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`UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
`
`____________________
`
`
`BEFORE THE PATENT TRIAL AND APPEAL BOARD
`
`____________________
`
`
`LG ELECTRONICS, INC.,
`Petitioner
`
`v.
`
`UNILOC LUXEMBOURG, S.A.,
`Patent Owner
`
`
`
`Case IPR2017-02087
`U.S. Patent No. 8,995,433
`
`
`TITLE: SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR INSTANT VOIP MESSAGING
`____________________
`
`PETITION FOR INTER PARTES REVIEW
`OF U.S. PATENT NO. 8,995,433
`(PETITION 1 OF 2 - CLAIMS 1-8)
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Table of Contents
`
`Page
`
`I. Mandatory Notices Under 37 C.F.R. § 42.8(A)(1) ......................................... 1
`
`A.
`
`B.
`
`C.
`
`D.
`
`E.
`
`Real Party-In-Interest under 37 C.F.R. § 42.8(b)(1) ............................. 1
`
`Related Matters under 37 C.F.R. § 42.8(b)(2) ...................................... 1
`
`Lead and Back-Up Counsel under 37 C.F.R. § 42.8(b)(3) ................... 4
`
`Service Information ............................................................................... 4
`
`Power of Attorney ................................................................................. 5
`
`II.
`
`Fee Payment - 37 C.F.R. § 42.103 .................................................................. 5
`
`III. Requirements for Inter Partes Review under 37 C.F.R. §§ 42.104 and
`42.108 .............................................................................................................. 5
`
`A. Grounds for Standing under 37 C.F.R. § 42.104(a) .............................. 5
`
`B.
`
`Identification of Challenge under 37 C.F.R. § 42.104(b) and
`Statement of Precise Relief Requested ................................................. 5
`
`IV. Technology Background Relevant to a Person of Ordinary Skill in the
`Art .................................................................................................................... 6
`
`V.
`
`The ’433 Patent ................................................................................................ 8
`
`VI. Claim Construction Under 37 C.F.R. § 42.104(B)(3) ..................................... 9
`
`A.
`
`B.
`
`“instant voice messaging application” ................................................ 10
`
`“client platform system” ...................................................................... 14
`
`VII. Claims 1-8 Are Unpatentable ........................................................................ 16
`
`A.
`
`Brief Summary and Date Qualification of the Prior Art ..................... 16
`
`1.
`
`2.
`
`Overview of Zydney (Ex. 1003) ............................................... 16
`
`Overview of Clark (Ex. 1008) .................................................. 21
`
`
`
`i
`
`
`
`3.
`
`Overview of Appelman (Ex. 1004) ........................................... 24
`
`B. Ground 1: Claims 1-6 and 8 Are Obvious Over Zydney + Clark ....... 28
`
`1.
`
`Claim 1 (Independent) .............................................................. 28
`
`(a)
`
`(b)
`
`(c)
`
`(d)
`
`(e)
`
`(f)
`
`“A system comprising:” (Preamble, Claim 1) ................ 28
`
`“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;”
`(Claim 1[a]) .................................................................... 28
`
`(i)
`
`(ii)
`
`“an instant voice messaging application
`including...” .......................................................... 28
`
`“...a client platform system for generating an
`instant voice message” ......................................... 30
`
`(iii) “...and a messaging system for transmitting
`the instant voice message over a packet-
`switched network . . .” .......................................... 34
`
`(iv)
`
`“...via a network interface;” ................................. 37
`
`“wherein the instant voice messaging application
`displays a list of one or more potential recipients
`for the instant voice message;” (Claim 1[b]) .................. 39
`
`“wherein the instant voice messaging application
`includes a message database storing the instant
`voice message,” (Claim 1[c]) ......................................... 40
`
`“wherein the instant voice message is represented
`by a database record including a unique identifier;
`and” (Claim 1[d]) ............................................................ 48
`
`“wherein the instant voice messaging application
`includes a file manager system performing at least
`one of storing, deleting and retrieving the instant
`
`
`
`ii
`
`
`
`2.
`
`3.
`
`4.
`
`5.
`
`voice messages from the message database in
`response to a user request.” (Claim 1[e]) ...................... 50
`
`Claim 2 (Dependent): “The system according to claim 1,
`wherein the message database includes a plurality of
`instant voice messages received over the packet-switched
`network.” ................................................................................... 55
`
`Claim 3 (Dependent): “The system according to claim 2,
`wherein the instant voice messaging application displays
`at least one of the plurality of instant voice messages
`stored in the message database.” ............................................... 56
`
`Claim 4 (Dependent): “The system according to claim 1,
`wherein the instant voice messaging application includes
`an audio file creation system creating an audio file for the
`instant voice message based on input received via an
`audio input device.” .................................................................. 58
`
`Claim 5 (Dependent): “The system according to claim 1,
`wherein the instant voice messaging application includes
`an encryption/decryption system for encrypting the
`instant voice messages to be transmitted over the packet-
`switched network and decrypting the instant voices
`messages received over the packet-switched network.” ........... 59
`
`6.
`
`Claim 6 (Independent) .............................................................. 61
`
`(a)
`
`(b)
`
`“A system, comprising:” (Preamble, Claim 6) ............... 61
`
`“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;”
`(Claim 6[a]) .................................................................... 61
`
`(c)
`
`“wherein the instant voice messaging application
`displays a list of one or more potential recipients
`for the instant voice message;” (Claim 6[b]) .................. 61
`
`
`
`iii
`
`
`
`(d)
`
`(e)
`
`“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; and” (Claim 6[c]) ................ 61
`
`“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.” (Claim 6[d]) ......... 61
`
`7.
`
`Claim 8 (Dependent): “The system according to claim 1,
`wherein the instant voice message application generates
`an audible or visual effect indicating receipt of an instant
`voice message.” ......................................................................... 64
`
`C. Ground 2: Claim 7 Is Obvious Over Zydney + Clark +
`Appelman ............................................................................................ 64
`
`1.
`
`Claim 7 (Dependent): “The system according to claim 1,
`wherein the instant voice messaging application displays
`an indicia for each of the one or more potential recipients
`indicating whether the potential recipient is currently
`available to receive an instant voice message.” ........................ 64
`
`VIII. Conclusion ..................................................................................................... 71
`
`
`
`
`
`
`iv
`
`
`
`Petition for Inter Partes Review of
`U.S. Patent No. 8,995,433
`
`
`
`Ex. No
`1001
`1002
`
`1003
`
`1004
`
`1005
`1006
`1007
`
`1008
`1009
`1010
`
`1011
`
`1012
`
`1013
`
`
`
`
`
`
`List of Exhibits
`
`Description of Document
`U.S. Patent No. 8,995,433 to Michael J. Rojas
`Declaration of Tal Lavian, Ph.D.
`PCT Patent Application No. PCT/US00/21555 to Herbert Zydney et
`al (filed August 7, 2000, published February 15, 2001 as WO
`01/11824 A2) (“Zydney”) (with line numbers added)
`U.S. Patent No. 6,750,881 to Barry Appelman (filed February 24,
`1997, issued June 15, 2004) (“Appelman”)
`Excerpts from Margaret Levine Young, Internet: The Complete
`Reference (2d ed. 2002)
`Excerpts from Harry Newton, Newton’s Telecom Dictionary (2002)
`U.S. Patent No. 6,757,365 B1 to Travis A. Bogard (filed October
`16, 2000, issued June 29, 2004)
`U.S. Patent No. 6,725,228 to David Morley Clark et al. (filed Oct.
`31, 2000, issued April 20, 2004) (“Clark”)
`Excerpts from Microsoft Computer Dictionary (3d ed. 1997)
`Excerpts from Raymond Greenlaw et al., Introduction to the
`Internet for Engineers (1999)
`Excerpts of Joint Claim Construction and Prehearing Statement filed
`on March 10, 2017 in Case No. 16-cv-00642 (E.D. Tex.), including
`Exhibit A
`PCT Patent Application No. PCT/US00/21555 to Herbert Zydney et
`al. (filed August 7, 2000, published February 15, 2001 as WO
`01/11824 A2) (as-published version without added line numbers)
`Library and date-stamped copy of excerpts from Raymond
`Greenlaw et al., Introduction to the Internet for Engineers (1999)
`(Ex. 1010)
`
`v
`
`
`
`Petition for Inter Partes Review of
`U.S. Patent No. 8,995,433
`
`
`This is a petition for Inter partes Review of claims 1-8 of U.S. Patent No.
`
`8,995,433 (Ex. 1001) (“’433 patent”).
`
`This petition is substantively the same as IPR2017-01427 (which is currently
`
`pending institution), and is being filed concurrently with a motion for joinder with
`
`respect to that proceeding.
`
`I. MANDATORY NOTICES UNDER 37 C.F.R. § 42.8(A)(1)
`A. Real Party-In-Interest under 37 C.F.R. § 42.8(b)(1)
`LG Electronics, Inc., LG Electronics U.S.A., Inc., and LG Electronics
`
`MobileComm USA, Inc. are the real parties-in-interest to this inter partes review
`
`petition.
`
`B. Related Matters under 37 C.F.R. § 42.8(b)(2)
`The ’433 patent is the subject of several pending requests for inter partes
`
`review (IPR2017-01427 and IPR2017-01428) filed by Facebook, Inc. on May, 11,
`
`2017; (IPR2017-01611) filed by Snap Inc. on June 15, 2017; (IPR2017-01634)
`
`filed by Facebook, Inc. on June 16, 2017; and (IPR2017-1801) filed by Samsung
`
`Electronics America, Inc. on July 20, 2017. In addition, (IPR2017-00225) filed by
`
`Apple Inc. on November 14, 2016 was instituted on May 25, 2017. The real
`
`parties-in-interest herein are not parties to the above listed petitions and were not
`
`involved in the preparation of those petitions.
`
`
`
`1
`
`
`
`Petition for Inter Partes Review of
`U.S. Patent No. 8,995,433
`
`
`Concurrent with the filing of this Petition, the Petitioner is filing a second
`
`petition for inter partes review, to address claims not covered by the present
`
`Petition. More specifically, the present Petition addresses claims 1-8, and the other
`
`concurrently-filed petition addresses claims 9-12, 14-17, 25, and 26. The
`
`Petitioner filed its challenges against these claims in two separate petitions to allow
`
`each petition to provide a more complete and thorough treatment of each claim.
`
`The ’433 patent is also the subject of a pending litigation involving the
`
`Petitioner: Uniloc USA, Inc. et al. v. LG Electronics U.S.A., Inc., Case No. 2:16-
`
`cv-00991-JRG (E.D. Tex. Filed Sept. 6, 2016), which has been consolidated for
`
`pretrial purposes with Uniloc USA, Inc. et al. v. Motorola Mobility LLC, Case No.
`
`2:16-cv-00992-JRG (E.D. Tex.) (lead case); Uniloc USA, Inc. et al. v. Snap Inc.,
`
`Case No. 2:16-cv-00696-JRG (E.D. Tex.); Uniloc USA, Inc. et al. v. HTC America,
`
`Inc., Case No. 2:16-cv-00989-JRG (E.D. Tex.); Uniloc USA, Inc. et al. v. ZTE
`
`(USA), Inc. et al., Case No. 2:16-cv- 00993-JRG (E.D. Tex.); and Uniloc USA, Inc.
`
`et al. v. Huawei Device USA, Inc. et al., Case No. 2:16-cv-00994-JRG (E.D. Tex.).
`
`The Petitioner is also aware of the following additional pending litigations
`
`involving the ’433 patent: Uniloc USA, Inc. et al. v. Facebook, Inc., Case No. 2:16-
`
`cv-00728- JRG ; Uniloc USA, Inc. et al. v. WhatsApp, Inc., Case No. 2:16-cv-
`
`00645-JRG; Uniloc USA, Inc. et al. v. Samsung Electronics America, Inc., Case
`
`No. 2:16-cv-00642-JRG (E.D. Tex.); Uniloc USA, Inc. et al. v. Tencent America
`
`
`
`2
`
`
`
`Petition for Inter Partes Review of
`U.S. Patent No. 8,995,433
`
`LLC et al., Case No. 2:16-cv-00694-JRG (E.D. Tex.); Uniloc USA, Inc. et al. v.
`
`Apple Inc., Case No. 2:16-cv-00638-JRG (E.D. Tex.); Uniloc USA, Inc. et al. v.
`
`Blackberry Corporation et al., Case No. 2:16-cv-00639-JRG (E.D. Tex.); Uniloc
`
`USA, Inc. et al. v. AOL Inc., Case No. 2:16-cv-00722-JRG (E.D. Tex.); Uniloc
`
`USA, Inc. et al. v. BeeTalkPrivate Ltd., Case No. 2:16-cv-00725-JRG (E.D. Tex.);
`
`Uniloc USA, Inc. et al. v. Green Tomato Limited, Case No. 2:16-cv-00731-JRG
`
`(E.D. Tex.); Uniloc USA, Inc. et al. v. Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC., Case
`
`No. 2:16-cv-00732- JRG (E.D. Tex.); Uniloc USA, Inc. et al. v. Avaya Inc., Case
`
`No. 2:16-cv-00777- JRG (E.D. Tex.); Uniloc USA, Inc. et al. v. Telegram
`
`Messenger, LLP, Case No. 2:16-cv-00892-JRG (E.D. Tex.); Uniloc USA, Inc. et al.
`
`v. Kyocera America, Inc. et al., Case No. 2:16-cv-00990-JRG (E.D. Tex.); Uniloc
`
`USA, Inc. et al. v. Google, Inc., Case No. 2:17-cv-00214-JRG (E.D. Tex.); Uniloc
`
`USA, Inc. et al. v. Google, Inc., Case No. 2:17-cv-00224-JRG (E.D. Tex.); Uniloc
`
`USA, Inc. et al. v. Google, Inc., Case No. 2:17-cv-00231-JRG (E.D. Tex.); Uniloc
`
`USA, Inc. et al. v. KIK Interactive, Inc., Case No. 2:17-cv-00347-JRG (E.D. Tex.);
`
`Uniloc USA, Inc. et al. v. Hike Ltd., Case No. 2:17-cv-00349-JRG (E.D. Tex.); and
`
`Uniloc USA, Inc., et al. v. Tencent America LLC, et al., Case No. 2:16-cv-00577-
`
`JRG (E.D. Tex.). Although the Petitioner is not a party to these other litigations,
`
`because they involve allegations of infringement of the ’433 patent, they may be
`
`impacted by a decision by the Board in this IPR proceeding.
`
`
`
`3
`
`
`
`Petition for Inter Partes Review of
`U.S. Patent No. 8,995,433
`
`
`C. Lead and Back-Up Counsel under 37 C.F.R. § 42.8(b)(3)
`Petitioner provides the following designation of counsel.
`
`LEAD COUNSEL
`Anand K. Sharma (Reg. No. 43,916)
`anand.sharma@finnegan.com
`LG-Uniloc-IPR@finnegan.com
`FINNEGAN, HENDERSON,
`FARABOW, GARRETT & DUNNER,
`L.L.P.
`901 New York Avenue, NW
`Washington, DC 20001-4413
`Tel: (202) 408-4000
`Fax: (202) 408-4400
`
`
`BACK-UP COUNSEL
`Minjae Kang (Reg. No. 67,054)
`minjae.kang@finnegan.com
`FINNEGAN, HENDERSON,
`FARABOW, GARRETT & DUNNER,
`L.L.P.
`Two Freedom Square
`11955 Freedom Drive
`Tel: (571) 203-2700
`Fax: (202) 408-4400
`
`Joshua L. Goldberg (Reg. No. 59,369)
`joshua.goldberg@finnegan.com
`FINNEGAN, HENDERSON,
`FARABOW, GARRETT & DUNNER,
`L.L.P.
`901 New York Avenue, NW
`Washington, DC 20001-4413
`Tel: (202) 408-4000
`Fax: (202) 408-4400
`Bradford C. Schulz (Reg. No. 75,006)
`bradford.schulz@finnegan.com
`FINNEGAN, HENDERSON,
`FARABOW, GARRETT & DUNNER,
`L.L.P.
`Two Freedom Square
`11955 Freedom Drive
`Tel: (571) 203-2700
`Fax: (202) 408-4400
`
`
`
`
`
`Service Information
`
`D.
`This Petition is being served to the current correspondence address for the
`
`’433 patent, Uniloc USA, Inc., Legacy Town Center, 7160 Dallas Parkway, Suite
`
`
`
`4
`
`
`
`Petition for Inter Partes Review of
`U.S. Patent No. 8,995,433
`
`380 Plano Texas 75024. The Petitioner consents to electronic service at the
`
`addresses provided above for lead and back-up counsel.
`
`Power of Attorney
`
`E.
`Filed concurrently in accordance with 37 C.F.R. § 42.10(b).
`
`II.
`
`FEE PAYMENT - 37 C.F.R. § 42.103
`
`This Petition requests review of eight (8) claims. A payment of $23,000 is
`
`submitted herewith, based on a $9,000 request fee (for up to 20 claims), and a post-
`
`institution fee of $14,000 (for up to 15 claims). This Petition meets the fee
`
`requirements of 35 U.S.C. § 312(a)(1). If additional fees are due at any time during
`
`this proceeding, the Director is hereby authorized to charge such fees to Deposit
`
`Account Number 06-0916.
`
`III. 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)
`The Petitioner certifies that the ’433 patent is available for inter partes
`
`review and that the Petitioner is not barred or otherwise estopped from requesting
`
`inter partes review on the grounds identified herein.
`
`B.
`
`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 1-8 on the following grounds:
`
`
`
`5
`
`
`
`Petition for Inter Partes Review of
`U.S. Patent No. 8,995,433
`
`
`Ground
`1
`
`Claims
`1-6, 8
`
`Basis for Challenge
`Unpatentable over Zydney (Ex. 1003) in view of Clark
`(Ex. 1008) under § 103(a)
`Unpatentable over Zydney (Ex. 1003) in view of Clark
`(Ex. 1008) and Appelman (Ex. 1004), under § 103(a)
`
`7
`
`2
`
`
`
`Part VII below explains why the challenged claims are unpatentable based
`
`on the grounds identified above. These references were not cited during the
`
`original prosecution of the ’433 patent and were not cited in the separate instituted
`
`IPR petition filed by Apple Inc. (IPR2017-00225). Submitted with the Petition is
`
`the Declaration of Tal Lavian, Ph.D. (Exhibit 1002) (“Lavian”), a technical expert
`
`with decades of relevant technical experience. (Lavian, ¶¶ 1-10, Ex. A.)
`
`IV. TECHNOLOGY BACKGROUND RELEVANT TO A PERSON OF ORDINARY
`SKILL IN THE ART
`
`As explained by Dr. Lavian, a person of ordinary skill in the art for purposes
`
`of the ’433 patent would have possessed at least a bachelor’s degree in computer
`
`science, computer engineering, or electrical engineering with at least two years of
`
`experience in development and programming relating to network communication
`
`systems (or equivalent degree or experience). (Lavian, ¶¶ 13-15.)
`
`As discussed in more detail below, the ’433 patent relates generally to
`
`instant messaging systems. The term “instant messaging” or “IM” generally refers
`
`to a technology that allows two or more people to exchange information with other
`
`users, including text, voice data, and/or files. (Id., ¶ 30.)
`
`
`
`6
`
`
`
`Petition for Inter Partes Review of
`U.S. Patent No. 8,995,433
`
`
`Instant messaging technologies date back to at least the 1960s with the MIT
`
`“Interconsole Messages” system, which allowed users to exchange textual
`
`messages over a network. (Id., ¶ 32.) Through the 1980s and 1990s, companies
`
`such as CompuServe, Commodore, and America Online (AOL), among others,
`
`released instant messaging solutions to the public, some of which became
`
`immensely popular. (Id., ¶¶ 33-36.) For example, by 2002, AOL Instant
`
`Messenger (AIM), the instant messaging service offered by AOL, had more than
`
`100 million registered users. (Id., ¶ 37.)
`
`The ’433 patent also acknowledges that instant messaging solutions were
`
`known in the art. The Background section of the patent explains that known
`
`instant messaging (“IM”) systems generally included client devices, IM software
`
`installed on those client devices, and IM servers. (’433, 2:35-39.) IM systems
`
`communicated over a packet-switched network, such as the Internet. (Id., 1:38-39,
`
`2:35-39.) The IM server maintained a list of users that were currently “online” and
`
`able to receive messages and presented this list to the users via the instant
`
`messaging software. (Id., 2:39-42; Lavian, ¶ 40.) A user could select one or more
`
`recipients and send them a message. (’433, 2:43-45; Lavian, ¶¶ 30, 41, 42.) The
`
`IM server would transmit the message to the recipients and the message would be
`
`displayed to the recipients by the IM software. (’433, 2:45-47.)
`
`
`
`7
`
`
`
`Petition for Inter Partes Review of
`U.S. Patent No. 8,995,433
`
`
`Instant messaging services typically required that the user have software (an
`
`IM client) that provides a user interface allowing a user to send messages to one or
`
`more recipients. The messages would typically be communicated to a server
`
`which would either deliver the message to the recipients, or store them at the server
`
`if the recipient was not currently available. (Lavian, ¶¶ 30, 41, 42.) IM clients
`
`typically varied in terms of what types of information they could transmit, how
`
`they indicate availability of other users, whether and how they secure the
`
`communications, and other details. (Id., ¶ 31.)
`
`V. THE ’433 PATENT
`The ’433 patent purports to describe a system and method for delivering
`
`instant voice messages over a packet-switched network. (’433, Abstract.) The
`
`disclosed system includes a client such as a VoIP telephone or PC computer
`
`“enabled for IP telephony” that is connected to a server and instant voice message
`
`(“IVM”) recipients through a network(s). (Id., 1:44-51, 2:61-3:5, 7:8-26.)
`
`In one embodiment, when a user chooses to send an IVM, the IVM client
`
`displays a “list of one or more IVM recipients.” (Id., 8:2-5.) This recipient list is
`
`provided and stored by an IVM server. (Id.) Once recipients are selected, the user
`
`records a message, such as by using a microphone to record a digitized audio file.
`
`(Id., 8:11-15.) The patent states that one or more files may be attached to the
`
`
`
`8
`
`
`
`Petition for Inter Partes Review of
`U.S. Patent No. 8,995,433
`
`instant voice message, such as by using a conventional “drag-and-drop” technique.
`
`(Id., 12:28-43, 13:35-40.)
`
`Once the voice message is generated, the client transmits the voice message
`
`to the server for delivery to one or more recipients. (Id., 8:22-30.) After receiving
`
`the IVM, the server transmits the voice message to the one or more recipients. (Id.,
`
`8:30-33.) If the recipient is “available” (currently connected to the IVM server), it
`
`will receive the instant voice message. (Id., 8:36-38.) If a recipient is unavailable
`
`(offline), the server temporarily saves the voice message and transmits it once the
`
`recipient becomes available. (Id., 8:38-43.) The recipient is notified of the new
`
`voice message and can play the audio file. (Id., 8:33-36.) If the message has
`
`attachments, the recipient can also access the attached files. (Id., 13:5-12.)
`
`This Petition addresses claims 1-8. Claims 1 and 6 are independent claims.
`
`Claims 2-5, 7 and 8 depend (directly or indirectly) from claim 1.
`
`VI. CLAIM CONSTRUCTION UNDER 37 C.F.R. § 42.104(B)(3)
`The constructions below provide the broadest reasonable interpretation in
`
`light of the specification to a person of ordinary skill in the art.
`
`
`
`9
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`
`
`Petition for Inter Partes Review of
`U.S. Patent No. 8,995,433
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`“instant voice messaging application”
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`A.
`The broadest reasonable interpretation of an “instant voice messaging
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`application” in the context of the claims of the ’433 patent is “hardware and/or
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`software used for instant voice messaging ” (Lavian, ¶¶ 48-56.)1
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`The written description of the ’433 patent does not use the word
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`“application” in any way relevant to the alleged invention. In fact, all instances of
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`the word “application” in the written description involve irrelevant (for purposes of
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`this Petition) cross-references to related patent applications. (’433, 1:4-14.)
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`Nevertheless, the term “application” to a person of ordinary skill in the art
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`typically refers to computer software for performing a particular function. (Lavian,
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`¶ 52 (citing Ex. 1009, Microsoft Computer Dictionary (3d ed. 1997), at p.27
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`(defining “application” as “[a] program designed to assist in the performance of a
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`specific task, such as word processing, accounting, or inventory management.”).)
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`The written description of the ’433 patent, however, indicates that the term “instant
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`1 The Petitioner does not contend that “instant voice messaging application,” under
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`its broadest reasonable construction, is a “means-plus-function” claim limitation
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`subject to 35 U.S.C. § 112, ¶ 6 (pre-AIA). The Petitioner reserves its right to argue
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`that this term is indefinite under the narrower claim construction standards
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`applicable in litigation.
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`voice messaging application” should not be limited to just software under its
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`broadest reasonable construction.
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`The written description does not identify any particular software program
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`capable of performing all of the functions associated with the “instant voice
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`messaging application” recited in the claims. (Lavian, ¶ 53.) To the contrary, it
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`describes these functions as being performed by an instant voice messaging client,
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`IVM client 208, which is a “general-purpose programmable computer.” (’433,
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`12:13-15.) The IVM client 208 contains various boxes labeled with functions
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`including client platform 302, which contains boxes labeled client engine 304,
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`document handler 306, file manager 308, audio file creation 312, signal processing
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`314, encryption/decryption 316, and compression/decompression 316. (Id., 12:19-
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`23.) The IVM client 208 also contains a box labeled messaging system 320. (Id.,
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`12:8-13.) Figure 3, an excerpt of which is reproduced below, shows these various
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`boxes inside IVM client 208.
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`(Id., Fig. 3.)
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`The Petitioner notes that independent claims 1, 6, and 9 recite that the
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`“instant voice message application” includes a “client platform system” and a
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`“messaging system.” But Figure 3 above shows both client platform 302 and
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`messaging system 320 sitting within IVM client 208, which is a general-purpose
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`computer, and the written description does not identify a specific software program
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`that contains those two components. Accordingly, the term “instant voice
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`messaging application” under its broadest reasonable construction should not be
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`limited to a software program, but should be interpreted more broadly to
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`encompass a combination of multiple different software programs and/or hardware
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`components. (Lavian, ¶ 54.)
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`This conclusion is buttressed by the fact that independent claims 1 and 6,
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`which recite that the claimed instant voice messaging application “displays a list of
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`one or more potential recipients for the instant voice message.” The written
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`description indicates that displaying is carried out by a hardware device - display
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`device 216 connected to IVM client 208. (’433, Fig. 2; 8:2-3 (“The IVM client 208
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`displays a list of one or more IVM recipients on its display 216...”).)2 The written
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`description does not state that any of the boxes inside IVM client 208, or any
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`software, provides the claimed display capability. (Lavian, ¶ 55.)
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`Therefore, a person of ordinary skill in the art would have understood that,
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`under its broadest reasonable construction, “instant voice messaging application” is
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`not limited to software and could include hardware such as a general purpose
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`computer and display device 216. (Lavian, ¶ 56.) Accordingly, a person of
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`ordinary skill in the art would have understood that the broadest reasonable
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`interpretation of “instant voice messaging application” in the context of the
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`claims of the ’433 patent is “hardware and/or software used for instant voice
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`messaging.”
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`2 All emphasis in quoted text in this Petition has been added, unless otherwise
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`noted.
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`“client platform system”
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`B.
`One of the components of the claimed “instant voice messaging application”
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`is a “client platform system.” In particular, claim 1 states that the “instant voice
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`messaging application” includes “a client platform system for generating an instant
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`voice message.” As shown below, the broadest reasonable construction of “client
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`platform system” is “hardware and/or software on a client for generating an
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`instant voice message.” 3
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`The written description does not use the term “client platform system” but
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`does describe a “client platform 302” whose purpose is “generating an instant
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`voice message” (’433, 12:9-10). The written description further states that the
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`client platform 302 “comprises a client engine 304, which controls other
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`components” such as the document handler, file manager, and
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`encryption/decryption. (Id., 12:19-23.) The written description does not identify
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`what “client engine 304” actually is, e.g., whether it is hardware and/or software.
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`3 The Petitioner does not contend that “client platform system,” under its broadest
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`reasonable construction, is a “means-plus-function” claim limitation subject to 35
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`U.S.C. § 112, ¶ 6 (pre-AIA). The Petitioner reserves its right to argue that this
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`term is indefinite under the narrower claim construction standards applicable in
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`litigation.
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`The written description instead provides a functional description of client engine
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`304 as performing at least two functions: (1) communicating with the server and
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`(2) performing operations required to generate an instant voice message. (Id.,
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`12:26-27, 13:17-30.) Figure 3 similarly shows client engine 304 as a nondescript
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`box within client platform 302. (Id., Fig. 3.)
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`Nevertheless, as explained above, the claimed “instant voice messaging
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`application” is composed of hardware and/or software under its broadest
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`reasonable construction. Because the claimed “client platform system” is part of
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`the “instant messaging application” in the challenged claims, the “client platform
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`system” under its broadest reasonable construction should similarly be defined as
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`hardware and/or software. Accordingly, the term “client platform system” should
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`be defined under its broadest reasonable construction as “hardware and/or
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`software on a client for generating an instant voice message.”
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`In the co-pending litigation involving Samsung Electronics America, Inc.
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`(lead case), the Patent Owner proposed to construe “a client platform system” to
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`mean “the system of the client engine which controls other components used to
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`generate an instant voice message.” (Ex. 1011, Ex. A, pp.16-17 (Term 24).) This
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`definition has various flaws and is inconsistent with the broadest reasonable
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`interpretation. (Lavian, ¶ 61.) To begin with, this definition incorrectly reverses
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`the relationship between the “client engine” and the “client platform” by reciting
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`that the “client platform system” is a part of the “client engine.” But the written
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`description makes clear that the opposite is true - client engine 304 is part of the
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`client platform 302, not the other way around. (’433, Fig. 3, 12:19-20 (“The client
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`platform 302 comprises a client engine 304, which controls other components.”).)
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`Second, the claims themselves do not recite a “client engine,” and the recitation of
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`a “client engine” does not appear to add anything meaningful to the Patent
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`Owner’s proposed construction. (Lavian, ¶ 61.) Nevertheless, as explained in the
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`analysis below, the prior art discloses the claimed “client platform system” even
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`under the Patent Owner’s proposed construction.
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`VII. CLAIMS 1-8 ARE UNPATENTABLE
`Claims 1-8 are unpatentable based on the following two grounds:
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`Ground
`1
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`Claims
`1-6, 8
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`7
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`2
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`Basis for Challenge
`Unpatentable over Zydney (Ex. 1003) in view of Clark
`(Ex. 1008) under § 103(a)
`Unpatentable over Zydney (Ex 1003) in view of Clark
`(Ex. 1008) and Appelman (Ex. 1004), under § 103(a)
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`This Petition will first provide an overview of each reference.
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`A. Brief Summary and Date Qualification of the Prior Art
`1. Overview of Zydney (Ex. 1003)
`Zydney is a published PCT application that describes a system for voice
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`communication that enables a user to send instant voice messages, which Zydney
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`calls “voice containers.” (Zydney, Ex, 1003, 2:2-3.) The system transmits the
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