,243,723
`
`Description
`
`Day et al., A Model for Presence and Instant Messaging, Network
`Working Group, RFC 2778, pp. 1-17 (February 2000).
`
`International Telecommunication Union, General Aspects of Digital
`Transmission Systems, Terminal Equipments, Pulse Code
`Modulation (PCM) of Voice Frequencies, ITU-T Recommendation
`G.711., pp. 1-10 (ITU 1993).
`
`Gayomali, C., “The text message turns 20: A brief history of SMS,”
`The Week,
`December
`3,
`2012,
`retrieved
`from
`http://www.theweek.com/articles/469869/text-message-turns-20-
`brief-history-sms.
`
`
`
`- v -
`
`

`
`
`
`Petition for Inter Partes Review of
`U.S. Pat. No. 8,243,723
`
`I.
`
`Introduction
`
`The Examiner erroneously issued U.S. Patent No. 8,243,723 (Ex. 1001, “the
`
`’723 Patent.”). The ’723 Patent is directed to an instant voice messaging system
`
`(and method) for delivering instant messages over a packet-switched network…”
`
`(’723 Patent, Abstract.) In the Notice of Allowance dated March 30, 2012, the
`
`Examiner stated the claims were allowable because the Examiner wrongly believed
`
`that the prior art failed to disclose: “applicant’s method of instant voice messaging
`
`that associates a subset of nodes with a client and transmits a signal to a client that
`
`includes a list of the recorded connectivity status for each of the nodes in the sub-
`
`set corresponding to the client…” (Ex. 1002, ’723 Prosecution History, p. 17.)
`
`However, this limitations was both known and broadly used in similar instant
`
`messaging systems. For example, Vuori describes a short voice message presence
`
`service that monitors presence information, stores the information, and distributes
`
`the information. Additionally, Abburi, submitted herewith as Exhibit 1023,
`
`provides a network where each device receives information indicating which of the
`
`corresponding user’s buddies or contacts are online and available.
`
`In addition, all other limitations of the challenged claims were broadly
`
`applied and known in the industry, and there was nothing novel about the manner
`
`in which those limitations were combined. Accordingly, the Petition should be
`
`granted and trial instituted on all of the challenged claims as set forth below.
`
`
`
`- 1 -
`
`

`
`Petition for Inter Partes Review of
`U.S. Pat. No. 8,243,723
`Identification of challenge (37 C.F.R. § 42.104(b))
`
`II.
`
`A.
`
`Identification of challenge and statement of relief requested
`
`During prosecution of U.S. Pat. No. 7,535,890, a patent to which the ’723
`
`Patent claims priority, the Patentee did submit a §1.131 affidavit alleging a
`
`conception date before August 15, 2003. (Ex. 1024, ’890 Prosecution History, pp.
`
`89-135.) Even if the affidavit meets §1.131 standards, which it does not, all the
`
`applied references in this Petition are still prior art.
`
`Petitioner respectfully requests inter partes review and cancellation of
`
`challenged claims based on five grounds, as follows:
`
`Ground
`1
`2
`
`References
`Vuori1
`Vuori and Malik2
`
`Basis Claims Challenged
`§ 103 1
`§ 103 2-7
`
`
`1 Vuori (Ex. 1005) published October 10, 2002, and is prior art under
`
`§102(b).
`
`2 Malik (Ex. 1019) filed Aug 19, 2002, and is prior art under §102(e).
`
`
`
`- 2 -
`
`

`
`Vuori, Malik, and Lerner3
`Stubbs4 and Abburi5
`Stubbs and Lerner
`
`Petition for Inter Partes Review of
`U.S. Pat. No. 8,243,723
`§ 103 8
`§ 103 1-7
`§ 103 8
`
`3
`4
`5
`
`
`B. Meaningful distinction between Vuori and Stubbs
`
`All Grounds should be instituted because there are meaningful distinctions
`
`between Vuori and Stubbs. (Ex. 1003, ForysDec., ¶225.)
`
` Vuori better teaches the “transmitting a signal to a client including a list of
`
`the recorded connectivity status for each of the nodes in the sub-set corresponding
`
`to the client” recited in independent claim 1. For example, Vuori describes a short
`
`voice message presence service that monitors presence information, stores the
`
`information, and distributes the information. (Vuori, [0043].) Meanwhile, Stubbs
`
`provides a more detailed description of the structure and functionality of a packet-
`
`switched network. (See e.g., Stubbs, FIG. 3 and 4:1-5.) The Board should institute
`
`both the Vuori and Stubbs Grounds.
`
`
`3 Lerner (Ex. 1021) issued February 20, 2001, and is prior art under §102(b).
`
`4 Stubbs (Ex. 1022) published December 9, 1999, and is prior art under
`
`§102(b).
`
`5 Abburi (Ex. 1023) filed February 1, 2002, and is prior art under §102(e).
`
`
`
`- 3 -
`
`

`
`Petition for Inter Partes Review of
`U.S. Pat. No. 8,243,723
`
`III. The ’723 Patent
`
`A. Overview of the ’723 Patent
`
`The ’723 Patent is directed to methods, systems and programs “for instant
`
`voice messaging over a packet-switched network…” (’723 Patent, 4:33-35.)
`
`As illustrated in FIG. 2, reproduced below, the ’723 Patent provides a
`
`plurality of instant voice message (IVM) clients over a packet-switched network.
`
`(Id., 6:61-7:2.) Input is provided at a sending client, one or more recipients are
`
`selected, and the instant voice message is transmitted to the recipients. (Id., 4:60-
`
`5:6) The selected recipient[s] can play the audible instant voice message. (Id.)
`
`
`
`
`
`- 4 -
`
`

`
`Petition for Inter Partes Review of
`U.S. Pat. No. 8,243,723
`
`(’723 Patent, FIG. 2.)
`
`
`
`The server in the ’723 Patent comprises a “client manager” that provides
`
`“contact presence (connection) information and message scheduling and delivery”
`
`for the connected recipient[s]. (Id., 14:62-65.) For example, when the server
`
`receives an instant voice message, if the recipient is not connected to the server
`
`(i.e., unavailable), the server temporarily saves the message and delivers the
`
`message when the recipient[s] connects to the server (i.e., available). (Id., 16:27-
`
`35.)
`
`As explained in greater detail below, the ’723 Patent is merely an assembly
`
`of elements that were known in the art.
`
`B.
`
`POSITA
`
`With respect to the ’723 Patent, a person of ordinary skill in the art
`
`(POSITA) would have a B.S. degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Science,
`
`or an equivalent field as well as at least 3–5 years of academic or industry
`
`experience in communications systems, particularly in messaging systems, data
`
`networks including VoIP and mobile telephony, or comparable industry experience
`
`(ForysDec., ¶31.)
`
`
`
`- 5 -
`
`

`
`Petition for Inter Partes Review of
`U.S. Pat. No. 8,243,723
`
`C. Claim construction
`
`Claim terms of the ʼ723 Patent are interpreted according to their broadest
`
`reasonable interpretation (BRI) in light of the specification. 37 C.F.R. § 42.100(b);
`
`Cuozzo Speed Techs., LLC v. Lee, 136 S. Ct. 2131, 2142 (2016).6
`
`1.
`
` “intercom mode” (Claims 4, 6, and 8)
`
`
`
`The ’723 Patent provides that “[t]he ‘intercom mode’ represents realtime
`
`instant voice messaging.” (’723 Patent, 11:29-30.) Thus, for purposes of this
`
`opinion, under
`
`the BRI standard,
`
`the
`
`term “intercom mode” means
`
`“a mode for transmitting an instant voice message in realtime.” (ForysDec., ¶103.)
`
`In intercom mode, the transmission of the message may begin before the message
`
`is completed (Id.)
`
`IV. Claims 1-8 are unpatentable under 35 U.S.C. §103
`
`The Petition and Petitioner’s Declarant Leonard Forys, who has nearly 50
`
`years of experience in the telecommunications industry, demonstrate a reasonable
`
`likelihood that the Petitioner will prevail with respect to each Ground.
`
`
`6 Petitioner reserves the right to present different constructions in another
`
`forum where a different claim construction standard applies. Petitioner further
`
`reserves the right to challenge indefiniteness of all claim terms in litigation.
`
`
`
`- 6 -
`
`

`
`Petition for Inter Partes Review of
`U.S. Pat. No. 8,243,723
`A. Ground 1: Claim 1 is unpatentable under 35 U.S.C. § 103 as being
`obvious over Vuori.
`
`Vuori teaches or suggests each feature recited by independent claim 1.
`
`(ForysDec., ¶104.)
`
`1.
`
`Vuori
`
`Like the ’723 Patent, Vuori is directed to short voice message (SVM) service
`
`method, apparatus, and system. (Vuori, Title.) More specifically, Vuori provides
`
`method for sending a SVM, which is “recorded in the sending terminal and sent to
`
`a SVM service center (SVMSC)” the “second terminal may then commence a
`
`bidirectional communication so that an instant voice message session can be
`
`established.” (Id., Abstract.)
`
`Vuori provides a method “where the sender first determines whether the
`
`intended recipient is available by means of a presence service and the intended
`
`recipient has effectively acquiesced to availability by previously joining a ‘buddy
`
`list’ or otherwise subscribing to the service.” (Id., [0035].)
`
`Vuori’s SVMSC is “able to check the availability of the second terminal by
`
`means 322 for checking such availability.” (Id.) Like the ’723 Patent, if the
`
`“second terminal is available, the SVMSC immediately sends the received voice
`
`message to the second terminal by means 324.” (Vuori, [0050].) If the recipient is
`
`determined unavailable, the voice message “may be stored temporarily in a means
`
`
`
`- 7 -
`
`

`
`Petition for Inter Partes Review of
`U.S. Pat. No. 8,243,723
`326 for storing short voice messages in the SVMC until it is determined that the
`
`second terminal is available.” (Id., [0051].)
`
`2.
`
`Claim 1
`
`[1.P]: “A method for instant voice messaging over a
`a)
`packet-switched network”
`
`Vuori is directed to a method for sending “a short voice message (SVM).”
`
`(Vuori, Abstract.) The SVM is recorded in the sending terminal and sent to a SVM
`
`service center (SVMSC). (Id.) After accepting the receipt of a message, a “second
`
`terminal may then commence a bidirectional communication so that an instant
`
`voice message session can be established” across a packet-switched network. (Id.
`
`(emphasis added7).) For example, Vuori additionally provides that its messaging
`
`system may be carried out over “a packet-based infrastructure via the General
`
`Packet Radio Service
`
`(GPRS) and subsequently
`
`the Universal Mobile
`
`Telecommunications System (UMTS).” (Id., [0039].) Vuori teaches using a
`
`packet-based infrastructure to carry out the bidirectional instant voice messaging
`
`sessions. (ForysDec., ¶108.) Thus, Vuori teaches or suggests this limitation. (Id.,
`
`¶109.)
`
`
`7 Unless otherwise noted, any emphasis in a citation has been added.
`
`
`
`- 8 -
`
`

`
`Petition for Inter Partes Review of
`U.S. Pat. No. 8,243,723
`[1.1]: “monitoring a connectivity status of nodes
`b)
`within the packet-switched network, said connectivity status
`being available and unavailable”
`
`The ’723 Patent acknowledges that monitoring connectivity status within a
`
`packet network was a known concept. (’723 Patent, 2:30-42; §110.)
`
`As illustrated in FIG. 7, reproduced below, Vuori describes an SVM
`
`presence service “adapted to keep track of ‘presence’ of SVM service users and
`
`principals interact with such an adapted system via an SVM presence UA 276 and
`
`an SVM watcher UA 278.” (Vuori, [0046].) Vuori relies on the Internet Standard,
`
`IETF RFC 2778 (Ex. 1025, RFC 2778) entitled “A Model for Presence and Instant
`
`Messaging” dated February 2000. (Vuori, [0043]). Thus, systems providing
`
`presence information were known in the art. (ForysDec., ¶70 and ¶111.)
`
`(Vuori, FIG. 7.)
`
`
`
`FIG. 10, reproduced below, illustrates that Vuori’s presence information
`
`comprises a number of elements, “[e]ach such element comprises a status marker
`
`298, 300 (which might convey information such as on-line/off-line/busy/away/do
`
`not disturb), … and optional other presence markups 306, 308.” (Vuori, [0047].)
`
`
`
`- 9 -
`
`

`
`Petition for Inter Partes Review of
`U.S. Pat. No. 8,243,723
`Vuori continues, “[s]tatus 298, 300 is further defined, as guided by the model to
`
`have at least two states that interact with instant message delivery—open
`
`[available], in which short voice messages will be accepted, and closed
`
`[unavailable], in which short voice messages will not be accepted.” (Id., [0047];
`
`ForysDec., ¶83.) FIG. 10 is a copy of Fig. 5 of the aforementioned RFC 2778.
`
`(ForysDec., ¶112.)
`
`(Vuori, FIG. 10.)
`
`
`
`
`
`- 10 -
`
`

`
`Petition for Inter Partes Review of
`U.S. Pat. No. 8,243,723
`The foregoing portions and Figures illustrate how Vuori tracked the
`
`
`
`presence, or connectivity status, of its users. (ForysDec., ¶112.) By tracking
`
`whether a user was on-line/off-line/busy/away/do not disturb, these presence
`
`markers indicate whether the user is connected to the packet-switched network.
`
`(Vuori, [0047]; ForysDec., ¶112.) Further, status 298, 300 “open” and “closed”
`
`mean available and unavailable, respectively. (Vuori, [0047]; ForysDec., ¶112.)
`
`Thus, Vuori teaches or suggests this limitation. (ForysDec., ¶113.)
`
`[1.2]: “recording the connectivity status for each of
`c)
`the nodes”
`
`Vuori provides that its SVM presence service “serves to accept SVM
`
`presence information e.g. on a line 250, store it, and distribute it, e.g., on a line
`
`252. An SVM presentity 254 is a client that provides the presence information on
`
`the line 250 to be stored and distributed.” (Vuori, [0043].) Vuori explicitly teaches
`
`storing the presence information. (ForysDec., ¶115.) Vuori thus teaches or suggests
`
`this limitation. (Id., ¶116.)
`
`d)
`
`[1.3]: “associating a sub-set of the nodes with a client”
`
`The term “client” means “a computing device capable of transmitting voice
`
`data over a network.” (ForysDec., ¶117.) Thus, the ’723 Patent “contact list” is an
`
`example of such an association. (Id.) Vuori teaches or suggests associating a sub-
`
`set of the nodes with a client through his disclosure of a “buddy list.” (Id., ¶118.)
`
`
`
`- 11 -
`
`

`
`Petition for Inter Partes Review of
`U.S. Pat. No. 8,243,723
`For example, Vuori provides that in an instant messaging context, “the
`
`sender first determines whether the intended recipient is available by means of a
`
`presence service and the intended recipient has effectively acquiesced to
`
`availability by previously joining a ʻbuddy list’ or otherwise subscribing to the
`
`service.” (Vuori, [0035].)
`
`Further, as illustrated in FIG. 3, reproduced below and annotated to highlight
`
`the plurality of clients and sub-set of nodes, Vuori provides that “GSM Network
`
`Subsystem 56… is connected to a base station subsystem (BSS) 68 as well other
`
`base station subsystems 70 for communication with a plurality of mobile stations,
`
`the figure showing only one mobile station 72 for convenience.” (Vuori, [0037].)
`
`Vuori continues, “[t]he BSS 68 includes one or more base transceiver stations
`
`(BTS) 74…” (Id.)
`
`
`
`- 12 -
`
`

`
`Petition for Inter Partes Review of
`U.S. Pat. No. 8,243,723
`
`
`
`(Vuori, FIG. 3, annotated.)
`
`
`
`The illustrated mobile stations are computing devices capable of transmitting
`
`voice data over a network. (ForysDec., ¶120.) So, the illustrated mobile stations are
`
`clients, as recited in claim 1. Thus, Vuori teaches or suggests this limitation. (Id.)
`
`[1.4]: “transmitting a signal to a client including a list
`e)
`of the recorded connectivity status for each of the nodes in
`the sub-set corresponding to the client”
`
`Vuori provides that in an instant messaging context, “the sender first
`
`determines whether the intended recipient is available by means of a presence
`
`service and the intended recipient has effectively acquiesced to availability by
`
`previously joining a ‘buddy list’ or otherwise subscribing to the service.” (Vuori,
`
`
`
`- 13 -
`
`

`
`Petition for Inter Partes Review of
`U.S. Pat. No. 8,243,723
`[0035].) Vuori teaches a buddy list that would have been available to a potential
`
`sender. (ForysDec., ¶124.) According to Vuori, when a user joins a buddy list, he
`
`or she acquiesces to availability. (Id.) More specifically, by joining Vuori’s buddy
`
`list, a user allows his/her presence information (i.e., connectivity) to be transmitted
`
`to all of the nodes associated with that user’s buddy list. (Id.)
`
`Vuori tracks presence information including information such as whether a
`
`user is on-line/off-line/busy/away/do not disturb. (Vuori, [0047]; §IV.A.2.b.)
`
`Vuori additionally provides:
`
`An SVM presence service 248 serves to accept SVM presence
`information e.g. on a line 250, store it, and distribute it, e.g., on a line
`252. An SVM presentity 254 is a client that provides the presence
`information on the line 250 to be stored and distributed. Another set
`of clients called SVM watchers such as an SVM watcher 256 in FIG.
`7, receives SVM presence information on the line 252 from the SVM
`presence service 248.
`
`(Id., [0043].)
`
`
`
`Vuori
`
`teaches distributing
`
`the presence
`
`information. (Dec., ¶125.)
`
`Distributing connectivity information “on a line” means to distribute the
`
`information to other users connected to the network. (Id.) Vuori’s data
`
`transmission would have be transmitted over an electrical signal. (Id.) Thus, Vuori
`
`teaches or suggests this limitation. (Id., ¶126.)
`
`
`
`- 14 -
`
`

`
`Petition for Inter Partes Review of
`U.S. Pat. No. 8,243,723
`[1.5]: “receiving an instant voice message having one
`f)
`or more recipients”
`
`Vuori provides that the SVMSC includes “means 320 for receiving an SVM
`
`from the first terminal spoken by the first user intended by the first user for
`
`delivery to the second user at the second terminal.” (Vuori, [0050].) Further, Vuori
`
`provides that a user manipulates “the menu key to select one or more intended
`
`recipients.” (Id., [0033].) Vuori teaches that its SVMSC receives a short voice
`
`message from a first terminal. (ForysDec., ¶128.) Thus, Vuori teaches or suggests
`
`this limitation. (Id., ¶129.)
`
`[1.6]: “delivering the instant voice message to the one
`g)
`or more recipients over a packet-switched network”
`
`Vuori provides that the SVMSC receives an SVM user intended for delivery
`
`to the second user. (Vuori, [0050]; §IV.A.2.f.) Further, Vuori’s system may use
`
`packet-based infrastructure for delivering messages. (Vuori, [0039]; §IV.A.2.a.)
`
`Vuori additionally provides that “[a]ssuming the recipient 32 decides to
`
`accept the SVM, a step 36 is executed in which the short voice message service
`
`center provides delivery of the SVM to the recipient for playback...” (Vuori,
`
`[0035].) The short voice messages are delivered over the packet-switched network.
`
`(ForysDec., ¶132.) Thus, Vuori teaches or suggests this limitation. (Id., ¶133.)
`
`
`
`- 15 -
`
`

`
`Petition for Inter Partes Review of
`U.S. Pat. No. 8,243,723
`[1.7]: “temporarily storing the instant voice message
`h)
`if a recipient is unavailable”
`
`This limitation recites an operation that was used in SMS messaging for
`
`many years prior to the ’723 Patent. (ForysDec., ¶134.) Vuori provides that the
`
`“voice message may be stored temporarily in a means 326 for storing short voice
`
`messages in the SVMC until it is determined that the second terminal is
`
`available.” (Vuori, [0051].) Vuori stores short messages until it is determined that
`
`the second terminal is available means storing the instant voice message if the
`
`recipient is unavailable, as claimed. (ForysDec., ¶135.) Thus, Vuori teaches or
`
`suggests this limitation. (Id., ¶136.)
`
`[1.8]: “delivering the stored instant voice message to
`i)
`the recipient once the recipient becomes available”
`
`This limitation also recites an operation that was used in SMS messaging for
`
`many years prior to the ’723 Patent. (ForysDec., ¶137.) For example, Vuori
`
`provides that the SVMSC “determines the availability of the one or more intended
`
`recipients… [and] may then send the SVM immediately to those intended
`
`recipients who are available and continue attempting to send to those not then
`
`available until they become available...” (Vuori, [0034].) Vuori further discloses
`
`that the “voice message may be stored temporarily in a means 326 for storing short
`
`voice messages in the SVMC until it is determined that the second terminal is
`
`available.” (Id., [0051].) Vuori stores the instant voice message until the user
`
`
`
`- 16 -
`
`

`
`Petition for Inter Partes Review of
`U.S. Pat. No. 8,243,723
`becomes available for a later delivery. (Id., [0035]; ForysDec. ¶¶138-139;
`
`§IV.A.2.h.) Thus, Vuori teaches or suggests this limitation. (ForysDec., ¶140.)
`
`B. Ground 2: Claims 2-7 are obvious over Vuori and Malik
`
`The combination of Vuori and Malik teaches or suggests each feature recited
`
`by claims 2-7. (ForysDec., ¶141.) Combining Vuori and Malik would have been
`
`obvious because the combination would have merely involved combining known
`
`methods to produce predictable results having a reasonable expectation of success.
`
`(Id.)
`
`1. Malik
`
`Malik relates to sending voice instant messages (VIMs). (Malik, Abstract.)
`
`FIG. 3 of Malik, reproduced below, illustrates a voice message delivery system.
`
`
`
`- 17 -
`
`

`
`Petition for Inter Partes Review of
`U.S. Pat. No. 8,243,723
`
`
`
`(Malik, FIG. 3.)
`
`In FIG. 3, voice instant message (“VIM”) client 320 (“client”) of the second
`
`user is the sender, and VIM client 310 (“recipient”) of the first user is the receiver.
`
`(Id., [0025].) VIM clients 310 and 320 communicate with VIM server 330 via the
`
`Internet or some other communication network 325. (Id., [0026].) VIM client 320
`
`receives a request or prompt by the second user to send an instant message to the
`
`first user. (Id., [0032].) After VIM client 320 starts a voice record to generate a
`
`VIM (Id., [0033]-[0034]), VIM client 320 then sends the VIM to VIM server 330.
`
`(Id., [0035].) VIM server 330 stores the VIM in a VIM queue, and if the first user
`
`
`
`- 18 -
`
`

`
`Petition for Inter Partes Review of
`U.S. Pat. No. 8,243,723
`(i.e., receiver) is available, VIM server 330 delivers the VIM to VIM client 310.
`
`(Id.) If the first user is offline, but later changes from offline to online, VIM server
`
`delivers the stored VIM to VIM client 310 of the first user. (Id., [0036].)
`
`2. KSR
`
`Regarding claim/features 2, 3, 4, and 6 discussed below, a POSITA would
`
`have found it obvious to enhance the system of Vuori by implementing Malik’s
`
`method for including a descriptive caption and the voice recording in an instant
`
`message to aid the recipient in understanding the contents of a voice message.
`
`(Malik, [0034]; ForysDec., ¶146.) Combining Vuori and Malik would have been
`
`obvious to a POSITA because the combination would have merely involved
`
`combining known methods to produce predictable results having a reasonable
`
`expectation of success and each system would continue to function as intended.
`
`See KSR Intern. Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S. 398, 417 (2007); (ForysDec., ¶146).
`
`Like the ’723 Patent, both Vuori and Malik are directed to methods and
`
`systems for generating and delivering voice messages. (Vuori, Title; Malik, Title.)
`
`Furthermore, both Vuori and Malik associate terminals, mobile stations, or mobile
`
`devices and seek to provide systems and methods for facilitating instant voice
`
`communications between nodes over a packetized network. (Vuori, [0035]

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