BlackBerry Limited v. Facebook, Inc. et al

Filing 1

COMPLAINT Receipt No: 0973-21360760 - Fee: $400, filed by Plaintiff BlackBerry Limited. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit A, # 2 Exhibit B, # 3 Exhibit C, # 4 Exhibit D, # 5 Exhibit E, # 6 Exhibit F, # 7 Exhibit G, # 8 Exhibit H, # 9 Exhibit I, # 10 Exhibit J) (Attorney James R Asperger added to party BlackBerry Limited(pty:pla))(Asperger, James)

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1 QUINN EMANUEL URQUHART & SULLIVAN, LLP
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3
4
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6
7
8
9

James R. Asperger (Bar No. 83188)
[e-mail]
865 S. Figueroa St., 10th Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90017
Telephone: [phone]
Facsimile: [phone]
Kevin P.B. Johnson (Bar No. 177129)
[e-mail]
555 Twin Dolphin Drive, 5th Floor
Redwood Shores, CA 94065
Telephone: [phone]
Facsimile: [phone]

10 BLACKBERRY CORPORATION
11
12
13

Edward R. McGah, Jr (SBN 97719)
Vice President, Deputy General Counsel – Litigation
41 Ticknor Place
Laguna Niguel, California 92677
Telephone: [phone]

14 Attorneys for Plaintiff,
15

BlackBerry Limited

16
17

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

18

FOR THE CENTRAL DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

19
20
21

BLACKBERRY LIMITED, a
Canadian corporation,
Plaintiff,

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23
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25
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27
28

v.
FACEBOOK, INC., a Delaware
corporation, WHATSAPP INC., a
Delaware corporation, and
INSTAGRAM, INC., a Delaware
corporation

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CASE NO. 2:18-cv-01844
COMPLAINT FOR PATENT
INFRINGEMENT
JURY TRIAL DEMANDED

Defendants.
Case No. 2:18-cv-01844
COMPLAINT FOR PATENT INFRINGEMENT

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COMPLAINT FOR PATENT INFRINGEMENT

1
2

Plaintiff BlackBerry Limited (“BlackBerry” or “Plaintiff”) hereby asserts the

3 following claims for patent infringement against Defendants Facebook, Inc.,
4 WhatsApp Inc., and Instagram, Inc. (collectively, “Defendants”), and alleges as
5 follows:
6
7

SUMMARY
1.

BlackBerry Pioneers Mobile Messaging - BlackBerry has been a

8 leading innovator in the field of mobile communications for the past 30 years,
9 having invested substantial sums into research and development of communications
10 technologies. BlackBerry’s innovations led to the commercialization of some of the
11 earliest models of smartphones in the United States, enabling its users to, among
12 other things, send and receive e-mails securely and surf the internet anytime and
13 anywhere. These same innovations prompted the rise of the smartphone as a
14 necessary everyday accessory for businesspersons and ordinary consumers alike.
15

2.

One example of BlackBerry’s innovations is the BlackBerry Messenger

16 technology, which revolutionized instant messaging by providing users with secure,
17 user-friendly, point-to-point instant messaging on their mobile devices.

In many

18 respects, through BlackBerry Messenger and other research and development,
19 BlackBerry helped pioneer modern mobile messaging—secure, instant and user
20 friendly on a mobile device. The appeal and success of BlackBerry Messenger led
21 consumers to consider instant messaging functionality as an integral aspect of
22 mobile communications, resulting today in billions of people worldwide engaging in
23 instant messaging over their mobile device.
24

3.

As an innovator, BlackBerry took many steps to safeguard this valuable

25 intellectual property.

It received numerous patents protecting the cutting-edge

26 features of its mobile phones, BlackBerry Messenger, and other communications
27 applications that make such products secure, easy-to-use, and ultimately engaging to
28 the end-user, thereby driving user growth and retention.
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1

4.

Facebook and its Companies Later Develop Competing Applications

2 that Improperly Use BlackBerry’s Mobile Messaging Intellectual Property 3 Defendants, on the other hand, are relative latecomers to the mobile messaging
4 world. Defendants created mobile messaging applications that co-opt BlackBerry’s
5 innovations, using a number of the innovative security, user interface, and
6 functionality enhancing features that made BlackBerry’s products such a critical and
7 commercial success in the first place. These include the features covered by the
8 Patents-in-Suit.
9

5.

The Patents-in-Suit cover, for example:

10

(a) Security Improvements—improved cryptographic techniques that

11

establish and maintain security over user messages and provide the requisite

12

trust necessary for user adoption of a messaging platform for their

13

communication needs;

14

(b) User Interface Improvements For Mobile Devices—including (i)

15

improvements in message notification techniques that streamline and

16

optimize reception of new message notifications that prevent users from being

17

inundated with numerous messaging notifications, (ii) display of timestamps

18

in a messaging user interface that provides users with appropriate temporal

19

context for their communications without overtaking the user’s screen with

20

unnecessary information, and (iii) tagging friends and family in social media

21

photographs;

22

(c) Combining Mobile Gaming And Mobile Messaging—allowing users to

23

more easily interact while playing electronic games; and

24

(d) Battery Efficient Status Updates for Mobile Devices—improved

25

techniques for transmitting status updates based on whether a second device is

26

viewing the status updates, to reduce power consumption and improve battery

27

life in mobile devices.

28
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1

These features, all invented by BlackBerry, are “table stakes” for modern

2 mobile messaging and social networking.
3

6.

Thus, Defendants have used BlackBerry’s own intellectual property to

4 compete with it in the mobile messaging space.

These applications are ever

5 expanding, including Facebook Messenger, Facebook Messenger Lite, Facebook
6 Pages Manager, Facebook.com and Facebook Workplace Chat, the WhatsApp
7 Messenger application made by WhatsApp Inc., and the Instagram application made
8 by Instagram, Inc.

The importance of mobile messaging is emphasized by the

9 reported $19 billion dollars Facebook spent to acquire WhatsApp.
10

7.

Defendants’ Use of BlackBerry’s Mobile Messaging Innovations

11 Harms BlackBerry and Provides Undeserved Windfall to Facebook and its
12 Companies—Defendants’ use of BlackBerry’s invention and infringement of the
13 Patents-in-Suit, has succeeded in diverting consumers away from BlackBerry’s
14 products and services and toward those of Defendants. This has resulted in a
15 substantial and undeserved windfall for Defendants as these users drive Defendants’
16 revenue. Defendants' gain comes at BlackBerry’s expense, depriving BlackBerry of
17 revenue to which it is entitled as a result of its inventions.

Through this suit,

18 BlackBerry seeks redress for the harm caused by Defendants’ unlawful use of
19 BlackBerry’s intellectual property.

INTRODUCTION TO BLACKBERRY

20
21

8.

22 mobile

For more than 30 years, BlackBerry has been a leading innovator in the
communications

industry.

BlackBerry’s

cutting-edge

wireless

23 communication products and services have transformed the way people around the
24 world connect, converse, and share digital information.
25

9.

BlackBerry was founded in 1984 in Waterloo, Ontario by two

26 engineering students, Mike Lazaridis and Douglas Fregin. In its early years, the
27 company—then named Research In Motion (“RIM”)—focused its inventive
28 energies on wireless data transmission.
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1

10.

From its modest beginnings more than 30 years ago, BlackBerry has

2 gone on to offer a portfolio of award-winning products, services, and embedded
3 technologies to tens of millions of individual consumers and organizations around
4 the world, including governments, and educational institutions. By transforming the
5 way people communicate, BlackBerry laid a foundation for today’s multibillion-

BlackBerry’s innovations in mobile

6 dollar modern smartphone industry.

7 communications continue to this day through BlackBerry’s award-winning software
8 platform and devices, which

enable and manage security, mobility, and

9 communications between and among hardware, programs, mobile applications, and
10 the Internet of Things (IoT).
11

11.

In

the

course

of

developing

its

ground-breaking

mobile

12 communications systems, BlackBerry (and the BlackBerry family of companies) has
13 invented a broad array of new technologies that cover everything from enhanced
14 security and cryptographic techniques, to mobile device user interfaces, instant
15 messaging functionality, communication servers, and many other areas. To take just
16 one example, security posed a critical challenge for BlackBerry to address when
17 bringing its mobile devices to market.

Commercial acceptance of such mobile

18 devices required providing mechanisms to ensure safe and secure communications
19 so that users and businesses could be confident that their confidential and private
20 information stayed that way in spite of ever increasing threats. Due to its innovative
21 technologies, BlackBerry has been universally recognized as the gold standard when
22 it comes to safe and secure data communications over mobile devices.
23

12.

Throughout its history, BlackBerry has demonstrated a commitment to

24 innovation, including through its investments in research and development, which
25 have totaled more than $5.5 billion over the past decade. BlackBerry has protected
26 the technical innovations resulting from these investments, including through
27 seeking patent protection, and as detailed below, BlackBerry owns rights to an array
28 of patented technologies in the United States.
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1

13.

BlackBerry owns United States Patent Nos. 7,372,961, 8,279,173,

2 8,209,634, 8,301,713, 8,429,236, 8,677,250, and 9,349,120 (collectively, the
3 “Patents-in-Suit”).

Defendants infringe the BlackBerry Patents-in-Suit by using,

4 without authorization, BlackBerry’s proprietary technologies in a number of their
5 commercial products and services, including, inter alia, the Facebook Messenger,
6 WhatsApp Messenger, and Instagram applications, which are marketed, offered and
7 distributed to users of mobile and other devices throughout the United States,
8 including in this District.
9

14.

By this action, BlackBerry seeks to put an end to Defendants’

10 unauthorized use of BlackBerry’s patented technologies and to obtain compensation
11 for the harm BlackBerry has suffered.

NATURE OF THE ACTION

12
13

15.

This is a civil action for patent infringement under the patent laws of

14 the United States, 35 U.S.C. § 1 et seq.
15

16.

Defendants have infringed and continue to infringe, and have induced

16 and continue to induce infringement of, one or more claims of BlackBerry’s Patents17 in-Suit at least by making, using, selling, and/or offering to sell their Facebook.com
18 website, Facebook, Facebook Messenger, Facebook Messenger Lite, Facebook
19 Workplace Chat, Facebook Pages Manager, WhatsApp Messenger, and Instagram
20 applications for mobile and other devices in the United States, including in this
21 District.
22

17.

BlackBerry is the legal owner by assignment of the Patents-in-Suit,

23 which were duly and legally issued by the United States Patent and Trademark
24 Office (“USPTO”). BlackBerry seeks injunctive relief and monetary damages.

THE PARTIES

25
26

18.

Plaintiff BlackBerry Limited is a Canadian company with its principal

27 place of business at 2200 University Avenue East, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada N2K
28 0A7. BlackBerry Limited is the owner of intellectual property rights at issue in this
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1 action.
2

19.

On information and belief, Defendant Facebook, Inc. (“Facebook”) is a

3 Delaware corporation with a principal place of business at 1 Hacker Way, Menlo
4 Park, CA 94025. On information and belief, Facebook maintains offices in Los
5 Angeles, California, operates and owns the website located at www.facebook.com,
6 and markets, offers, and distributes applications such as the Facebook, Facebook
7 Messenger, Facebook Messenger Lite, Facebook Workplace Chat, and Facebook
8 Pages Manager applications throughout the United States, including in this District.
9

20.

On information and belief, Defendant WhatsApp Inc. (“WhatsApp”) is

10 a Delaware corporation and wholly owned subsidiary of Facebook with a principal
11 place of business at 1601 Willow Road, Menlo Park, CA 94025. On information
12 and belief, WhatsApp operates and owns the website located at www.whatsapp.com,
13 and markets, offers, and distributes applications such as the WhatsApp Messenger
14 application throughout the United States, including in this District.
15

21.

On information and belief, Defendant Instagram, Inc. (“Instagram”) is a

16 Delaware corporation and wholly owned subsidiary of Facebook with a principal
17 place of business at 1601 Willow Road, Menlo Park, CA 94025. On information
18 and belief, Instagram operates and owns the website located at www.instagram.com,
19 and markets, offers, and distributes applications such as the Instagram application
20 throughout the United States, including in this District.
21

22.

Upon information and belief, each of the Defendants directly and/or

22 indirectly develops, designs, manufactures, distributes, markets, offers to sell and/or
23 sells infringing products and services in the United States, including in the Central
24 District of California, and otherwise purposefully directs infringing activities to this
25 District in connection with the Facebook, Facebook Messenger, Facebook
26 Messenger Lite, Facebook Workplace Chat, Facebook Pages Manager, WhatsApp
27 Messenger, and Instagram applications.
28

23.

Upon information and belief and as further explained below,
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1 Defendants have been and are acting in concert, and are otherwise liable jointly,
2 severally or otherwise for a right to relief related to or arising out of the same
3 transaction, occurrence or series of transactions or occurrences related to the
4 making, using, selling, offering for sale or otherwise distributing the Facebook,
5 Facebook Messenger, Facebook Messenger Lite, Facebook Workplace Chat, and
6 Facebook Pages Manager, WhatsApp Messenger, and Instagram applications in this
7 District. In addition, this action involves questions of law and fact that are common
8 to all Defendants.
9

24.

For example, on information and belief, between 2017 and the filing of

10 this Complaint, Facebook migrated the Instagram and WhatsApp messaging
11 services from third party servers onto Facebook’s own data centers.1 Accordingly,
12 Facebook is acting in concert with WhatsApp and Instagram in connection with the
13 provision of their messaging services.

JURISDICTION AND VENUE

14
15

25.

This is a civil action for patent infringement arising under the patent

16 laws of the United States, 35 U.S.C. § 1 et seq.
17

26.

This Court has subject matter jurisdiction over the matters asserted

18 herein under 28 U.S.C. §§ 1331 and 1338(a) and 35 U.S.C. §§ 271 et seq.
19

27.

This Court has personal jurisdiction over Facebook, in part because

20 Facebook does continuous and systematic business in this District, including by
21 providing infringing products and services to the residents of the Central District of
22 California that Facebook knew would be used within this District, and by soliciting
23 business from the residents of the Central District of California.

For example,

24 Facebook is subject to personal jurisdiction in this Court because, inter alia, and
25

1

See, e.g., https://www.cnbc.com/2017/06/07/facebook-planning-to-move-

26 whatsapp-off-ibms-public-cloud.html;
27 http://www.datacenterknowledge.com/archives/2017/06/12/report-facebook-to-

move-whatsapp-from-ibm-cloud-to-own-data-centers.
28
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1 upon information and belief, Facebook has a regular and established place of
2 business at its offices in the Central District of California, including the 35,000 sqft
3 Facebook LA Campus in Playa Vista,2 and elsewhere in the State of California, and
4 directly and through agents regularly does, solicits and transacts business in the
5 Central District of California and elsewhere in the State of California, including
6 through its website at www.facebook.com and its Facebook, Facebook Messenger,
7 Facebook Messenger Lite, Facebook Workplace Chat, and Facebook Pages
8 Manager applications marketed, offered, and distributed to and utilized by users of
9 computing and mobile devices in this District and throughout the State of California.
10

28.

In particular, Facebook has committed and continues to commit acts of

11 infringement in violation of 35 U.S.C. § 271, and has made, used, marketed,
12 distributed, offered for sale, sold, and/or imported infringing products in the State of
13 California, including in this District, and engaged in infringing conduct within and
14 directed at or from this District.

For example, Facebook has purposefully and

15 voluntarily placed the Facebook website and Facebook, Facebook Messenger,
16 Facebook Messenger Lite, Facebook Workplace Chat, and Facebook Pages
17 Manager applications into the stream of commerce with the expectation that its
18 infringing products will be used in this District. The infringing Facebook, Facebook
19 Messenger, Facebook Messenger Lite, Facebook Workplace Chat, and Facebook
20 Pages Manager applications have been and continue to be distributed to and used in
21 this District.

Facebook’s acts cause injury to BlackBerry, including within this

22 District.
23

29.

This Court has personal jurisdiction over WhatsApp, in part because

24 WhatsApp does continuous and systematic business in this District, including by
25
26

2

See http://www.latimes.com/business/technology/la-fi-tn-facebook-office27 20160514-snap-story.html; see also
https://www.facebook.com/careers/locations/losangeles/.
28
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1 providing infringing products and services to the residents of the Central District of
2 California that WhatsApp knew would be used within this District, and by soliciting
3 business from the residents of the Central District of California.

For example,

4 WhatsApp is subject to personal jurisdiction in this Court because, inter alia, and
5 upon information and belief, WhatsApp has a regular and established place of
6 business in the State of California, including on information and belief through the
7 employment of individuals within this judicial district, and directly and through
8 agents regularly does, solicits and transacts business in the Central District of
9 California and elsewhere in the State of California, including through its website at
10 www.whatsapp.com and its WhatsApp Messenger application marketed, offered,
11 and distributed to and utilized by users of mobile devices in this District and
12 throughout the State of California.
13

30.

In particular, WhatsApp has committed and continues to commit acts of

14 infringement in violation of 35 U.S.C. § 271, and has made, used, marketed,
15 distributed, offered for sale, sold, and/or imported infringing products in the State of
16 California, including in this District, and engaged in infringing conduct within and
17 directed at or from this District.

For example, WhatsApp has purposefully and

18 voluntarily placed the WhatsApp Messenger application into the stream of
19 commerce with the expectation that its infringing product will be used in this
20 District. The infringing WhatsApp Messenger application has been and continues to
21 be distributed to and used in this District.

WhatsApp’s acts cause injury to

22 BlackBerry, including within this District.
23

31.

This Court has personal jurisdiction over Instagram, in part because

24 Instagram does continuous and systematic business in this District, including by
25 providing infringing products and services to the residents of the Central District of
26 California that Instagram knew would be used within this District, and by soliciting
27 business from the residents of the Central District of California.

For example,

28 Instagram is subject to personal jurisdiction in this Court because, inter alia, and
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1 upon information and belief, Instagram has a regular and established place of
2 business in the State of California, including on information and belief through the
3 employment of individuals within this judicial district, and directly and through
4 agents regularly does, solicits and transacts business in the Central District of
5 California and elsewhere in the State of California, including through its website at
6 www.instagram.com

and its Instagram application marketed, offered, and

7 distributed to and utilized by users of mobile devices in this District and throughout
8 the State of California.
9

32.

In particular, Instagram has committed and continues to commit acts of

10 infringement in violation of 35 U.S.C. § 271, and has made, used, marketed,
11 distributed, offered for sale, sold, and/or imported infringing products in the State of
12 California, including in this District, and engaged in infringing conduct within and
13 directed at or from this District.

For example, Instagram has purposefully and

14 voluntarily placed the Instagram application into the stream of commerce with the
15 expectation that its infringing product will be used in this District. The infringing
16 Instagram application has been and continues to be distributed to and used in this
17 District. Instagram’s acts cause injury to BlackBerry, including within this District.
18

33.

Venue is proper in this District under the provisions of 28 U.S.C.

19 §§ 1391 and 1400(b) at least because a substantial part of the events or omissions
20 giving rise to the claims occurred in this judicial district, and because Defendants
21 have committed acts of infringement in this District and have a regular and
22 established place of business in this District.
23

34.

In particular, on information and belief, Facebook has a regular and

24 established place of business at its 35,000 square foot Facebook Los Angeles
25
26
27
28
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1 Campus, located in Playa Vista, CA.3 On further information and belief, WhatsApp
2 and Instagram employ engineers and/or other personnel within this district,
3 including personnel at Facebook facilities in this district.4
4

35.

On information and belief, WhatsApp and Instagram are wholly owned

5 subsidiaries of Facebook. On information and belief, Facebook does not separately
6 report revenue from Instagram or WhatsApp in its filings to the Securities Exchange
7 Commission, but rather reports combined revenue from its various products
8 including Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram. Market analysis indicates that
9 Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram and their respective products are viewed in the
10 market as an integrated package with each of the products benefiting from
11 substantial network effects.5
12
13
3

See http://www.latimes.com/business/technology/la-fi-tn-facebook-office20160514-snap-story.html; see also
15 https://www.facebook.com/careers/locations/losangeles/.
14

16

4

www.LinkedIn.com identifies at least 17 people in this District that are dually
17 employed by both Facebook and one of WhatsApp or Instagram.
5
See https://www.marketwatch.com/story/the-youtube-and-instagram-secret-that18
google-and-facebook-dont-want-you-to-know-2018-01-26 (“For some analysts, the
19 question of breaking out revenue for Instagram is moot, however, because the
company essentially sells ads for Facebook and Instagram as a single package. . .
20
.”); http://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/facebook-stock-price-analyst21 interview-2017-8-1002276065 (“More and more people are spending more of their
daily waking hours on Facebook. We estimate that across Facebook's different
22
properties - Facebook.com, WhatsApp, Messenger, and Instagram - users spend on
23 average close to an hour every day. That metric was a lot lower two or three years
24 ago. By having people spend more time on the sites or apps, they're obviously
consuming more content, more pages, and giving Facebook the ability to monetize
25 against that content and pages.”);
26 http://corporate1.morningstar.com/Documents/UK/Products/Equity-ResearchServices/FB_US_20160728/ (“Now that Facebook has emerged as the clear-cut
27 social media leader, we believe that the company’s offerings, consisting mainly of
28 Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and WhatsApp, have further strengthened network

(Continued . . .)

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1

36.

On further information and belief, Facebook not only “owns,” but also

2 “operates” both Instagram and WhatsApp, such operation including the cooperative
3 development, improvement, and/or support of their respective services.6

For

4 example, on information and belief, Facebook “shares information about”
5 Facebook’s users with Instagram and WhatsApp “to facilitate, support and integrate
6 [Instagram’s and WhatsApp’s] activities and improve our services.”7

Likewise,

7 Instagram has been “collaborating with Facebook's team” to “build a better
8 Instagram for you,” including “shar[ing] insights and information with each other
9 [to] build better experiences for our users.”8 Similarly, “[a]s part of the Facebook
10 family of companies, WhatsApp receives information from, and shares information
11 with, this family of companies [including Facebook]. We may use the information
12 we receive from them, and they may use the information we share with them, to
13 help operate, provide, improve, understand, customize, support, and market our
14 Services and their offerings.”9

On further information and belief, Facebook,

15 WhatsApp, and Instagram have endeavored to integrate their products with each
16 other from a technical standpoint including, but not limited to: Instagram allowing
17 users to double-post Instagram stories directly to Facebook from the Instagram
18 app;10 Facebook offering a unified messages inbox that lets businesses see and reply
19
20
21 (. . . continued)
22

effects for the firm, where all of these platforms become more valuable to its users
as people both join the networks and use these services.”).

23

6

See https://www.facebook.com/help/111814505650678.

24

7

See https://www.facebook.com/help/111814505650678.

25

8

See https://help.instagram.com/155833707900388.

9

See https://www.whatsapp.com/legal/;
https://blog.whatsapp.com/10000627/Looking-ahead-for-WhatsApp.
27
10
See https://techcrunch.com/2017/10/04/instaface/.
26

28

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1 to their Facebook, Messenger, and Instagram interactions in one place;11 Facebook,
2 Messenger, and Instagram providing cross-application notifications;12 and Facebook
3 providing features allowing users to click a button on a business’s Facebook page to
4 open a WhatsApp chat with that business.13
5

FACTS COMMON TO ALL CLAIMS

6

BlackBerry’s Innovation and Industry Recognition

7

37.

BlackBerry is a global leader in the mobile communications industry.

8 Through its significant investment in research and development over the past 30
9 years, BlackBerry has developed innovative, cutting-edge technologies that have
10 changed the face of telecommunications. In particular, BlackBerry has developed
11 key innovations in the way mobile devices and communications software interact
12 with and receive input from users. BlackBerry’s innovations in messaging and UI
13 development improved the speed and accuracy with which users could perform
14 various tasks on their mobile devices.
15

38.

In the late 1990s, BlackBerry began to release a series of game-

16 changing handheld mobile devices that enabled users to send and receive email and
17 messages on the go, without needing to be tethered to a modem or a desktop
18 computer.

The innovative nature of the 1998 RIM 950 Wireless Handheld, for

19 example, was instantly recognized, garnering both an Editor’s Choice Award from
20 CNET and Andrew Seybold’s Outlook Award. In particular, the press praised the
21 RIM 950’s keyboard for its advanced ergonomic features, including an easy-to-type22 on keyboard layout despite the device’s miniature size.
23
11

24

See https://www.engadget.com/2016/11/15/facebook-and-instagram-unifiedbusiness-inbox/.

25

12

See https://www.cnet.com/news/facebook-messenger-instagram-cross26 notifications/; https://techcrunch.com/2017/05/18/instafacemess/.
13
See https://techcrunch.com/2017/12/13/click-to-whatsapp-messaging-buttons-are27
now-rolling-out-in-facebook-ads/.
28
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1

39.

In 2002, BlackBerry released the BlackBerry 6710 and 6720 – the first

2 BlackBerry devices capable of both sending emails and making phone calls, and
3 some of the earliest smartphones released in the United States.

The next year,

4 BlackBerry introduced smartphone models that added built-in audio hardware and
5 color screens. Since those early smartphones, BlackBerry has continued to offer
6 handheld wireless products incorporating its proprietary technologies in security,
7 communications, mobile device user interfaces, and other areas.
8

40.

In 2005, BlackBerry introduced the innovative BlackBerry Messenger

9 (or “BBM”) application, which revolutionized the concept of instant messaging.
10 BBM provided the first form of point-to-point communications that was instant,
11 cross-carrier, and mobile. The developers of BBM further incorporated a well12 designed graphical user interface and other innovative features not utilized by
13 messaging platforms at that time. For example, BBM has been credited as the first
14 messaging platform to enable status updates showing when messages were
15 Delivered and Read by users, which created a pioneering sense of real-time presence
16 that is now standard in many instant messaging applications. Additionally, BBM’s
17 unique platform has allowed users to communicate even when traditional forms of
18 cell communication were incapacitated, such as during the Chilean earthquake in
19 2010.14
20

41.

Over the years, BlackBerry continued to develop and improve

21 successive versions of BBM by introducing features such as GPS positioning,
22 connected applications, voice chat, private chat, and many other features. As a
23 result, BBM has been widely downloaded and is popular among users of all
24 platforms, including Android and iOS.
25

14

Indeed, more than 5 million people

See, e.g., https://www.cio.com/article/2420175/blackberry-phone/blackberry-

26 messenger--bbm--keeps-chilean-quake-affected-connected.html;
27 http://www.nytimes.com/2001/09/20/technology/the-right-connections-the-simple-

blackberry-allowed-contact-when-phones-failed.html.
28
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1 downloaded BBM within 8 hours of the release of its Android and iOS versions in
2 October 2013. By March 4, 2015, the Android version of BBM had reached 100
3 million Google Play installs. BBM also enjoys strong user loyalty, with studies
4 finding that 82% of BBM’s Android users continue using the application 90 days
5 after installation. Only Facebook and WhatsApp—which unlawfully utilize many
6 of BBM’s patented features—have similar user retention figures.
7

42.

Each successive iteration of BlackBerry’s wireless devices and

8 technologies have received significant unsolicited coverage in the media.

For

9 example, GSMA—the largest and most well-known association of mobile
10 operators—recognized

BlackBerry and its communication technologies as

11 “chang[ing] the face of corporate communication.” Thomson Reuters named
12 BlackBerry one of the World’s Top 100 Most Innovative Organizations, based
13 largely on the number of “important patents” owned by BlackBerry.

In 2015,

14 Forrester Research crowned BlackBerry as a “leader in mobile management” based
15 on BlackBerry’s focus in security software and mobile solutions.
16

43.

BlackBerry’s handheld devices and communications technologies have

17 garnered widespread industry acclaim for both their unique design and their
18 performance. For example, BlackBerry mobile devices have garnered dozens of
19 industry awards, including the GSMA Chairman’s Award, InfoWorld Magazine’s
20 Product of the Year Award, PC World’s World Class Award, the Network Industry
21 Award for Best New Mobile Communications Product, the BusinessWeek Best
22 Product of the Year Award, Digit Magazine’s “World’s Best Mobile OS” Award,
23 Security Products “Govies” Government Security Award, and PC Magazine’s Best
24 Products of the Year Award.

BBM in particular has been recognized for its

25 innovations in mobile messaging, being awarded “Superstar” distinction from the
26 2014 Mobile Star Awards in the Mobile Messaging or Email category, the Indonesia
27 Golden Ring Award for Best Mobile Social Media, and the ICA 2014 Award for
28 Best Mobile Chat App.
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1

44.

BlackBerry’s more recent innovations have garnered similar industry

2 acclaim. For example, in 2015 BlackBerry’s Passport was awarded the prestigious
3 Red Dot “Best of the Best” award for innovative product design (from thousands of
4 total entries); BlackBerry and BBM were recognized with the Mobile Marketing
5 Association’s “Smartie” Award for 2015 Publisher/Media Company of the Year in
6 Mobile; and BlackBerry’s PRIV was awarded the Red Dot “Design Award” for best
7 product design in 2016.

BlackBerry’s Patents

8
9

45.

U.S. Patent No. 7,372,961 (“’961 Patent”) is entitled “Method of public

10 key generation,” and was issued on May 13, 2008. A true and correct copy of the
11 ’961 Patent is attached as Exhibit A.
12

46.

The ’961 Patent was filed on Dec. 26, 2001 as U.S. Patent Application

13 No. 10/025,924 and claims priority to Canadian Patent Appl. No. 2,329,590 filed
14 Dec. 27, 2000.
15

47.

BlackBerry Limited is the owner of all rights, title, and interest in and

16 to the ’961 Patent, with the full and exclusive right to bring suit to enforce the ’961
17 Patent, including the right to recover for past infringement.
18

48.

The ’961 Patent is valid and enforceable under United States Patent

49.

U.S. Patent No. 8,209,634 (“’634 Patent”) is entitled “Previewing a

19 Laws.
20

21 new event on a small screen device,” and was issued on Jun. 26, 2012. A true and
22 correct copy of the ’634 Patent is attached as Exhibit B.
23

50.

The ’634 Patent was filed on Feb. 24, 2004 as U.S. Patent Application

24 No. 10/784,781 and claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No.
25 60/525,958 filed Dec. 1, 2003.
26

51.

BlackBerry Limited is the owner of all rights, title, and interest in and

27 to the ’634 Patent, with the full and exclusive right to bring suit to enforce the ’634
28 Patent, including the right to recover for past infringement.
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1

52.

The ’634 Patent is valid and enforceable under United States Patent

53.

U.S. Patent No. 8,279,173 (“’173 Patent”) is entitled “User interface for

2 Laws.
3

4 selecting a photo tag,” and was issued on Oct. 2, 2012. A true and correct copy of
5 the ’173 Patent is attached as Exhibit C.
6

54.

The ’173 Patent was filed on Oct. 4, 2011 as U.S. Patent Application

7 No. 13/252,807 and is a continuation of U.S. Patent Application No. 11/746,285
8 filed May 9, 2007, which issued as U.S. Patent No. 8,031,170.
9

55.

BlackBerry Limited is the owner of all rights, title, and interest in and

10 to the ’173 Patent, with the full and exclusive right to bring suit to enforce the ’173
11 Patent, including the right to recover for past infringement.
12

56.

The ’173 Patent is valid and enforceable under United States Patent

57.

U.S. Patent No. 8,301,713 (“’713 Patent”) is entitled “Handheld

13 Laws.
14

15 electronic device and associated method providing time data in a messaging
16 environment,” and was issued on Oct. 30, 2012. A true and correct copy of the ’713
17 Patent is attached as Exhibit D.
18

58.

The ’713 Patent was filed on May 19, 2011 as U.S. Patent Application

19 No. 13/111,675 and is a continuation of U.S. Patent Application No. 10/944,925
20 filed Sept. 20, 2004, which issued as U.S. Patent No. 7,970,849, and claims the
21 benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/504,379 filed Sept. 19, 2003.
22

59.

BlackBerry Limited is the owner of all rights, title, and interest in and

23 to the ’713 Patent, with the full and exclusive right to bring suit to enforce the ’713
24 Patent, including the right to recover for past infringement.
25

60.

The ’713 Patent is valid and enforceable under United States Patent

61.

U.S. Patent No. 8,429,236 (“’236 Patent”) is entitled “Transmission of

26 Laws.
27

28 status updates responsive to status of recipient application,” and was issued on Apr.
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1 23, 2013. A true and correct copy of the ’236 Patent is attached as Exhibit E.
2

62.

The ’236 Patent was filed on Dec. 23, 2009 as U.S. Patent Application

3 No. 12/645,873 and claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No.
4 61/167,772 filed Apr. 8, 2009.
5

63.

BlackBerry Limited is the owner of all rights, title, and interest in and

6 to the ’236 Patent, with the full and exclusive right to bring suit to enforce the ’236
7 Patent, including the right to recover for past infringement.
8

64.

The ’236 Patent is valid and enforceable under United States Patent

65.

U.S. Patent No. 8,677,250 (“’250 Patent”) is entitled “System and

9 Laws.
10

11 method for switching between an instant messaging conversation and a game in
12 progress,” and was issued on Mar. 18, 2014. A true and correct copy of the ’250
13 Patent is attached as Exhibit F.
14

66.

The ’250 Patent was filed on Dec. 7, 2010 as U.S. Patent Application

15 No. 12/962,405 and is a continuation of U.S. Patent Application No. 11/537,047
16 filed Sept. 29, 2006, which issued as U.S. Patent No. 7,861,175.
17

67.

BlackBerry Limited is the owner of all rights, title, and interest in and

18 to the ’250 Patent, with the full and exclusive right to bring suit to enforce the ’250
19 Patent, including the right to recover for past infringement.
20

68.

The ’250 Patent is valid and enforceable under United States Patent

69.

U.S. Patent No. 9,349,120 (“’120 Patent”) is entitled “System and

21 Laws.
22

23 method for silencing notifications for a message thread,” and was issued on May 24,
24 2016. A true and correct copy of the ’120 Patent is attached as Exhibit G.
25

70.

The ’120 Patent was filed on Feb. 26, 2010 as U.S. Patent Application

26 No. 12/713,577 and claims priority to U.S. Provisional Appl. No. 61/167,542 filed
27 Apr. 8, 2009.
28

71.

BlackBerry Limited is the owner of all rights, title, and interest in and
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1 to the ’120 Patent, with the full and exclusive right to bring suit to enforce the ’120
2 Patent, including the right to recover for past infringement.
3

72.

The ’120 Patent is valid and enforceable under United States Patent

4 Laws.

Defendants’ Use of BlackBerry’s Patented Technologies

5
6

73.

On information and belief, Facebook released the Facebook Messenger

7 application on August 9, 2011, more than six years after BlackBerry’s release of
8 BlackBerry Messenger (“BBM”).15

On information and belief, Facebook

9 subsequently released the Pages Manager application in 2012, and the Messenger
10 Lite and Workplace Chat applications in 2017.16

Additionally, WhatsApp and

11 Instagram released the first versions of their applications in 2009 and 2010,
12 respectively—nearly four and five years after BBM was released, respectively. 17
13

74.

By the time Defendants had released even the first (and simplest)

14 versions of their respective messaging applications, BlackBerry had already
15 invented

most

of

the

technologically

16 functionalities at issue in this action.

innovative

messaging

application

Indeed, most of these innovations were

17 already being utilized by users of BlackBerry’s smartphones, which represented
18 more than half of the U.S. market in 2009 and came with BBM installed.18 Industry
19
15

See, e.g., https://www.cnet.com/news/facebook-chat-begins-to-roll-out/;
https://techcrunch.com/2011/08/09/facebook-launches-standalone-mobile21 messenger-app-and-it%E2%80%99s-beluga/.
20

16

See, e.g., https://techcrunch.com/2017/10/02/facebook-lite-us-uk-canada-ireland/
(Facebook Messenger Lite released on or around October 2017);
23 https://www.engadget.com/2017/10/26/facebook-opens-its-workplace-chat-desktop24 app-to-everyone/ (same for Facebook Workplace Chat); https://www.cnet.com/howto/getting-started-with-facebook-pages-manager-for-ios/ (Facebook Pages Manager
25 released on or around May 2012);
22

26

17

See, e.g., http://www.wired.co.uk/article/whatsapp-exclusive;
27 https://techcrunch.com/2010/10/06/instagram-launch/.
18
See http://money.cnn.com/2009/06/17/technology/rim_blackberry_preview/.
28
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1 commentators at the time noted the success of BBM, including with consumer
2 audiences such as “[t]eens, for instance, [who] love BlackBerry Messenger, RIM’s
3 proprietary

instant

feature.”

messaging

See

4 http://archive.fortune.com/2009/08/12/technology/blackberry_research_in_motion.f

The consumer demand and appreciation for BlackBerry’s

5 ortune/index.htm.

6 innovative messaging application functionalities was further evidenced in 2013,
7 when BlackBerry released the first versions of BBM for Apple’s iOS and Google’s
8 Android mobile device platforms and recorded over 5 million downloads of BBM
9 within

the

first

8

hours

of

being

made

available.

See

10 https://9to5mac.com/2013/10/21/blackberry-announces-5-million-downloads-of11 bbm-for-ios-and-android-only-8-hours-after-release/. In just two years, BBM had
12 been

installed

in

over

100

million

Android

devices

alone.

See

13 http://blogs.blackberry.com/2015/03/bbm-hits-100m-google-play-installs/.
14

75.

Seizing on the success of BBM and demand for consumer messaging

15 platforms featuring BlackBerry’s innovative features and functionalities, Defendants
16 have developed and released their respective infringing messaging applications that
17 incorporate and unlawfully utilize BlackBerry’s patented technologies, including,
18 without limitation, Facebook and Facebook Messenger for Android and iOS
19 devices, WhatsApp Messenger for Android and iOS devices, and Instagram for
20 Android and iOS devices, as well as the Facebook website (www.facebook.com).
21

76.

On information and belief, Defendants market, offer, and distribute the

22 infringing Facebook, Facebook Messenger, Facebook Messenger Lite, Facebook
23 Workplace Chat, and Facebook Pages Manager, WhatsApp Messenger, and
24 Instagram applications in and within the United States, including through
25 distribution platforms such as the Apple iTunes App Store and the Google Android
26 Play

Store,

as

well

as

their

own

websites,

www.facebook.com,

27 www.messenger.com, www.whatsapp.com, and www.instagram.com.
28

77.

On information and belief, the accused applications and websites are an
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1 important part of Facebook’s offerings in the United States and are the primary or
2 only product or service offered by WhatsApp and Instagram, which were acquired
3 by Facebook for approximately $19 billion and $1 billion, respectively.19
4

78.

On information and belief, Defendants encourage users of mobile and

5 computing devices such as mobile phones and desktop and laptop computers in the
6 United States to download and use the infringing applications and websites, and
7 such users do so download and use the infringing applications and websites in the
8 manner Defendants intend such applications and websites to be used.
9

79.

On information and belief, Defendants have also designed, developed,

10 tested, and used the infringing applications in and within the United States.
11

COUNT I: INFRINGEMENT OF U.S. PATENT NO. 7,372,961

12

80.

BlackBerry incorporates by reference and re-alleges all of the foregoing

13 paragraphs of this Complaint as if fully set forth herein.

The ’961 Patent

14
15

81.

The ’961 Patent discloses, among other things, “key generation

16 technique[s for public key cryptosystems] in which any bias is eliminated during the
17 selection of the key.” ’961 Patent at 3:1-3.
18

82.

As the ’961 Patent explains, public key cryptosystems are used to

19 protect and provide security for data communication systems. Specifically, “[s]uch
20 systems use a private key k and a corresponding public key αk where α is a generator
21 of the group. Thus one party may encrypt a message m with the intended recipients
22 public key and the recipient may apply his private key to decrypt it.” Id. at 1:12-16.
23

83.

More particularly, such public key cryptosystems can “be used to sign

24 messages to authenticate the author and/or the contents. In this case the sender will
25 sign a message using his private key and a recipient can verify the message by
26
27

19

See, e.g., https://newsroom.fb.com/news/2014/02/facebook-to-acquire-whatsapp/;
https://newsroom.fb.com/news/2012/04/facebook-to-acquire-instagram/.

28
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1 applying the public key of the sender. If the received message and the recovered
2 message correspond then the authenticity is verified.” Id. at 1:26-32.
3

84.

As the ’961 Patent notes, “the security of such systems … depend[s] on

4 the private key remaining secret.”

Id. at 1:37-38. Thus, one prevalent set of

5 protocols to provide for the secrecy of the private key “use[s] a pair of private keys
6 and corresponding public keys, referred to as long term and short term or ephemeral
7 key pairs respectively. The ephemeral private key is generated at the start of each
8 session between a pair of correspondents, usually by a random number generator.
9 The corresponding, ephemeral public key is generated and the resultant key pair
10 used in one of the possible operations described above. The long-term public key is
11 utilized to authenticate the correspondent through an appropriate protocol. Once the
12 session is terminated, the ephemeral key is securely discarded and a new ephemeral
13 key generated for a new session.” Id. at 1:37-50.
14

85.

However, the ’961 Patent also explains the potential weakness in such

15 public key based cryptosystems, even those which use both ephemeral keys to help
16 maintain the secrecy of the long term private key: “if an ephemeral key k and the
17 associated message m and signature (r,s) is obtained it may be used to yield the long
18 term private key d and thereafter each of the ephemeral keys k can be obtained.” Id.
19 at 2:24-27.
20

86.

While the commonly used methods for generating and verifying digital

21 signatures (Digital Signature Algorithm, or “DSA” and Elliptic Curve DSA, or
22 “ECDSA”), did not “inherently disclose any information about the public key k,”
23 the ’961 Patent noted that the implementation “may be done in such a way as to
24 inadvertently introduce a bias in to the selection of k.

This small bias may be

25 exploited to extract a value of the private key d and thereafter render the security of
26 the system vulnerable” and potentially insecure. Id. at 2:27-29, 33-37.
27

87.

In particular, as the ’961 Patent notes, the prevailing government

28 standard at the time governing the generation and verification of digital signatures,
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1 the FIPS 186-2 Standard (promulgated by the National Institute of Standards and
2 Technology (“NIST”)), suffered from this very problem, i.e., using the algorithm
3 specified in the FIPS 186-2 standard resulted in “more values [lying in the] first
4 interval than the second and therefore there is a potential bias in the selection of k.”
5 Id. at 2:36-55. This bias could be used by hackers to obtain the private key and
6 therefore render the cryptographic system ineffective. Thus, the inventors of the
7 ’961 Patent developed “a key generation technique in which any bias is eliminated
8 during the selection of the key,” resulting in a more secure key generation
9 technique. Id. at 3:1-3.
10

88.

The ’961 Patent further describes the type of cryptographic systems

11 that are used to generate such keys in a manner which eliminates bias during the
12 selection of the key. As explained therein, a pair of correspondents are exchanging
13 messages for which the parties wish to maintain security. The correspondents “may
14 be computer terminals, point-of-sale devices, automated teller machines, constrained
15 devices such as PDA’s, cellphones, pagers or any other device enabled [f]or
16 communication over a link 16.” Id. at 3:28-32. The correspondents are “connected
17 by a communication link 16,” which “may be a dedicated link, a multipurpose link
18 such as a telephone connection or a wireless link depending on the particular
19 applications.” Id. at 3:24-28.
20

89.

In some embodiments, to perform the key generation techniques

21 disclosed in the ’961 Patent, “[e]ach of the correspondents 12, 14 includes a secure
22 cryptographic function 20 including a secure memory 22, an arithmetic processor 24
23 for performing finite field operations, a random number generator 26 and a
24 cryptographic hash function 28 for performing a secure cryptographic hash.…
25 [E]ach of these functions is controlled by a processor executing instructions to
26 provide functionality and inter-operability as is well known in the art.” Id. at 3:3327 44. Further, the “secure memory 22 includes a register 30 for storing a long-term
28 private key, d, and a register 32 for storing an ephemeral private key k.” Id. at 3:45-24-

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1 47.
2

90.

The ’961 Patent discloses several variations of the anti-bias key

3 generation methods claimed therein.

In a first such method, the “cryptographic

4 function is performed over a group of order q, where q is a prime represented as a
5 bit string of predetermined length L.” Id. at 3:67 - 4:2. In order to generate the
6 ephemeral key, k, the system first “obtain[s] a seed value (SV) from the random
7 number generator 26.” Id. at 3:64-66. Next the system applies a hash function 28 to
8 the seed value to generate an output of L bits. See id. at 4:6-10.
9

91.

To confirm that the hashed seed value is acceptable to use in generating

10 the ephemeral key (e.g., will not result in a potential bias), the hashed seed value “is
11 tested against the value of q and a decision made based on the relative values. If
12 H(seed)<q then it is accepted for use as k. If not, the value is rejected and a new
13 value is generated, which is again hashed by the function 28 and tested. This loop
14 continues until a satisfactory value is obtained.” Id. at 4:11-17.
15

92.

The ’961 Patent further discloses alternative embodiments which use

16 different mechanisms for generating the seed value, which (i) also compare the seed
17 value to the order q to determine if the seed value is satisfactory, or (ii) “use a low
18 Hamming weight integer obtained by combining the output of the random number
19 generator 26” (as disclosed in Canadian Patent No. 2,217,925). See id. at 4:18-5:25.
20

93.

In view of the historical context and development of key generation

21 methodologies for long term and ephemeral keys in the context of cryptographic
22 systems, discussed below, a person of ordinary skill in the art would have
23 understood that the inventions of the ’961 Patent provide unconventional solutions
24 to solve the problems they address.
25

The Inventions Claimed in the ’961 Patent Were Not

26

Well-Understood, Routine, or Conventional

27

94.

Using a comparison of a seed value generated using a random number

28 generator whose output has been subject to a hashing function, or a low weight
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1 hamming function, to determine if a seed value would not result in a bias in
2 connection with the selection of an ephemeral key was not common or conventional
3 at the time of invention of the ’961 Patent.
4

95.

As explained in the ’961 Patent, public key cryptosystems were used to

5 protect and maintain as secret data that parties wanted to share over electronic
6 communication systems. Indeed, the importance of developing and standardizing
7 the use of “advanced, dynamic, robust, and effective information security solutions
8 … for the protection of critical information infrastructures” was recognized by the
9 federal government through the Federal Information Security Management Act of
10 2002 (44 U.S.C. § 3541 et seq., “FISMA”).
11

96.

In seeking to promote the protection of such, FISMA provided for “a

12 comprehensive framework for ensuring the effectiveness of information security
13 controls over information resources that support Federal operations and assets, …
14 development and maintenance of minimum controls required to protect Federal
15 information and information systems; [and] a mechanism for improved oversight of
16 Federal agency information security programs.” 44 U.S.C. § 3541.
17

97.

Pursuant to FISMA, the federal government, in conjunction with the

18 National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), the NSA, and leading
19 cryptographic experts, developed a number of standards, referred to as Federal
20 Information

Processing Standards (FIPS) standards, in order to establish

21 requirements for various purposes such as ensuring computer security and
22 interoperability.

Specifically, “NIST develops FIPS when there are compelling

23 federal government requirements such as for security and interoperability and there
24 are no acceptable industry standards or solutions.”20
25

98.

In particular, the FIPS 186-2 standard was directed to digital signature

26
27

20

NIST FIPS General Information, available at https://www.nist.gov/informationtechnology-laboratory/fips-general-information (last visited January 17, 2018).

28
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1 generation and verification:
2

the Digital Signature Algorithm (DSA) is a Federal Information
Processing Standard for digital signatures. It was proposed by the
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in August
1991 for use in their Digital Signature Standard (DSS) and adopted as
FIPS 186 in 1993. … This standard specifies a suite of algorithms
which can be used to generate a digital signature. Digital signatures
are used to detect unauthorized modifications to data and to
authenticate the identity of the signatory. In addition, the recipient of
signed data can use a digital signature in proving to a third party that
the signature was in fact generated by the signatory. This is known as
nonrepudiation since the signatory cannot, at a later time, repudiate
the signature.21

3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10

99.

11
12
13
14

implementing DSA in cryptographic systems used to communicate with the federal
government, and was intended to provide sufficient security for confidential
information exchanged with the government.
100. However, at the time of the ’961 Patent inventions, cryptographer

15
16
17
18
19
20

Daniel Bleichenbacher discovered a problem with this standard: the mechanisms
specified in FIPS 186-2 to generate keys “introduce[d] sufficient bias in to the
selection of k that an examination of 222 signatures could yield the private key d in
264 steps using 240 memory units,” i.e., such that third parties could potentially
discover the public key. ’961 Patent at 2:56-59.
101. This issue was further brought to the attention of the IEEE P1363

21
22
23
24
25

Thus the FIPS 186-2 standard was the de facto method of

Working Group, which was the key industry standard group for promulgating
standard specifications for public-key cryptography. The Working Group
“considered the attack to be significant enough to warrant including a security note
on DL signatures indicating that it is desirable to eliminate any bias in the key

26
27

21

FIPS PUB 186-2, Digital Signature Standard (DSS) (Jan. 27, 2000) at Foreword,
Abstract.

28
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1 generation method for one-time keys in order to prevent attacks such as the one
2 proposed by Bleichenbacher.”22

102. Thus, as of the time of the ’961 Patent inventions, the prevailing

3

4 government standard for DSA suffered from a noted security risk. The inventors of
5 the ’961 Patent provided innovative solutions to this problem by eliminating bias in
6 the selection of the ephemeral key through the various methods described above.

103. As noted above, the ’961 Patent is drawn to solving a specific,

7

8 technical problem arising in the context of key generation in cryptographic
9 communication between data communication systems. Consistent with the problem
10 addressed being rooted in such computer-based data communication systems, the
11 ’961 Patent’s solutions naturally are also rooted in that same technology that cannot
12 be performed with pen and paper or in the human mind.

104. Given the state of the art at the time of the invention of the ’961 Patent,

13

14 including the deficiencies in prevailing cryptography standards of the time, the
15 inventive concepts of the ’961 Patent cannot be considered to be conventional, well16 understood, or routine.

The ’961 Patent discloses, among other things, an

17 unconventional solution to an issue arising in the context of cryptographic
18 communication between data communication systems (such as computer terminals,
19 point of sale devices, automated teller machines, PDAs, cellphones, and pagers), and
20 offered a technological solution to that issue resulting in computing devices with
21 improved security, including by introducing novel elements directed to improving
22 the function and working of computing devices such as, inter alia, the claimed “if
23 said output H(SV) is rejected, repeating said method [of generating a seed value SV
24 from a random number generator; performing a hash function H( ) on said seed
25
26

22

November 2000 Meeting Minutes, IEEE 1363 Working Group, available at
27 http://grouper.ieee.org/groups/1363/WorkingGroup/minutes/Nov00.txt (last visited
January 17, 2018).
28
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1 value SV to provide an output H(SV); determining whether said output H(SV) is
2 less than said order q prior to reducing mod q; accepting said output H(SV) for use
3 as said key k if the value of said output H(SV) is less than said order q; rejecting
4 said output H(SV) as said key if said value is not less than said order q]” (claims 15
5 and 23).
6

105. The ’961 Patent claims cannot be performed in the human mind or by

7 using pen and paper. As noted above, the ’961 Patent expressly states that it is
8 drawn to address a specific, technical problem arising in the context of
9 cryptographic communication between data communication systems.

See id. at

10 2:56-3:3.
11

106. Consistent with the problem addressed being rooted in cryptographic

12 communication between data communication systems, the ’961 Patent’s solutions
13 naturally are also rooted in that same technology that cannot be performed with pen
14 and paper or in the human mind.
15

107. This technical context is reflected in the ’961 Patent’s claims. For

16 example, various claims of the ’961 Patent require a random number generator to
17 generate a seed value, as well as a cryptographic unit and an arithmetic processor.
18

108. A person having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the inventions of

19 the ’961 Patent would not have understood that the inventions could or would be
20 performed solely in the human mind or using pen and paper. Using pen and paper
21 would ignore the stated purpose of the ’961 Patent and the problem it was
22 specifically designed to address. Doing so would also run counter to the inventors’
23 detailed description of the inventions and the language of the claims and be a
24 practical impossibility.
25
26

’961 Patent Allegations
109. Defendant Facebook has infringed and is infringing, either literally or

27 under the doctrine of equivalents, the ’961 Patent in violation of 35 U.S.C. § 271 et
28 seq., directly and/or indirectly, by making, using, offering for sale/lease, selling or
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1 leasing in the United States, and/or importing into the United States without
2 authority or license, products that support (i) “private key generation” for generating
3 and sharing a public key (and including, but not limited to, encrypting messages sent
4 to Facebook servers using Transport Layer Security) that includes or supports
5 OpenSSL and the OpenSSL elliptic curve cryptography (“EC”) library, including
6 the Facebook Messenger application, and related Facebook backend servers and
7 systems (hereinafter “the ’961 Accused Products”) that infringe at least claims 15
8 and 23 of the ’961 Patent.
9

110. As shown below, the Facebook Messenger application uses a public

10 key derived from the private key when ECDHE key agreement is performed as part
11 of initiating a secure connection with a Facebook server.
12

111. As just one non-limiting example, set forth below (with claim language

13 in italics) is a description of infringement of exemplary claim 15 of the ’961 Patent
14 in connection with the ’961 Accused Products. This description is based on publicly
15 available information.

BlackBerry reserves the right to modify this description,

16 including, for example, on the basis of information about the ’961 Accused Products
17 that it obtains during discovery.
18

1(a) A computer readable medium comprising computer executable

19 instructions for generating a key k for use in a cryptographic function performed
20 over a group of order q, said instructions including instructions for: - Facebook
21 makes and uses the ’961 Accused Products. Regardless of whether the preamble of
22 claim 15 adds any substantive limitation to the claim, the claim language is met by
23 the ’961 Accused Products, which, on information and belief after reasonable
24 investigation, comprise a computer readable medium comprising computer
25 executable instructions for generating a key k for use in a cryptographic function
26 performed over a group of order q, as further described below for the remaining
27 claim limitations.
28

1(b) generating a seed value SV from a random number generator:
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1

OpenSSL: crypto/rand/md_rand.c

2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21

1(c) performing a hash function H( ) on said seed value SV to provide an

22 output H(SV);
23

OpenSSL: crypto/rand/md_rand.c

24
25
26
27
28
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1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
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1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12

1(d) determining whether said output H(SV) is less than said order q prior to

13 reducing mod q; accepting said output H(SV) for use as said key k if the value of
14 said output H(SV) is less than said order q; rejecting said output H(SV) as said key
15 if said value is not less than said order q; if said output H(SV) is rejected, repeating
16 said method;
17

OpenSSL: crypto/bn/bn_rand.c

18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
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1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21

1(e) and if said output H(SV) is accepted, providing said key k for use in

22 performing said cryptographic function, wherein said key k is equal to said output
23 H(SV).
24

OpenSSL: crypto/ec/ec_key.c

25
26
27
28
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1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11

112. Additionally, Defendant Facebook has been, and currently is, an active

12 inducer of infringement of the ’961 Patent under 35 U.S.C. § 271(b) and
13 contributory infringer of the ’961 Patent under 35 U.S.C. § 271(c).
14

113. Facebook knew of the ’961 Patent, or should have known of the ’961

15 Patent but was willfully blind to its existence.

Upon information and belief,

16 Facebook has had actual knowledge of the ’961 Patent since at least as early as the
17 filing and/or service of this Complaint. Additionally, Facebook was made aware of
18 the ’961 Patent through a notice letter sent from BlackBerry to WhatsApp on April
19 15, 2016, on which Facebook’s General Counsel, Colin Stretch, Esq., was cc’ed.
20 Ex. H. On June 21, WhatsApp’s General Counsel sent a response email noting that
21 BlackBerry’s assertions had been considered, and further identifying a number of
22 Facebook patents purportedly of interest to BlackBerry. Ex. I. On information and
23 belief, in making these responses, which included specific reference to patents
24 purportedly owned by Facebook, WhatsApp had communicated BlackBerry’s
25 assertions to Facebook for Facebook’s consideration and analysis.

WhatsApp’s

26 General Counsel further provided a draft NDA for BlackBerry’s review, noting a
27 willingness to meet with BlackBerry’s representatives “in-person to discuss after
28 entering into an appropriate NDA.” Id. On July 27, 2016, counsel for WhatsApp
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1 provided further revisions to the proposed NDA; the draft NDA included both
2 Facebook and WhatsApp as parties thereto, evidencing Facebook’s involvement in
3 and intent to participate in discussions pertaining to the patents identified by
4 BlackBerry. Facebook was thus provided abundant and actual notice of the ’961
5 Patent (and other patents identified in BlackBerry’s letter), prior to the filing of this
6 Complaint.
7

114. Facebook has provided the ’961 Accused Products to its customers and,

8 on information and belief, instructions to use the ’961 Accused Products in an
9 infringing manner while being on notice of or willfully blind to the ’961 Patent and
10 Facebook’s infringement. Therefore, on information and belief, Facebook knew or
11 should have known of the ’961 Patent and of its own infringing acts, or deliberately
12 took steps to avoid learning of those facts.
13

115. Facebook knowingly and intentionally encourages and aids at least its

14 end-user customers to directly infringe the ’961 Patent.
15

116. Upon information and belief, Facebook provides the ’961 Accused

16 Products to customers through various third-party application stores (e.g., the Apple
17 iTunes App Store) and instructions to end-user customers so that such customers
18 will use the ’961 Accused Products in an infringing manner.
19

117. Facebook’s end-user customers directly infringe at least claims 15 and

20 23 of the ’961 Patent by using the ’961 Accused Products in their intended manner
21 to infringe. Facebook induces such infringement by providing the ’961 Accused
22 Products and instructions to enable and facilitate infringement, knowing of, or being
23 willfully blind to the existence of, the ’961 Patent. Upon information and belief,
24 Facebook specifically intends that its actions will result in infringement of at least
25 claims 15 and 23 of the ’961 Patent, or subjectively believe that their actions will
26 result in infringement of the ’961 Patent but took deliberate actions to avoid learning
27 of those facts, as set forth above.
28

118. Additionally, Facebook contributorily infringes at least claims 15 and
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1 23 of the ’961 Patent by providing the ’961 Accused Products and/or software
2 components thereof, that embody a material part of the claimed inventions of the
3 ’961 Patent, that are known by Facebook to be specially made or adapted for use in
4 an infringing manner, and are not staple articles with substantial non-infringing
5 uses. The ’961 Accused Products are specially designed to infringe at least claims
6 15 and 23 of the ’961 Patent, and their accused components have no substantial non7 infringing uses. In particular, on information and belief, the software modules and
8 code that implement and perform the infringing functionalities identified above are
9 specially made and adapted to carry out said functionality and do not have any
10 substantial non-infringing uses.
11

119. Facebook’s infringement of the ’961 Patent was and continues to be

12 willful and deliberate, entitling BlackBerry to enhanced damages and attorneys’
13 fees.
14

120. Additional allegations regarding Facebook’s knowledge of the ’961

15 Patent and willful infringement will likely have evidentiary support after a
16 reasonable opportunity for discovery.
17

121. Facebook’s infringement of the ’961 Patent is exceptional and entitles

18 BlackBerry to attorneys’ fees and costs incurred in prosecuting this action under 35
19 U.S.C. § 285.
20

122. BlackBerry has been damaged by Facebook’s infringement of the ’961

21 Patent and will continue to be damaged unless Facebook is enjoined by this Court.
22 BlackBerry has suffered and continues to suffer irreparable injury for which there is
23 no adequate remedy at law. The balance of hardships favors BlackBerry, and public
24 interest is not disserved by an injunction.
25

123. BlackBerry is entitled to recover from Facebook all damages that

26 BlackBerry has sustained as a result of Facebook’s infringement of the ’961 Patent,
27 including without limitation lost profits and not less than a reasonable royalty.
28 ///
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Case 2:18-cv-01844 Document 1 Filed 03/06/18 Page 38 of 117 Page ID #:38

1
2

COUNT II: INFRINGEMENT OF U.S. PATENT NO. 8,209,634
124. BlackBerry incorporates by reference and re-alleges all of the foregoing

3 paragraphs of this Complaint as if fully set forth herein.
4
5

The ’634 Patent
125. The ’634 Patent discloses, among other things, a “[m]ethod and

6 apparatus for previewing new events in a computing device having a plurality of
7 applications for managing respective events” whereby “[i]n response to a new event
8 of a one of the applications, the application’s icon is visually modified to notify of
9 the new event.” ’634 Patent, Abstract.
10

126. The ’634 Patent explains that “[r]epresenting multiple services and

11 functions to a user on a single wireless mobile device presents a number of
12 challenges to the designer of a user interface, particularly a graphical user interface
13 (GUI), for controlling the device. Wireless devices are usually small relative to less
14 portable computing devices such as laptops and desktop computers. Inherently then,
15 a visual display such as an LCD or other screen component of the wireless mobile
16 device has a small display area.”

Id. at 1:32-40. The patent further explains a

17 drawback created by the small display area of mobile devices in combination with a
18 user’s desire to operate multiple simultaneous applications on a mobile device:
19 “When a user is notified of a new event such as a new IM message, the user is
20 required to check each of their IM service applications separately, via their
21 respective activation icons, to determine which IM service is responsible for the new
22 event. Checking each service is inconvenient. Moreover, there is a demand to have
23 information made available to a user quicker than previously available in order to
24 optimize the control of the wireless device.” Id. at 1:60-67. Similarly, a user of a
25 mobile device would face the same limitations in attempting to access multiple
26 simultaneous conversations on the mobile device in order to determine whether
27 there is one or many conversations responsible for the new event.
28

127. Fig. 7 of the ’634 Patent shows an exemplary mobile device user
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1 interface according to the patent including “a dialog box 602 for an IM application
2 306 having two unread messages indicated at visual modification 400.” Id. at 8:563 58. The patent discloses that a count may represent the number of correspondents
4 from which one or more messages have been received but remain unread. Id. at 8:85 13.
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15

128. The ’634 Patent thus describes, inter alia, “[a] method of providing

16 notifications of unread messages on a wireless communication device, comprising:
17 displaying at least one icon relating to electronic messaging on a graphical user
18 interface of the wireless communication device; receiving a plurality of electronic
19 messages on the wireless communication device, the plurality of electronic
20 messages

including

messages

from

a

plurality

of

different

messaging

21 correspondents; and in response to receiving at least one of the plurality of
22 electronic messages, visually modifying at least one displayed icon relating to
23 electronic messaging to include a numeric character representing a count of the
24 plurality of different messaging correspondents for which one or more of the
25 electronic messages have been received and remain unread.” Id. at claim 1.
26

The Inventions Claimed in the ’634 Patent Were Not

27

Well-Understood, Routine, or Conventional

28

129. A wireless communication device displaying at least one icon relating
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1 to electronic messaging on a graphical user interface, receiving a plurality of
2 electronic messages from a plurality of different messaging correspondents, and
3 visually modifying at least one icon to include a numeric character representing the
4 count of the plurality of correspondents for which one or more messages remain
5 unread was not common or conventional at the time of the ’634 Patent.
6

130. The inventors of the ’634 Patent recognized the need in wireless mobile

7 devices “to have information made available to a user quicker than previously
8 available in order to optimize the control of the wireless device,” particularly with
9 respect to notifications on mobile devices of new events such as new IM messages.
10 ’634 Patent at 1:60-67. The inventors further identified the benefit of solving this
11 described problem by providing a wireless communication device with a graphical
12 user interface wherein an icon is visually modified in response to a new event and
13 the visual modification may comprise maintaining a count of new events. Id. at 2:914 28. Moreover, the ’634 Patent displays a count of the number of conversations in
15 which a new message has been received, so that the user is able to quickly determine
16 whether the level of new messaging activity is coming from multiple conversations
17 or a single, busy conversation.
18

131. Given the state of the art at the time of the invention of the ’634 Patent,

19 the inventive concepts of the ’634 Patent were not conventional, well-understood, or
20 routine.

The ’634 Patent discloses, among other things, an unconventional and

21 technological solution to an issue arising specifically in the context of wireless
22 communication devices and electronic messaging received within those devices.
23 The solution implemented by the ’634 Patent provides a specific and substantial
24 improvement over prior messaging notification systems, resulting in an improved
25 user interface for electronic devices and communications applications on those
26 devices, including by introducing novel elements directed to improving the function
27 and working of communications devices such as, inter alia, the claimed “visually
28 modifying at least one displayed icon relating to electronic messaging to include a
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1 numeric character representing a count of the plurality of different messaging
2 correspondents for which one or more of the electronic messages have been received
3 and remain unread” (claims 1, 7, and 13), “displaying on the graphical user interface
4 an identifier of the correspondent from whom at least one of the plurality of
5 messages was received” (claim 5), and “displaying on the graphical user interface at
6 least one preview of content associated with at least one of the received electronic
7 messages” (claim 6), “[executable / machine-readable] instructions which, when
8 executed, cause the wireless communication device to visually modify the graphical
9 user interface to include an identifier of the correspondent from whom at least one
10 of the plurality of messages was received” (claims 11 and 17), “[executable /
11 machine-readable]

instructions which, when executed, cause the wireless

12 communication device to visually modify the graphical user interface to include at
13 least one preview of content associated with at least one of the received electronic
14 messages” (claim 12 and 18).
15

132. Consistent with the problem addressed being rooted in electronic

16 messaging between wireless communications devices, the ’634 Patent’s solutions
17 naturally are also rooted in the same technology that cannot be performed with pen
18 and paper or in the human mind.
19

133. This technical context is reflected in the ’634 Patent’s claims. For

20 example, various claims of the ’634 Patent require an electronic messaging
21 application, plurality of electronic messages, and a wireless communication device.
22

134. A person having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the inventions of

23 the ’634 Patent would not have understood that the inventions could or would be
24 performed solely in the human mind or using pen and paper. Using pen and paper
25 would ignore the stated purpose of the ’634 Patent and the problem it was
26 specifically designed to address, which arose in the context of needing an improved
27 user interface for small screen computing devices. Doing so would also run counter
28 to the inventors’ detailed description of the inventions and the language of the
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1 claims and be a practical impossibility.

’634 Patent Allegations

2
3

135. Defendants have infringed and are infringing, either literally or under

4 the doctrine of equivalents, the ’634 Patent in violation of 35 U.S.C. § 271 et seq.,
5 directly and/or indirectly, by making, using, selling, offering for sale, and/or
6 importing into the United States without authority or license, the Facebook,
7 Facebook Messenger, Facebook Workplace Chat, Facebook Pages Manager,
8 WhatsApp, and Instagram applications (hereinafter “the ’634 Accused Products”)
9 that infringe at least claims 1, 5-7, 11-13, 17, and 18 of the ’634 Patent. The ’634
10 Accused Products are non-limiting examples that were identified based on publicly
11 available information, and BlackBerry reserves the right to identify additional
12 infringing activities, products and services, including, for example, on the basis of
13 information obtained during discovery.
14

136. On information and belief after reasonable investigation, the ’634

15 Accused Products contain user interface functionality designed and used to display
16 and modify icons relating to electronic messages on a wireless communication
17 device in a manner that infringes the ’634 Patent.
18

137. As just one non-limiting example, set forth below (with claim language

19 in italics) is a description of infringement of exemplary claim 1 of the ’634 Patent in
20 connection with the Facebook, Facebook Messenger, Facebook Pages Manager,
21 WhatsApp, and Instagram applications. On information and belief, the Facebook
22 Workplace Chat application implements the same or substantially similar infringing
23 functionality as the Facebook Messenger app.
24

138.

This description is based on publicly available information.

25 BlackBerry reserves the right to modify this description, including, for example, on
26 the basis of information about the ’634 Accused Products that it obtains during
27 discovery.
28

1(a) A method of providing notifications of unread messages on a wireless
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1 communication device, comprising: - Defendants make and use Facebook, Facebook
2 Messenger, Facebook Workplace Chat, Facebook Pages Manager, WhatsApp, and
3 Instagram software applications. Regardless of whether the preamble of claim 1
4 adds any substantive limitation to the claim, the claim language is met by the ’634
5 Accused Products, as the ’634 Accused Products include a method of providing
6 notifications of unread messages on a wireless communications device as further
7 described below for the remaining claim limitations.
8

1(b) displaying at least one icon relating to electronic messaging on a

9 graphical user interface of the wireless communication device;
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18

Facebook App
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
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1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14

Facebook Messenger

Facebook Pages Manager

15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27

Facebook Workplace Chat

28
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1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9

WhatsApp Messenger

10
11
12
13
14

Instagram

15
16

1(c) receiving a plurality of electronic messages on the wireless

17 communication device, the plurality of electronic messages including messages from
18 a plurality of different messaging correspondents; and
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
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1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14

Facebook Messenger

15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28

Facebook Pages Manager
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1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14

Facebook Workplace Chat

15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27

WhatsApp Messenger

28
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1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10

Instagram
1(d) in response to receiving at least one of the plurality of electronic

11 messages, visually modifying at least one displayed icon relating to electronic
12 messaging to include a numeric character representing a count of the plurality of
13 different messaging correspondents for which one or more of the electronic
14 messages have been received and remain unread.
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25

Facebook App

26
27
28
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1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14

Facebook Messenger

Facebook Pages Manager

15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28

Facebook Workplace Chat
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1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8

WhatsApp Messenger

9
10
11
12
13
14

Instagram

15
16

139. Additionally, Defendants have been, and currently are, active inducers

17 of infringement of the ’634 Patent under 35 U.S.C. § 271(b) and contributory
18 infringers of the ’634 Patent under 35 U.S.C. § 271(c).
19

140. Defendants knew of the ’634 Patent, or should have known of the ’634

20 Patent but were willfully blind to its existence.

Upon information and belief,

21 Defendants have had actual knowledge of the ’634 Patent since at least as early as
22 the filing and/or service of this Complaint. Additionally, Facebook and WhatsApp
23 were made aware of the ’634 Patent and at least WhatsApp’s infringement through a
24 notice letter sent from BlackBerry to WhatsApp on March 25, 2016, on which
25 Facebook’s General Counsel, Colin Stretch, Esq., was cc’ed. Ex. J. On June 21,
26 WhatsApp’s General Counsel sent a response email noting that BlackBerry’s
27 assertions had been considered, and further identifying a number of Facebook
28 patents purportedly of interest to BlackBerry. Ex. I. On information and belief, in
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1 making these responses, which included specific reference to patents purportedly
2 owned by Facebook, WhatsApp had communicated BlackBerry’s assertions to
3 Facebook for Facebook’s consideration and analysis. WhatsApp’s General Counsel
4 further provided a draft NDA for BlackBerry’s review, noting a willingness to meet
5 with BlackBerry’s representatives “in-person to discuss after entering into an
6 appropriate NDA.” Id. On July 27, 2016, counsel for WhatsApp provided further
7 revisions to the proposed NDA; the draft NDA included both Facebook and
8 WhatsApp as parties thereto, evidencing Facebook’s involvement in and intent to
9 participate in discussions pertaining to the patents identified by BlackBerry.
10 Facebook and WhatsApp were thus provided abundant and actual knowledge of the
11 ’634 Patent (and other patents identified in BlackBerry’s letter) and at least
12 WhatsApp’s infringement thereof prior to the filing of this Complaint.
13

141. Defendants have provided the ’634 Accused Products to their

14 customers and, on information and belief, instructions to use the ’634 Accused
15 Products in an infringing manner while being on notice of or willfully blind to the
16 ’634 Patent and the Defendants’ infringement. Therefore, on information and belief,
17 Defendants knew or should have known of the ’634 Patent and of their own
18 infringing acts, or deliberately took steps to avoid learning of those facts.
19

142. Defendants knowingly and intentionally encourage and aid at least their

20 end-user customers to directly infringe the ’634 Patent.
21

143. Upon information and belief, Defendants provide the ’634 Accused

22 Products to customers through various third-party application stores (e.g., the Apple
23 App Store) and instructions to end-user customers so that such customers will use
24 the ’634 Accused Products in an infringing manner.

For example, Defendants

25 provide instructions to end-user customers on how to set up, configure, and use
26 various features of the ’634 Accused Products, including how to send and receive
27
28
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Case 2:18-cv-01844 Document 1 Filed 03/06/18 Page 52 of 117 Page ID #:52

1 messages via the ’634 Accused Products.23

144. Defendants’ end-user customers directly infringe at least claims 1, 5-7,

2

3 11-13, 17, and 18 of the ’634 Patent by using the ’634 Accused Products in their
4 intended manner.

Defendants induce such infringement by providing the ’634

5 Accused Products and instructions to enable and facilitate infringement, knowing of,
6 or being willfully blind to the existence of, the ’634 Patent. Upon information and
7 belief, Defendants specifically intend that their actions will result in infringement of
8 at least claims 1, 5-7, 11-13, 17, and 18 of the ’634 Patent, or subjectively believe
9 that their actions will result in infringement of the ’634 Patent but took deliberate
10 actions to avoid learning of those facts.
11

145. Additionally, Defendants contributorily infringe at least claims 1, 5-7,

12 11-13, 17, and 18 of the ’634 Patent by providing the ’634 Accused Products and/or
13 software components thereof, that embody a material part of the claimed inventions
14 of the ’634 Patent, that are known by Defendants to be specially made or adapted for
15 use in an infringing manner, and are not staple articles with substantial non16 infringing uses. The ’634 Accused Products are specially designed to infringe at
17 least claims 1, 5-7, 11-13, 17, and 18 of the ’634 Patent, and their accused
18 components have no substantial non-infringing uses. In particular, on information
19 and belief, the software modules and code that implement and perform the
20 infringing functionalities identified above are specially made and adapted to carry
21 out said functionality and do not have any substantial non-infringing uses.
22

146. Additional allegations regarding Defendants’ knowledge of the ’634

23
24

23

See https://www.facebook.com/help/messenger25 app/345021679200618/?helpref=hc_fnav&bc[0]=691363354276356&bc[1]=13229
73511088245&bc[2]=1835098660060900;
26 https://www.facebook.com/help/messenger27 app/1696927533954272/?helpref=hc_fnav&bc[0]=691363354276356&bc[1]=1322
973511088245; https://www.whatsapp.com/download/; https://faq.whatsapp.com/.
28
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1 Patent and willful infringement will likely have further evidentiary support after a
2 reasonable opportunity for discovery.
3

147. Defendants’ infringement of the ’634 Patent was and continues to be

4 willful and deliberate, entitling BlackBerry to enhanced damages and attorneys’
5 fees.
6

148. Defendants’ infringement of the ’634 Patent is exceptional and entitles

7 BlackBerry to attorneys’ fees and costs incurred in prosecuting this action under 35
8 U.S.C. § 285.
9

149. BlackBerry has been damaged by Defendants’ infringement of the ’634

10 Patent and will continue to be damaged unless Defendants are enjoined by this
11 Court. BlackBerry has suffered and continues to suffer irreparable injury for which
12 there is no adequate remedy at law. The balance of hardships favors BlackBerry,
13 and public interest is not disserved by an injunction.
14

150. BlackBerry is entitled to recover from Defendants all damages that

15 BlackBerry has sustained as a result of Defendants’ infringement of the ’634 Patent,
16 including without limitation lost profits and not less than a reasonable royalty.
17
18

COUNT III: INFRINGEMENT OF U.S. PATENT NO. 8,279,173
151. BlackBerry incorporates by reference and re-alleges all of the foregoing

19 paragraphs of this Complaint as if fully set forth herein.
20
21

The ’173 Patent
152. The ’173 Patent discloses, among other things, “a user interface for

22 selecting a photo tag” and includes “a method of selecting a photo tag for a tagged
23 photo, comprising: providing a tag entry field for entering a photo tag; in
24 dependence upon a string entered by a user, displaying in a matching tag list any
25 tags from one or more selected tag sources matching the entered string. The method
26 may further comprise displaying a tag type for each tag appearing in the matching
27 tag list.” ’173 Patent, Abstract.
28

153. The ’173 Patent explains that while identifying people or objects in
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Case 2:18-cv-01844 Document 1 Filed 03/06/18 Page 54 of 117 Page ID #:54

1 photographs is popular in various online contexts, “[s]electing a ‘tag’ to associate
2 with an identified point in a photograph can be a complicated task if there are many
3 potential tags to choose from. In addition, [in] wireless mobile communication
4 device[s] where there are constraints on the size of the display and the flexibility of
5 the input method, some of these common techniques used on desktops and laptops
6 with full sized screens do not work as well.” Id. at 1:23-29.
7

154. Fig. 3A of the ’173 patent shows “an illustrative user interface screen

8 300A in which photo tagging module 148A may be configured for tagging a
9 photograph in accordance with an embodiment. As shown, a photo 301 of a subject
10 302 is displayed within the boundaries of the user interface. With this user interface,
11 a tag list 304 may include various tags associated [with] subject 302 or other
12 subjects or objects within the photo 301.” Id. at 4:10-18.
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24

155. Figs. 4A and 4B of the ’173 patent show an exemplary tag list

25 including tag type indicators for the various tag sources included in the list. “As
26 shown in FIG. 4A, the user is initially presented with a tag entry field 406 indicating
27 that he should start typing a tag. Upon completion of typing, the user may click
28 ‘OK’ 408 to select the tag. In an embodiment, as the user begins to type, photo tag
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Case 2:18-cv-01844 Document 1 Filed 03/06/18 Page 55 of 117 Page ID #:55

1 selection module 148B may be configured to search one or more selected ‘tag
2 sources’ for tags that match the currently entered text.” Id. at 5:35-42.
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10

156. The ’173 Patent thus describes, inter alia, “[a] method of selecting a

11 photo tag for a tagged photo, comprising: displaying a tag list including tags from
12 one or more tag sources matching a search string; displaying a tag type indicator for
13 each tag appearing in the tag list, said tag type being indicative of a tag source
14 associated with the tag.” Id. at claim 1.
15

The Inventions Claimed in the ’173 Patent Were Not

16

Well-Understood, Routine, or Conventional

17

157. A system or method for selecting a photo tag for a tagged photo

18 including displaying a tag list including tags from sources matching a search string
19 and displaying a tag type indicator for each tag appearing in a tag list was not
20 common or conventional at the time of the ’173 Patent.
21

158. At the time of filing the ’173 Patent, the inventors recognized that

22 “[s]electing a ‘tag’ to associate with an identified point in a photograph can be a
23 complicated task if there are many potential tags to choose from.” ’173 Patent at
24 1:23-25.

The inventors further recognized that this problem is exacerbated in

25 mobile devices, for example, “where there are constraints on the size of the display
26 and the flexibility of the input method.” Id. at 1:25-29.
27

159. The inventors of the ’173 Patent recognized the benefit of solving this

28 described problem by providing systems and methods for selecting a photo tag
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Case 2:18-cv-01844 Document 1 Filed 03/06/18 Page 56 of 117 Page ID #:56

1 wherein a tag list is displayed in response to a search string and a tag type indicator
2 is displayed for each tag appearing in the tag list. Accordingly, users can avoid the
3 confusion of accidentally tagging someone in a photo who shares the same name as
4 the user’s friend, but who may be a stranger, a public figure, or the like.
5 Conventional photo tagging systems at the time did not provide the ’173 Patent’s
6 unconventional feature of providing a tag type indicator for each of the tags
7 displayed in response to a user search. Indeed, the ’173 Patent refers specifically to
8 Facebook’s photo tagging mechanism at that time to illustrate the deficiencies and
9 inefficiencies in the existing technology that were improved upon by the inventions
10 of the ’173 Patent.
11

160. Given the state of the art at the time of the invention of the ’173 Patent,

12 the inventive concepts of the ’173 Patent were not conventional, well-understood, or
13 routine.

The ’173 Patent discloses, among other things, an unconventional

14 technological solution to an issue arising specifically in the context of tagging
15 photographs via a graphical user interface. The solution implemented by the ’173
16 Patent provides a specific and substantial improvement over prior photo tagging
17 systems, resulting in an improved user interface for electronic devices, including by
18 introducing novel elements directed to improving the function and working of
19 electronic devices such as, inter alia, the claimed “tag list including tags from one or
20 more tag sources matching a search string” (claims 1, 7, and 13), “tag type indicator
21 for each tag . . . indicative of a tag source associated with the tag” (same), and “tag
22 entry field for entering [the search string / a photo tag]” (claims 2, 8, 14).
23

161. Consistent with the problem addressed being rooted in electronic user

24 interfaces for photo tagging on computing systems, the ’173 Patent’s solutions
25 naturally are also rooted in the same technology that cannot be performed with pen
26 and paper or in the human mind.
27

162. This technical context is reflected in the ’173 Patent’s claims. For

28 example, various claims of the ’173 Patent require search strings, tag type
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Case 2:18-cv-01844 Document 1 Filed 03/06/18 Page 57 of 117 Page ID #:57

1 indicators, a tag list including tags from one or more tag sources, and a tag entry
2 field.
3

163. A person having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the inventions of

4 the ’173 Patent would not have understood that the inventions could or would be
5 performed solely in the human mind or using pen and paper. Using pen and paper
6 would ignore the stated purpose of the ’173 Patent and the problem it was
7 specifically designed to address. Doing so would also run counter to the inventors’
8 detailed description of the inventions and the language of the claims and be a
9 practical impossibility.

’173 Patent Allegations

10
11

164. Facebook and Instagram have infringed and are infringing, either

12 literally or under the doctrine of equivalents, the ’173 Patent in violation of 35
13 U.S.C. § 271 et seq., directly and/or indirectly, by making, using, selling, offering
14 for sale, and/or importing into the United States without authority or license, the
15 www.facebook.com website and Instagram application, respectively, (hereinafter
16 “the ’173 Accused Products”) that infringe at least claims 1, 2, 7, 8, 13 and 14 of the
17 ’173 Patent.

The ’173 Accused Products are non-limiting examples that were

18 identified based on publicly available information, and BlackBerry reserves the right
19 to identify additional infringing activities, products and services, including, for
20 example, on the basis of information obtained during discovery.
21

165. On information and belief after reasonable investigation, the ’173

22 Accused Products contain photo tagging functionality designed and used to provide
23 a tag list including tag type indicators in a manner that infringes the ’173 Patent.
24

166. As just one non-limiting example, set forth below (with claim language

25 in italics) is a description of infringement of exemplary claim 1 of the ’173 Patent in
26 connection with www.facebook.com and the Instagram application.
27 description is based on publicly available information.

This

BlackBerry reserves the

28 right to modify this description, including, for example, on the basis of information
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Case 2:18-cv-01844 Document 1 Filed 03/06/18 Page 58 of 117 Page ID #:58

1 about the ’173 Accused Products that it obtains during discovery.
2

1(a) A method of selecting a photo tag for a tagged photo, comprising: -

3 Facebook makes and uses the social media website, www.facebook.com, and
4 Instagram makes and uses the Instagram application. Regardless of whether the
5 preamble of claim 1 adds any substantive limitation to the claim, the claim language
6 is met by the ’173 Accused Products, as the ’173 Accused Products includes a
7 method of operating an electronic device as further described below for the
8 remaining claim limitations.
9

1(b) displaying a tag list including tags from one or more tag sources

10 matching a search string;
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21

Facebook website

22
23
24
25
26
27
28
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Case 2:18-cv-01844 Document 1 Filed 03/06/18 Page 59 of 117 Page ID #:59

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14

Instagram
1(c) displaying a tag type indicator for each tag appearing in the tag list, said

15 tag type being indicative of a tag source associated with the tag.
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26

Facebook website

27
28
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Case 2:18-cv-01844 Document 1 Filed 03/06/18 Page 60 of 117 Page ID #:60

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14

Instagram
167. Additionally, Facebook and Instagram have been, and currently are,

15 active inducers of infringement of the ’173 Patent under 35 U.S.C. § 271(b) and
16 contributory infringers of the ’173 Patent under 35 U.S.C. § 271(c).
17

168. Facebook and Instagram knew of the ’173 Patent, or should have

18 known of the ’173 Patent but were willfully blind to its existence.

Upon

19 information and belief, Facebook and Instagram have had actual knowledge of the
20 ’173 Patent since at least as early as the filing and/or service of this Complaint.
21 Facebook and Instagram have provided the ’173 Accused Products to their
22 customers and, on information and belief, instructions to use the ’173 Accused
23 Products in an infringing manner while being on notice of or willfully blind to the
24 ’173 Patent and Facebook’s and Instagram’s infringement.

Therefore, on

25 information and belief, Facebook and Instagram knew or should have known of the
26 ’173 Patent and of their own infringing acts, or deliberately took steps to avoid
27 learning of those facts. Additionally, on information and belief, Facebook knew or
28 should have known of the ’173 Patent at least as early as March 7, 2014 when the
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Case 2:18-cv-01844 Document 1 Filed 03/06/18 Page 61 of 117 Page ID #:61

1 USPTO cited the ’173 Patent to Facebook during prosecution of Facebook’s U.S.
2 Patent Application No. 13/117,888; or March 21, 2014 when the USPTO again cited
3 the ’173 Patent to Facebook during prosecution of Facebook’s U.S. Patent
4 Application No. 13/117,617; or April 24, 2014 when the USPTO for a third time
5 cited the ’173 Patent to Facebook during prosecution of Facebook’s U.S. Patent
6 Application No. 13/092,443.
7

169. Facebook and Instagram knowingly and intentionally encourage and

8 aid at least their end-user customers to directly infringe the ’173 Patent.

170. Upon information and belief, Facebook and Instagram provide the ’173

9

10 Accused Products to customers through the www.facebook.com website and various
11 third-party application stores (e.g., the Apple App Store), respectively, and
12 instructions to end-user customers so that such customers will use the ’173 Accused
13 Products in an infringing manner. For example, Facebook and Instagram provide
14 instructions to end-user customers on how to set up, configure, and use various
15 features of the ’173 Accused Products, including how to tag photos on
16 www.facebook.com and through the Instagram application.24
17

171. Facebook’s and Instagram’s end-user customers directly infringe at

18 least claims 1, 2, 7, 8, 13, and 14 of the ’173 Patent by using the ’173 Accused
19 Products in their intended manner.

Facebook and Instagram induce such

20 infringement by providing the ’173 Accused Products and instructions to enable and
21 facilitate infringement, knowing of, or being willfully blind to the existence of, the
22 ’173 Patent.

Upon information and belief, Facebook and Instagram specifically

23 intend that their actions will result in infringement of at least claims 1, 2, 7, 8, 13,
24 and 14 of the ’173 Patent, or subjectively believe that their actions will result in
25
26

24

See https://www.facebook.com/help/227499947267037;
27 https://www.facebook.com/help/tag-suggestions;
https://help.instagram.com/174635396025538.
28
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Case 2:18-cv-01844 Document 1 Filed 03/06/18 Page 62 of 117 Page ID #:62

1 infringement of the ’173 Patent but took deliberate actions to avoid learning of those
2 facts.
3

172. Additionally, Facebook and Instagram contributorily infringe at least

4 claims 1, 2, 7, 8, 13, and 14 of the ’173 Patent by providing the ’173 Accused
5 Products and/or software components thereof, that embody a material part of the
6 claimed inventions of the ’173 Patent, that are known by Facebook and Instagram to
7 be specially made or adapted for use in an infringing manner, and are not staple
8 articles with substantial non-infringing uses.

The ’173 Accused Products are

9 specially designed to infringe at least claims 1, 2, 7, 8, 13, and 14 of the ’173 Patent,
10 and their accused components have no substantial non-infringing uses. In particular,
11 on information and belief, the software modules and code that implement and
12 perform the infringing functionalities identified above are specially made and
13 adapted to carry out said functionality and do not have any substantial non14 infringing uses.
15

173. Additional

allegations

regarding

Facebook’s

and

Instagram’s

16 knowledge of the ’173 Patent and willful infringement will likely have further
17 evidentiary support after a reasonable opportunity for discovery.
18

174. Facebook’s and Instagram’s infringement of the ’173 Patent was and

19 continues to be willful and deliberate, entitling BlackBerry to enhanced damages
20 and attorneys’ fees.
21

175. Facebook’s and Instagram’s infringement of the ’173 Patent is

22 exceptional and entitles BlackBerry to attorneys’ fees and costs incurred in
23 prosecuting this action under 35 U.S.C. § 285.
24

176. BlackBerry has been damaged by Facebook’s and Instagram’s

25 infringement of the ’173 Patent and will continue to be damaged unless Facebook
26 and Instagram are enjoined by this Court. BlackBerry has suffered and continues to
27 suffer irreparable injury for which there is no adequate remedy at law. The balance
28 of hardships favors BlackBerry, and public interest is not disserved by an injunction.
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1

177. BlackBerry is entitled to recover from Facebook and Instagram all

2 damages that BlackBerry has sustained as a result of Facebook’s infringement of the
3 ’173 Patent, including without limitation lost profits and not less than a reasonable
4 royalty.
5
6

COUNT IV: INFRINGEMENT OF U.S. PATENT NO. 8,301,713
178. BlackBerry incorporates by reference and re-alleges all of the foregoing

7 paragraphs of this Complaint as if fully set forth herein.
8
9

The ’713 Patent
179. The ’713 Patent discloses, among other things, “[a]n improved

10 handheld electronic device and an associated method are provided in which time
11 data regarding certain aspects of a messaging conversation on a handheld electronic
12 device are made available to a user,” including “in situations where an interruption
13 has occurred during a messaging conversation.” ’713 Patent, Abstract.
14

180. The ’713 Patent explains that in instant messaging conversations,

15 where a conversation proceeds quickly, i.e., substantially without interruption, there
16 isn’t a need to provide a time stamp for each individual message. Id. at 1:54-58.
17 The patent states that, therefore, “[i]n the environment of a handheld electronic
18 device, it would be desirable to avoid unnecessary time stamps and other
19 unnecessary output since it occupies too much valuable space on the limited display
20 of the handheld electronic device. In some messaging circumstances, however, it
21 may be desirable for information regarding certain timing aspects of conversation to
22 be available to a user.” Id. at 1:59-62.
23

181. Fig. 4 of the ’713 Patent shows an exemplary instant messaging

24 conversation according to the patent that includes “a plurality of incoming messages
25 72 and a plurality of outgoing messages 76 that are transmitted between the devices
26 4 and 104 at a conversational speed, i.e., at a speed in which back-to-back
27 communications between the devices 4 and 104 occur without a meaningful delay
28 therebetween. Due to the conversational speed of the back-to-back communications,
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Case 2:18-cv-01844 Document 1 Filed 03/06/18 Page 64 of 117 Page ID #:64

1 the messages 68 do not include an indication of the times at which such messages 68
2 were transmitted, it being assumed as a general matter that in such circumstances the
3 specific time at which a given message within such a conversation occurred may not
4 be of significance to a user.”

Id. at 5:10-22. In the disclosed embodiment, a

5 determination is made that a predetermined duration of time has transpired without a
6 response to the most recent message in the conversation thread. Id. at 5:22-38. As
7 shown in Fig. 5, in the exemplary embodiment, “another message 68 may
8 subsequently be communicated between the devices 4 and 104. Since the message
9 68 corresponds with a resumption of communication between the devices 4 and 104
10 after a period of interruption, the message 68 is determined to be a resumption
11 message 88, and . . . time stamp 92 is output adjacent the resumption message 88.”
12 Id. at 5:62-6:2.
13
14
15
16
17
18
19

182. The ’713 Patent thus describes, inter alia, “[a] method of operating an

20 electronic device, the method comprising: outputting an electronic conversation
21 comprising a plurality of indications, each indication being representative of at least
22 a portion of a corresponding messaging communication between the electronic
23 device and a second electronic device; identifying a first messaging communication
24 between the electronic device and the second electronic device occurring at a first
25 time, the first messaging communication having a corresponding first indication
26 representative of at least a portion of the first messaging communication and which
27 is one of the plurality of indications; determining that a predetermined duration of
28 time has elapsed since the first time without additional communication between the
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1 electronic device and the second electronic device during that duration of time;
2 detecting an input to the electronic device following said identifying and
3 determining steps, said input occurring at a second time; and responsive to said
4 detecting an input, outputting in the electronic conversation, a time stamp
5 representative of the second time.” Id. at claim 1.
6

The Inventions Claimed in the ’713 Patent Were Not

7

Well-Understood, Routine, or Conventional

8

183. An electronic device displaying a time stamp associated with an input

9 following a determination that a predetermined duration of time has elapsed since a
10 first messaging communication without additional communication between the
11 device and another electronic device was not common or conventional at the time of
12 the ’713 Patent.
13

184. The inventors of ’713 Patent recognized that, in certain instant

14 messaging conversations where the conversation proceeds quickly, it is not
15 necessary and can be a nuisance to include a time stamp with each message and that
16 “it would be desirable to avoid unnecessary time stamps and other unnecessary
17 output since it occupies too much valuable space on the limited display of the
18 handheld electronic device.” ’713 Patent at 1:59-62. The inventors also recognized
19 that in some circumstances it may be desirable for information regarding timing
20 aspects to be available to the user, but that “the limited space available on a display
21 of a handheld electronic device has made a solution difficult.” Id. at 1:63-67.
22

185. The inventors recognized the benefit of solving this problem by

23 providing a method of outputting a time stamp associated with a messaging
24 conversation on an electronic device responsive to a determination that a
25 predetermined period of time has elapsed without response after a first
26 communication. The ’713 Patent explains: “[t]he general nature of the method can
27 be stated as including determining that a first messaging communication has
28 occurred at a first time between the first device and the second device, outputting a
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1 first indication that is representative of at least a portion of the first communication,
2 determining that a predetermined period of time has elapsed since the first time
3 substantially without further communication between the first device and the second
4 device and, responsive to determining that a predetermined period of time has
5 elapsed, outputting a first time stamp representative of the first time.” Id. at 2:356 45. In this manner, the ’713 Patent is able to strike a desirable balance between
7 displaying sufficient timestamps to provide context for messages in a conversation
8 without taking up too much of a mobile device’s display screen. At the time of the
9 ’713 Patent, timestamps were typically displayed for every message in a
10 conversation or not at all.
11

186. Given the state of the art at the time of the invention of the ’713 Patent,

12 the inventive concepts of the ’713 Patent were not conventional, well-understood, or
13 routine.

The ’713 Patent discloses, among other things, an unconventional

14 technological solution to an issue arising specifically in the context of electronic
15 communications between electronic devices. The solution implemented by the ’713
16 Patent provides a specific and substantial improvement over prior electronic
17 messaging systems in electronic devices, including by introducing novel elements
18 directed to improving the function and working of electronic devices such as, inter
19 alia, the claimed “[determining / determine] that a predetermined duration of time
20 has elapsed since the first time without additional communication between the
21 electronic device and the second electronic device during that duration of time;
22 [detecting / detect] an input to the electronic device following said identifying and
23 determining steps, said input occurring at a second time; and responsive to said
24 detecting an input, [outputting / output] in the electronic conversation, a time stamp
25 representative of the second time” (claims 1, 5, and 9).
26

187. Consistent with the problem addressed being rooted in user interfaces

27 for electronic messaging between wireless communications devices, the ’713
28 Patent’s solutions naturally are also rooted in the same technology that cannot be
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1 performed with pen and paper or in the human mind.
2

188. This technical context is reflected in the ’713 Patent’s claims. For

3 example, various claims of the ’713 Patent require an electronic device, an
4 electronic conversation, a messaging communication between the electronic device
5 and a second electronic device, and a display.
6

189. A person having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the inventions of

7 the ’713 Patent would not have understood that the inventions could or would be
8 performed solely in the human mind or using pen and paper. Using pen and paper
9 would ignore the stated purpose of the ’713 Patent and the problem it was
10 specifically designed to address. Doing so would also run counter to the inventors’
11 detailed description of the inventions and the language of the claims and be a
12 practical impossibility.

’713 Patent Allegations

13
14

190. Defendants have infringed and are infringing, either literally or under

15 the doctrine of equivalents, the ’713 Patent in violation of 35 U.S.C. § 271 et seq.,
16 directly and/or indirectly, by making, using, selling, offering for sale, and/or
17 importing into the United States without authority or license, the Facebook
18 Messenger, Facebook Messenger Lite, Facebook Pages Manager, Facebook
19 Workplace Chat, WhatsApp, and Instagram applications (hereinafter “the ’713
20 Accused Products”) that infringe at least claims 1, 5, and 9 of the ’713 Patent. The
21 ’713 Accused Products are non-limiting examples that were identified based on
22 publicly available information, and BlackBerry reserves the right to identify
23 additional infringing activities, products and services, including, for example, on the
24 basis of information obtained during discovery.
25

191. On information and belief after reasonable investigation, the ’713

26 Accused Products contain message time stamping functionality designed and used to
27 provide timing information for messages between electronic devices in a manner
28 that infringes the ’713 Patent.
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Case 2:18-cv-01844 Document 1 Filed 03/06/18 Page 68 of 117 Page ID #:68

1

192. As just one non-limiting example, set forth below (with claim language

2 in italics) is a description of infringement of exemplary claim 1 of the ’713 Patent in
3 connection with the Facebook Messenger, Facebook Messenger Lite, Pages
4 Manager, Workplace Chat, WhatsApp, and Instagram applications. This description
5 is based on publicly available information. BlackBerry reserves the right to modify
6 this description, including, for example, on the basis of information about the ’713
7 Accused Products that it obtains during discovery.
8

1(a) A method of operating an electronic device, the method comprising: -

9 Defendants make and use the Facebook Messenger, Facebook Messenger Lite,
10 Facebook Pages Manager, Facebook Workplace Chat, WhatsApp, and Instagram
11 software applications.

Regardless of whether the preamble of claim 1 adds any

12 substantive limitation to the claim, the claim language is met by the ’713 Accused
13 Products, as the ’713 Accused Products includes a method of operating an electronic
14 device as further described below for the remaining claim limitations.
15

1(b) outputting an electronic conversation comprising a plurality of

16 indications, each indication being representative of at least a portion of a
17 corresponding messaging communication between the electronic device and a
18 second electronic device;
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26

Facebook Messenger
Facebook Messenger Lite

27
28
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COMPLAINT FOR PATENT INFRINGEMENT

Case 2:18-cv-01844 Document 1 Filed 03/06/18 Page 69 of 117 Page ID #:69

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9

Facebook Pages Manager

10
11
12
13
14

Facebook Workplace Chat

15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27

WhatsApp Messenger

Instagram

28
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COMPLAINT FOR PATENT INFRINGEMENT

Case 2:18-cv-01844 Document 1 Filed 03/06/18 Page 70 of 117 Page ID #:70

1

1(c) identifying a first messaging communication between the electronic

2 device and the second electronic device occurring at a first time, the first messaging
3 communication having a corresponding first indication representative of at least a
4 portion of the first messaging communication and which is one of the plurality of
5 indications;
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13

Facebook Messenger
Facebook Messenger Lite

14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23

Facebook Pages Manager

24
25
26
27

Facebook Workplace Chat

28
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COMPLAINT FOR PATENT INFRINGEMENT

Case 2:18-cv-01844 Document 1 Filed 03/06/18 Page 71 of 117 Page ID #:71

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12

WhatsApp Messenger

Instagram

13
14

1(d) determining that a predetermined duration of time has elapsed since the

15 first time without additional communication between the electronic device and the
16 second electronic device during that duration of time; 1(e) detecting an input to the
17 electronic device following said identifying and determining steps, said input
18 occurring at a second time; and 1(f) responsive to said detecting an input,
19 outputting in the electronic conversation, a time stamp representative of the second
20 time.
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28

Facebook Messenger

Facebook Messenger Lite
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Case 2:18-cv-01844 Document 1 Filed 03/06/18 Page 72 of 117 Page ID #:72

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10

Facebook Pages Manager

11
12
13
14

Facebook Workplace Chat

15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27

WhatsApp Messenger

Instagram

28
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COMPLAINT FOR PATENT INFRINGEMENT

Case 2:18-cv-01844 Document 1 Filed 03/06/18 Page 73 of 117 Page ID #:73

1

193. Additionally, Defendants have been, and currently are, active inducers

2 of infringement of the ’713 Patent under 35 U.S.C. § 271(b) and contributory
3 infringers of the ’713 Patent under 35 U.S.C. § 271(c).

194. Defendants knew of the ’713 Patent, or should have known of the ’713

4

5 Patent but were willfully blind to its existence.

Upon information and belief,

6 Defendants have had actual knowledge of the ’713 Patent since at least as early as
7 the filing and/or service of this Complaint.

Defendants have provided the ’713

8 Accused Products to their customers and, on information and belief, instructions to
9 use the ’713 Accused Products in an infringing manner while being on notice of or
10 willfully blind to the ’713 Patent and the Defendants’ infringement. Therefore, on
11 information and belief, Defendants knew or should have known of the ’713 Patent
12 and of their own infringing acts, or deliberately took steps to avoid learning of those
13 facts.
14

195. Defendants knowingly and intentionally encourage and aid at least their

15 end-user customers to directly infringe the ’713 Patent.

196. Upon information and belief, Defendants provide the ’713 Accused

16

17 Products to customers through various third-party application stores (e.g., the Apple
18 App Store) and instructions to end-user customers so that such customers will use
19 the ’713 Accused Products in an infringing manner.

For example, Defendants

20 provide instructions to end-user customers on how to set up, configure, and use
21 various features of the ’713 Accused Products, including how to send messages.25
22

197. Defendants’ end-user customers directly infringe at least claims 1, 5,

23 and 9 of the ’713 Patent by using the ’713 Accused Products in their intended
24
25

See https://www.facebook.com/help/messengerapp/345021679200618/?helpref=hc_fnav&bc[0]=691363354276356&bc[1]=13229
26 73511088245&bc[2]=1835098660060900; https://www.whatsapp.com/download/
27 https://faq.whatsapp.com/; https://help.instagram.com/684926628219030;
https://help.instagram.com/155540431448273?helpref=related&ref=related.
25

28
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COMPLAINT FOR PATENT INFRINGEMENT

Case 2:18-cv-01844 Document 1 Filed 03/06/18 Page 74 of 117 Page ID #:74

1 manner.

Defendants induce such infringement by providing the ’713 Accused

2 Products and instructions to enable and facilitate infringement, knowing of, or being
3 willfully blind to the existence of, the ’713 Patent. Upon information and belief,
4 Defendants specifically intend that their actions will result in infringement of at least
5 claims 1, 5, and 9 of the ’713 Patent, or subjectively believe that their actions will
6 result in infringement of the ’713 Patent but took deliberate actions to avoid learning
7 of those facts.
8

198. Additionally, Defendants contributorily infringe at least claims 1, 5,

9 and 9 of the ’713 Patent by providing the ’713 Accused Products and/or software
10 components thereof, that embody a material part of the claimed inventions of the
11 ’713 Patent, that are known by Defendants to be specially made or adapted for use
12 in an infringing manner, and are not staple articles with substantial non-infringing
13 uses. The ’713 Accused Products are specially designed to infringe at least claims
14 1, 5, and 9 of the ’713 Patent, and their accused components have no substantial
15 non-infringing uses. In particular, on information and belief, the software modules
16 and code that implement and perform the infringing functionalities identified above
17 are specially made and adapted to carry out said functionality and do not have any
18 substantial non-infringing uses.
19

199. Additional allegations regarding Defendants’ knowledge of the ’713

20 Patent and willful infringement will likely have further evidentiary support after a
21 reasonable opportunity for discovery.
22

200. Defendants’ infringement of the ’713 Patent was and continues to be

23 willful and deliberate, entitling BlackBerry to enhanced damages and attorneys’
24 fees.
25

201. Defendants’ infringement of the ’713 Patent is exceptional and entitles

26 BlackBerry to attorneys’ fees and costs incurred in prosecuting this action under 35
27 U.S.C. § 285.
28

202. BlackBerry has been damaged by Defendants’ infringement of the ’713
-74-

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1 Patent and will continue to be damaged unless Defendants are enjoined by this
2 Court. BlackBerry has suffered and continues to suffer irreparable injury for which
3 there is no adequate remedy at law. The balance of hardships favors BlackBerry,
4 and public interest is not disserved by an injunction.
5

203. BlackBerry is entitled to recover from Defendants all damages that

6 BlackBerry has sustained as a result of Defendants’ infringement of the ’713 Patent,
7 including without limitation lost profits and not less than a reasonable royalty.
8
9

COUNT V: INFRINGEMENT OF U.S. PATENT NO. 8,429,236
204. BlackBerry incorporates by reference and re-alleges all of the foregoing

10 paragraphs of this Complaint as if fully set forth herein.

The ’236 Patent

11
12

205. The ’236 Patent discloses, among other things, methods and devices for

13 “[s]electing and modifying the transmission rates and sizes of status update
14 messages transmitted by a mobile communications device to a recipient application
15 based on use of the updates by the recipient application.” ’236 Patent, Abstract.
16

206. The ’236 Patent explains that “modern mobile communications devices

17 support a large variety of data-enabled applications, including applications that
18 utilize data generated or collected at the mobile communications device. This may
19 include, for example, applications that are aware of the location of the mobile
20 communications device. Taking advantage of these capabilities, users of mobile
21 communications devices are increasingly mobile and social.”

Id. at 1:21-28.

22 However, “[t]ransmissions from the mobile communications device over a wireless
23 communications system consume resources that would be desirable to conserve” as
24 each transmission sent from such a device consumes power from the device's
25 battery. Id. at 1:29-36. The ’236 Patent provides a mechanism for a mobile device
26 to efficiently transmit data generated or collected at that device to a different
27 recipient device.
28

207. The ’236 Patent explains further, “[m]odern mobile communications
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Case 2:18-cv-01844 Document 1 Filed 03/06/18 Page 76 of 117 Page ID #:76

1 devices may have the capability of collecting or generating information. This
2 information may be included in a status update, where each status update has
3 information that has been collected or generated since the previous status update. A
4 mobile communications device may be configured to generate or collect a plurality
5 of status updates during a period of time, and include the plurality of status updates
6 in a status message transmitted over a wireless network to a recipient application.”
7 Id. at 2:46-54. One particular form of such status updates described in the ’236
8 Patent are location updates concerning the location of the mobile device. Id. 5:109 24.
10

208. The ’236 Patent provides “arrangements which enable a mobile

11 communications device to transmit status updates efficiently over a wireless
12 network to a recipient application. In one solution, the mobile communications
13 device utilizes different message transmission modes based on the activity of the
14 recipient application—i.e., whether or not the recipient application is actively
15 processing status updates. The different message transmission modes may
16 implement different amounts of delay between status messages and number of the
17 status updates included in each status message. In one implementation, the mobile
18 communications device may automatically select a different message transmission
19 mode when the mobile communications device determines that the recipient
20 application is actively processing status updates.” Id. at 3:7-20.
21

209. Figures 2 and 3 of the ’236 Patent show exemplary methods by which

22 the patent enables efficient transmission of status updates. “FIG. 2 is a sequence
23 diagram illustrating mobile communications device 110 transmitting status updates
24 using a conservative message transmission mode. In FIG. 2, recipient application
25 250 is not actively processing status updates, and therefore appears as a non-active
26 recipient application 250A. Mobile communications device 110 is generating status
27 updates 201, for example 201A, 201B, 201C, 201D, 201E, 201F, and 201G.” Id. at
28 9:54-61. Such a conservative transmission mode is desirable when the recipient
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Case 2:18-cv-01844 Document 1 Filed 03/06/18 Page 77 of 117 Page ID #:77

1 application is not actively processing status updates because it allows the sending
2 device to conserve resources while still allowing the recipient to generate an output
3 in the future based on the status updates that were sent. Id. at 9:48-54. However,
4 “when a recipient application 250 is actively processing status updates it may be
5 desirable for the mobile communications device 110 to transmit status messages
6 using the accelerated message transmission mode. FIG. 3 illustrates the mobile
7 communications device 110 transmitting status messages, such as status messages
8 300A, 300B, 300C, 300D and 300E to a recipient application 250B that is actively
9 processing the status updates to generate an output based on the status updates.” Id.
10 at 10:32-40. Generally, status updates are sent more frequently and/or contain more
11 data when the sending mobile device operates using the accelerated transmission
12 mode than when it operates in the conservative transmission mode. Id. at 10:6013 11:13.
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27

210. The ’236 Patent thus describes, inter alia, “[a] method in a mobile

28
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COMPLAINT FOR PATENT INFRINGEMENT

Case 2:18-cv-01844 Document 1 Filed 03/06/18 Page 78 of 117 Page ID #:78

1 communications device that transmits status messages to a recipient application,
2 each status message including at least one status update, the method comprising:
3 transmitting status messages using a first message transmission mode; and upon
4 determining that the recipient application is actively processing status updates,
5 transmitting status messages using a second message transmission mode, the second
6 message transmission mode being different from the first message transmission
7 mode.” Id., at claim 1.
8

The Inventions Claimed in the ’236 Patent Were Not

9

Well-Understood, Routine, or Conventional

10

211. Using a mobile communication device to transmit status messages

11 including status updates to a recipient application using a first transmission mode
12 and, upon determination that the recipient application is actively processing status
13 updates, transmitting status messages using a different second transmission mode
14 was not common or conventional at the time of the invention of the ’236 Patent.
15

212. At the time of the invention of the ’236 Patent, mobile communication

16 devices supported a variety of data-enabled applications, “including applications
17 that utilize data generated or collected at the mobile communications device.” ’236
18 Patent at 1:21-24. This generated or collected data, such as the mobile device’s
19 location data, could be transmitted to other recipient devices and applications in the
20 form of status updates. Id. at 1:14-17. Repeated transmission of status updates
21 allows a recipient to attain an accurate, near real-time view of the status of the
22 sender or sending application. However, the frequent transmission of status updates
23 taxes the limited resources of the transmitting mobile device, including the device’s
24 battery life and, in some instances, bandwidth, as every transmission consumes
25 power and could also utilize a wireless communications channel. Id. at 1:33-36.
26 The ’236 Patent’s inventors therefore recognized that “[t]o conserve resources, a
27 solution for efficient transmission of status updates from mobile communications
28 devices would provide an advance in the field.” Id. at 1:37-39.
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Case 2:18-cv-01844 Document 1 Filed 03/06/18 Page 79 of 117 Page ID #:79

1

213. The inventors of the ’236 Patent recognized that an efficient means of

2 transmitting status updates from a mobile communications device could be provided
3 by utilizing different transmission modes based on whether or not the recipient
4 application is actively processing status updates. Id. at 3:7-13. For example, the
5 mobile communications device may implement different amounts of delay between
6 status update messages or may adjust the amount of data contained in each message
7 depending on the transmission mode.

Id. at 3:13-16. The transmitting mobile

8 device thereby tailors the way in which it transmits status updates based on a
9 determination of the recipient’s use thereof thereby allowing the transmitting device
10 to conserve resources during times when the recipient is not actively processing
11 status updates. Id. at 3:20-24.
12

214. Given the state of the art at the time of the invention of the ’236 Patent,

13 the inventive concepts of the ’236 Patent cannot be considered to be conventional,
14 well-understood, or routine.

The ’236 Patent discloses, among other things, an

15 unconventional solution to an issue specifically arising in the context of mobile
16 communications devices and offered a technological solution to that issue resulting
17 in improved communications devices, including by introducing novel elements
18 directed to improving the function and working of communications devices such as,
19 inter alia, the claimed “transmitting status messages using a first message
20 transmission mode; and upon determining that the recipient application is actively
21 processing status updates, transmitting status messages using a second message
22 transmission mode, the second message transmission mode being different from the
23 first message transmission mode” (claim 1), “a mode selector configured to
24 determine whether a recipient application is actively processing status updates and
25 to select a message transmission mode based on whether the recipient application is
26 actively processing status updates” (claim 15), and “a message generator configured
27 to generate status messages and to cause transmission of status messages from the
28 mobile communications device to a recipient application using the selected message
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Case 2:18-cv-01844 Document 1 Filed 03/06/18 Page 80 of 117 Page ID #:80

1 transmission mode” (claim 15).
2

215. Consistent with the problem addressed being rooted in electronic

3 communications devices and systems, the ’236 Patent’s solutions naturally are also
4 rooted in the same technology that cannot be performed with pen and paper or in the
5 human mind.
6

216. This technical context is reflected in the ’236 Patent’s claims. For

7 example, various claims of the ’236 Patent require a mobile communications device,
8 a recipient application, first and second transmission modes, a mode selector, and a
9 message generator.
10

217. A person having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the inventions of

11 the ’236 Patent would not have understood that the inventions could or would be
12 performed solely in the human mind or using pen and paper. Using pen and paper
13 would ignore the stated purpose of the ’236 Patent and the problem it was
14 specifically designed to address. Doing so would also run counter to the inventors’
15 detailed description of the invention and the language of the claims and be a
16 practical impossibility.
17
18

’236 Patent Allegations
218. Defendants Facebook and WhatsApp have infringed and are infringing,

19 either literally or under the doctrine of equivalents, the ’236 Patent in violation of 35
20 U.S.C. § 271 et seq., directly and/or indirectly, by making, using, selling, offering
21 for sale, and/or importing into the United States without authority or license, the
22 Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp Messenger applications (hereinafter “the ’236
23 Accused Products”) that infringe at least claims 1-2, 4, and 15-16 of the ’236 Patent.
24 The ’236 Accused Products are non-limiting examples that were identified based on
25 publicly available information, and BlackBerry reserves the right to identify
26 additional infringing activities, products and services, including, for example, on the
27 basis of information obtained during discovery.
28

219. On information and belief after reasonable investigation, the ’236
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Case 2:18-cv-01844 Document 1 Filed 03/06/18 Page 81 of 117 Page ID #:81

1 Accused Products contain status update transmission functionality designed and
2 used to transmit status messages in different modes depending on whether a
3 recipient application is actively processing status updates in a manner that infringes
4 the ’236 Patent.
5

220. As just one non-limiting example, set forth below (with claim language

6 in italics) is a description of infringement of exemplary claim 1 of the ’236 Patent in
7 connection with the “Share Live Location” feature of the Facebook Messenger and
8 WhatsApp Messenger applications.

On information and belief, Facebook

9 Messenger’s “Live Location” is materially the same functionality as WhatsApp
10 Messenger’s “Share Live Location” feature, thereby also infringing the claim.
11

221. This description is based on publicly available information.

12 BlackBerry reserves the right to modify this description, including, for example, on
13 the basis of information about the ’236 Accused Products that it obtains during
14 discovery.
15

1(a) A method in a mobile communications device that transmits status

16 messages to a recipient application, each status message including at least one
17 status update, the method comprising: - Facebook and WhatsApp make and use the
18 Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp Messenger software applications. Regardless
19 of whether the preamble of claim 1 adds any substantive limitation to the claim, the
20 claim language is met by the ’236 Accused Products, as the ’236 Accused Products
21 include a method in a mobile communications device that transmits status messages
22 to a recipient application, each status message including at least one status update—
23 such as a status update of the device’s location—as further described below for the
24 remaining claim limitations.

See, e.g., https://newsroom.fb.com/news/2015/06/a-

25 new-way-to-send-a-location-in-messenger/;
26 https://newsroom.fb.com/news/2017/03/introducing-live-location-in-messenger/
27 (“Today we’re excited to announce a new way to share your location in Messenger.
28 Our new Live Location feature makes it simple and seamless for you to choose to
-81-

Case No. 2:18-cv-01844
COMPLAINT FOR PATENT INFRINGEMENT

Case 2:18-cv-01844 Document 1 Filed 03/06/18 Page 82 of 117 Page ID #:82

1 share where you are with your friends and family. This is rolling out globally and is
2 available on both iOS and Android.”); https://blog.whatsapp.com/10000634/Share3 your-live-location (“Today, we’re rolling out a new feature that allows you to share
4 your location in real-time with family or friends. Whether you're meeting up with
5 friends, letting loved ones know you're safe, or sharing your commute, Live
6 Location is a simple and secure way to let people know where you are.”).
7

1(b) transmitting status messages using a first message transmission mode;

8 and;
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22

Facebook Messenger

WhatsApp Messenger

23 Based on statements made by Zafir Khan, Product Manager at WhatsApp,
24 WhatsApp Messenger transmits in different modes depending on whether a recipient
25 is currently viewing a shared location.

Regarding the WhatsApp “Share Live

26 Location” feature, Mr. Khan stated: “[w]e have special techniques to help conserve
27 your battery when sharing live location. So it takes into account a number of
28 different factors, such as how long you’ve been sharing your live location, whether
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COMPLAINT FOR PATENT INFRINGEMENT

Case 2:18-cv-01844 Document 1 Filed 03/06/18 Page 83 of 117 Page ID #:83

1 someone on the other end who you are sharing with is actually looking at the map,
2 your current battery level.”26

On information and belief, Facebook Messenger

3 implements the same functionality in order to preserve device battery life. Further,
4 the images below show analytics taken from the WhatsApp Messenger application
5 over a two-minute period wherein the application was sharing live location
6 information with a recipient and the recipient device was not actively viewing the
7 location information.

During this two-minute period, WhatsApp accessed the

8 sending device's location data a total of 18 times.
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21

1(c) upon determining that the recipient application is actively processing

22

23 status updates, transmitting status messages using a second message transmission
24 mode, the second message transmission mode being different from the first message
25 transmission mode. - Based on statements made by Zafir Khan, Product Manager at
26
27

26

See https://gadgets.ndtv.com/apps/news/whatsapp-live-location-sharing-featuretracking-apk-android-how-to-get-it-1764236.

28
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Case 2:18-cv-01844 Document 1 Filed 03/06/18 Page 84 of 117 Page ID #:84

1 WhatsApp, WhatsApp Messenger transmits in different modes depending on
2 whether a recipient is currently viewing a shared location. Regarding the WhatsApp
3 “Share Live Location” feature, Mr. Khan stated: “[w]e have special techniques to
4 help conserve your battery when sharing live location. So it takes into account a
5 number of different factors, such as how long you’ve been sharing your live
6 location, whether someone on the other end who you are sharing with is actually
7 looking at the map, your current battery level.”27

On information and belief,

8 Facebook Messenger implements the same functionality in order to preserve device
9 battery life. Further, the images below show analytics taken from the WhatsApp
10 Messenger application over a two-minute period wherein the application was
11 sharing live location information with a recipient and the recipient device was
12 actively viewing the location information.

During this two-minute period,

13 WhatsApp accessed the sending device’s location data a total of 67 times.

A

14 sending mobile device using WhatsApp’s “Share Live Location” function accesses
15 the device’s location data and, on information and belief, transmits location updates
16 based on that data far more frequently when a recipient is actively viewing the
17 transmitted location updates.
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27

27

Id.

28
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Case 2:18-cv-01844 Document 1 Filed 03/06/18 Page 85 of 117 Page ID #:85

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13

222. Additionally, Facebook and WhatsApp have been, and currently are,

14

active inducers of infringement of the ’236 Patent under 35 U.S.C. § 271(b) and

15

contributory infringers of the ’236 Patent under 35 U.S.C. § 271(c).

16
17
18

223. Facebook and WhatsApp knew of the ’236 Patent, or should have
known of the ’236 Patent but were willfully blind to its existence.

Upon

information and belief, Facebook and WhatsApp have had actual knowledge of the

19

’236 Patent since at least as early as the filing and/or service of this Complaint.

20

Facebook and WhatsApp have provided the ’236 Accused Products to their

21

customers and, on information and belief, instructions to use the ’236 Accused

22
23
24
25
26
27

Products in an infringing manner while being on notice of or willfully blind to the
’236 Patent and Facebook’s and WhatsApp’s infringement.

Therefore, on

information and belief, Facebook and WhatsApp knew or should have known of the
’236 Patent and of their own infringing acts, or deliberately took steps to avoid
learning of those facts.
224. Facebook and WhatsApp knowingly and intentionally encourage and

28
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Case 2:18-cv-01844 Document 1 Filed 03/06/18 Page 86 of 117 Page ID #:86

1 aid at least their end-user customers to directly infringe the ’236 Patent.
2

225. Upon information and belief, Facebook and WhatsApp provide the

3 ’236 Accused Products to customers through various third-party application stores
4 (e.g., the Apple App Store), and instructions to end-user customers so that such
5 customers will use the ’236 Accused Products in an infringing manner.

For

6 example, Facebook and WhatsApp provide instructions to end-user customers on
7 how to set up, configure, and use various features of the ’236 Accused Products, as
8 well as to use Live Location functionality.28

226. Facebook’s and WhatsApp’s end-user customers directly infringe at

9

10 least claims 1-2, 4, and 15-16 of the ’236 Patent by using the ’236 Accused Products
11 in their intended manner. Facebook and WhatsApp induce such infringement by
12 providing the ’236 Accused Products and instructions to enable and facilitate
13 infringement, knowing of, or being willfully blind to the existence of, the ’236
14 Patent. Upon information and belief, Facebook and WhatsApp specifically intend
15 that their actions will result in infringement of at least claims 1-2, 4, and 15-16 of
16 the ’236 Patent, or subjectively believe that their actions will result in infringement
17 of the ’236 Patent but took deliberate actions to avoid learning of those facts.
18

227. Additionally, Facebook and WhatsApp contributorily infringe at least

19 claims 1-2, 4, and 15-16 of the ’236 Patent by providing the ’236 Accused Products
20 and/or software components thereof that embody a material part of the claimed
21 inventions of the ’236 Patent, that are known by Facebook and WhatsApp to be
22 specially made or adapted for use in an infringing manner, and are not staple articles
23
24

28

See https://newsroom.fb.com/news/2017/03/introducing-live-location-in25 messenger/; https://www.facebook.com/help/messenger-app/1256099024444800;
https://newsroom.fb.com/news/2015/06/a-new-way-to-send-a-location-in26 messenger/; https://blog.whatsapp.com/10000634/Share-your-live-location;
27 https://faq.whatsapp.com/en/android/26000049/;
https://faq.whatsapp.com/en/iphone/26000053/?category=5245251.
28
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1 with substantial non-infringing uses.

The ’236 Accused Products are specially

2 designed to infringe at least claims 1-2, 4, and 15-16 of the ’236 Patent, and their
3 accused components have no substantial non-infringing uses.

In particular, on

4 information and belief, the software modules and code that implement and perform
5 the infringing functionalities identified above are specially made and adapted to
6 carry out said functionality and do not have any substantial non-infringing uses.
7

228. Additional

allegations

Facebook’s

regarding

and

WhatsApp’s

8 knowledge of the ’236 Patent and willful infringement will likely have further
9 evidentiary support after a reasonable opportunity for discovery.
10

229. Facebook’s and WhatsApp’s infringement of the ’236 Patent was and

11 continues to be willful and deliberate, entitling BlackBerry to enhanced damages
12 and attorneys’ fees.
13

230. Facebook’s and WhatsApp’s infringement of the ’236 Patent is

14 exceptional and entitles BlackBerry to attorneys’ fees and costs incurred in
15 prosecuting this action under 35 U.S.C. § 285.
16

231. BlackBerry has been damaged by Facebook’s and WhatsApp’s

17 infringement of the ’236 Patent and will continue to be damaged unless Facebook
18 and WhatsApp are enjoined by this Court. BlackBerry has suffered and continues to
19 suffer irreparable injury for which there is no adequate remedy at law. The balance
20 of hardships favors BlackBerry, and public interest is not disserved by an injunction.
21

232. BlackBerry is entitled to recover from Facebook and WhatsApp all

22 damages that BlackBerry has sustained as a result of Facebook’s and WhatsApp’s
23 infringement of the ’236 Patent, including without limitation lost profits and not less
24 than a reasonable royalty.
25
26

COUNT VI: INFRINGEMENT OF U.S. PATENT NO. 8,677,250
233. BlackBerry incorporates by reference and re-alleges all of the foregoing

27 paragraphs of this Complaint as if fully set forth herein.
28

The ’250 Patent
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1

234. The ’250 Patent discloses, among other things, systems and methods

2 for “enabling a game to be played on an electronic device, comprising: enabling a
3 game application on the electronic device to utilize a contact list for an instant
4 messaging application, during a game in progress with a particular contact in the
5 contact list, preparing game messages to be sent to the particular contact by
6 including game progress data, communicating at least one game message during the
7 game in progress with the particular contact using an instant messaging system used
8 by the instant messaging application; displaying at least one instant message in an
9 instant messaging conversation user interface; and displaying a game in progress
10 user interface associated with the game play, after detecting a selection in the instant
11 messaging conversation user interface to switch to the game in progress.”

’250

12 Patent, Abstract.
13

235. The ’250 Patent explains that “[c]ommunication devices such as

14 personal computers, wireless mobile telephones, personal data assistants, etc. often
15 provide data communication abilities to users. One currently popular form of such
16 communication is Instant Messaging (IM) facilitated by an application having a
17 graphical user interface (GUI) whereby two or more users of different
18 communication devices can engage in a conversational data communication
19 exchange.” Id. at 1:23-30.
20

236. The ’250 Patent also explains that “[t]o permit IM message exchanges,

21 a user may invite another to agree to receive IM messages and be included in the
22 user’s list of IM contacts (sometimes called an IM friend or buddy in view of the
23 agreement to be a potential IM message recipient).” Id. at 1:31-35. Furthermore,
24 “[i]n addition to conducting conversations, an IM user may invite a buddy to engage
25 in an on-line game where two (or more) players take turns during game play to
26 compete against each other. Conventional board and card games such as checkers or
27 poker may be adapted for IM game playing for example, among others. A game may
28 be invoked via a game application interface or from within an IM application
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1 providing an interface to a game application.” Id. at 1:45-52.
2

237. The ’250 Patent provides a technological improvement in wireless

3 communications and mobile gaming.

The ’250 Patent discloses, for example,

4 enabling a game application on an electronic device to utilize a contact list for an
5 instant messaging application for playing games with contacts by identifying game
6 play in the contact list. Fig. 7B illustrates an exemplary instant messaging interface
7 wherein “a single individual contact element (e.g. 704) may represent a contact
8 element for both IM conversation and IM game purposes….” Id. at 10:60-63.
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18

238. The ’250 Patent further discloses preparing game messages to be sent

19 to a contact during a game in progress with that contact by including game progress
20 data in an instant message with an identifier to associate the data with the game
21 application, sending at least one game message during the game in progress via an
22 instant messaging system, and displaying at least one instant message in an instant
23 messaging conversation indicating game progress. Fig. 5B illustrates an exemplary
24 instant messaging user interface where “[a]s a new move is received from the
25 contact in the associated game in progress, a notification of the new move 522 is
26 presented in the conversation screen (e.g. portion 504) in a manner similar to how a
27 new message is presented.” The ’250 Patent also discloses displaying a game in
28 progress user interface after detecting a selection in the instant messaging user
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1 interface to switch to the game in progress. Referring to Fig. 5B, a “user may then
2 select and open or switch (not shown) to the game in progress from the conversation
3 interface 520.”
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13

239. The ’250 Patent thus describes, inter alia, “[a] method of enabling a

14 game to be played on an electronic device, the method comprising: enabling a game
15 application on the electronic device to utilize a contact list for an instant messaging
16 application for playing games with contacts in the contact list by identifying game
17 play in the contact list; during a game in progress with a particular contact in the
18 contact list, preparing game messages to be sent to the particular contact by
19 including game progress data in an instant messaging message and an identifier to
20 associate the data with the game application; communicating at least one game
21 message during the game in progress with the particular contact using an instant
22 messaging system used by the instant messaging application; displaying at least one
23 instant message in an instant messaging conversation user interface associated with
24 the particular contact indicative of game progress, the instant messaging
25 conversation user interface enabling additional instant messages to be sent to the
26 particular contact in addition to instant messages indicating game play; and
27 displaying a game in progress user interface associated with the game play, after
28 detecting a selection in the instant messaging conversation user interface to switch
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1 to the game in progress.” Id. at claim 1.
2

The Inventions Claimed in the ’250 Patent Were Not

3

Well-Understood, Routine, or Conventional

4

240. An electronic communication device enabling a game application on

5 the device to utilize a contact list for an instant messaging application, prepare and
6 send game messages to a particular contact during a game in progress with the
7 contact using the instant messaging application, and displaying the game in progress
8 interface upon detecting a selection in the instant messaging user interface was not
9 common or conventional at the time of the ’250 Patent.
10

241. At the time of the ’250 Patent, communication device users were able

11 to invite instant messaging contacts to play on-line games.

However, the ’250

12 Patent recognizes that “[a] user may play more than one game at a time or play a
13 game in a non-linear manner, leaving a game interface to perform other tasks such
14 as email, calendar review, etc.” ’250 Patent at 1:53-55.
15

242. The inventors of the ’250 Patent recognized the benefit of providing an

16 interface between an instant messaging application and a game in progress, and the
17 inventors solved this problem by, inter alia, providing an electronic device enabling
18 a game application to utilize a contact list for an instant messaging application,
19 preparing and sending game messages to a contact during a game in progress with
20 the contact, and enabling a switch to a game in progress user interface associated
21 with the game upon detecting a selection in the instant messaging user interface.
22

243. Given the state of the art at the time of the invention of the ’250 Patent,

23 the inventive concepts of the ’250 Patent were not conventional, well-understood, or
24 routine. The ’250 Patent discloses, among other things, an unconventional solution
25 to an issue arising in the context of electronic communication devices, instant
26 messaging communications applications within those devices,

and gaming

27 applications within those devices. The ’250 Patent offered a technological solution
28 to that issue that provides a specific and substantial improvement over prior gaming
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1 and messaging platforms in electronic devices, including by introducing novel
2 elements directed to improving the function and working of electronic devices such
3 as, inter alia, the claimed “enabling a game application on the electronic device to
4 utilize a contact list for an instant messaging application for playing games with
5 contacts in the contact list by identifying game play in the contact list” (claims 1, 9,
6 and 17), “during a game in progress with a particular contact in the contact list,
7 preparing game messages to be sent to the particular contact by including game
8 progress data in an instant messaging message and an identifier to associate the data
9 with the game application” (same), “communicating at least one game message
10 during the game in progress with the particular contact using an instant messaging
11 system used by the instant messaging application” (same), “displaying at least one
12 instant message in an instant messaging conversation user interface associated with
13 the particular contact indicative of game progress, the instant messaging
14 conversation user interface enabling additional instant messages to be sent to the
15 particular contact in addition to instant messages indicating game play” (same), and
16 “displaying a game in progress user interface associated with the game play, after
17 detecting a selection in the instant messaging conversation user interface to switch
18 to the game in progress” (same).
19

244. Consistent with the problem addressed being rooted in gaming and

20 messaging systems on electronic devices, the ’250 Patent’s solutions naturally are
21 also rooted in the same technology that cannot be performed with pen and paper or
22 in the human mind.
23

245. This technical context is reflected in the ’250 Patent’s claims. For

24 example, various claims of the ’250 Patent require an electronic device, a game
25 application on the electronic device, a contact list for an instant messaging
26 application, an instant messaging message, an instant messaging conversation user
27 interface, and a game in progress user interface.
28

246. A person having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the inventions of
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1 the ’250 Patent would not have understood that the inventions could or would be
2 performed solely in the human mind or using pen and paper. Using pen and paper
3 would ignore the stated purpose of the ’250 Patent and the problem it was
4 specifically designed to address. Doing so would also run counter to the inventors’
5 detailed description of the inventions and the language of the claims and be a
6 practical impossibility.

’250 Patent Allegations

7
8

247. Facebook has infringed and is infringing, either literally or under the

9 doctrine of equivalents, the ’250 Patent in violation of 35 U.S.C. § 271 et seq.,
10 directly and/or indirectly, by making, using, selling, offering for sale, and/or
11 importing

into

the

United

States

without

authority

or

license,

the

12 www.facebook.com website and Facebook Messenger application (hereinafter “the
13 ’250 Accused Products”) that infringe at least claims 1, 9, and 17 of the ’250 Patent.
14 The ’250 Accused Products are non-limiting examples that were identified based on
15 publicly available information, and BlackBerry reserves the right to identify
16 additional infringing activities, products and services, including, for example, on the
17 basis of information obtained during discovery.
18

248. On information and belief after reasonable investigation, the ’250

19 Accused Products contain functionality designed and used to enable a game
20 application to utilize a contact list for an instant messaging application, to prepare
21 and send game progress messages using the instant messaging application, and to
22 display a game in progress user interface after a selection in the instant messenger
23 interface in a manner that infringes the ’250 Patent.
24

249. As just one non-limiting example, set forth below (with claim language

25 in italics) is a description of infringement of exemplary claim 1 of the ’250 Patent in
26 connection with www.facebook.com and Facebook Messenger. This description is
27 based on publicly available information. BlackBerry reserves the right to modify
28 this description, including, for example, on the basis of information about the ’250
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1 Accused Products that it obtains during discovery.
2

1(a) A method of enabling a game to be played on an electronic device, the

3 method comprising: - Facebook makes and uses the Facebook Messenger
4 application and www.facebook.com website. Regardless of whether the preamble
5 of claim 1 adds any substantive limitation to the claim, the claim language is met by
6 www.facebook.com and Facebook Messenger, as the Instant Games included in
7 both www.facebook.com and the Facebook Messenger application enables a game
8 to be played on an electronic device. See, e.g.:
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17 https://newsroom.fb.com/news/2016/11/game-on-you-can-now-play-games-on18 messenger/.
19

1(b) enabling a game application on the electronic device to utilize a contact

20 list for an instant messaging application for playing games with contacts in the
21 contact list by identifying game play in the contact list;
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
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1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13

Facebook Messenger

Facebook Website

1(c) during a game in progress with a particular contact in the contact list,

14 preparing game messages to be sent to the particular contact by including game
15 progress data in an instant messaging message and an identifier to associate the
16 data with the game application;
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28

Facebook Messenger

Facebook Website
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1

1(d) communicating at least one game message during the game in progress

2 with the particular contact using an instant messaging system used by the instant
3 messaging application;
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15

Facebook Website

Facebook Messenger

16
17

1(e) displaying at least one instant message in an instant messaging

18 conversation user interface associated with the particular contact indicative of
19 game progress, the instant messaging conversation user interface enabling
20 additional instant messages to be sent to the particular contact in addition to instant
21 messages indicating game play; and
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
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1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15

Facebook Messenger

Facebook Website

1(f) displaying a game in progress user interface associated with the game
play, after detecting a selection in the instant messaging conversation user interface
to switch to the game in progress.

16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27

Facebook Messenger

28
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1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12

Facebook Website
250. Additionally, Facebook has been, and currently is, an active inducer of

13 infringement of the ’250 Patent under 35 U.S.C. § 271(b) and contributory infringer
14 of the ’250 Patent under 35 U.S.C. § 271(c).
15

251. Facebook knew of the ’250 Patent, or should have known of the ’250

16 Patent but was willfully blind to its existence.

Upon information and belief,

17 Facebook has had actual knowledge of the ’250 Patent since at least as early as the
18 filing and/or service of this Complaint.
19

252. Facebook has provided the ’250 Accused Products to its customers and,

20 on information and belief, instructions to use the ’250 Accused Products in an
21 infringing manner while being on notice of or willfully blind to the ’250 Patent and
22 Facebook’s infringement. Therefore, on information and belief, Facebook knew or
23 should have known of the ’250 Patent and of its own infringing acts, or deliberately
24 took steps to avoid learning of those facts.
25

253. Facebook knowingly and intentionally encourages and aids at least its

26 end-user customers to directly infringe the ’250 Patent.
27

254. Upon information and belief, Facebook provides the ’250 Accused

28 Products to customers through various third-party application stores (e.g., the Apple
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1 App Store) and instructions to end-user customers so that such customers will use
2 the ’250 Accused Products in an infringing manner.

For example, Facebook

3 provides instructions to end-user customers on how to set up, configure, and use
4 various features of the ’250 Accused Products, as well as to play games using
5 Facebook Messenger.29

255. Facebook’s end-user customers directly infringe at least claims 1, 9,

6

7 and 17 of the ’250 Patent by using the ’250 Accused Products in its intended manner
8 to infringe. Facebook induces such infringement by providing the ’250 Accused
9 Products and instructions to enable and facilitate infringement, knowing of, or being
10 willfully blind to the existence of, the ’250 Patent. Upon information and belief,
11 Facebook specifically intends that its actions will result in infringement of at least
12 claims 1, 9, and 17 of the ’250 Patent, or subjectively believes that its actions will
13 result in infringement of the ’250 Patent but took deliberate actions to avoid learning
14 of those facts, as set forth above.
15

256. Additionally, Facebook contributorily infringes at least claims 1, 9, and

16 17 of the ’250 Patent by providing the ’250 Accused Products and/or software
17 components thereof, that embody a material part of the claimed inventions of the
18 ’250 Patent, that are known by Facebook to be specially made or adapted for use in
19 an infringing manner, and are not staple articles with substantial non-infringing
20 uses. The ’250 Accused Products are specially designed to infringe at least claims
21 1, 9, and 17 of the ’250 Patent, and its accused components have no substantial non22 infringing uses. In particular, on information and belief, the software modules and
23 code that implement and perform the infringing functionalities identified above are
24 specially made and adapted to carry out said functionality and do not have any
25 substantial non-infringing uses.
26
27

29

See https://newsroom.fb.com/news/2016/11/game-on-you-can-now-play-gameson-messenger/; https://www.facebook.com/help/357155771011033.

28
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1

257. Additional allegations regarding Facebook’s knowledge of the ’250

2 Patent and willful infringement will likely have further evidentiary support after a
3 reasonable opportunity for discovery.
4

258. Facebook’s infringement of the ’250 Patent was and continues to be

5 willful and deliberate, entitling BlackBerry to enhanced damages and attorneys’
6 fees.
7

259. Facebook’s infringement of the ’250 Patent is exceptional and entitles

8 BlackBerry to attorneys’ fees and costs incurred in prosecuting this action under 35
9 U.S.C. § 285.
10

260. BlackBerry has been damaged by Facebook’s infringement of the ’250

11 Patent and will continue to be damaged unless Facebook is enjoined by this Court.
12 BlackBerry has suffered and continues to suffer irreparable injury for which there is
13 no adequate remedy at law. The balance of hardships favors BlackBerry, and public
14 interest is not disserved by an injunction.
15

261. BlackBerry is entitled to recover from Facebook all damages that

16 BlackBerry has sustained as a result of Facebook’s infringement of the ’250 Patent,
17 including without limitation lost profits and not less than a reasonable royalty.
18
19

COUNT VII: INFRINGEMENT OF U.S. PATENT NO. 9,349,120
262. BlackBerry incorporates by reference and re-alleges all of the foregoing

20 paragraphs of this Complaint as if fully set forth herein.
21
22

The ’120 Patent
263. The ’120 Patent discloses, among other things, “[m]ethods, systems,

23 and computer programming products . . . for silencing message threads” whereby
24 “[o]nce a message thread has been silenced, the user will no longer receive
25 notifications of new messages added to the thread.” ’120 Patent, Abstract.
26

264. The ’120 Patent explains that “[e]lectronic messages, such as electronic

27 mail messages and messages posted to group sites, can be grouped into message
28 threads. Each message thread can relate to a particular matter such as a particular
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1 topic of conversation or an activity. For example, a user may be part of an email
2 group which is involved in an ongoing discussion. Each email in the discussion
3 could be included in the same message thread. A user may receive a notification
4 each time an electronic message is received. Notifications could include, for
5 example, auditory user alerts such as ring tones, visual alerts such as flashing lights
6 or pop-ups and physical alerts such as vibrations.” Id. at 1:22-32.
7

265. The ’120 Patent provides a user with the capability to silence such

8 notifications on a per-thread basis, thereby overriding a currently enabled
9 notification setting and allowing notifications to be received for other non-silenced
10 threads. Id. at 2:22-49. Figures 5 and 6 of the ’120 Patent detail an exemplary
11 method by which such notification silencing for a method thread occurs. As shown
12 in Fig. 5, “[a] method 500 can begin at 502 where a user can, using suitably13 configured GUI(s) and input device, select a message inbox. [An] inbox generally
14 refers to a virtual folder with which incoming messages are initially associated. . . .
15 At 504, the user selects a message thread using, for example, a user interface such as
16 a GUI 304, displaying one or more selectable options such as a list of one or more
17 message threads. A message thread may be selected by the user by, for example,
18 selecting a displayed, selectable option associated with the message thread using
19 point-and-click functionality as described above. At 506, a user can silence a
20 message thread or reactivate a message thread that had previously been silenced
21 with respect to a device the user is using.” Id. at 11:11-13:1.
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
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1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28

266. Fig. 6 shows an exemplary method of handling an incoming electronic
message depending on whether or not the message thread with which the message is
associated has been silenced. “A method 600 can begin at 602 where a message is
received which is addressed or otherwise identified in such a way as to be associated
with an inbox. . . . At 604, it may be determined whether or not the message relates
to a new matter, such as a new topic of conversation or a new activity. . . . If the
message does relate to a new matter, at 606, a new message thread is started. At 608,
the user is notified of the message according to any currently-enabled notification
settings, as described above. If the message does not relate to a new matter, at 610, a
thread to which the message belongs may be determined. . . . At 612, it is may
determined whether or not the message thread to which the message belongs has
been silenced by the user. For example, a data record in memory 300 which is
associated with the message thread may be checked to determine whether a flag has
been set indicating that the thread has been silenced. If the message thread has been
silenced by the user then no notification may be activated. . . . If the message thread
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1 has not been silenced by the user, then at 616 the user may be notified of the
2 incoming message according to any currently-enabled notification settings.” Id. at
3 14:5-55.
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23

267. The ’120 Patent thus describes, inter alia, “[a] method for silencing

24 notifications for incoming electronic messages to a communication system, the
25 communication system comprising a data processor, media readable by the data
26 processor and a communications subsystem, the communications subsystem adapted
27 to receive the incoming electronic messages, the method comprising: receiving one
28 or more selected message threads for silencing; in response to receiving the one or
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1 more selected message threads, activating one or more flags, each flag in association
2 with a selected message thread of the one or more selected message threads, wherein
3 the one or more flags indicate that the associated one or more selected message
4 threads have been silenced; receiving a new incoming electronic message;
5 identifying the new incoming message as associated with the selected one or more
6 message threads; determining that a message thread associated with the new
7 incoming message has been flagged as silenced using the one or more flags;
8 overriding at least one currently-enabled notification setting to prevent a notification
9 pertaining to receipt of the new incoming message from being activated; and
10 displaying the new incoming electronic message in an inbox together with any
11 message thread not flagged as silenced, while silencing any further notifications
12 pertaining to receipt of the new incoming electronic message; wherein the new
13 incoming message thread flagged as silenced is displayed in the inbox in a different
14 manner than any message thread not flagged as silenced.” Id. at claim 13.
15

The Inventions Claimed in the ’120 Patent Were Not

16

Well-Understood, Routine, or Conventional

17

268. A communication system enabling a flag associated with an electronic

18 message thread to be activated in order to silence notifications for the message
19 thread and thereby override a currently-enabled notification setting was not common
20 or conventional at the time of the ’120 Patent.
21

269. The inventor of the ’120 Patent recognized the need in electronic

22 communications systems to silence notifications for specific message threads while
23 still allowing new incoming messages in the silenced threads to be displayed in an
24 inbox together with any message thread not flagged as silenced.
25 Abstract.

’120 Patent,

The inventor further identified the benefit of solving this described

26 problem by providing a communication system enabling “receiving a new incoming
27 electronic message; identifying the new incoming message as associated with one or
28 more message threads; determining that a message thread associated with the new
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COMPLAINT FOR PATENT INFRINGEMENT

Case 2:18-cv-01844 Document 1 Filed 03/06/18 Page 105 of 117 Page ID #:105

1 incoming message has been flagged as silenced; and overriding at least one
2 currently-enabled notification setting to prevent a notification pertaining to receipt
3 of the new incoming message from being activated.”

Id. at 2:42-49. Thereby,

4 notifications for messages associated with a specific messaging thread may be
5 silenced while still allowing for notifications from non-silenced message threads.
6

270. Given the state of the art at the time of the invention of the ’120 Patent,

7 the inventive concepts of the ’120 Patent were not conventional, well-understood, or
8 routine.

The ’120 Patent discloses, among other things, an unconventional and

9 technological solution to an issue arising specifically in the context of electronic
10 communications

systems and electronic messaging received within those

11 communications systems. The solution implemented by the ’120 Patent provides a
12 specific and substantial improvement over prior messaging notification systems,
13 resulting in an improved electronic communications system, including by
14 introducing novel elements directed to improving the function and working of
15 communications systems such as, inter alia, the claimed “activating one or more
16 flags, each flag in association with a selected message thread of the one or more
17 selected message threads, wherein the one or more flags indicate that the associated
18 one or more selected message threads have been silenced” (claims 13 and 24;
19 substantially similar limitation in claim 1), “determining that a message thread
20 associated with the new incoming message has been flagged as silenced using the
21 one or more flags” (claims 13 and 24; substantially similar limitation in claim 1),
22 and “displaying the new incoming electronic message in an inbox together with any
23 message thread not flagged as silenced, while silencing any further notifications
24 pertaining to receipt of the new incoming electronic message; wherein the new
25 incoming message thread flagged as silenced is displayed in the inbox in a different
26 manner than any message thread not flagged as silenced” (claims 13 and 24;
27 substantially similar limitation in claim 1).
28

271. Consistent with the problem addressed being rooted in electronic
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COMPLAINT FOR PATENT INFRINGEMENT

Case 2:18-cv-01844 Document 1 Filed 03/06/18 Page 106 of 117 Page ID #:106

1 messaging between wireless communications devices, the ’120 Patent’s solutions
2 naturally are also rooted in the same technology that cannot be performed with pen
3 and paper or in the human mind.
4

272. This technical context is reflected in the ’120 Patent’s claims. For

5 example, various claims of the ’120 Patent require one or more electronic messages
6 associated with one or more message threads, selected message thread(s) for
7 silencing, settings for notifications pertaining to receipt of new incoming electronic
8 messages associated with one or more such threads, and displaying such messages
9 in an inbox.
10

273. A person having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the inventions of

11 the ’120 Patent would not have understood that the inventions could or would be
12 performed solely in the human mind or using pen and paper. Using pen and paper
13 would ignore the stated purpose of the ’120 Patent and the problem it was
14 specifically designed to address. Doing so would also run counter to the inventors’
15 detailed description of the inventions and the language of the claims and be a
16 practical impossibility.
17
18

’120 Patent Allegations
274. Defendants have infringed and are infringing, either literally or under

19 the doctrine of equivalents, the ’120 Patent in violation of 35 U.S.C. § 271 et seq.,
20 directly and/or indirectly, by making, using, selling, offering for sale, and/or
21 importing into the United States without authority or license, the Facebook
22 Messenger, Facebook Messenger Lite, Facebook Workplace Chat, WhatsApp
23 Messenger, and Instagram applications (hereinafter “the ’120 Accused Products”)
24 that infringe at least claims 1, 13, and 24 of the ’120 Patent.
25

275. On information and belief after reasonable investigation, the ’120

26 Accused Products contain messaging functionality designed and used to silence
27 notifications for selected conversation threads thereby overriding a currently28 enabled notification setting in an infringing manner.
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Case 2:18-cv-01844 Document 1 Filed 03/06/18 Page 107 of 117 Page ID #:107

1

276. As just one non-limiting example, set forth below (with claim language

2 in italics) is a description of infringement of exemplary claim 24 of the ’120 Patent
3 in connection with the Facebook Messenger, Facebook Messenger Lite, WhatsApp
4 Messenger, and Instagram software applications. On information and belief, the
5 Facebook

Workplace Chat software application implements the same or

6 substantially
7 application.30

similar infringing functionality as the Facebook Messenger
This description is based on publicly available information.

8 BlackBerry reserves the right to modify this description, including, for example, on
9 the basis of information about the ’120 Accused Products that it obtains during
10 discovery.
11

1(a) A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising processing

12 instructions which when executed by a data processor cause the data processor to
13 perform a method for silencing notifications for incoming electronic messages to a
14 communication system, the method comprising: - Defendants make and use the
15 Facebook Messenger, Facebook Workplace Chat, WhatsApp Messenger, and
16 Instagram software applications. Regardless of whether the preamble of claim 1
17 adds any substantive limitation to the claim, the claim language is met by the ’120
18 Accused Products, as the ’120 Accused Products include a non-transitory computer
19 readable medium comprising processing instructions which when executed by a data
20 processor cause the data processor to perform a method of silencing notifications for
21 incoming electronic messages to a communication system as further described
22 below for the remaining claim limitations.
23

1(b) receiving one or more selected message threads for silencing;

24
25
26
27

30

See, e.g., https://www.facebook.com/help/work-chat/iphone/447690225439543;
https://www.facebook.com/help/messenger-app/330627630326605?helpref=topq.

28
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Case 2:18-cv-01844 Document 1 Filed 03/06/18 Page 108 of 117 Page ID #:108

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9

Facebook Messenger

Facebook Messenger Lite

WhatsApp Messenger

10

Instagram Direct

11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21

1(c) in response to receiving the one or more selected message threads,

22 activating one or more flags, each flag in association with a selected message
23 thread of the one or more selected message threads, wherein the one or more flags
24 indicate that the associated one or more selected message threads have been
25 silenced;
26
27
28
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Case 2:18-cv-01844 Document 1 Filed 03/06/18 Page 109 of 117 Page ID #:109

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13

Facebook Messenger

Facebook Messenger Lite

14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21

Instagram Direct

22
23
24
25

WhatsApp Messenger

26
27
28
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COMPLAINT FOR PATENT INFRINGEMENT

Case 2:18-cv-01844 Document 1 Filed 03/06/18 Page 110 of 117 Page ID #:110

1

1(d) identifying the new incoming message as associated with the selected one

2 or more message threads; determining that a message thread associated with the
3 new incoming message has been flagged as silenced using the one or more flags;
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13

Facebook Messenger

Facebook Messenger Lite

14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21

WhatsApp Messenger

22
23
24

Instagram Direct

25
26

1(e) overriding at least one currently-enabled notification setting to prevent a

27 notification pertaining to receipt of the new incoming message from being activated;
28 and
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COMPLAINT FOR PATENT INFRINGEMENT

Case 2:18-cv-01844 Document 1 Filed 03/06/18 Page 111 of 117 Page ID #:111

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11

Facebook Messenger
Facebook Messenger Lite

12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24

WhatsApp Messenger

25

Instagram Direct

26
27
28
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COMPLAINT FOR PATENT INFRINGEMENT

Case 2:18-cv-01844 Document 1 Filed 03/06/18 Page 112 of 117 Page ID #:112

1

1(f) wherein the new incoming message thread flagged as silenced is

2 displayed in the inbox in a different manner than any message thread not flagged as
3 silenced.
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13

Facebook Messenger

Facebook Messenger Lite

14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21

WhatsApp Messenger

22
23
24
25

Instagram Direct
277. Additionally, Defendants have been, and currently are, active inducers

26 of infringement of the ’120 Patent under 35 U.S.C. § 271(b) and contributory
27 infringers of the ’120 Patent under 35 U.S.C. § 271(c).
28

278. Defendants knew of the ’120 Patent, or should have known of the ’120
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Case 2:18-cv-01844 Document 1 Filed 03/06/18 Page 113 of 117 Page ID #:113

1 Patent but were willfully blind to its existence.

Upon information and belief,

2 Defendants have had actual knowledge of the ’120 Patent since at least as early as
3 the filing and/or service of this Complaint.

Defendants have provided the ’120

4 Accused Products to their customers and, on information and belief, instructions to
5 use the ’120 Accused Products in an infringing manner while being on notice of or
6 willfully blind to the ’120 Patent and Defendants’ infringement.

Therefore, on

7 information and belief, Defendants knew or should have known of the ’120 Patent
8 and of their own infringing acts, or deliberately took steps to avoid learning of those
9 facts.
10

279. Defendants knowingly and intentionally encourage and aid at least its

11 end-user customers to directly infringe the ’120 Patent.

280. Upon information and belief, Defendants provide the ’120 Accused

12

13 Products to customers through various third-party application stores (e.g., the Apple
14 App Store) and instructions to end-user customers so that such customers will use
15 the ’120 Accused Products in an infringing manner.

For example, Defendants

16 provide instructions to end-user customers on how to set up, configure, and use
17 various features of the ’120 Accused Products, as well as to mute notifications for
18 select conversation threads.31

281. Defendants’ end-user customers directly infringe at least claims 1, 13,

19

20 and 24 of the ’120 Patent by using the ’120 Accused Products in their intended
21 manner to infringe. Defendants induce such infringement by providing the ’120
22 Accused Products and instructions to enable and facilitate infringement, knowing of,
23 or being willfully blind to the existence of, the ’120 Patent. Upon information and
24 belief, Defendants specifically intend that their actions will result in infringement of
25

31

See https://www.facebook.com/help/work-chat/iphone/447690225439543;

26 https://www.facebook.com/help/messenger-app/330627630326605?helpref=topq;
27 https://faq.whatsapp.com/en/wp/28060004/?category=5245251;

https://help.instagram.com/1637687493174595.
28
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Case 2:18-cv-01844 Document 1 Filed 03/06/18 Page 114 of 117 Page ID #:114

1 at least claims 1, 13, and 24 of the ’120 Patent, or subjectively believe that their
2 actions will result in infringement of the ’120 Patent but took deliberate actions to
3 avoid learning of those facts, as set forth above.
4

282. Additionally, Defendants contributorily infringe at least claims 1, 13,

5 and 24 of the ’120 Patent by providing the ’120 Accused Products and/or software
6 components thereof, that embody a material part of the claimed inventions of the
7 ’120 Patent, that are known by Defendants to be specially made or adapted for use
8 in an infringing manner, and are not staple articles with substantial non-infringing
9 uses. The ’120 Accused Products are specially designed to infringe at least claims
10 1, 13, and 24 of the ’120 Patent, and their accused components have no substantial
11 non-infringing uses. In particular, on information and belief, the software modules
12 and code that implement and perform the infringing functionalities identified above
13 are specially made and adapted to carry out said functionality and do not have any
14 substantial non-infringing uses.
15

283. Additional allegations regarding Defendants’ knowledge of the ’120

16 Patent and willful infringement will likely have further evidentiary support after a
17 reasonable opportunity for discovery.
18

284. Defendants’ infringement of the ’120 Patent is exceptional and entitles

19 BlackBerry to attorneys’ fees and costs incurred in prosecuting this action under 35
20 U.S.C. § 285.
21

285. BlackBerry has been damaged by Defendants’ infringement of the ’120

22 Patent and will continue to be damaged unless Defendants are enjoined by this
23 Court. BlackBerry has suffered and continues to suffer irreparable injury for which
24 there is no adequate remedy at law. The balance of hardships favors BlackBerry,
25 and public interest is not disserved by an injunction.
26

286. BlackBerry is entitled to recover from Defendants all damages that

27 BlackBerry has sustained as a result of Defendants’ infringement of the ’120 Patent,
28 including without limitation lost profits and not less than a reasonable royalty.
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COMPLAINT FOR PATENT INFRINGEMENT

Case 2:18-cv-01844 Document 1 Filed 03/06/18 Page 115 of 117 Page ID #:115

PRAYER FOR RELIEF

1
2

WHEREFORE, BlackBerry respectfully requests:

3

A.

That Judgment be entered that Defendants have infringed one or more

4 claims of the Patents-in-Suit, directly and indirectly, literally and/or under the
5 doctrine of equivalents;
6

B.

That, in accordance with 35 U.S.C. § 283, Facebook, WhatsApp,

7 Instagram, and all their affiliates, employees, agents, officers, directors, attorneys,
8 successors, and assigns and all those acting on behalf of or in active concert or
9 participation with any of them, be preliminarily and permanently enjoined from (1)
10 infringing the Patents-in-Suit and (2) making, using, selling, and offering for sale
11 the

Facebook, Facebook Messenger, Facebook Messenger Lite, Facebook

12 Workplace Chat, Facebook Pages Manager, WhatsApp Messenger, and Instagram
13 applications and websites;
14

C.

An order directing Defendants to file with the Court and serve upon

15 BlackBerry’s counsel within thirty (30) days after entry of the order of injunction, a
16 report setting forth the manner and form in which Defendants have complied with
17 the injunction, including the provision relating to destruction and recall of infringing
18 products and materials
19

D.

An award of damages sufficient to compensate BlackBerry for

20 Defendants’ infringement under 35 U.S.C. § 284, including an enhancement of
21 damages on account of Defendants’ willful infringement;
22

E.

That the case be found exceptional under 35 U.S.C. § 285 and that

23 BlackBerry be awarded its reasonable attorneys’ fees;
24

F.

Costs and expenses in this action;

25

G.

An award of prejudgment and post-judgment interest; and

26

H.

Such other and further relief as the Court may deem just and proper.

27
28
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Case 2:18-cv-01844 Document 1 Filed 03/06/18 Page 116 of 117 Page ID #:116

1 DATED: March 6, 2018
2

QUINN EMANUEL URQUHART &
SULLIVAN, LLP

3
4
5
6
7

By/s/ James R. Asperger
James R. Asperger (Bar No. 83188)
[e-mail]
865 S. Figueroa St., 10th Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90017
Telephone: [phone]
Facsimile: [phone]

8
9
10
11

Kevin P.B. Johnson (Bar No. 177129)
[e-mail]
555 Twin Dolphin Drive, 5th Floor
Redwood Shores, CA 94065
Telephone: [phone]
Facsimile: [phone]

12
13
14
15
16

BLACKBERRY CORPORATION
Edward R. McGah, Jr (SBN 97719)
Vice President, Deputy General Counsel
– Litigation
41 Ticknor Place
Laguna Niguel, California 92677
Office: ([phone]

17
18

Attorneys for Plaintiff, BlackBerry Limited

19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
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COMPLAINT FOR PATENT INFRINGEMENT

Case 2:18-cv-01844 Document 1 Filed 03/06/18 Page 117 of 117 Page ID #:117

DEMAND FOR JURY TRIAL

1
2

Pursuant to Rule 38(b) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, BlackBerry

3 respectfully demands a trial by jury on all issues triable by jury.
4
5

DATED: March 6, 2018

QUINN EMANUEL URQUHART &
SULLIVAN, LLP

6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20

By/s/ James R. Asperger
James R. Asperger (Bar No. 83188)
[e-mail]
865 S. Figueroa St., 10th Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90017
Telephone: [phone]
Facsimile: [phone]
Kevin P.B. Johnson (Bar No. 177129)
[e-mail]
555 Twin Dolphin Drive, 5th Floor
Redwood Shores, CA 94065
Telephone: [phone]
Facsimile: [phone]
BLACKBERRY CORPORATION
Edward R. McGah, Jr (SBN 97719)
Vice President, Deputy General Counsel
– Litigation
41 Ticknor Place
Laguna Niguel, California 92677
Office: ([phone]

21
22

Attorneys for Plaintiff, BlackBerry Limited

23
24
25
26
27
28
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Case No. 2:18-cv-01844
COMPLAINT FOR PATENT INFRINGEMENT