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GOOGLE SETTLED WITH THIS PATENT TROLL TODAY! HERE'S THE COMPLAINT BY ACACIA'S SUBSIDIARY FROM PACER, FYI. And YES, ACACIA IS a Patent Troll and GOOG is Settling.

FOR THE WESTERN DISTRICT OF MISSOURI
WESTERN DIVISION
BRILLIANT OPTICAL SOLUTIONS LLC )
)
Plaintiff, )
)
v. ) Case No. Case No. 4:13-cv-00356
)
GOOGLE FIBER, INC. ) JURY TRIAL DEMANDED
)
Defendant. )
__________________________________________)
FIRST AMENDED COMPLAINT
Plaintiff Brilliant Optical Solutions LLC (“BOS”) files this Complaint for infringement
of U.S. Patent No. 5,555,478 under 35 U.S.C. § 271 against defendant Google Fiber, Inc.
(“Google”). Plaintiff seeks damages and injunctive relief. Plaintiff alleges as follows:
PARTIES
1. Plaintiff Brilliant Optical Solutions LLC is a Texas company organized under the
laws of the State of Texas. BOS maintains its principal place of business at 1701 Directors Blvd.,
Suite 300, Austin, Texas 78744.
2. Upon information and belief, Google is a corporation organized under the laws of
the state of Delaware having its principal place of business at 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway
Mountain View, California 94043. Google is authorized to do business within the state of
Missouri and regularly conducts and transacts business in this jurisdiction, throughout the United
States, and within the Western District of Missouri, either itself or through one or more
subsidiaries, affiliates, business divisions, or business units (e.g., Google Fiber, Inc.). Google
also has its “Fiber Space” office located at 1814 Westport Road, Kansas City, Missouri.
Case 4:13-cv-00356-ODS Document 21 Filed 06/07/13 Page 1 of 8
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JURISDICTION AND VENUE
3. This is an action for patent infringement arising under the Patent Laws of the
United States, 35 U.S.C. § 1 et seq., alleging infringement of United States Patent No. 5,555,478
(the “’478 patent”). A copy of the ’478 patent is attached hereto as Exhibit A and is
incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
4. The Court has exclusive subject matter jurisdiction over this action under 28
U.S.C. §§ 1331 and 1338(a).
5. This Court has personal jurisdiction over Google because Google has conducted
business in this District and upon information and belief has infringed, contributed to
infringement of and/or actively induced others to infringe the ’478 patent in this District as
alleged in this Complaint. Finally, Google has offices in this District as described in paragraph 2.
6. Venue is proper under 28 U.S.C. §§ 1391(b), 1391(c), and/or 1400(b).
PATENT-IN-SUIT
7. The ’478 patent entitled “Fiber Optic Information Transmission System” was duly
and legally issued posthumously to inventor Joseph Zelikovitz on September 10, 1996. Exhibit
A.
8. Before he passed away, Joseph Zelikovitz recognized a problem with the
conventional means of information transmission and with bridging standard copper
communication lines with the developing optic lines.
9. He dedicated himself to opening up the “bottlenecks” that occurred when
information was transmitted by the understood methods of the time. He envisioned a system
with fibers connected end-to-end, but with intelligent routing along the way.
Case 4:13-cv-00356-ODS Document 21 Filed 06/07/13 Page 2 of 8
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10. He invented a packet-based fiber-optic network, and an application for his
invention was filed on June 7, 1995. As stated above, the patent issued on September 10, 1996.
11. All right, title and interest to the ’478 Patent was initially assigned from his estate
to his widow, Mrs. Melba Zelikovitz. A copy of the Assignment is attached hereto as Exhibit B.
12. In order to enforce her husband’s patent, she assigned right, title and interest to
the ’478 Patent to Red River Fiber-Optic Corporation. Exhibit B.
13. The ’478 Patent is battle-tested.
14. On October 4, 2001, Red River Fiber-Optic Corporation filed suit against
Defendant Level 3 Communications, Inc. alleging patent infringement. Red River Fiber Optic
Corp., Inc. v. Level 3 Comm’ns, Inc., Case No. 2:01-cv-00208-TJW, Docket No. 1 (E.D. Tex.
Oct. 4, 2001). A copy of Red River’s Complaint is attached hereto as Exhibit C.
15. On October 4, 2002, a third party requested reexamination of the ’478 Patent. A
copy of the Request is attached hereto as Exhibit D.
16. The parties settled the suit before the patent emerged from reexamination, but on
June 19, 2007 the patent reissued with only minor changes and all its claims intact. Exhibit A.
17. On May 19, 2008, Red River filed suit in the Eastern District of Texas against
Verizon Communications, Inc., AT&T Corp., and Qwest Communications International Inc. for
infringement of the ’478 patent. Red River Fiber Optic Corp. v. Verizon Comm’ns, Inc., et al.,
Case No.2:08-cv-00215-TJW-CE, Docket No. 1 (E.D. Tex. May 19, 2008). This action settled.
18. On February 5, 2013, Red River assigned the ’478 patent to Acacia Research
Group, Inc. (“Acacia”). A copy of the Assignment is attached hereto as Exhibit E. Acacia is a
company that partners with individual inventors and small companies with limited resources to
Case 4:13-cv-00356-ODS Document 21 Filed 06/07/13 Page 3 of 8
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contend with large, unauthorized infringers. The patent was then assigned to BOS, a subsidiary
of Acacia, on February 13, 2013. A copy of the Assignment is attached hereto as Exhibit F.
19. It has recently come to BOS’s attention that Defendant Google infringes the ’478
patent.
20. For example, claim 1 of the ’478 patent provides:
1. A fiber optic transmission system comprising:
a plurality of fiber optic lines, subscriber locations, intelligent
communication platforms, and at least one intelligent routing card;
a first source of data at a first subscriber location;
a first data processor line card at said first subscriber location capable of
forming a plurality of data transmission packets with data, header and tail
information;
a first intelligent communication platform coupled to said first data
processor line card by fiber optic lines wherein said first intelligent
communication platform is capable of receiving any one of said transmission
packets, determining the appropriate route for said one transmission packet and is
capable of shunting said one transmission packet onto the appropriate fiber optic
line to a first intelligent line module;
a first intelligent routing card at the junction of at least two fiber optic
lines and coupled to said first intelligent line module wherein said first intelligent
routing card is capable of receiving any one of said transmission packets,
determining the appropriate route for said one transmission packet and shunting
Case 4:13-cv-00356-ODS Document 21 Filed 06/07/13 Page 4 of 8
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said one transmission packet onto the appropriate fiber optic line to or away from
said first intelligent line module; and
a second data processor line card at a second subscriber location coupled
to said first intelligent routing card capable of receiving said transmission packet
and decoding the data within said packet.
Exhibit A, ’478 patent, col. 12, ln 45 to col. 13, ln 6.
INFRINGING GOODS/SERVICES
21. The ’478 Patent discloses a fiber optic network that includes fiber optic lines
operating in conjunction with shunting and routing devices that divert information through a
network to the intended subscriber.
22. Upon information and belief, Google owns, operates, maintains, sells, offers for
sale, makes, and uses a fiber optic transmission system as described in the claims of the ’478
Patent.
23. Specifically, Google advertises that it is capable of providing a complete system
to transport data (including internet, voice, and video) from the source of that data (e.g., a
subscriber location such as a residence or business) to the destination of the data (e.g., another
subscriber location) using fiber optic lines end-to-end. (the “Google System”). The Google
System includes, at a minimum, the goods and/or services described as Google Fiber. Besides
owning, operating, maintaining, selling, offering for sale, making, and using the Google System,
Google induces the use of the Google System by residential, business, governmental, and
enterprise subscribers. Google’s advertisement is attached hereto as Exhibit G (available at
http://googlefiberblog.blogspot.com/).
COUNT I
Case 4:13-cv-00356-ODS Document 21 Filed 06/07/13 Page 5 of 8
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GOOGLE PATENT INFRINGEMENT
UNDER 35 U.S.C. § 271 OF THE ’478 PATENT
24. BOS incorporates by reference the allegations of paragraphs 1-23.
25. The ’478 patent was duly and legally issued by the United States Patent and
Trademark Office on September 10, 1996, after full and fair examination. An ex parte
reexamination certificate issued on June 19, 2007.
26. Plaintiff is the assignee of all rights, title, and interest in and to the ’478 patent
and possesses all rights of recovery under the ’478 patent.
27. Google has directly infringed the ’478 patent at a minimum by making, using,
offering to sell, and selling within the United States products and/or services that practice the
inventions of the ’478 patent, namely products/services affiliated with at least the Google
System, and these products/services have no substantial non-infringing uses.
28. Google has contributorily infringed the ’478 patent and induced infringement of
the ’478 patent after the filing of the complaint.
29. Google was aware of the ’478 patent at a minimum after the filing of this
complaint.
30. Despite knowledge of the patent and its infringement and, upon belief, Google
continues to operate its Google System.
31. In addition and upon belief, Google encourages its customers to operate the
Google System in an infringing manner.
32. Google has caused and will continue to cause BOS substantial damage and
irreparable injury by virtue of its continuing infringement.
Case 4:13-cv-00356-ODS Document 21 Filed 06/07/13 Page 6 of 8
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33. BOS is entitled to recover from Google the damages sustained by BOS as a result
of Google’s acts in an amount subject to proof at trial and an injunction preventing Google from
continuing its acts.
PRAYER FOR RELIEF
WHEREFORE, Brilliant Optical Solutions respectfully requests that the Court enter a
judgment as follows:
A. A judgment that Google has directly infringed the ’478 patent, contributorily
infringed the ’478 patent, and induced infringement of the ’478 patent;
B. An injunction preventing Google and its officers, directors, agents, servants,
employees, attorneys, licensees, successors, and assigns, and those in active
concert or participation with Google, from directly infringing, contributorily
infringing, and inducing the infringement of the ’478 patent;
C. A judgment and order requiring Google to pay Plaintiff damages under 35 U.S.C.
§ 284, including supplemental damages for any continuing post-verdict
infringement up until entry of the final judgment, with an accounting, as needed;
D. A judgment and order requiring Google to pay Plaintiff pre-judgment and postjudgment
interest on the damages awarded;
E. A judgment and order requiring Google to pay Plaintiff the costs of this action
(including all disbursements) and attorneys' fees as provided by 35 U.S.C. § 285;
and
F. Such other and further relief as the Court deems just and equitable.
DEMAND FOR JURY TRIAL
Plaintiff hereby requests that all issues be determined by jury.
Case 4:13-cv-00356-ODS Document 21 Filed 06/07/13 Page 7 of 8
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DATED: June 7, 2013 Respectfully submitted,
STUEVE SIEGEL HANSON LLP
/s/ Matthew L. Dameron
Norman E. Siegel MO Bar No. 44378
Matthew L. Dameron MO Bar No. 52093
460 Nichols Road, Suite 200
Kansas City, Missouri 64112
Phone: [phone]
Facsimile: [phone]
[e-mail]
[e-mail]
Paul A. Lesko
Sarah S. Burns
SIMMONS, BROWDER GIANARIS ANGELIDES &
BARNERD, LLC
One Court Street
Alton, Illinois 62002
Phone: [phone]
Facsimile: [phone]
[e-mail]
[e-mail]
ATTORNEYS FOR PLAINTIFF
CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE
The undersigned certifies that on this 7th day of June, 2013, a true and accurate copy of
the foregoing was served via the Court’s Electronic Case Filing system (“ECF”) upon all counsel
of record.
/s/ Matthew L. Dameron
ATTORNEY FOR PLAINTIFF