IconFind, Inc. v. Google, Inc.
Filing
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FIRST AMENDED ANSWER to 1 Complaint by Google Inc.(Malecek, Michael) Modified on 4/12/2011 (Mena-Sanchez, L).
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Michael J. Malecek (State Bar No. 171034)
Email address: michael.malecek@kayescholer.com
Kenneth Maikish (State Bar No. 267265)
Email address: kenneth.maikish@kayescholer.com
KAYE SCHOLER LLP
Two Palo Alto Square, Suite 400
3000 El Camino Real
Palo Alto, California 94306
Telephone: (650) 319-4500
Facsimile: (650) 319-4700
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Attorneys for Defendant
GOOGLE INC.
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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
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FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA
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ICONFIND, INC.,
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Plaintiff,
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v.
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GOOGLE INC.,
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Defendant.
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Case No. 2:11-CV-00319 GEB JFM
DEFENDANT GOOGLE INC.’S
FIRST AMENDED ANSWER TO
PLAINTIFF’S COMPLAINT FOR
PATENT INFRINGEMENT AND
COUNTERCLAIMS
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FIRST AMENDED ANSWER TO COMPLAINT
Case No. 2:11-CV-00319 GEB JFM
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Defendant and counterclaimant Google Inc. (“Google”), by and through the undersigned
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counsel, answers the Complaint of Patent Infringement of Plaintiff (the “Complaint”) and
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counterclaim defendant IconFind, Inc. (“IconFind”) as follows:
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1.
Google admits that Plaintiff’s Complaint purports to state an action for patent
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infringement and that this Court has subject matter jurisdiction over patent law claims. Google
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denies any remaining allegations of paragraph 1.
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2.
Google is without knowledge or information sufficient to form a belief as to the
truth of the allegations of paragraph 2, and therefore denies them.
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Google is without knowledge or information sufficient to form a belief as to the
truth of the allegations of paragraph 3, and therefore denies them.
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Google admits that Google Inc. is a Delaware corporation with a principal place of
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business in Mountain View, California. Google admits that it owns and operates
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www.google.com, knol.google.com, books.google.com, and picasa.google.com.
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5.
Solely for the purposes of this action, Google does not contest personal jurisdiction
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in this District. Google denies that it has committed any acts of infringement within this or any
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other district and denies any remaining allegations of paragraph 5.
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6.
Solely for the purposes of this action, Google admits that venue is proper in the
Eastern District of California.
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7.
Denied.
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8.
Google is without knowledge or information sufficient to form a belief as to the
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truth of the allegations of paragraph 8, and therefore denies them.
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Google admits that it received a letter from Plaintiff’s counsel, dated January 19,
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2009 regarding IconFind and related to the U.S. Patent No. 7,181,459 (“the ’459 patent” or the
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Patent-in-suit”). Google also admits that reference to the ’459 patent appears on the face of U.S.
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Patent Nos. 7,664,734; 7,693,825; and 7,788,274. Google denies that it has committed any acts of
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infringement of the ’459 patent and denies any remaining allegations of paragraph 9.
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FIRST AMENDED ANSWER TO COMPLAINT
Case No. 2:11-CV-00319 GEB JFM
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Denied.
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Denied.
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AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSES
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Further answering the Complaint, Google asserts the following defenses. In doing
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so, Google does not assume the burden of proof with respect to those related matters for which,
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pursuant to law, Plaintiff bears the burden. In addition to the affirmative defenses described
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below, subject to its responses above, Google specifically reserves all rights to allege additional
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affirmative defenses that become known through the course of discovery.
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First Defense
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Google does not infringe and has not infringed (not directly, contributorily, or by
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inducement) and is not liable for infringement of any valid and enforceable claim of the ’459
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patent.
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Second Defense
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The claims of the ’459 patent are invalid under 35 U.S.C. § 101 because they fail to
claim patentable subject matter insofar as each seeks to claim an abstract idea.
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The claims of the ’459 patent are invalid because they fail to meet the “conditions
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for patentability” of 35 USC §§ 102, 103, and/or 112 because the claims lack utility; are taught by,
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suggested by, and/or obvious in view of, the prior art; and/or are not adequately supported by the
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written description of the patented invention.
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Third Defense
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’459 patent are limited by 35 U.S.C. §§ 286, 287, and/or 288.
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IconFind’s claim for damages, if any, against Google for alleged infringement of the
Fourth Defense
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On information and belief, IconFind’s claims for relief are barred, in whole or in
part, by the equitable doctrines of laches and estoppel.
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FIRST AMENDED ANSWER TO COMPLAINT
Case No. 2:11-CV-00319 GEB JFM
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Fifth Defense
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Any and all products or actions accused of infringement have substantial uses that
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do not infringe and do not induce or contribute to the alleged infringement of the claims of the ’459
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patent.
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COUNTERCLAIMS
Pursuant to Rule 13 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, Google for its Counterclaims
against IconFind, alleges as follows:
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THE PARTIES
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Google is a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of
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Delaware, with its principal place of business at 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View,
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California 94043.
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2.
Upon information and belief, Plaintiff IconFind, Inc. is a corporation organized and
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existing under the laws of California with a principal place of business at 1660 Drew Circle #27,
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Davis, California 95618.
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JURISDICTION AND VENUE
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Venue is proper in this judicial district pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1391(b) and by
virtue of IconFind’s admissions in the Complaint that venue is proper in this District.
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4.
This Court has personal jurisdiction over IconFind.
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5.
This Court has subject matter jurisdiction over these Counterclaims pursuant to 28
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U.S.C. §§ 1331 and 1338.
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COUNT ONE - Declaratory Judgment of Non-Infringement of the ’459 Patent
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6.
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Google restates and incorporates by reference its allegations in paragraphs 1-5 of its
Answer and Counterclaims.
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An actual case or controversy exists between Google and IconFind as to whether the
’459 patent is infringed by Google.
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FIRST AMENDED ANSWER TO COMPLAINT
Case No. 2:11-CV-00319 GEB JFM
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A judicial declaration is necessary and appropriate so that Google may ascertain its
rights regarding the ’459 patent.
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Google has not infringed and does not infringe, directly or indirectly, any valid and
enforceable claim of the ’459 patent.
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COUNT TWO - Declaratory Judgment of Invalidity of the ’459 Patent
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10.
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Google restates and incorporates by reference its allegations in paragraphs 1-5 of its
Counterclaims.
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The ’459 patent is invalid under 35 U.S.C. § 101 because it fails to claim patentable
subject matter insofar as it seeks to claim an abstract idea.
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The ’459 patent is invalid because it fails to meet the “conditions for patentability”
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of 35 USC §§ 102, 103, and/or 112 because the alleged invention thereof lacks utility; is taught by,
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suggested by, and/or obvious in view of, the prior art; and/or is unsupported by the written
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description of the patented invention.
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EXCEPTIONAL CASE
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On information and belief, this is an exceptional case entitling Google to an award
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of its attorneys’ fees incurred in connection with defending and prosecuting this action pursuant to
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35 U.S.C. § 285, as a result of, inter alia, IconFind’s assertion of the Patent-in-suit against Google
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with the knowledge that Google does not infringe any valid or enforceable claim of the Patent-in-
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suit and/or that the Patent-in-suit is invalid and/or unenforceable.
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PRAYER FOR RELIEF
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WHEREFORE, Google prays for judgment as follows:
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a.
A judgment dismissing IconFind’s Complaint against Google with prejudice;
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b.
A judgment declaring that Google has not infringed, contributed to the infringement
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of, or induced others to infringe, either directly or indirectly, any valid and
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enforceable claim of the ’459 patent;
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c.
A judgment declaring that the ’459 patent is invalid and unenforceable;
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FIRST AMENDED ANSWER TO COMPLAINT
Case No. 2:11-CV-00319 GEB JFM
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d.
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A judgment declaring that Google has not willfully infringed and is not willfully
infringing any valid and/or enforceable claim of the ’459 patent.
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e.
A judgment declaring that this case is exceptional and an award to Google of its
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reasonable costs and expenses of litigation, including attorneys’ fees and expert
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witness fees;
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f.
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A judgment declaring, limiting or barring IconFind’s ability to enforce the ’459
patent in equity;
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g.
Such other and further relief as this Court may deem just and proper.
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DEMAND FOR JURY TRIAL
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In accordance with Fed. R. Civ. P. 38(b), Google demands a trial by jury on all issues so
triable.
Dated: April 11, 2011
Respectfully submitted,
KAYE SCHOLER LLP
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By: /s/ Michael J. Malecek
Michael J. Malecek
Attorney for Defendant
GOOGLE INC.
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FIRST AMENDED ANSWER TO COMPLAINT
Case No. 2:11-CV-00319 GEB JFM
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