throbber
Case 3:15-cv-00720-JAG Document 28 Filed 02/16/16 Page 1 of 57 PageID# 379
`
`UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
`EASTERN DISTRICT OF VIRGINIA
`Alexandria Division
`
`
`
`
`Case No. 3:15cv720-JAG
`
`
`
`JURY TRIAL DEMANDED
`
`
`
`Plaintiff,
`
`v.
`
`LIMELIGHT NETWORKS, INC.,
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`XO COMMUNICATIONS, LLC, AND
`AKAMAI TECHNOLOGIES, INC.,
`
`Defendants.
`
`LIMELIGHT’S FIRST AMENDED COMPLAINT
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 15(a)(1), Limelight Networks, Inc.
`
`(“Limelight” or “Plaintiff”) hereby alleges for its First Amended Complaint for patent
`
`infringement against Defendants XO Communications, LLC (“XO”) and Akamai Technologies,
`
`Inc. (“Akamai”) (collectively, “Defendants”) on personal knowledge as to its own actions and on
`
`information and belief as to the actions of others, as follows:
`
`NATURE OF THE ACTION
`
`1.
`
`This is a patent infringement action by Limelight to end Defendants’ unauthorized
`
`and infringing manufacture, use, sale, offering for sale, and/or importation of products and
`
`methods incorporating Limelight’s patented inventions.
`
`2.
`
`Limelight holds all substantial rights and interest in the Patents-in-Suit described
`
`below, including the exclusive right to sue Defendants for infringement and recover damages.
`
`3.
`
`Plaintiff Limelight seeks monetary damages, prejudgment interest and injunctive
`
`relief for Akamai’s and XO’s past and on-going infringement of the Patents-in-Suit.
`
`THE PARTIES
`
`1
`
`AKAMAI
`EXHIBIT 1009
`
`

`

`Case 3:15-cv-00720-JAG Document 28 Filed 02/16/16 Page 2 of 57 PageID# 380
`
`4.
`
`Limelight Networks, Inc. (“Limelight”) is a corporation organized and existing
`
`under the laws of Delaware with its principal place of business at 222 South Mill Ave., Suite 800,
`
`Tempe, Arizona 85281.
`
`5.
`
`On information and belief, Defendant XO Communications, LLC. (“XO”) is a
`
`corporation existing and organized under the laws of Delaware and has its principal place of
`
`business at 13865 Sunrise Valley Drive, Herndon, VA 20171.
`
`6.
`
`On information and belief, Defendant Akamai Technologies, Inc. (“Akamai,” or
`
`“Defendant”) is a corporation existing and organized under the laws of Delaware and has its
`
`principal place of business at 150 Broadway, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142.
`
`7.
`
`Founded in 2001, Limelight is a leader in digital content delivery. Its content
`
`acceleration technologies and services enable publishers to deliver their digital content (e.g., web
`
`pages, videos, full-length movies and television shows, operating system updates, and online
`
`games) on any device, anywhere in the world.
`
`8.
`
`Akamai also sells products and services for digital content delivery. As such,
`
`numerous Limelight products and services compete with those offered by Akamai. For example,
`
`Limelight and Akamai each operate a global Content Delivery Network (“CDN”)—a
`
`geographically distributed network of servers that their customers, such as web sites, software
`
`applications, video-on-demand and streaming media providers, can use to accelerate content
`
`delivery to their end users. Such CDNs accelerate content delivery through a variety of
`
`techniques, such as caching content at numerous servers so that the content can be delivered to
`
`end users from locations close to the user. XO is a telecommunications company that is engaged
`
`in an extensive partnership with Akamai, including as a reseller of Akamai services and as
`
`a partner in deployment and operation of hardware and software components of a CDN.
`
`2
`
`

`

`Case 3:15-cv-00720-JAG Document 28 Filed 02/16/16 Page 3 of 57 PageID# 381
`
`9.
`
`While Akamai was one of the first to market with a CDN solution, newer entrants
`
`such as Limelight have rapidly innovated and developed new technology contributions—and
`
`obtained patent protection for those contributions—which Akamai has then implemented in
`
`order to remain competitive.
`
`JURISDICTION AND VENUE
`
`10.
`
`This action for patent infringement arises under the patent laws of the United
`
`States, Title 35 of the United States Code.
`
`11.
`
`This Court has subject matter jurisdiction pursuant to 28 U.S.C. §§ 1331 and
`
`1338(a).
`
`12.
`
`This Court has general and specific personal jurisdiction over Defendant XO. XO
`
`has substantial contacts with the forum as a consequence of establishing its headquarters in
`
`Virginia and in this District, and XO conducts substantial business in Virginia. XO sells, makes,
`
`uses, and offers for sale its products and services, including products and services that infringe
`
`Plaintiff’s patents, within the state of Virginia, including to customers in Virginia. Such
`
`customers include USA Today, a customer it shares with Akamai in connection with use of
`
`systems that infringe the asserted patents. In addition, on information and belief, XO has
`
`established data centers for use in infringing the asserted Limelight Patents in this district,
`
`including at 12100 Sunrise Valley Drive Reston, VA, and at 8613 Lee Highway, Fairfax, VA
`
`22031.
`
`13.
`
`XO has committed and continues to commit acts of patent infringement, including
`
`making and using infringing systems, and performing infringing methods, within this district,
`
`including in conjunction with Akamai.
`
`14.
`
`This Court has general and specific personal jurisdiction over Defendant Akamai.
`
`Akamai has substantial contacts with the forum as a consequence of conducting substantial
`
`3
`
`

`

`Case 3:15-cv-00720-JAG Document 28 Filed 02/16/16 Page 4 of 57 PageID# 382
`
`business in Virginia and in this District, including establishment of offices at 11111 Sunset Hills
`
`Road, Suite 250, Reston, VA 20190. In addition, Akamai has established a significant presence
`
`in this forum by locating its content delivery servers accused of infringing the patents asserted in
`
`this action in Virginia and in this District. For example, according to publicly available
`
`documentation, Akamai has placed more than 200 racks of its accused content delivery servers
`
`and associated hardware and software at a data center located at 12100 Sunrise Valley Drive
`
`Reston, VA 20191, and has placed an additional 170 racks of its accused content delivery servers
`
`and associated hardware and software at a data center located at 1780 Business Center Drive,
`
`Reston, VA 20190. Akamai has also located its accused content delivery servers in data centers
`
`in Sterling, VA, Manassas, VA, Ashburn, VA, and Vienna, VA, each of which are located in this
`
`District. The operation of these content delivery servers in Virginia and in this District
`
`constitutes infringement of the asserted Limelight patents in this District. In addition, this Court
`
`has jurisdiction over Akamai because Akamai has conducted business with a Virginia-based
`
`corporation, XO, for the purpose of infringing the patents.
`
`15.
`
`Akamai has committed and continues to commit acts of patent infringement,
`
`including making and using infringing systems, and performing infringing methods, within this
`
`district, including in conjunction with XO.
`
`16.
`
`Venue is proper for XO in this District under 28 U.S.C. §§ 1391(b) and (c), and
`
`1400(b) because, as described above, a substantial part of the events giving rise to Limelight’s
`
`claims occurred in this district, and because XO, which is headquartered in Herndon, Virginia,
`
`resides within this district.
`
`17.
`
`Venue is proper for Akamai in this District under 28 U.S.C. §§ 1391(b) and (c),
`
`and 1400(b) because, as described above, Akamai has a regular and established practice of
`
`4
`
`

`

`Case 3:15-cv-00720-JAG Document 28 Filed 02/16/16 Page 5 of 57 PageID# 383
`
`business in this district and has committed acts of infringement in this district, including by
`
`virtue of its far-reaching relationship with XO, whose headquarters are in this district. In 2001,
`
`Akamai and XO entered into a strategic agreement under which “XO will provide co-location
`
`space in its data centers for the deployment of additional Akamai servers,” and “XO’s
`
`interconnection bandwidth related services and hosting capabilities [will] help Akamai to expand
`
`its reach to enable users to benefit from improved performance and accelerated delivery of the
`
`Web’s most popular streaming media, software applications and content served on Akamai’s
`
`globally distributed network”—in short, to co-locate at XO-owned or XO-administered data
`
`centers the products and services accused of infringing the Limelight patents asserted in this
`
`action. “XO Communications and Akamai Announce Strategic Alliance,” dated May 17, 2001, at
`
`http://www.akamai.eu/html/about/press/releases/2001/press_051701.html (last visited November
`
`29, 2015). On information and belief, one such data center is located at 12100 Sunrise Valley
`
`Drive, Reston, VA. XO also resells Akamai’s accused content delivery services to its customers.
`
`18.
`
`XO has also entered into agreements with Akamai to provide, among other things,
`
`network connectivity and “peering and transit services” to Akamai servers that form part of
`
`Akamai’s Content Delivery Network.
`
`JOINDER
`
`19.
`
`Joinder is proper under 35 U.S.C. § 299 because questions of fact common to
`
`each Defendant will arise in the action. As detailed below, Limelight alleges patent infringement
`
`by Defendants in connection with their making and using systems, and their practice of methods,
`
`for accelerating the delivery of digital content based on hardware and software developed by
`
`Defendant Akamai. As such, factual issues regarding the operation of that hardware and software
`
`are common to Akamai and to XO.
`
`5
`
`

`

`Case 3:15-cv-00720-JAG Document 28 Filed 02/16/16 Page 6 of 57 PageID# 384
`
`20.
`
`Joinder is further proper because some of Defendants’ infringement arises out of
`
`the same transaction, occurrence, or series of transactions or occurrences relating to the making,
`
`using, importing into the United States, offering for sale, or selling of the same accused product
`
`or process. As described below, while each of XO and Akamai can directly infringe the asserted
`
`claims, when the infringing system includes a combination of XO-deployed components and
`
`Akamai servers, Akamai and XO act jointly or in concert to perform the infringing acts, and in
`
`that instance, the infringement is not complete until both XO and Akamai have provided or
`
`performed their respective parts. For example, the asserted patents include claim elements that
`
`are only satisfied when the components of a CDN server are connected to, and made addressable
`
`on, a network such as the Internet, which is one component supplied to Akamai by XO.
`
`THE ASSERTED PATENTS
`
`21.
`
`As a global leader in digital content delivery, Limelight has sought patent
`
`protection for many of its innovations in this field, including the patents asserted in this matter.
`
`THE CONDITIONAL PROTOCOL CONTROL PATENTS
`
`22.
`
`On May 11, 2010, the United States Patent and Trademark Office duly and legally
`
`issued U.S. Patent No. 7,715,324 (“the 324 Patent”), entitled “Conditional Protocol Control.” A
`
`copy of the 324 Patent is attached to the Complaint as Exhibit A.
`
`23.
`
`On December 10, 2014, the United States Patent and Trademark Office duly and
`
`legally issued U.S. Patent No. 8,750,155 (“the 155 Patent”), entitled “Conditional Protocol
`
`Control.” A copy of the 155 Patent is attached to the Complaint as Exhibit B.
`
`24.
`
`The 324 and 155 Patents arose out of the innovative work performed by Limelight
`
`engineers to utilize selective optimizations of the Transport Control Protocol (“TCP”), a core
`
`Internet protocol that governs how content is delivered over the web, in order to accelerate their
`
`customers’ delivery of Internet content, including web pages, downloadable files, and media
`
`6
`
`

`

`Case 3:15-cv-00720-JAG Document 28 Filed 02/16/16 Page 7 of 57 PageID# 385
`
`content such as images or audio/video, to their end users. The inventors of the 324 and 155
`
`Patents developed ways to use TCP optimizations to accelerate such content conditionally, such
`
`as on a customer-by-customer, or file-by-file basis, in order to optimize this content delivery for
`
`any given set of circumstances.
`
`25.
`
`In October 2008, Limelight licensed the basic technology and software for
`
`optimizing TCP connections from FastSoft, Inc., a startup company that developed an algorithm
`
`known as FastTCP, which allowed for accelerating TCP connections on one end (the server end)
`
`of an Internet connection. FastSoft had no experience in content acceleration in the context of
`
`CDNs such as those provided by Limelight and by Akamai, and instead pursued a business
`
`model whereby it sought to sell hardware appliances that implemented its algorithm. On top of
`
`the elementary technology supplied by FastSoft, Limelight engineers developed a complete TCP
`
`optimization solution for CDNs that could analyze a request for content received by a content
`
`server and, based on information obtained from the request, such as the identity of the customer
`
`or the type of content requested, conditionally apply a set of transport protocol optimizations on
`
`a connection by connection basis. Because optimization could be applied conditionally on a
`
`connection-by-connection basis under the Limelight solution, each connection could be
`
`optimized differently, according to a configurable profile.
`
`26.
`
`Limelight sought and obtained patent protection for its conditional protocol
`
`control innovations, including the 324 and 155 Patents.
`
`27.
`
`Limelight also shared its conditional protocol control innovations with FastSoft,
`
`including providing FastSoft with the functional requirements for its Deliver XD service that
`
`implemented these innovations, and collaborating with FastSoft on the improvement of its
`
`technology for use within a Content Delivery Network.
`
`7
`
`

`

`Case 3:15-cv-00720-JAG Document 28 Filed 02/16/16 Page 8 of 57 PageID# 386
`
`28.
`
`In September 2012, Akamai announced that it had acquired FastSoft, and had
`
`integrated FastSoft’s engineering team—a team that had been exposed to Limelight’s
`
`innovations—into Akamai. Shortly thereafter, Akamai communicated to Limelight that all
`
`FastSoft products were entering their End Of Life (“EOL”) phase, and support for these products
`
`would be discontinued within one year, or earlier if allowed under the license agreement.
`
`29.
`
`At least by September 2013, Akamai had deployed FastSoft-based TCP protocol
`
`optimization in its own Content Delivery Network in a manner strikingly similar to the
`
`implementation created and patented by Limelight. Like Limelight, Akamai’s TCP optimization
`
`does not utilize FastSoft hardware appliances, but instead deploys TCP optimizations in software
`
`at content servers in the Content Delivery Network. Like Limelight, Akamai’s TCP optimization
`
`is conditional, highly configurable via a configuration profile, and can be set connection-by-
`
`connection. Like Limelight, Akamai’s TCP optimization parameters are based on analysis of the
`
`received content request. Each of these aspects is described in Limelight’s conditional protocol
`
`control patents prior to Akamai’s deployment.
`
`OTHER LIMELIGHT PATENTS
`
`30.
`
`On October 7, 2014, the United States Patent and Trademark Office duly and
`
`legally issued U.S. Patent No. 8,856,263 (“the 263 Patent”), entitled “Systems and methods
`
`thereto for acceleration of web pages access using next page optimization, caching and pre-
`
`fetching techniques.” A copy of the 263 Patent is attached to the Complaint as Exhibit C.
`
`31.
`
`On March 25, 2014, the United States Patent and Trademark Office duly and
`
`legally issued U.S. Patent No. 8,683,002 (“the 002 Patent”), entitled “Content delivery network
`
`cache grouping.” A copy of the 002 Patent is attached to the Complaint as Exhibit D.
`
`32.
`
`On April 21, 2015, the United States Patent and Trademark Office duly and
`
`legally issued U.S. Patent No. 9,015,348 (“the 348 Patent”), entitled “Dynamically selecting
`
`8
`
`

`

`Case 3:15-cv-00720-JAG Document 28 Filed 02/16/16 Page 9 of 57 PageID# 387
`
`between acceleration techniques based on content request attributes.” A copy of the 348 Patent is
`
`attached to the Complaint as Exhibit E.
`
`33.
`
`On December 24, 2013, the United States Patent and Trademark Office duly and
`
`legally issued U.S. Patent No. 8,615,577 (“the 577 Patent”), entitled “Policy based processing of
`
`content objects in a content delivery network using mutators.” A copy of the 577 Patent is
`
`attached to the Complaint as Exhibit F.
`
`34.
`
`Limelight owns all substantial right, title, and interest in the 324, 155, 002, 263,
`
`348, and 577 Patents, and holds the right to sue and recover damages for infringement thereof,
`
`including past infringement.
`
`35.
`
`Akamai was served with Limelight’s original Complaint, attached as Exhibit G,
`
`on December 2, 2015. A copy of the executed summons and proofs of service for Akamai is
`
`attached as Exhibit H.
`
`36.
`
`At least by no later than the date of service of Limelight’s original Complaint,
`
`Akamai had actual notice of each of the Asserted Patents and actual notice that its individual
`
`actions and/or the joint or concerted actions of Akamai and XO constituted and continue to
`
`constitute infringement of at least one claim of each of the Asserted Patents.
`
`37.
`
`XO was served with Limelight’s original Complaint, attached as Exhibit G, on
`
`December 2, 2015. A copy of the executed summons and proofs of service for XO is attached as
`
`Exhibit I.
`
`38.
`
`At least by no later than the date of service of Limelight’s original Complaint, XO
`
`had actual notice of each of the Asserted Patents and actual notice that its individual actions
`
`and/or the joint or concerted actions of Akamai and XO constituted and continue to constitute
`
`infringement of at least one claim of each of the Asserted Patents.
`
`9
`
`

`

`Case 3:15-cv-00720-JAG Document 28 Filed 02/16/16 Page 10 of 57 PageID# 388
`
`COUNT I AGAINST AKAMAI:
`
`INFRINGEMENT OF U.S. PATENT NO. 8,750,155
`
`39.
`
`Limelight incorporates and realleges paragraphs 1-38 above as if fully set forth
`
`herein.
`
`40.
`
`On information and belief, Akamai has infringed and continues to infringe one or
`
`more claims of the 155 Patent, including but not limited to claims 1, 3, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15,
`
`18, 19, and 20, pursuant to 35 U.S.C. § 271(a), literally or under the doctrine of equivalents, by
`
`making, using, selling, and/or offering to sell in the United States without authority and/or
`
`importing into the United States without authority, the Akamai Intelligent Platform, including a
`
`content delivery network with edge servers running Akamai’s TCP optimization functionality, as
`
`well as services associated therewith (the 155 Infringing Products). Based on information and
`
`belief, and publicly available documentation, the 155 Infringing Products perform TCP
`
`optimization by modifying pre-existing TCP settings based upon parameters that are determined
`
`at least in part with reference to information in the URLs of end-user requests processed by
`
`Akamai.
`
`41.
`
`Further, when Akamai’s edge servers are combined with network services
`
`supplied in part or in whole by XO (or another Network Service Provider) in a manner that
`
`satisfies the claims, such joint conduct constitutes direct infringement, pursuant to 35 U.S.C. §
`
`271(a), of the asserted claims.
`
`42.
`
`Akamai’s edge servers with TCP optimization meet the requirements of the
`
`claimed content distribution server, as reflected by publicly available Akamai documentation. On
`
`information and belief, to perform their basic role, Akamai’s edge servers, including edge servers
`
`that are co-located with XO, have multiple network ports to send and receive data. For example,
`
`Akamai publishes the following images showing Akamai servers having two Ethernet ports:
`
`10
`
`

`

`Case 3:15-cv-00720-JAG Document 28 Filed 02/16/16 Page 11 of 57 PageID# 389
`
`Akamai Hands And Eyes Guide, available at https://fieldtech.akamai.com/heguide/images/Serve
`
`r_Hardware/X4i_1-5x18_10G_Rear_Large.jpg (last visited November 29, 2015).
`
`Akamai Hands And Eyes Guide, available at https://fieldtech.akamai.com/heguide/images/Serve
`
`
`
`r_Hardware/X1_2x8_CacheH_Rear_Large.jpg (last visited November 29, 2015). Further
`
`information
`
`about Akamai’s
`
`deployed
`
`network
`
`interfaces
`
`can
`
`be
`
`found
`
`in
`
`Akamai Hands And Eyes Guide, available at https://fieldtech.akamai.com/heguide/Network_Pac
`
`kages.html (last visited November 29, 2015).
`
`43.
`
`Further, Akamai’s geographically distributed deployments of its edge servers, as
`
`deployed and operated for example by XO in its data centers, include routers that “allow Akamai
`
`to direct traffic between Akamai's equipment and the providers that Akamai connects to.”
`
`[Akamai
`
`Hands
`
`and
`
`Eyes
`
`Guide],
`
`available
`
`at
`
`https://fieldtech.akamai.com/heguide/Router_Hardware.html. When such equipment is deployed
`
`in a manner that connects Akamai’s edge servers to the Internet, for example by XO in its data
`
`centers, it likewise has multiple ports configured to send and receive data over a connecting
`
`network.
`
`11
`
`

`

`Case 3:15-cv-00720-JAG Document 28 Filed 02/16/16 Page 12 of 57 PageID# 390
`
`44.
`
`Likewise, Akamai’s servers, including on information and belief servers that are
`
`co-located with XO, include processors:
`
`Akamai Hands And Eyes Guide, available at https://fieldtech.akamai.com/heguide/Server_Hard
`
`
`
`ware.html (last visited November 29, 2015). The 155 Infringing Products include a protocol
`
`handler, such as the TCP/IP protocol stack implementation, that establishes and maintains
`
`connections with end-users. The 155 Infringing Products have storage that they use to store
`
`customer content to serve to end-users.
`
`45.
`
`The 155 Infringing Products perform TCP optimization in a manner that infringes
`
`the asserted claims. Specifically, the 155 Infringing Products monitor connections with end-users
`
`for requests. When they receive end-user requests, the 155 Infringing Products determine
`
`parameters that relate to processing and memory capabilities in the TCP protocol, such as
`
`maximum buffer space and socket buffer values. These determinations are made by the edge
`
`server, including on information and belief in those cases where the edge server is co-located
`
`with XO, based at least in part on reference to information in the URL of the request (such as for
`
`example, the hostname field or the customer ID). This information is utilized, in addition to other
`
`information, for the Akamai server to determine how aggressive the TCP optimization should be
`
`12
`
`

`

`Case 3:15-cv-00720-JAG Document 28 Filed 02/16/16 Page 13 of 57 PageID# 391
`
`for that connection. Once that determination is made, the TCP settings are altered to put that new
`
`optimization into effect by changing pre-existing TCP values to new values that are consistent
`
`with the correct level of TCP optimization. As Akamai’s documentation explains in detail:
`
`At a high-level, it operates in two modes: slow-start and congestion-avoidance.
`Those are different phases in the protocol that attempt to probe the network for
`available bandwidth using slightly different approaches. TCP maintains what’s
`referred to as a congestion window, which determines how many packets can be
`in-flight on the network at any point in time. The higher the congestion window,
`the greater TCP believes its fair share of the available bandwidth is. In slow-start,
`for every packet that is correctly received (i.e., acknowledged), the congestion
`window is expanded by a factor of 2; which is an aggressive rate of increase
`despite the “slow-start” misnomer. In congestion-avoidance, TCP believes it is
`much closer to its fair share and probes the network much less aggressively.
`Instead of expanding the congestion window by a factor of 2, the congestion
`window is only expanded by a single packet after an entire congestion window
`worth of packets is acknowledged by the receiver. In both cases, once loss is
`detected, the congestion window is shrunk and the probing starts again.
`
`Akamai optimizes TCP by tuning knobs that control where we start probing from
`(i.e., the initial congestion window), how quickly we expand the congestion
`window in both the slow-start (factor of 2 or 3 or higher) and congestion-
`avoidance (increase by 1 or 2 or higher) phases, as well as how much we back off
`when a loss is detected (shrink window by 50%, 30% or even less). That allows
`us to control how aggressive the protocol is in acquiring bandwidth. A TCP
`instance that probes aggressively and does not back off as much will acquire a
`larger share of the available bandwidth, under most network conditions.
`
`TCP Optimizations, available at https://developer.akamai.com/stuff/Optimization/TCP_Optimiz
`
`ations.html (last visited November 29, 2015).
`
`46.
`
`Akamai’s TCP optimization has at least medium and low settings, which
`
`determine how aggressively TCP is optimized for the connection. Further, the selection of a level
`
`of TCP optimization results in the timing of data transmission at the transport layer being
`
`modified as a function of the rate at which the congestion window is changed. On information
`
`and belief, Akamai’s TCP optimization also results in changing the burst size of the connection.
`
`47.
`
`Further, Akamai utilizes latency estimates to select the correct level of TCP
`
`optimization. As Akamai explains: “It’s a reactive protocol. FastTCP, the Akamaized version of
`
`13
`
`

`

`Case 3:15-cv-00720-JAG Document 28 Filed 02/16/16 Page 14 of 57 PageID# 392
`
`FastSoft’s solution, attempts to estimate the correct transmission rate by utilizing latency
`
`estimates, among other things, without actually inducing loss. It’s a proactive protocol.”
`
`TCP Optimizations, available at https://developer.akamai.com/stuff/Optimization/TCP_Optimiz
`
`ations.html (last visited November 29, 2015).
`
`48.
`
`Further, on
`
`information and belief, Akamai makes TCP optimization
`
`determinations based on a predetermined performance profile, for instance, based on the identity
`
`of the customer or the specific customer content provided by Akamai. On information and belief,
`
`this performance profile is stored on at least a customer-by-customer basis and is used to set the
`
`level of TCP optimization (such as medium and low).
`
`49.
`
`Further, when an Akamai edge server with TCP optimization does not have
`
`content requested by an end-user in its own cache, the edge server can obtain that content from
`
`the cache or caches of neighboring or “parent” Akamai edge servers, provide that content to the
`
`end-user, and also store that same content in its own cache for future use. When an Akamai edge
`
`server obtains the missing content from the cache of an edge server hosted by XO, or vice versa,
`
`Akamai and XO act in concert or jointly to practice the claimed inventions and the infringement
`
`is not complete until both Akamai and XO have provided or performed their respective parts.
`
`50.
`
`On information and belief, Akamai’s TCP optimization, which infringes the
`
`asserted claims, utilizes technology that Akamai received from Limelight by way of its
`
`acquisition of FastSoft, as discussed above at ¶¶ 24-28. As Akamai explains in its public
`
`documentation:
`
`There has been a lot of research on TCP over the last 10–15 years, much of which
`has focused on improving some aspect of TCP’s behavior. The key finding is that
`TCP does not work well under all types of network characteristics, including
`loss/latency patterns, cross-traffic, how quickly the available bandwidth changes
`over time, and so on. In 2012 Akamai acquired FastSoft, a company that
`developed a novel transport solution that does not rely on detecting loss to adapt
`
`14
`
`

`

`Case 3:15-cv-00720-JAG Document 28 Filed 02/16/16 Page 15 of 57 PageID# 393
`
`the congestion window. In general, TCP induces loss, by constantly probing for
`more available bandwidth, in order to estimate the correct transmission rate. It
`then reacts to the occurrence of loss. It’s a reactive protocol. FastTCP, the
`Akamaized version of FastSoft’s solution, attempts to estimate the correct
`transmission rate by utilizing latency estimates, among other things, without
`actually inducing loss. It’s a proactive protocol.
`
`TCP Optimizations, available at https://developer.akamai.com/stuff/Optimization/TCP_Optimiz
`
`ations.html.
`
`51.
`
`The making, and operation, of the 155 Infringing Products as described above
`
`constitutes infringement of at least the above-mentioned claims of the 155 Patent pursuant to 35
`
`U.S.C. § 271(a).
`
`52.
`
`On information and belief, Akamai has induced and continues to induce
`
`infringement of the 155 Patent pursuant to 35 U.S.C. § 271(b) by encouraging its customers,
`
`their end users, and other third parties including XO, to perform the claimed methods for
`
`managing delivery of content in a system, or make and/or use the claimed systems, as described
`
`above. Such performance of the claimed methods, or making and/or use of the claimed systems,
`
`constitutes infringement, literally or under the doctrine of equivalents, of one or more claims of
`
`the 155 Patent by such third parties. Akamai’s acts of encouragement include: providing and
`
`intending that third parties use products and services that utilize the Akamai Intelligent Platform
`
`with Akamai’s TCP optimization functionality; purposefully and voluntarily placing the 155
`
`infringing products and services in the stream of commerce with the expectation that these
`
`products and services will be used by customers in the Eastern District of Virginia; providing
`
`other components of the system that enable and/or make use of these products and services,
`
`including, e.g., servers and other network equipment; advertising these products and services
`
`through its own and third-party websites; providing instructions on how to use these products
`
`and services; and encouraging Network Service Providers such as XO to provide it with network
`
`15
`
`

`

`Case 3:15-cv-00720-JAG Document 28 Filed 02/16/16 Page 16 of 57 PageID# 394
`
`connectivity services to practice the asserted claims. Furthermore, Akamai has actual knowledge
`
`of how its accused products and services work, including how its accused products and services
`
`are used by its customers.
`
`53.
`
`Akamai has proceeded in this manner despite its actual knowledge of the 155
`
`Patent and that the specific actions it is actively inducing on the part of its customers and other
`
`third parties constitute infringement of the 155 Patent. At the very least, because Akamai has
`
`been and remains on notice of the 155 Patent and the accused infringement, it has been and
`
`remains willfully blind regarding the infringement it has induced and continues to induce.
`
`54.
`
`55.
`
`Unless enjoined by this Court, Akamai will continue to infringe the 155 Patent.
`
`
`
`As a result of Akamai’s conduct, Limelight has suffered and will continue to
`
`suffer irreparable injury, for which it has no adequate remedy at law. Limelight has also suffered
`
`damages as a result of Akamai’s infringement of the 155 Patent and will continue to suffer such
`
`damages, until an injunction issues, in an amount and manner yet to be determined.
`
`COUNT II AGAINST AKAMAI:
`
`INFRINGEMENT OF U.S. PATENT NO. 7,715,324
`
`56.
`
`Limelight incorporates and realleges paragraphs 1-38 above as if fully set forth
`
`herein.
`
`57.
`
`On information and belief, Akamai has infringed and continues to infringe one or
`
`more claims of the 324 Patent, including but not limited to claims 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, and 11,
`
`pursuant to 35 U.S.C. § 271(a), literally or under the doctrine of equivalents, by making, using,
`
`selling, and/or offering to sell in the United States without authority and/or importing into the
`
`United States without authority, the Akamai Intelligent Platform, including a content delivery
`
`network with edge servers running Akamai’s TCP optimization functionality, as well as services
`
`associated therewith (the 324 Infringing Products). Based on information and belief, and publicly
`
`16
`
`

`

`Case 3:15-cv-00720-JAG Document 28 Filed 02/16/16 Page 17 of 57 PageID# 395
`
`available documentation, the 324 Infringing Products perform TCP optimization by modifying
`
`pre-existing TCP settings based upon parameters that are determined at least in part with
`
`reference to information in the URLs of end-user requests processed by Akamai.
`
`58.
`
`Further, when Akamai’s edge servers are combined with network services
`
`supplied

This document is available on Docket Alarm but you must sign up to view it.


Or .

Accessing this document will incur an additional charge of $.

After purchase, you can access this document again without charge.

Accept $ Charge
throbber

Still Working On It

This document is taking longer than usual to download. This can happen if we need to contact the court directly to obtain the document and their servers are running slowly.

Give it another minute or two to complete, and then try the refresh button.

throbber

A few More Minutes ... Still Working

It can take up to 5 minutes for us to download a document if the court servers are running slowly.

Thank you for your continued patience.

This document could not be displayed.

We could not find this document within its docket. Please go back to the docket page and check the link. If that does not work, go back to the docket and refresh it to pull the newest information.

Your account does not support viewing this document.

You need a Paid Account to view this document. Click here to change your account type.

Your account does not support viewing this document.

Set your membership status to view this document.

With a Docket Alarm membership, you'll get a whole lot more, including:

  • Up-to-date information for this case.
  • Email alerts whenever there is an update.
  • Full text search for other cases.
  • Get email alerts whenever a new case matches your search.

Become a Member

One Moment Please

The filing “” is large (MB) and is being downloaded.

Please refresh this page in a few minutes to see if the filing has been downloaded. The filing will also be emailed to you when the download completes.

Your document is on its way!

If you do not receive the document in five minutes, contact support at support@docketalarm.com.

Sealed Document

We are unable to display this document, it may be under a court ordered seal.

If you have proper credentials to access the file, you may proceed directly to the court's system using your government issued username and password.


Access Government Site

We are redirecting you
to a mobile optimized page.





Document Unreadable or Corrupt

Refresh this Document
Go to the Docket

We are unable to display this document.

Refresh this Document
Go to the Docket