`U.S. Pat. No. 8,995,433
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`UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
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`BEFORE THE PATENT TRIAL AND APPEAL BOARD
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`SNAP INC.
`Petitioner
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`v.
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`UNILOC USA, INC. and UNILOC LUXEMBOURG S.A.
`Patent Owners
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`PETITION FOR INTER PARTES REVIEW
`OF U.S. PATENT NO. 8,995,433
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`Mail Stop “PATENT BOARD”
`Patent Trial and Appeal Board
`U.S. Patent & Trademark Office
`P.O. Box 1450
`Alexandria, VA 22313-1450
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`Patent 8,995,433
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`Title: SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR INSTANT VOIP MESSAGING
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`Petition for Inter Partes Review of
`U.S. Pat. No. 8,995,433
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`TABLE OF CONTENTS
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`I.
`II.
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`D.
`1.
`2.
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`Introduction. ....................................................................................................... 1
`Identification of challenge (37 C.F.R. § 42.104(b)). ......................................... 2
`A.
`Statutory grounds for the challenge. ....................................................... 2
`B. Meaningful distinction between Abburi and Väänänen. ......................... 4
`III. The ’433 Patent. ................................................................................................. 4
`A. Overview of the ’433 Patent. ................................................................... 4
`B.
`Summary of the prosecution history. ...................................................... 8
`C.
`Level of ordinary skill in the art. ............................................................. 9
`D.
`Claim construction. ................................................................................. 9
`IV. State of the Art. ................................................................................................ 11
`A.
`Packet-Switched Networks ...................................................................11
`B.
`Voice Messaging ...................................................................................12
`V. Ground 1: Claims 1, 2, and 8 are unpatentable under Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C.
`§ 103(a) over Abburi in view of Holtzberg. .................................................... 13
`A. Overview of Abburi...............................................................................13
`B.
`Overview of Holtzberg. .........................................................................16
`C.
`KSR rationale to combine the teachings of Abburi and
`Holtzberg. ..............................................................................................18
`Claim 1. .................................................................................................19
`[1.P]: “A system comprising.” ..............................................................19
`[1.1] “an instant voice messaging application including a client
`platform system for generating an instant voice message and a
`messaging system for transmitting the instant voice message over
`a packet-switched network via a network interface.” ...........................21
`[1.2] “wherein the instant voice messaging application displays a
`list of one or more potential recipients for the instant voice
`message.” ...............................................................................................25
`[1.3] “wherein the instant voice messaging application includes a
`message database storing the instant voice message, wherein the
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`3.
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`4.
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`5.
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`Petition for Inter Partes Review of
`U.S. Pat. No. 8,995,433
`instant voice message is represented by a database record
`including a unique identifier.” ...............................................................26
`[1.4] “wherein the instant voice messaging application includes a
`file manager system performing at least one of storing, deleting
`and retrieving the instant voice messages from the message
`database in response to a user request.” ................................................32
`Claim 2. .................................................................................................34
`E.
`Claim 8. .................................................................................................35
`F.
`VI. Ground 2: Claim 3 is unpatentable under Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. § 103(a)
`over Abburi, Holtzberg, and Vuori. ................................................................. 36
`A.
`Claim 3. .................................................................................................37
`1.
`Abburi and Holtzberg. ...........................................................................37
`2.
`Vuori. .....................................................................................................38
`3.
`KSR. ......................................................................................................39
`VII. Ground 3: Claims 5 and 6 are unpatentable under Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C.
`§ 103(a) over Abburi, Holtzberg, and Logan. ................................................. 41
`A.
`Claim 5. .................................................................................................41
`1.
`Abburi and Holtzberg. ...........................................................................41
`2.
`Logan. ....................................................................................................41
`3.
`KSR. ......................................................................................................42
`B.
`Claim 6. .................................................................................................44
`1.
`[6.P]: “A system comprising.” ..............................................................44
`2.
`[6.1]: “an instant voice messaging application including a client
`platform system for generating an instant voice message and a
`messaging system for transmitting the instant voice message over
`a packet-switched network via a network interface.” ...........................44
`[6.2]: “wherein the instant voice messaging application displays
`a list of one or more potential recipients for the instant voice
`message.” ...............................................................................................44
`[6.3]: “wherein the instant voice messaging application includes
`a file manager system performing at least one of storing, deleting
`and retrieving the instant voice messages from a message
`database in response to a user request.” ................................................44
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`3.
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`4.
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`5.
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`C.
`1.
`2.
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`3.
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`4.
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`Petition for Inter Partes Review of
`U.S. Pat. No. 8,995,433
`[6.4]: “wherein the instant voice messaging application includes
`a compression/decompression system for compressing the instant
`voice messages to be transmitted over the packet-switched
`network and decompressing the instant voice messages received
`over the packet-switched network.” ......................................................45
`VIII. Ground 4: Claims 1, 2, 5, 6, and 8 are unpatentable under Pre-AIA 35
`U.S.C. § 103(a) over Väänänen in view of Holtzberg. ................................... 47
`A. Overview of Väänänen. .........................................................................47
`B.
`KSR rationale to combine the teachings of Väänänen and
`Holtzberg. ..............................................................................................50
`Claim 1. .................................................................................................51
`[1.P]: “A system comprising.” ..............................................................51
`[1.1] “an instant voice messaging application including a client
`platform system for generating an instant voice message and a
`messaging system for transmitting the instant voice message over
`a packet-switched network via a network interface.” ...........................52
`[1.2] “wherein the instant voice messaging application displays a
`list of one or more potential recipients for the instant voice
`message.” ...............................................................................................56
`[1.3] “wherein the instant voice messaging application includes a
`message database storing the instant voice message, wherein the
`instant voice message is represented by a database record
`including a unique identifier.” ...............................................................58
`[1.4] “wherein the instant voice messaging application includes a
`file manager system performing at least one of storing, deleting
`and retrieving the instant voice messages from the message
`database in response to a user request.” ................................................61
`Claim 6. .................................................................................................63
`[6.P]: “A system comprising.” ..............................................................63
`[6.1]: “an instant voice messaging application including a client
`platform system for generating an instant voice message and a
`messaging system for transmitting the instant voice message over
`a packet-switched network via a network interface.” ...........................64
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`5.
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`D.
`1.
`2.
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`3.
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`4.
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`Petition for Inter Partes Review of
`U.S. Pat. No. 8,995,433
`[6.2]: “wherein the instant voice messaging application displays
`a list of one or more potential recipients for the instant voice
`message.” ...............................................................................................64
`[6.3]: “wherein the instant voice messaging application includes
`a file manager system performing at least one of storing, deleting
`and retrieving the instant voice messages from a message
`database in response to a user request.” ................................................64
`[6.4]: “wherein the instant voice messaging application includes
`a compression/decompression system for compressing the instant
`voice messages to be transmitted over the packet-switched
`network and decompressing the instant voice messages received
`over the packet-switched network.” ......................................................64
`Claim 2. .................................................................................................65
`E.
`Claim 5. .................................................................................................67
`F.
`Claim 8. .................................................................................................67
`G.
`IX. Ground 5: Claim 3 is unpatentable under Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. § 103(a)
`over Väänänen, Holtzberg, and Vuori. ............................................................ 69
`A.
`Claim 3. .................................................................................................69
`1.
`Väänänen, Holtzberg, and Vuori teachings. ..........................................69
`2.
`KSR. .......................................................................................................70
`X. Mandatory notices (37 C.F.R. § 42.8(a)(1)). ................................................... 72
`A.
`Real parties-in-interest (§42.8(b)(1)) ....................................................72
`B.
`Notice of related matters (§42.8(b)(2)) .................................................72
`C.
`Lead and back-up counsel with service information (§42.8(b)(3)) ......76
`D.
`Service Information (§42.8(b)(4)) .........................................................76
`E.
`Power of Attorney .................................................................................77
`XI. Payment of Fees – 37 C.F.R. § 42.103 ............................................................ 77
`XII. Grounds for Standing ....................................................................................... 77
`XIII. Conclusion. ...................................................................................................... 78
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`5.
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`Petition for Inter Partes Review of
`U.S. Pat. No. 8,995,433
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`EXHIBIT LIST
`
`Description
`Rojas, U.S. Patent No. 8,995,433 (filed March 25, 2014, issued
`March 31, 2015).
`File History for U.S. Patent No. 8,995,433.
`Declaration of Leonard J. Forys, Ph.D., filed as Ex. 1003 in Apple
`Inc. v. Uniloc USA, Inc., Case IPR2017-00225
`Curriculum Vitae of Leonard J. Forys, Ph.D.
`Abburi, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0147512
`(filed February 1, 2002, published August 7, 2003).
`Väänänen, U.S. Patent No. 7,218,919 (filed August 8, 2001, issued
`May 15, 2007).
`Holtzberg, U.S. Patent No. 6,625,261 (filed December 20, 2000,
`issued September 23, 2003).
`Logan et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,732,216 (filed October 2, 1996,
`issued March 24, 1998).
`Vuori, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2002/0146097 (filed
`July 23, 2001, published October 10, 2002).
`Excerpts from Microsoft Computer Dictionary, 5th ed. (2002).
`Clarke et al., Experiments with packet switching of voice traffic,
`IEE Proceedings G - Electronic Circuits and Systems, V.130, N.4 ,
`pp. 105-13 (August 1983).
`Sharma, VoP (voice over packet), IEEE Potentials, V. 21, N. 4,
`Oct./Nov. 2002, pp. 14-17 (October, 2002).
`Locascio, U.S. Patent No. 6,603,757 (filed April 14, 1999, issued
`August 5, 2003).
`Lotito et al., U.S. Patent No. 4,625,081 (filed November 30, 1982,
`issued November 25, 1986).
`Excerpts from American Heritage Dictionary, 4th ed. (2001).
`File History of U.S. Patent No. 7,535,890.
`Pershan, U.S. Patent No. 5,260,986 (filed April 23, 1991, issued
`November 9, 1993).
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`Exhibit
`No.
`1001
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`1002
`1003
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`1004
`1005
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`1006
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`1007
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`1008
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`1009
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`1010
`1011
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`1012
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`1013
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`1014
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`1015
`1016
`1017
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`Petition for Inter Partes Review of
`U.S. Pat. No. 8,995,433
`Pursuant to 35 U.S.C. § 311 and 37 C.F.R. § 42.100, Petitioner Snap Inc.
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`(“Snap”) respectfully requests inter partes review of claims 1–3, 5, 6, and 8 of
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`U.S. Patent No. 8,995,433 (“’433 Patent”, Ex. 1001). Snap is filing concurrently
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`herewith a Motion for Joinder pursuant to 35 U.S.C. § 315(c) and 37 C.F.R.
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`§§ 42.22 and 42.122(b), requesting that the Board institute inter partes review and
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`join the present proceeding with pending proceeding IPR2017-00225.
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`I.
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`Introduction.
`The ’433 Patent is directed to “instant voice messaging over a packet-
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`switched network.” (’433 Patent, Abstract.) The ’433 Patent admits that voice
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`messaging in both Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) and the Public Switched
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`Telephone Network (PSTN) was well-known at the time of the ’433 Patent. (Id.,
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`2:23.) Likewise, the ’433 Patent admits that instant text messaging was well-
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`known at the time of the ’433 Patent. (Id., 2:35.) Nevertheless, the ’433 Patent
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`alleges that there was still a need to combine these well-known concepts to
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`provide instant voice messaging over a packet-switched network with support for
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`the PSTN. (Id., 2:48-54.)
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`The Examiner erroneously issued the ’433 Patent alleging patentable
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`limitations peripheral to the primary concepts of the challenged claims. (Ex. 1002,
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`’433 File History, 15.) Specifically, the alleged patentable limitations relate to
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`storage of voice messages in a message database and compression/decompression
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`Petition for Inter Partes Review of
`U.S. Pat. No. 8,995,433
`of voice messages. (Id.) But these concepts were already applied in many audio
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`messaging and audio delivery systems prior to the earliest possible priority date of
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`the ’433 Patent, for example in Holtzberg, Väänänen, and Logan.
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`In addition, all other limitations of the challenged claims were broadly
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`applied and well-known in the industry, and there was nothing novel about how
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`those limitations were combined. Accordingly, the Petition should be granted and
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`trial instituted on all of the challenged claims as set forth below.
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`II.
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`Identification of challenge (37 C.F.R. § 42.104(b)).
`Statutory grounds for the challenge.
`A.
`Petitioner requests review of claims 1–3, 5, 6 and 8 on the following
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`grounds:1
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`1 Snap’s grounds are identical to those addressed in Apple Inc.’s instituted
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`petition in IPR-00225 (the “Original Petition”), with the exception that Snap does
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`not address claim 4 in Grounds 1 or 4.
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`Ground Statute
`1
`§ 103
`2
`§ 103
`3
`§ 103
`4
`§ 103
`5
`§ 103
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`Petition for Inter Partes Review of
`U.S. Pat. No. 8,995,433
`Prior Art
`Claims
`1, 2, 8
`Abburi2,3 & Holtzberg4
`Abburi, Holtzberg, & Vuori5
`3
`5, 6
`Abburi, Holtzberg, & Logan6
`1, 2, 5, 6, 8 Väänänen7 & Holtzberg
`3
`Väänänen, Holtzberg, & Vuori
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`2 During prosecution of U.S. Pat. No. 7,535,890, a patent to which the ’433
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`Patent claims priority, the Patentee submitted a §1.131 affidavit alleging a
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`conception date before August 15, 2003. (Ex. 1016, ’890 File History, pp. 89-135.)
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`Even if the affidavit meets §1.131 standards, which it does not, all the applied
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`references in this Petition are still prior art.
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`3 Abburi (Ex. 1005) was filed on February 1, 2002 and published on August
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`7, 2003, and is prior art under §§102(a) and (e).
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`4 Holtzberg (Ex. 1007) was filed on December 20, 2000 and issued on
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`September 23, 2003, and is prior art under §§102(a) and (e).
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`5 Vuori (Ex. 1009) published on October 10, 2002, and is prior art under §
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`102(b).
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`6 Logan (Ex. 1008) was issued on March 24, 1998, and is prior art under
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`§102(b).
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`7 Väänänen (Ex. 1006) was filed on August 8, 2001, and is prior art under §
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`102(e).
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`Petition for Inter Partes Review of
`U.S. Pat. No. 8,995,433
`B. Meaningful distinction between Abburi and Väänänen.
`The Abburi and Väänänen grounds have meaningful distinctions.
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`Abburi better teaches “storing … the instant voice messages … in response
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`to a user request,” as recited in the challenged claims. Abburi explicitly provides a
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`user with the option of “downloading the audio message for storage by the
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`recipient,” (Abburi, [0029]), while Väänänen’s disclosure relies in part on the
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`knowledge of a POSITA.
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`On the other hand, Väänänen better teaches “encrypting the instant voice
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`messages” and “decrypting the instant voice messages,” as recited in the
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`challenged claims. Väänänen also better teaches “compressing the instant voice
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`messages” and “decompressing the instant voice messages,” as recited in the
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`challenged claims. Väänänen explicitly recites that “compression and cryptography
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`methods may be employed with the data file and/or the packet stream.” (Väänänen,
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`2:12-13.) Abburi does not explicitly disclose encrypting voice messages.
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`Accordingly, the Board should institute both the Abburi and Väänänen
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`grounds.
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`III. The ’433 Patent.
`A. Overview of the ’433 Patent.
`The ’433 Patent is directed to “an instant voice messaging system (and
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`method) for delivering instant messages over a packet-switched network.” (’433
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`Patent, Abstract.) In its background section, the ’433Patent describes a known
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`Petition for Inter Partes Review of
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`“Voice over Internet Protocol (i.e., ‘VoIP’), also known as IP telephony or Internet
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`telephony,” where a “VoIP terminal device is connected to a packet-switched
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`network … and voice communication from the VoIP terminal device is digitized,
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`packetized, and transmitted over the packet-switched network to a destination
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`VoIP terminal device, which reconstructs the packets and audibly plays, stores, or
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`otherwise processes the transmission.” (Id., 1:36-44.)
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`The ’433 Patent further sets out the infrastructure already known in the art,
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`for example as illustrated in Figure 1 (reproduced below).
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`(’433 Patent, Figure 1.)
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`Petition for Inter Partes Review of
`U.S. Pat. No. 8,995,433
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`The ’433 Patent explains that:
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`IP telephony system 100 comprises a packet-switched IP
`network 102, such as the Internet, which transmits VoIP traffic from
`and to a plurality of terminal devices 104, 106 and 110. Terminal device
`104 is a VoIP softphone that is enabled for IP telephony over the
`network 102. Terminal device 106 is a VoIP telephone, which is
`connected to the network 102 via a softswitch 108. The VoIP softswitch
`108 is disposed on the packet-switched network (e.g., Internet) 102
`between an origination terminal device (such as VoIP softphone 104)
`and a destination terminal device (such as VoIP telephone 106), and
`routes packets over the packet-switched IP network 102.
`(’433 Patent, 1:53-64 (emphasis added).)8
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`The ’433 Patent further explains that instant messaging is known in the prior
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`art, for example:
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`Instant text messaging is likewise known. More specifically, a user is
`provided with a client terminal, which is typically a general-purpose PC
`programmed with instant text messaging software and in data
`communication over an IP network with an instant text-messaging
`server. The instant text-messaging server presents the user, via the
`client terminal, with a list of persons who are currently “online” and
`ready to receive text messages on their own client terminals. The user
`then uses the client terminal to select one or more persons to whom the
`message will be sent and types in a text message. The text message is
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`8 All emphasis added unless otherwise noted.
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`Petition for Inter Partes Review of
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`sent immediately via the text-messaging server to the selected one or
`more persons and is displayed on their respective client terminals.
`(Id., 2:35-47.)
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`
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`Thus, the ’433 Patent sought to combine “VoIP/PSTN voice communication
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`and voice/text messaging” and purports to provide “a system and method for
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`providing instant VoIP messaging over an IP network.” (Id., 2:49-52.)
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`The instant voice messaging system of the ’433 Patent comprises a client,
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`local and/or global servers, and selected recipients connected through a network.
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`(Id., 2:56-3:5.) At the client, one or more recipients may be selected and an instant
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`voice message is generated for the recipients. (Id.) Upon selection of the recipients
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`and the generation of the instant voice message, the selected recipients and the
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`instant voice message are transmitted over the network to the selected recipients,
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`and the selected recipients are able to play the audible instant voice message. (Id.)
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`The ’433 Patent provides for storage of voice messages in message
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`databases, which may reside on a sending/receiving client, as shown in Figure 3, or
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`a server, as shown in Figure 7.
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`Petition for Inter Partes Review of
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`(’433 Patent, Figure 3 and 7.) Messages stored in the message database are
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`represented as database records, with each record including a message identifier.
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`(Id., 12:37-40.) These messages are typically created and stored in the form of
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`audio files. (Id., 12:42-46.)
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`Summary of the prosecution history.
`B.
`The Examiner allowed the ’433 Patent because the applied references
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`supposedly failed to disclose (i) an “instant voice message system which stores the
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`instant voice messages in a database with a unique identifier,” and (ii)
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`“compressing and decompressing instant voice messages for transmission and
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`reception over the packet-switched network/Internet.” (’433 File History, 15.) But
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`storing voice messages in a database with a unique identifier and compression of
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`voice messages for transmission were well-known concepts before the earliest
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`possible priority date of the ’433 Patent. (E.g., Holtzberg, 4:6-10, Figure 3; Logan,
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`9:18-22, 40:9-13; Forys Decl., ¶¶ 107, 149.) Further, Patentee made no substantive
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`Petition for Inter Partes Review of
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`statements during prosecution that would further limit the scope of the claims
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`beyond the disclosure in the specification.
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`C. Level of ordinary skill in the art.
`Based on the disclosure of the ’433 Patent, a person having ordinary skill in
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`the art at the relevant time would have had at least a four-year degree in electrical
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`engineering, computer science, or related field of study, or equivalent experience,
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`as well as at least 3–5 years of academic or industry experience in communications
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`systems, particularly in messaging systems, data networks including VoIP and
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`mobile telephony, or comparable industry experience. (Forys Decl., ¶ 30.)
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`D. Claim construction. 9
`Claim terms of the ʼ433 Patent are interpreted according to their broadest
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`reasonable interpretation (BRI) in light of the specification. 37 C.F.R. § 42.100(b);
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`Cuozzo Speed Techs., LLC v. Lee, 136 S. Ct. 2131, 2142 (2016).
`
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`9 For consistency in view of Snap’s Motion for Joinder, this Petition states
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`the same claim interpretations herein that were stated in the Original Petition in
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`IPR2017-00225. Snap also reserves the rights to maintain or revisit claim
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`constructions in litigation and to challenge indefiniteness of all claim terms in
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`litigation.
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`Petition for Inter Partes Review of
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`“display[ing] at least one of the plurality of instant voice
`1.
`messages”
`Claim 3 recites, “wherein the instant voice messaging application displays at
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`least one of the plurality of instant voice messages stored in the message
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`database.” The ’433 Patent does not provide a definition of this claim element.
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`However, the ’433 Patent describes that “A display device 216 is connected to the
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`IVM client 208 to display instant voice messages recorded and/or received by a
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`user of the IVM client 208.” (’433 Patent, 7:19-21.) The ’433 Patent also provides
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`that “[t]he user can select the instant voice message from a listing of available
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`instant voice messages displayed on the IVM client 208.” (Id., 13:6-9.) A listing
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`of available voice messages would include information identifying each voice
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`message, for example a time received, sender, or message title. (Forys Decl., ¶ 84.)
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`Therefore, given the description provided by the ’433 Patent, the broadest
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`reasonable interpretation of “display[ing] at least one of the plurality of instant
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`voice messages” consistent with the specification is “displaying the content or
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`identifying information of at least one of the plurality of instance voice messages.”
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`(Forys Decl., ¶ 85.)
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`All other claim terms should be given their plain and ordinary meaning
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`under the broadest reasonable construction.
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`Petition for Inter Partes Review of
`U.S. Pat. No. 8,995,433
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`IV. State of the Art.
`Prior to the alleged invention, all the technology at issue in the ’433 Patent
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`was broadly applied and well known by developers of messaging systems. (Forys
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`Decl., ¶ 44.) No individual elements of the challenged claims were novel at the
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`time, and there was nothing novel about how those elements were combined.
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`(Forys Decl., ¶ 46, 53.) Further, there were no technological barriers to combining
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`these elements to form the claimed invention. (Forys Decl., ¶¶ 45-46.)
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`As explained by Petitioner’s expert, Dr. Forys, who has 50 years of relevant
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`experience, voice messaging, packet-switched networks, and voice over packet-
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`switched networks are all decades-old technologies. (Forys Decl., ¶¶ 53-57.) The
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`additional features in the challenged claims were also widely known.
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`Packet-Switched Networks
`A.
`Packet switching is a message-delivery technique in which small units of
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`information (packets) are relayed through stations in a computer network along the
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`best route available between the source and the destination. (Ex. 1012, Sharma,
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`386.) This communication technique has been in use for decades. (Forys Decl., ¶
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`54.)
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`Examples of packet-switched networks and technologies include, but are not
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`limited to, Ethernet, Internet Protocol (IP), and the Internet. (Ex. 1010, 386; Ex.
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`U.S. Pat. No. 8,995,433
`1013, Abstract, 4:57-62; Forys Decl., ¶ 55.) Some mobile technologies (e.g.,
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`GPRS) also use packet switching. (Vuori, [0039]; Forys Decl., ¶ 55.)
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`B. Voice Messaging
`The ’433 Patent discusses voice mail in the background section. (’433
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`Patent, 2:23-34.) However, Dr. Forys explains that the discussion omits some
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`salient features of voice messaging, of which voice mail is one application, for
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`example “outcall” and “notification” features of early voicemail systems. (Forys
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`Decl., ¶ 56.) With these features, a user could call into the voice mail system and
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`initiate a “notification” message that would cause a call to be made to a designated
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`phone at a specified time notifying them of awaiting messages. (Id., ¶ 57.) An
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`extension of these features enabled a user to input a voice notification in their own
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`voice via their phone and the system, and deliver this message to a list of recipients
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`at a prescribed time, including the current time. (Id.) Features such as these
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`enabled instant voice messaging years before the ’433 Patent.
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`Petition for Inter Partes Review of
`U.S. Pat. No. 8,995,433
`V. Ground 1: Claims 1, 2, and 8 are unpatentable under Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C.
`§ 103(a) over Abburi in view of Holtzberg.
`A. Overview of Abburi.
`Abburi is directed to “[a] system and method by which individuals can send
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`and receive audio messages using telephone devices and/or computer devices.”
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`(Abburi, Abstract.) The method of Figure 1 (reproduced below) depicts the basic
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`flow of creating a voice message and delivering the message to an intended
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`recipient.
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`Petition for Inter Partes Review of
`U.S. Pat. No. 8,995,433
`(Abburi, Figure 1.) As illustrated, a voice message is first received from a sender
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`for an intended recipient. (Abburi, [0021].) The voice message is stored in memory
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`while a user profile is accessed for the intended recipient to determine how to
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`contact the recipient with the voice message (e.g., by phone or sent to a computer
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`device). (Id.) After the voice message is received, the intended recipient is notified
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`of the voice message and the message is delivered to the recipient. (Id.) In some
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`cases, a confirmation of delivery may be provided to the sender. (Id.)
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`An example system for implementing this process is illustrated in Figure 2
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`of Abburi.
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`Petition for Inter Partes Review of
`U.S. Pat. No. 8,995,433
`(Abburi, Figure 2.) Computer server 202 and an interactive voice response (IVR)
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`system 208 are connected to a variety of user client devices via a widely
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`distributed computer network 210 and a telecommunications network 212.
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`(Abburi, [0023].) Widely distributed computer network 210 is a packet-switched
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`data network, such as the Internet. (Id.) Computer server 202 and IVR system 208
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`are used to send and receive audio messages between any device connected to
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`either computer network 210 or telephony network 212, “including but not limited
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`to a pager 214, a mobile phone 216, a conventional telephone 218, a desktop
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`computer 220, a handheld computer 222, and the like.” (Id.)
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`When an audio message is sent to a recipient, Abburi provides the user with
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`various options to act on the message, for example, “acknowledging receipt of the
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`message, saving the audio message on the system 200, downloading the audio
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`message for storage by the recipient, replaying, replying to or forwarding the
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`received audio message, initiating a new audio message, etc.” (Abburi, [0029].)
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`Audio message may be delivered to a recipient via audio streaming (i.e., streaming
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`data packets) through computer network 210, or alternatively the audio message
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`can be delivered as an audio file. (Id., [0032].)
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`Figure 3 of Abburi illustrates an example user device that may be connected
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`to computer network 210, such as such as desktop computer 220 or handheld
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`computer 222, for sending and receiving voice messages.
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`Petition for Inter Partes Review of
`U.S. Pat. No. 8,995,433
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`(Abburi, Figure 3.) The user device provides a user interface 306 that includes “a
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`microphone 312 by which a user can input a spoken or other audio message for
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`recording,” as well as a network interface 310 for interfacing with computer
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`network 210 and a memory device 304 that may store voice messages received or
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`to be sent and other related information. (Abburi, [0038].) When a user decides to
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`send a voice message, the user initiates this process in an embodiment through
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`input to user interface 306. (Id., [0039].) The user then provides the voice message
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`to microphone 312, which is routed through network interface 310 and comput