throbber
Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 8,407,609
`
`UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
`
`BEFORE THE PATENT TRIAL AND APPEAL BOARD
`
`Sling TV L.L.C.
`Petitioner,
`
`v.
`
`Uniloc 2017 LLC
`Patent Owner.
`
`IPR No.: IPR2019-01367
`Attorney Docket No.: 081841.0123
`
`PETITION FOR INTER PARTES REVIEW OF
`U.S. PATENT NO. 8,407,609
`
`Mail Stop PATENT BOARD
`Patent Trial and Appeal Board
`United States Patent and Trademark Office
`PO Box 1450
`Alexandria, Virginia 22313-1450
`
`Submitted Electronically via the Patent Trial and Appeal Board End to End
`System
`
`

`

`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 8,407,609
`
`TABLE OF CONTENTS
`
`I.
`
`MANDATORY NOTICES UNDER 37 C.F.R. 42.8(a)(1) ........................ v
`A.
`Real Party-in-Interest under 37 C.F.R. 42.8(b)(1) ............................... v
`B.
`Related Matters under 37 C.F.R. 42.8(b)(2) ........................................ v
`C.
`Lead and Back-Up Counsel under 37 C.F.R. 42.8(b)(3) .................... vi
`D.
`Service Information under 37 C.F.R. 42.8(b)(4) ................................. vi
`INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................ 1
`II.
`III. PAYMENT OF FEES .................................................................................. 1
`IV. REQUIREMENTS UNDER 37 C.F.R. 42.104 ........................................... 1
`A.
`Grounds for Standing ........................................................................... 1
`B.
`Identification of Challenge and Statement of Precise Relief
`Requested ............................................................................................. 2
`BACKGROUND OF THE TECHNOLOGY ............................................. 2
`A. Web Page and Internet Technology ..................................................... 2
`B.
`Applets .................................................................................................. 3
`SUMMARY OF THE ’609 PATENT ......................................................... 3
`A.
`The Alleged Invention .......................................................................... 3
`B.
`Relevant Prosecution History ............................................................... 4
`VII. SUMMARY OF THE PRIOR ART ........................................................... 6
`A.
`The Knowledge of a POSA .................................................................. 6
`B.
`Prior Art in this Petition ....................................................................... 6
`VIII. LEVEL OF ORDINARY SKILL IN THE ART ....................................... 7
`IX. CLAIM CONSTRUCTION UNDER 37 C.F.R. 42.104(B)(3) .................. 7
`A.
`“applet” (Claim 1) ................................................................................ 7
`B.
`“computer system” (Claim 1) ............................................................... 8
`C.
`Timing-related limitations (Claim 1) ................................................... 9
`THE ASSERTED GROUNDS OF INVALIDITY .................................. 11
`A.
`Ground 1: U.S. 2004/0254887 (“Jacoby”) in view of U.S.
`5,732,218 (“Bland”) renders claims 1-3 obvious under 35
`U.S.C. §103 ........................................................................................ 11
`
`V.
`
`VI.
`
`X.
`
`ii
`
`

`

`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 8,407,609
`
`B.
`
`Ground 2: PCT WO01/89195 (“Mcternan”) in view of EP
`939,516 (“Robinson”) renders claims 1-3 obvious under 35
`U.S.C. §103 ........................................................................................ 40
`C. Motivation to Combine ...................................................................... 64
`
`iii
`
`

`

`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 8,407,609
`
`PETITIONER’S EXHIBIT LIST
`
`Ex. No.1
`
`Description of Documents
`
`1001
`
`1002
`
`1003
`
`1004
`
`1005
`
`1006
`
`1007
`
`1008
`
`1009
`
`1010
`
`1011
`
`U.S. Patent No. 8,407,609 (“the ’609 Patent”)
`
`Declaration of Dr. James A. Storer
`
`Curriculum Vitae of Dr. James A. Storer (“Storer CV”)
`
`File History for U.S. Patent No. 8,407,609 (“the ’609 File History”)
`
`First Amended Complaint, Uniloc 2017 LLC v. Sling TV L.L.C., Case
`No. 1:19-cv-00278-RBJ-MEH, Dkt. No. 37 (Apr. 10, 2019) (“FAC”)
`
`U.S. Patent Application Pub. No. 2004/0254887 to Jacoby (“Jacoby”)
`
`PCT Pub. No. WO01/89195 to Mcternan et al. (“Mcternan”)
`
`EP Patent Application Pub. No. 939,516 to Robinson et al.
`(“Robinson”)
`
`U.S. Patent No. 5,732,218 to Bland et al. (“Bland”)
`
`Gralla, How the Internet Works, Millennium Edition, Que 1999
`(“Gralla”)
`
`Bruce R. Maxim et al., The Internet Encyclopedia (Hossein Bidgoli ed.,
`John Wiley & Sons Inc. 2004) (“Bidgoli”)
`
`1012
`
`U.S. Patent Application Pub. No. 2002/0198781 to Cobley (“Cobley”)
`
`1 Citations to exhibits 1001, 1007, 1009, and 1012 are made by column and line
`
`number; citations to exhibits 1002, 1005, 1006, and 1008 are made by paragraph
`
`number; citations to the other exhibits are made with reference to the Bates-
`
`stamped pagination.
`
`iv
`
`

`

`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 8,407,609
`
`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)
`
`Sling TV L.L.C. (“Sling”) is the petitioner. Sling is directly or indirectly
`
`owned by the following direct or indirect owners: Sling TV Holding L.L.C., DISH
`
`Network L.L.C., DISH Technologies L.L.C., and DISH Network Corporation.
`
`B.
`
`Related Matters under 37 C.F.R. 42.8(b)(2)
`
`The ’609 Patent is the subject of five pending district court cases. The ’609
`
`Patent was also involved in an additional five district court cases that have been
`
`terminated. These ten cases are listed below:
`
` Uniloc 2017, LLC v. Sling TV, LLC,
`Case No. 1:19-cv-00278, District of Colorado (Pending)
`
` Uniloc 2017 LLC v. Netflix, Inc.,
`Case No. 8-18-cv-01899, Central District of California (Terminated)
`
` Uniloc 2017 LLC et al v. American Broadcasting Companies, Inc.
`Case No. 8-18-cv-01930, Central District of California (Terminated)
`
` Uniloc 2017 LLC et al v. Google LLC
`Case No. 2-18-cv-00456, Eastern District of Texas (Terminated)
`
` Uniloc 2017 LLC et al v. Google LLC
`Case No. 2-18-cv-00502, Eastern District of Texas (Pending)
`
` Uniloc 2017 LLC v. Netflix, Inc.
`Case No. 8-18-cv-02055, Central District of California (Terminated)
`
` Uniloc 2017 LLC v. American Broadcasting Companies, Inc.
`Case No. 8-18-cv-02056, Central District of California (Pending)
`
` Uniloc 2017 LLC v. Roku, Inc.
`Case No. 1-18-cv-01126, Western District of Texas (Terminated)
`
`v
`
`

`

`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 8,407,609
`
` Uniloc 2017 LLC v. Vudu, Inc.
`Case No. 1-19-cv-00183, District of Delaware (Pending)
`
` Uniloc 2017 LLC v. Roku, Inc.
`Case No. 8-19-cv-00295, Central District of California (Pending)
`
`C.
`
`Lead and Back-Up Counsel under 37 C.F.R. 42.8(b)(3)
`
`Petitioner designates the following: Lead Counsel is Eliot D. Williams
`
`(Reg. No. 50,822) of Baker Botts L.L.P.; Back-up Counsel are G. Hopkins Guy
`
`(Reg. No. 35,886) and Ali Dhanani (Reg. No. 66,233) of Baker Botts L.L.P.
`
`D.
`
`Service Information under 37 C.F.R. 42.8(b)(4)
`
`A copy of this entire Petition, including all Exhibits and a power of attorney,
`
`is being served by FEDERAL EXPRESS, costs prepaid, to the address of the
`
`attorney or agent of record for Uniloc 2017 LLC (“Uniloc” or “Patent Owner”) in
`
`the district court proceedings regarding the ’609 Patent: Feinberg Day Kramer
`
`Alberti Lim Tonkovich & Belloli LLP, 1600 El Camino Real, Suite 280, Menlo
`
`Park, CA 94025; and to the address of the attorney or agent of record at the
`
`USPTO: Uniloc USA Inc., 102 N. College Avenue, Suite 303, Tyler TX 75702.
`
`Petitioner consents to service to eliot.williams@bakerbotts.com, hop.guy@bakerbo
`
`tts.com, and ali.dhanani@bakerbotts.com by electronic mail. A Power of Attorney
`
`is filed concurrently herewith under 37 C.F.R. §42.10(b).
`
`vi
`
`

`

`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 8,407,609
`
`II.
`
`INTRODUCTION
`
`Petitioner Sling requests review of claims 1-3 of U.S. Patent No. 8,407,609
`
`(“the ’609 Patent”). The ’609 Patent is directed to “tracking the provision of audio
`
`and visual presentations via a computer network.” Ex[1001] Title. The patent uses
`
`a “timer applet” running on a user’s computer to periodically send tracking
`
`information via the computer network. Id. Abstract. The alleged “inventive
`
`concept” according to Uniloc relates to providing “a web page, identifier data and
`
`a timer applet originating at a first computer system” to track a digital media
`
`presentation streamed from a second computer system to a user’s computer.”
`
`Ex[1005] ¶108. This concept was known before the earliest claimed priority date
`
`of the ’609 Patent.
`
`III. PAYMENT OF FEES
`
`The Office is authorized to charge the fee set forth in 37 C.F.R. §42.15(b) to
`
`Deposit Account No. 02-0384 as well as any additional fees that might be due in
`
`connection with this Petition.
`
`IV. REQUIREMENTS UNDER 37 C.F.R. 42.104
`
`A.
`
`Grounds for Standing
`
`Petitioner certifies the ’609 Patent is eligible for inter partes review and
`
`certifies that Petitioner meets the eligibility requirements set forth in 37 C.F.R.
`
`§42.104. Uniloc has sued Petitioner for infringement of the ’609 Patent. 37 C.F.R.
`
`1
`
`

`

`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 8,407,609
`
`§42.104(a). Petitioner is not barred or estopped from challenging the claims on the
`
`grounds identified within this petition.
`
`B.
`
`Identification of Challenge and Statement of Precise Relief
`Requested
`
`Petitioner requests review as follows.
`
`Ground
`
`1
`
`2
`
`’609 Patent
`Claims
`1-3
`
`1-3
`
`Basis for Challenge
`35 U.S.C. §103: Jacoby (Ex[1006]) in view of Bland
`(Ex[1009])
`35 U.S.C. §103: Mcternan (Ex[1007]) in view of
`Robinson (Ex[1008])
`
`V.
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE TECHNOLOGY
`
`A. Web Page and Internet Technology
`
`The Internet has been widely used since the mid-1990s, well before the 2008
`
`priority date claimed by the ’609 Patent. The Internet works on a “client/server
`
`model” in which a client (user’s computer) depends on a server (a more powerful
`
`computer) to deliver information over a network. Ex[1010] 7. Web servers deliver
`
`web pages to client web browsers using a markup language indicating how to
`
`display content and link to other web pages. Id. 11, 43. Links point to addresses
`
`called “uniform resource locators” (URLs) that allow the client to locate
`
`information. Id. 39. The client/server model enables the client to access content
`
`distributed among thousands of host computers across the Internet. Id. 7; Ex[1002]
`
`¶¶50-63.
`
`2
`
`

`

`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 8,407,609
`
`B.
`
`Applets
`
`A Java applet is a small application written in Java programming language.
`
`Ex[1011] 240, 435-436. The Java applet runs within a web browser to provide
`
`more functionality. Id. The term “applet” has been used in a generalized sense to
`
`include other small applications that run within the context a larger program to
`
`perform specific tasks. For example, ActiveX technology provides a user’s
`
`computer with small applications that run within a browser program. See Ex[1010]
`
`199; Ex[1002] ¶¶64-67.
`
`VI.
`
`SUMMARY OF THE ’609 PATENT
`
`The ’609 Patent alleges an earliest priority date of August 21, 2008, the
`
`filing date of U.S. Provisional No. 61/090,672 to which the patent claims priority.
`
`A.
`
`The Alleged Invention
`
`The ’609 Patent tracks presentations streamed via a network. Ex[1002]
`
`¶¶68-71. The ’609 Patent concedes that “commercially available” presentation-
`
`tracking applications were known, but alleges they could not track content
`
`provided by remote hosts distinct from the operator’s own system. Ex[1001]
`
`11:37-46; 12:36-45. The ’609 Patent purports to solve this problem by providing
`
`the user’s computer with a “timer applet” that sends “identifying data” to the
`
`system at predetermined intervals. Id. 12:61-13:9. Figure 10 illustrates that a
`
`user’s computer receives a web page with a media player and a timer applet that
`
`3
`
`

`

`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 8,407,609
`
`runs in a web browser (step 1010), starts the timer applet (step 1020), and transmits
`
`data when the applet determines a predetermined time period has elapsed (step
`
`1030).
`
`Ex[1001] Fig. 10; see also id. 12:56-13:23. Thus, the system knows that “a viewer
`
`began viewing a particular show at a certain time,” “when a user began viewing a
`
`different page, or show,” and “how long a particular viewer spent on a particular
`
`page.” Ex[1001] 13:10-23, 13:44-14:2. However, using a timer applet to track
`
`presentations streamed from a remote host was known in the prior art. See supra,
`
`§X.
`
`B.
`
`Relevant Prosecution History
`
` During prosecution, the Examiner rejected the claims under §103 over U.S.
`
`Pat. Pub. 2002/0198781 (“Cobley”), which disclosed a “timing applet [] arranged
`
`to send a message back to the server” if a web page “remains loaded for the timing
`
`period of the applet.” Ex[1004] 63-69; Ex[1012] ¶26.
`
`4
`
`

`

`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 8,407,609
`
`In response, Applicant added limitation 1[h] by amendment. Ex[1004] 32-
`
`38. As a result, claim 1 includes two different timing-related limitations: 1[g]
`
`(related to tracking an “amount of time the digital media presentation data is
`
`streamed”) and 1[h] (related to tracking “cumulative time the corresponding web
`
`page was displayed”). Applicant’s remarks during prosecution provide no
`
`guidance as to whether these limitations are related. Applicant argued that Cobley
`
`did not disclose tracking the “cumulative time the corresponding web page was
`
`displayed by the user’s computer” because Cobley’s timing applet sends only a
`
`“single message” back to the web server and does not send any additional message
`
`for any additional period thereafter. Ex[1004] 36. According to Applicant:
`
`[T]he timing applet of Cobley is concerned with only the
`minimum loaded period of the advertiser’s page that is
`required before the customer is allocated a reward and,
`therefore, need only send the message once after the minimum
`timing period has passed. Cobley’s message sent from the
`timing application is therefore not indicative of a cumulative
`time the corresponding web page was displayed by the user’s
`computer.
`
`Id.; Ex[1002] ¶¶72-80.
`
`5
`
`

`

`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 8,407,609
`
`VII. SUMMARY OF THE PRIOR ART
`
`A.
`
`The Knowledge of a POSA
`
`At the time of the ’609 Patent, a POSA would have been familiar with the
`
`web page, Internet, applet, and tracking technology discussed above. See e.g.,
`
`supra, §§V and VI.B.
`
`B.
`
`Prior Art in this Petition
`
`Each reference relied on in this Petition is prior art under at least 102(b), and
`
`none was cited to or considered during prosecution of the ’609 Patent:
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`U.S. Patent Application Pub. No. 2004/0254887 (“Jacoby”), titled
`
`“Access control and metering system for streaming media,” was filed
`
`on October 6, 2003 and published on December 16, 2004.
`
`PCT Pub. No. WO01/89195 (“Mcternan”), titled “System and method
`
`for secure delivery of rich media,” was filed on May 15, 2001 and
`
`published on November 22, 2001.
`
`EP Patent Application Pub. No. 939,516 (“Robinson”), titled “User
`
`communication and monitoring system for computer networks,” was
`
`filed on January 19, 1999 and published on September 1, 1999.
`
`U.S. Patent No. 5,732,218 (“Bland”), titled “Management-data-
`
`gathering system for gathering on clients and servers data regarding
`
`interactions between the servers, the clients, and users of the clients
`
`6
`
`

`

`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 8,407,609
`
`during real use of a network of clients and servers,” was filed on
`
`January 2, 1997 and published on March 24, 1998.
`
`VIII. LEVEL OF ORDINARY SKILL IN THE ART
`
`A POSA as of the August 21, 2008 priority date would have had a
`
`bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, computer science, or a similar field
`
`with at least two years of experience in web page and Internet technology or a
`
`person with a master’s degree in electrical engineering, computer science, or a
`
`similar field with a specialization in web page and Internet technology. A person
`
`with less education but more relevant practical experience may also meet this
`
`standard. Ex[1002] ¶49.
`
`IX. CLAIM CONSTRUCTION UNDER 37 C.F.R. 42.104(B)(3)
`
`The claim terms below are construed in accordance with 37 C.F.R.
`
`§42.100(b).
`
`A.
`
`“applet” (Claim 1)
`
`A POSA would have understood “applet,” as used in the claims, to refer to
`
`“a software component that runs in the context of another program.” Ex[1002]
`
`¶¶85-88.
`
`The meaning of “applet” at the time of the ’609 Patent depended on the
`
`context. Id. In certain contexts, “applet” referred only to a Java applet, meaning a
`
`small application running in a browser and written in the Java programming
`
`7
`
`

`

`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 8,407,609
`
`language. Id. In other contexts, “applet” referred more generally to a small
`
`application running in another program. Id. The ’609 Patent uses the general
`
`meaning because it provides a general definition without referring to Java:
`
`“Applet,” as used herein, generally refers to a software component
`that runs in the context of another program, in the case of page 900 of
`FIG. 9, a web browser. Such an applet may typically [be] used to
`perform a specific function or task, usually narrow in scope.
`
`Ex[1001] 12:67-13:3. Examples of such applets include add-ons and plug-ins
`
`delivered via webpage to run in a browser on the user’s computer. Ex[1002] ¶67,
`
`88. Microsoft’s ActiveX product provided such applets at the time of the ’609
`
`Patent. Id.; see also Ex[1010] 199 and Ex[1011] 240, 435-436, 692.
`
`B.
`
`“computer system” (Claim 1)
`
`A POSA would have understood “computer system,” as used in the claims,
`
`to refer to “one or more computing devices having a common operator or under
`
`common control.” Ex[1002] ¶¶89-91. The ’609 Patent states:
`
`The terms “computer,” “computer device and/or “computer system”
`as used herein may generally take the form of single computing
`devices or collections of computing devices having a common
`operator or under common control.
`
`Ex[1001] 3:52-55. This is consistent with the meaning of the term “computer
`
`system” to a POSA. Ex[1002] 91. Thus, “computer system” should be interpreted
`
`8
`
`

`

`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 8,407,609
`
`to mean “one or more computing devices having a common operator or under
`
`common control.” Id.
`
`C.
`
`Timing-related limitations (Claim 1)
`
`Claim 1 includes two timing-related limitations:
`
`1[g]: the stored data is indicative of an amount of time the digital
`media presentation data is streamed from the second computer
`system to the user’s computer; and
`
`1[h]: each stored data is together indicative of a cumulative time the
`corresponding web page was displayed by the user’s computer.
`
`Ex[1001] claim 1. The two timing-related limitations refer to two different
`
`timings. Ex[1002] ¶92.
`
`1.
`
`“amount of time the digital media presentation is streamed”
`(element 1[g])
`
`A POSA would have understood “amount of time the digital media
`
`presentation is streamed,” as used in element 1[g], to refer to the “amount of time
`
`the digital media presentation is presented to the user’s computer.” Ex[1002]
`
`¶¶93-97. The ’609 Patent describes “streaming” in the context of presenting a
`
`presentation to a user. Id. The specification explains that “streaming” refers to
`
`“transferring data such that it can be processed as a substantially steady or
`
`continuous stream and a user’s browser or plug-in can start presenting the data
`
`before the entire file has been transmitted.” Ex[1001] 4:43-47 (emphasis added).
`
`9
`
`

`

`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 8,407,609
`
`Additionally, the ’609 Patent describes a timer applet that tracks a “temporal cycle
`
`having passed while the web page presents the presentation” to determine “how
`
`long a user actually watched, and/or listened, to a presented program.” Id.
`
`11:47-58 and 13:34-42 (emphasis added).
`
`2.
`
`“cumulative time the corresponding web page was
`displayed by the user’s computer” (element 1[h])
`
` A POSA would have understood
`
`the
`
`term “cumulative
`
`time
`
`the
`
`corresponding web page was displayed by the user’s computer,” as used in element
`
`1[h], to refer to “the total amount of time the user’s computer spent on the web
`
`page.” Ex[1002] ¶¶98-102.
`
`Certain embodiments of the ’609 Patent track “how long [the] viewer spends
`
`on a page.” Ex[1001] 13:43-14:8. For example:
`
`[A] table entry may be made of the user, the page the user is on, and,
`to the extent the user is on the same page as was the user upon the last
`expiration of the timer, the user's total time, to the current time, spent
`on that same page using database server 32.
`
`Ex[1001] 13:24-33. A POSA would understand that the time spent on a web page
`
`could differ from the time spent presenting the presentation, for example, if the
`
`web page itself was displayed while the presentation on the web page was paused.
`
`Ex[1002] ¶99. A POSA would understand element 1[h] to track the total amount
`
`10
`
`

`

`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 8,407,609
`
`of time the user’s computer spent on the web page, regardless of whether the web
`
`page presented the presentation during that time. Id. ¶101.
`
`X.
`
`THE ASSERTED GROUNDS OF INVALIDITY
`
`Petitioner proposes two grounds of invalidity, (1) obvious by Jacoby in view
`
`of Bland, (2) obvious by Mcternan in view of Robinson. Petitioner believes that
`
`each ground teaches each limitation of the challenged claims using two different
`
`mechanisms known in the art, as explained herein.
`
`A.
`
`Ground 1: U.S. 2004/0254887 (“Jacoby”) in view of U.S. 5,732,218
`(“Bland”) renders claims 1-3 obvious under 35 U.S.C. §103
`
`Jacoby describes a computer system that streams movies and other media
`
`files to clients over a network. Ex[1006] Abstract. A user’s selection of a media
`
`file causes a mediaframe server to send a web page for presenting the selected
`
`media file to the user’s computer. Id. ¶¶36, 44. The web page provides the user’s
`
`computer with a media player, a URL that points to the location of the media file in
`
`a streaming server, a metering URL 127 that points to a user meter located in the
`
`mediaframe server, and ActiveX controls. Id. ¶¶44, 49. The web page allows for
`
`streaming the media file from the streaming servers to the media player. Id. ¶48.
`
`The ActiveX controls allow Jacoby’s mediaframe server to attach a metering
`
`applet to a browser running on the user’s computer. At regular intervals (e.g.,
`
`every 35 seconds), Jacoby’s mediaframe server receives the metering URL 127
`
`appended with metering events from the user’s browser. Ex[1006] ¶¶51, 53, 34.
`
`11
`
`

`

`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 8,407,609
`
`The metering events include the amount of time to decrement a meter to “evidence
`
`the passage of time as the streaming media file is received by client media player
`
`110.” Id. ¶¶51-52. The mediaframe server ticks the meter identified by metering
`
`URL 127 to track “the amount of streaming time remaining in a product” and other
`
`information. Id. ¶¶50, 42; Ex[1002] ¶¶104-110.
`
`Bland describes a system that provides a client with a URL and extensions
`
`131 that cause the client to periodically return data via the URL to track timing
`
`information, such as the “[a]mount of time that a particular object (e.g., a page, a
`
`graphical image, an audio clip, an animation, etc.) is active (i.e., is visible, is
`
`audible, etc.) at the client.” See e.g., Ex[1009] 4:9-32 and 4:60-5:23. The
`
`extensions 131 can be attached to the client’s browser as “add-ons” (which are
`
`“applets”) by using “Microsoft ActiveX.” Id. 5:24-38; Ex[1002] ¶¶126-131.
`
`The following sections provide a limitation-by-limitation analysis of how
`
`Jacoby in view of Bland renders the claims obvious.
`
`1.
`
`a.
`
`Claim 1
`Element 1[pre]: “A method for tracking digital media
`presentations delivered from a first computer system to a
`user’s computer via a network”
`
`Jacoby discloses this limitation. Ex[1002] ¶¶133-139. Jacoby discloses a
`
`system that includes “a first computer system” (including at least mediaframe
`
`servers 140), “a second computer system” (including at least streaming servers
`
`12
`
`

`

`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 8,407,609
`
`115),2 and “a user’s computer” (including client browser 125 and client media
`
`player 110), as shown in annotated Figure 1:
`
`The ’609 Patent uses “computer system” to refer to “one or more computing
`
`devices having a common operator or under common control.” See supra, §IX.B.
`
`Jacoby’s first and second computer systems each satisfy this meaning. A POSA
`
`would understand that the servers in each of Jacoby’s first and second computer
`
`systems are computing devices. Ex[1002] ¶134; Ex[1010] 7. As an example,
`
`Jacoby describes using a “computer program product” stored on a “computer-
`
`readable storage medium” for performing functionality of the first computer
`
`2 See element 1[f] for “second computer system.”
`
`13
`
`

`

`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 8,407,609
`
`system, such as providing a metering URL from a mediaframe server to a client.
`
`See e.g., Ex[1006] ¶49 and claim 14. As another example, Jacoby describes
`
`streaming servers in the second computer system as “computer servers.” Id. ¶47.
`
`A POSA would further understand Jacoby’s first computer system to have a
`
`common operator or be under common control of a service provider, and Jacoby’s
`
`second computer system to have a common operator or be under common control
`
`of a content provider. Ex[1002] ¶135. Jacoby’s first computer system interacts
`
`with the client’s browser to facilitate administrative functionality (e.g., metering,
`
`billing, authenticating access to content) typically provided by one operator (a
`
`service provider), while Jacoby’s second computer system interacts with the
`
`client’s media player to facilitate content delivery functionality typically provided
`
`by another operator (a content provider). Id.; see e.g., Ex[1006] ¶¶9, 11, 26, 29, 30
`
`(referring to service providers and content providers) and ¶36 (referring to Yahoo!
`
`as an operator for web server 130). Additionally, Jacoby teaches that the “set” of
`
`streaming servers 115 in the second system are under common control of content
`
`management server 105 (¶33), whereas the first computer system is distinct system
`
`that Jacoby does not describe as being under the control of the content manager
`
`server 105.
`
`Jacoby discloses that the first and second computer systems are “distinct”
`
`from each other. For example, Figure 1 illustrates separate servers with separate
`
`14
`
`

`

`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 8,407,609
`
`functionalities, and there is no indication of a common operator or common
`
`control. See also Ex[1006] Abstract (describing distinct servers, a first server for
`
`metering and a second server for streaming).
`
`As to the user’s computer, Jacoby explains that a media player (e.g., client
`
`media player 110) runs on a “user device,” such as a “personal computer.”
`
`Ex[1006] ¶5; Ex[1002] ¶137; Ex[1010] 7.
`
`Jacoby discloses “digital media presentations delivered from a first computer
`
`system to a user’s computer via a network.” “[M]edia files over the Internet or
`
`other network” are “typically sent from prerecorded digitized media files.”
`
`Ex[1006] ¶6; see also Abstract, claim 28 and ¶26 (the system streams “media
`
`presentations,” such as “digitized movies”). Jacoby discloses that the mediaframe
`
`servers 140 of the first computer system deliver the media presentations to the
`
`user’s computer (e.g., the client) by serving web pages (HTML pages) that link to
`
`the media presentations. See e.g., id. ¶¶6, 44 (explaining that mediaframe servers
`
`140 send the user a web page with a URL that points the media player to the
`
`location of the streaming media file).
`
`Jacoby discloses a “method for tracking” delivery of the digital media
`
`presentations that uses a meter to track the “amount of streaming time remaining in
`
`a product.” Ex[1006] ¶42. According to Jacoby:
`
`15
`
`

`

`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 8,407,609
`
`invention provides systems and
`The present
`techniques for
`transmitting a streaming media file. One of the techniques includes
`sending a metering uniform resource locator (URL) from a first server
`to a client player over a network, and sending a streaming media file
`from a second server to the client player over the network. The
`streaming media file includes at least one embedded metering event.
`In response to receiving the metering URL and the embedded
`metering event at the client player, a user meter is ticked.
`
`Ex[1006] Abstract (emphasis added). See claim elements 1[a]-1[h] for further
`
`explanation of Jacoby’s tracking method.
`
`b.
`
`Element 1[a]: “providing a corresponding web page to
`the user’s computer for each digital media presentation
`to be delivered using the first computer system”
`
`Jacoby discloses providing a corresponding web page to the user’s computer
`
`(web page published on the user’s browser) for each digital media presentation to
`
`be delivered (the web page is published in response to the user selecting a
`
`particular media presentation) using the first computer system (mediaframe servers
`
`140 of the first computer system publish the web page). Ex[1002] ¶¶140-142.
`
`Jacoby discloses that a user clicks a link to request a particular media file,
`
`such as a movie selected from “Yahoo! Movies.” Ex[1006] ¶36. The request
`
`causes a URL for the requested media file to be passed to mediaframe servers 140.
`
`Id. If the user has paid for the media file and has sufficient bandwidth, mediaframe
`
`16
`
`

`

`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 8,407,609
`
`servers 140 provide the user’s computer with a web page (browser page)
`
`corresponding to the selected media presentation:
`
`[M]ediaframe servers 140 prepare a presentation for the user. The
`presentation includes the delivery of a media player to the user and the
`delivery of a URL that points the media player to the location of the
`streaming media file in streaming servers 115. In the delivery of the
`media player, the mediaframe servers publish a page on the user’s
`browser with a frame set that includes a display screen for the media
`player and, if necessary, sets appropriate ActiveX controls on the web
`page.
`
`Id. ¶44 (emphasis added). A page published on a browser is a web page. Ex[1002]
`
`¶142; see also Ex[1006] ¶36 (“a web page published on the browser”) and ¶45
`
`(“publish a web page on the client browser”).
`
`c.
`
`Element 1[b]: “providing identifier data to the user’s
`computer using the first computer system”
`
`Jacoby describes providing identifier data (a metering URL 127 that
`
`includes various identifiers) to the user’s computer (client comprising client
`
`browser 125) using the first computing system (computing system comprising
`
`mediaframe servers 140). Ex[1002] ¶¶143-144.
`
`Jacoby discloses that “[i]ncluded in the presentation sent from mediaframe
`
`servers 140 to client browser 125 is a metering URL 127[.]” Ex[1006] ¶49
`
`(emphasis added). The metering URL 127 “points to a user meter located in the
`
`17
`
`

`

`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 8,407,609
`
`mediaframe server” and includes identifiers, such as a “meter name” and “meter
`
`description.” Ex[1006] ¶¶49-50. The metering URL 127 includes other
`
`identifiers, such as “key” and “MAC” for authentication purposes. Id. ¶50; see
`
`also id. ¶¶52-54. Paragraph 49 includes an example metering URL 127:
`
`As explained below for element 1[d], the metering URL allows for tracking the
`
`media presentation.
`
`d.
`
`Element 1[c]: “providing an applet to the user’s
`computer for each digital media presentation to be
`delivered using the first computer system, wherein the
`applet is operative by the user's computer as a timer”
`
`Jacoby and the Jacoby-Bland combination each disclose this limitation.
`
`Ex[1002] ¶¶145-157.
`
`i.
`
`Jacoby discloses limitati

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