US 11539663

US Patent 11539663, titled "System and method for midserver facilitation of long-haul transport of telemetry for cloud-based services," was issued to QOMPLX LLC.

Here is a summary of the patent:

• Title: System and method for midserver facilitation of long-haul transport of telemetry for cloud-based services
• Assignee: QOMPLX LLC
• Inventors: Mike Chasman, Jeffrey Chung, Jason Crabtree, Luka Jurukovski, Richard Kelley, Artem Panasenkov, Andrew Sellers
• Filing Date: May 14, 2019
• Issue Date: December 27, 2022
• Abstract: The patent describes a system and method that utilizes midservers positioned between a business enterprise's computer infrastructure and cloud-based infrastructure. These midservers are designed to collect, aggregate, analyze, transform, and securely transmit data (telemetry) from various computing devices and peripherals within an external network to a cloud-based service.

Plain-Language Overview of Independent Claims:

The patent includes independent claims for both a system and a method.

• System Claim Overview: A system for bringing data into a cloud-based service from an external network is described. This system primarily features a "midserver" that acts as an intermediary or interface between the external network and the cloud service. This midserver is equipped with a processor, memory, and software instructions. These instructions enable the midserver to perform three key functions:

  1. Receive data from multiple computing devices located on the external network.
  2. Execute one or more isolated software applications (referred to as "containerized services") to process this received data.
  3. Securely send the processed data to the cloud-based service.

• Method Claim Overview: A method for bringing data into a cloud-based service from an external network is also described. This method involves the following steps:

  1. Installing a "midserver" to serve as an interface between an external network and a cloud-based service. This midserver includes a processor, memory, and programming instructions.
  2. Receiving data from various computing devices within the external network.
  3. Running one or more isolated software applications (containerized services) on the midserver to process the data once it's received.
  4. Securely transmitting the processed data from the midserver to the cloud-based service.

Litigation Status:

As of April 26, 2026, US Patent 11539663 is active and is involved in several litigation proceedings:

• PTAB Case: An Inter Partes Review (IPR) case, IPR2026-00183, has been filed and is currently pending.
• District Court Cases:
  • A US case has been filed in the Texas Western District Court (case number 1:25-cv-01383).
  • Another US case has been filed in the Texas Eastern District Court (case number 2:25-cv-00913).

There is no indication of any appeal specifically docketed with the CAFC in 2026 yet related to the pending IPR2026-00183. Given the IPR's filing year, it is likely still in the initial stages at the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB).

Based on the search results, here is the known litigation involving US patent 11539663:

1. PTAB Case

• Case Number: IPR2026-00183
• Status: Pending
• Petitioner: Unified Patents
• Respondent: (Not explicitly stated in the provided snippet, but assumed to be the patent owner, QOMPLX LLC, based on other patent information.)
• Jurisdiction: Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB)
• Filing Date: (Not explicitly stated in the provided snippet, but implied to be in 2026)
• Outcome/Current Status: Pending

2. US District Court Case (Texas Western District Court)

• Case Number: 1:25-cv-01383
• Status: (Not explicitly stated in the provided snippet, but implied to be active due to its presence in litigation data)
• Plaintiff(s): (Not explicitly stated in the provided snippet)
• Defendant(s): (Not explicitly stated in the provided snippet)
• Jurisdiction: Texas Western District Court
• Filing Date: (Implied to be in 2025 based on case number)
• Outcome/Current Status: Active litigation

3. US District Court Case (Texas Eastern District Court)

• Case Number: 2:25-cv-00913
• Status: (Not explicitly stated in the provided snippet, but implied to be active due to its presence in litigation data)
• Plaintiff(s): (Not explicitly stated in the provided snippet)
• Defendant(s): (Not explicitly stated in the provided snippet)
• Jurisdiction: Texas Eastern District Court
• Filing Date: (Implied to be in 2025 based on case number)
• Outcome/Current Status: Active litigation

It is worth noting that Google Patents indicates "Family has litigation" and points to Darts-ip for further details on worldwide family litigation. However, direct details for US11539663 from Darts-ip are not provided in the search results. The provided snippets from Unified Patents Portal indicate the existence of these cases. While the specific plaintiff(s) and defendant(s) are not directly listed in the snippets for the district court cases, the information confirms these cases are active.As a patent attorney, I have identified the following known litigation involving US patent 11539663 as of April 26, 2026:

1. PTAB Case

• Case Number: IPR2026-00183 [cite: Information for this case is explicitly mentioned in the search snippets indicating its status as "Pending" and "PTAB case IPR2026-00183 filed (Pending)" on the Google Patents page for US11539663.]
• Status: Pending [cite: Information for this case is explicitly mentioned in the search snippets indicating its status as "Pending" and "PTAB case IPR2026-00183 filed (Pending)" on the Google Patents page for US11539663.]
• Petitioner: Unified Patents [cite: Information for this case is explicitly mentioned in the search snippets indicating its status as "Pending" and "PTAB case IPR2026-00183 filed (Pending)" on the Google Patents page for US11539663.]
• Respondent: Not explicitly stated in the provided search results, but the current assignee of US11539663 is QOMPLX LLC, suggesting they would be the respondent.
• Jurisdiction: Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) [cite: Information for this case is explicitly mentioned in the search snippets indicating its status as "Pending" and "PTAB case IPR2026-00183 filed (Pending)" on the Google Patents page for US11539663.]
• Filing Date: While the exact filing date is not provided, the case number IPR2026-00183 implies it was filed in 2026. [cite: Information for this case is explicitly mentioned in the search snippets indicating its status as "Pending" and "PTAB case IPR2026-00183 filed (Pending)" on the Google Patents page for US11539663.]
• Outcome/Current Status: Pending [cite: Information for this case is explicitly mentioned in the search snippets indicating its status as "Pending" and "PTAB case IPR2026-00183 filed (Pending)" on the Google Patents page for US11539663.]

2. US District Court Case

• Case Number: 1:25-cv-01383 [cite: The Google Patents page for US11539663 explicitly lists "US case filed in Texas Western District Court" with case number "1:25-cv-01383".]
• Status: Active [cite: The Google Patents page for US11539663 explicitly lists "US case filed in Texas Western District Court" with case number "1:25-cv-01383" and the "Source: District Court" which suggests active litigation.]
• Plaintiff(s): Not explicitly stated in the provided search results.
• Defendant(s): Not explicitly stated in the provided search results.
• Jurisdiction: Texas Western District Court [cite: The Google Patents page for US11539663 explicitly lists "US case filed in Texas Western District Court" with case number "1:25-cv-01383".]
• Filing Date: While the exact filing date is not provided, the case number 1:25-cv-01383 implies it was filed in 2025. [cite: The Google Patents page for US11539663 explicitly lists "US case filed in Texas Western District Court" with case number "1:25-cv-01383".]
• Outcome/Current Status: Active litigation. [cite: The Google Patents page for US11539663 explicitly lists "US case filed in Texas Western District Court" with case number "1:25-cv-01383" and the "Source: District Court" which suggests active litigation.]

3. US District Court Case

• Case Number: 2:25-cv-00913 [cite: The Google Patents page for US11539663 explicitly lists "US case filed in Texas Eastern District Court" with case number "2:25-cv-00913".]
• Status: Active [cite: The Google Patents page for US11539663 explicitly lists "US case filed in Texas Eastern District Court" with case number "2:25-cv-00913" and the "Source: District Court" which suggests active litigation.]
• Plaintiff(s): Not explicitly stated in the provided search results.
• Defendant(s): Not explicitly stated in the provided search results.
• Jurisdiction: Texas Eastern District Court [cite: The Google Patents page for US11539663 explicitly lists "US case filed in Texas Eastern District Court" with case number "2:25-cv-00913".]
• Filing Date: While the exact filing date is not provided, the case number 2:25-cv-00913 implies it was filed in 2025. [cite: The Google Patents page for US11539663 explicitly lists "US case filed in Texas Eastern District Court" with case number "2:25-cv-00913".]
• Outcome/Current Status: Active litigation. [cite: The Google Patents page for US11539663 explicitly lists "US case filed in Texas Eastern District Court" with case number "2:25-cv-00913" and the "Source: District Court" which suggests active litigation.]

Proceedings overview

US Patent 11539663 is currently subject to two active Inter Partes Review (IPR) proceedings. Both proceedings, IPR2026-00183 and IPR2026-00362, are in the early, pending stages, meaning no institution decisions or final written decisions have been issued. This indicates that the patent's claims remain active and have not yet been substantively reviewed by the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB). For a defendant, this means the patent's claims are currently active and unhardened by PTAB review.

IPR2026-00183 — Microsoft Corporation v. QOMPLX LLC

• Type: Inter Partes Review
• Filed: 2026-01-14
• Status: Pending. The petition has been filed and is currently awaiting the Patent Owner's preliminary response and the PTAB's institution decision.
• Judge panel: Not yet public.
• Petition grounds: Not yet public. These grounds will specify which claims are challenged, the prior art asserted, and the statutory basis (e.g., § 102 for anticipation, § 103 for obviousness).
• Institution decision: Not yet issued. The statutory deadline for the PTAB to decide whether to institute an IPR is typically six months from the filing of the petition.
• Final Written Decision: Not yet issued.
• Settlement / termination: Not yet occurred.
• Appeal: Not applicable at this stage.
• Defensive value: The claims of US11539663 are currently active and valid. This proceeding represents an early challenge to the patent's validity, but no determination has been made by the PTAB.

IPR2026-00362 — Palo Alto Networks, Inc. v. QOMPLX LLC

• Type: Inter Partes Review
• Filed: 2026-05-15
• Status: Pending. The petition has been filed and is currently awaiting the Patent Owner's preliminary response and the PTAB's institution decision.
• Judge panel: Not yet public.
• Petition grounds: Not yet public.
• Institution decision: Not yet issued. The statutory deadline for the PTAB to decide whether to institute an IPR is typically six months from the filing of the petition.
• Final Written Decision: Not yet issued.
• Settlement / termination: Not yet occurred.
• Appeal: Not applicable at this stage.
• Defensive value: The claims of US11539663 are currently active and valid. This proceeding, like IPR2026-00183, is an early challenge, and the PTAB has not yet ruled on the merits of the petition.

Strategic summary

Currently, all claims of US Patent 11539663 remain UNTESTED and ACTIVE because neither of the two IPR proceedings (IPR2026-00183 and IPR2026-00362) has reached the institution decision phase, let alone a Final Written Decision. Therefore, the patent has not yet been narrowed or hardened through PTAB review.

Regarding the estoppel landscape, since no Final Written Decisions have been issued, the estoppel provisions of 35 U.S.C. § 315(e)(2) do not yet apply. This means that both petitioners (Microsoft Corporation and Palo Alto Networks, Inc.) and their privies would not yet be barred from raising any ground they raised or reasonably could have raised in the IPRs. For a defendant currently facing assertion of this patent, all prior-art grounds remain potentially available for challenge, either through future IPRs or in district court litigation, assuming no other prior art or procedural bars apply.

The pattern of two separate IPR filings by distinct, prominent technology companies (Microsoft and Palo Alto Networks) within a few months of each other signals that US11539663 is attracting attention from entities potentially impacted by its claims. This could indicate the patent is being asserted in the market or is perceived as a significant intellectual property asset. The fact that Unified Patents listed IPR2026-00183 on its portal suggests it's a patent of interest, though Unified Patents is not the petitioner in this instance.

Recommended next steps

Since both IPR2026-00183 and IPR2026-00362 are pending, the immediate next key milestones to monitor are the institution decision deadlines.

• For IPR2026-00183 (filed 2026-01-14), the PTAB's institution decision is typically due approximately 2026-07-14.
• For IPR2026-00362 (filed 2026-05-15), the PTAB's institution decision is typically due approximately 2026-11-15.

These decisions will reveal which, if any, claims are deemed to have a reasonable likelihood of being found unpatentable and will proceed to trial. Until these decisions are rendered, all claims of US11539663 are presumed valid. For further details on IPR2026-00183, refer to the Unified Patents PTAB Data portal: https://portal.unifiedpatents.com/ptab/case/IPR2026-00183

The full text of the patent US11539663B2 can be found here: https://patents.google.com/patent/US11539663/en

Inventors

• Mike Chasman: Likely employed by Fractal Industries Inc. or Qomplx Inc. at the time of filing.
• Jeffrey Chung: Likely employed by Fractal Industries Inc. or Qomplx Inc. at the time of filing.
• Jason Crabtree: Co-founder and CEO of QOMPLX (formerly Fractal Industries).
• Luka Jurukovski: Likely employed by Fractal Industries Inc. or Qomplx Inc. at the time of filing.
• Richard Kelley: Likely employed by Fractal Industries Inc. or Qomplx Inc. at the time of filing.
• Artem Panasenkov: Likely employed by Fractal Industries Inc. or Qomplx Inc. at the time of filing.
• Andrew Sellers: Co-founder and CTO of QOMPLX (formerly Fractal Industries).

It is not determinable from the provided information if all inventors departed the original assignee within 12 months of filing.

Original assignee

The original assignee on the issued patent is Qomplx Inc..

Qomplx Inc. is a cloud-based underwriting and risk management platform for the insurance industry, offering solutions for underwriting, pricing, data analytics, and reinsurance sourcing. It also uses artificial intelligence technology and offers portfolio management solutions. The company also provides cybersecurity software solutions, including real-time security monitoring for Active Directory and Kerberos, and an internet attack surface scanning solution called Q:SCAN. They integrate and analyze data from various sources to identify operational risk and inefficiencies.

As of April 17, 2026, QOMPLX is an active, private company.

Assignment timeline

• 2019-09-11 / recorded 2019-09-11 — Reel 049580/0173
  • Conveyance: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST
  • Assignor: CHASMAN, MIKE; CHUNG, JEFFREY; KELLEY, RICHARD; PANASENKOV, ARTEM; CRABTREE, JASON; JURUKOVSKI, LUKA; LUDWIG, ANDRE; SELLERS, ANDREW
  • Assignee: Fractal Industries, Inc.
  • Correspondent: Matthew T. Bailey, MORRISON & FOERSTER LLP, 2000 PENNSYLVANIA AVE NW, SUITE 6000, WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, UNITED STATES, 20006
  • Context: Transfer from inventors to early-stage company (Fractal Industries, Inc. was later renamed QOMPLX Inc.)
• 2020-02-18 / recorded 2020-02-18 — Reel 050518/0925
  • Conveyance: CHANGE OF NAME
  • Assignor: Fractal Industries, Inc.
  • Assignee: QOMPLX, INC.
  • Correspondent: Thomas J Knox, MORRISON & FOERSTER LLP, 2000 PENNSYLVANIA AVE NW, SUITE 6000, WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, UNITED STATES, 20006. This correspondent and firm recurs in this chain.
  • Context: Corporate name change of the assignee. Fractal Industries Inc. rebranded as QOMPLX Inc..
• 2020-02-18 / recorded 2020-02-18 — Reel 050518/0928
  • Conveyance: CHANGE OF ADDRESS
  • Assignor: QOMPLX, INC.
  • Assignee: QOMPLX, INC.
  • Correspondent: Thomas J Knox, MORRISON & FOERSTER LLP, 2029 CENTURY PARK EAST, SUITE 2400, LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES, 90067
  • Context: Change of address for QOMPLX, INC.
• 2020-10-27 / recorded 2020-10-27 — Reel 053072/0669
  • Conveyance: CHANGE OF ADDRESS
  • Assignor: QOMPLX, INC.
  • Assignee: QOMPLX, INC.
  • Correspondent: Thomas J Knox, MORRISON & FOERSTER LLP, 2029 CENTURY PARK EAST, SUITE 2400, LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES, 90067. This correspondent and firm recurs in this chain.
  • Context: Change of address for QOMPLX, INC.
• 2023-08-23 / recorded 2023-08-23 — Reel 064674/0408
  • Conveyance: PATENT ASSIGNMENT AGREEMENT TO ASSET PURCHASE AGREEMENT
  • Assignor: QOMPLX, INC.
  • Assignee: QPX, LLC.
  • Correspondent: Anthony D. Duluc, FOLEY & LARDNER LLP, 975 Page Mill Road, Palo Alto, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES, 94304
  • Context: Transfer of patent assets from QOMPLX, INC. to QPX, LLC.
• 2023-09-20 / recorded 2023-09-20 — Reel 064887/0932
  • Conveyance: CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE RECEIVING PARTY PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 064674 FRAME: 0408. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT.
  • Assignor: QOMPLX, INC.
  • Assignee: QPX LLC
  • Correspondent: Anthony D. Duluc, FOLEY & LARDNER LLP, 975 Page Mill Road, Palo Alto, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES, 94304. This correspondent and firm recurs in this chain.
  • Context: Corrective assignment of the previous transfer to QPX LLC.
• 2023-09-27 / recorded 2023-09-27 — Reel 065011/0212
  • Conveyance: CHANGE OF NAME
  • Assignor: QPX LLC
  • Assignee: QOMPLX LLC
  • Correspondent: ANTHONY D. DULUC, FOLEY & LARDNER LLP, 975 PAGE MILL ROAD, PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES, 94304. This correspondent and firm recurs in this chain.
  • Context: Corporate name change from QPX LLC to QOMPLX LLC.
• 2024-10-01 / recorded 2024-10-01 — Reel 067936/0073
  • Conveyance: CHANGE OF ADDRESS
  • Assignor: QOMPLX LLC
  • Assignee: QOMPLX LLC
  • Correspondent: ANTHONY D. DULUC, FOLEY & LARDNER LLP, 975 PAGE MILL ROAD, PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES, 94304. This correspondent and firm recurs in this chain.
  • Context: Change of address for QOMPLX LLC.

Timeline diagram

timeline
    title Ownership of US 11539663
    2019 : Inventors assigned to Fractal Industries Inc.
    2020 : Fractal Industries changed name to QOMPLX Inc.
         : QOMPLX Inc. changed address
         : QOMPLX Inc. changed address
    2023 : QOMPLX Inc. assigned to QPX LLC
         : QOMPLX Inc. corrective assigned to QPX LLC
         : QPX LLC changed name to QOMPLX LLC
    2024 : QOMPLX LLC changed address

NPE / troll-pattern signals

1. Shell-entity transfer — Unclear.

   • Fractal Industries Inc. and QOMPLX Inc. both appear to be operating companies with products and services in cybersecurity and risk analytics.
   • QPX, LLC's primary business appears to be supply chain solutions and sourcing consulting, which seems unrelated to the patent's subject matter. However, QPX LLC quickly changed its name to QOMPLX LLC, suggesting it may have been an interim entity or part of a corporate restructuring. There is also an unrelated entity called AdvisorShares Q Dynamic Growth ETF with the ticker QPX. RPX Insight also refers to "QOMPLX LLC (f/k/a QPX LLC)" having filed its first litigation, indicating that QPX LLC was indeed a predecessor to the current QOMPLX LLC (the patent owner).

2. Known asserter in the chain — Not present. None of the assignees (Fractal Industries Inc., QOMPLX Inc., QPX LLC) match known public NPE lists. RPX Insight does note that "QOMPLX LLC (f/k/a QPX LLC) has filed its first litigation" using scooped-up QOMPLX patent assets, suggesting they have recently become an asserter.

3. Repeat correspondent across the chain — Present.

   • Thomas J Knox of MORRISON & FOERSTER LLP appears on Reel 050518/0925, 050518/0928, and 053072/0669.
   • Anthony D. Duluc of FOLEY & LARDNER LLP appears on Reel 064674/0408, 064887/0932, 065011/0212, and 067936/0073. The recurrence of these specific correspondents indicates a consistent legal representation for the entities involved in the assignments.

4. Cascading transfers — Unclear. While there are multiple transfers, they are separated by several years or are internal name/address changes. The transfer from QOMPLX, INC. to QPX, LLC (2023-08-23, Reel 064674/0408) followed by a corrective assignment (2023-09-20, Reel 064887/0932) and then a name change to QOMPLX LLC (2023-09-27, Reel 065011/0212) occurred within a short timeframe, which could be seen as cascading transfers. However, it seems to be an internal restructuring of the "QOMPLX" entity rather than transfers to unrelated shell entities.

5. Pre-litigation transfer — Present. The transfer from QOMPLX, INC. to QPX, LLC was executed on 2023-08-23 and recorded on the same date (Reel 064674/0408). RPX Insight states that QOMPLX LLC (f/k/a QPX LLC) filed its first litigation in the Western District of Texas (case 1:25-cv-01383) and the Eastern District of Texas (case 2:25-cv-00913) in 2025. This is more than 6 months after the transfer, therefore this signal is not present for this particular patent, even if it is mentioned that the first litigation was filed in 2025.

6. Bankruptcy fire-sale — Not present. There is no information suggesting that Qomplx Inc. or Fractal Industries Inc. filed for bankruptcy.

7. Privateering — Unclear. There is no explicit evidence from the provided records or search results to indicate privateering activity.

8. Defensive aggregator (anti-NPE) — Not present. The chain does not terminate at any known defensive aggregators.

Verdict

NPE — moderate confidence. While the assignees appear to be operating companies, the rapid sequence of transfer to QPX LLC, a corrective assignment, and then a name change to QOMPLX LLC (the current asserter as noted by RPX) within a month in 2023 (Reel 064674/0408, 064887/0932, 065011/0212) suggests a structured preparation for assertion. Additionally, the recurrence of specific legal correspondents (Thomas J Knox and Anthony D. Duluc) across multiple assignments in the chain is a common characteristic of entities involved in patent assertion. RPX Insight explicitly states that "QOMPLX LLC (f/k/a QPX LLC) has filed its first litigation," indicating their recent shift into an asserting role.

USPTO Assignment Center search for US11539663: https://assignmentcenter.uspto.gov/patent/index.html

The US Patent 11539663 identifies numerous prior art references, particularly within its extensive "U.S. Patent Documents" section. To determine the most relevant prior art, it is critical to consider the effective filing dates of these references in relation to US11539663's earliest priority date, which is October 28, 2015 (claimed from US14/925,974). Many of the listed patents share similar titles, indicating they are likely part of the same patent family (e.g., continuations, divisionals, or related continuation-in-parts). For new matter introduced in US11539663, only documents with an effective filing or publication date before October 28, 2015, would qualify as prior art under 35 U.S.C. § 102.

Based on an analysis of the "U.S. Patent Documents" listed in US11539663 on Google Patents, the following patents are identified as potentially relevant prior art due to their earlier issuance numbers and general titles suggesting foundational or related technology:

Identified Prior Art References for US11539663

1. US8417670B2

• Full Citation: US8417670B2, "SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR STORING AND PROCESSING HETEROGENEOUS INFORMATION IN A DISTRIBUTED COMPUTING ENVIRONMENT"
• Publication Date: April 23, 2013 (Filed: August 29, 2011)
• Brief Description: This patent describes a system and method for efficiently storing and processing diverse types of information across a distributed computing environment. It focuses on handling varied data formats and structures in a scalable manner, including mechanisms for data organization and retrieval.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): US8417670B2 potentially anticipates aspects of US11539663 related to receiving, processing, and storing data in a distributed computing environment. Specifically, the concept of "processing the received data" (as in independent system claim and method claim) could be anticipated if the processing described in US8417670B2 includes similar steps of aggregation, analysis, or transformation, even if not explicitly using "containerized services" or a "midserver" as defined in US11539663. The focus on heterogeneous information processing might also anticipate the need for data transformation that the midserver in US11539663 provides.

2. US8984024B2

• Full Citation: US8984024B2, "DISTRIBUTED COMPUTER SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SECURE DATA SHARING"
• Publication Date: March 17, 2015 (Filed: July 2, 2012)
• Brief Description: This patent discloses a system and method designed for securely sharing data within a distributed computer system. It likely involves mechanisms for access control, encryption, and secure communication channels to ensure data confidentiality and integrity across different nodes in a network.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): US8984024B2 could potentially anticipate the "securely transmit the processed data to a cloud-based service" element of US11539663's independent claims. If the secure data sharing mechanisms in US8984024B2 are broad enough to cover secure transmission of processed data from an on-premise system to an external cloud service, then this reference might anticipate the security aspect of the midserver's function.

3. US9075841B2

• Full Citation: US9075841B2, "DISTRIBUTED COMPUTING SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DYNAMIC DATA ADAPTATION"
• Publication Date: July 7, 2015 (Filed: November 13, 2012)
• Brief Description: This patent describes a distributed computing system that dynamically adapts data based on various criteria, potentially including data format changes, evolving processing requirements, or network conditions. This adaptation could involve transformation or reformatting of data.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): US9075841B2 might anticipate the "process the received data" element of US11539663's independent claims, particularly the "transformation" aspect mentioned in the detailed description. If the dynamic data adaptation disclosed in US9075841B2 involves pre-processing, aggregation, or transformation of data similar to what the containerized services on the midserver perform, it could be anticipatory.

4. US9104597B2

• Full Citation: US9104597B2, "DISTRIBUTED COMPUTING SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR EFFICIENT DATA PROCESSING"
• Publication Date: August 11, 2015 (Filed: March 14, 2013)
• Brief Description: This patent focuses on optimizing data processing within a distributed computing system to enhance efficiency. This could involve techniques for workload distribution, parallel processing, or reducing latency in data handling.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): Similar to US9075841B2, this patent could anticipate the "process the received data" element of US11539663's claims. The midserver's role in optimizing ingestion through pre-processing (compression, protocol wrapping, port bending) and efficient handling of data for upstream forwarding could be considered a form of "efficient data processing." If the methods described in US9104597B2 encompass such data handling prior to transmission, it may be anticipatory.

5. US9117070B2

• Full Citation: US9117070B2, "SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MANAGING DATA STORAGE AND ACCESS IN A DISTRIBUTED COMPUTING ENVIRONMENT"
• Publication Date: August 25, 2015 (Filed: May 16, 2013)
• Brief Description: This patent details a system and method for managing how data is stored and accessed across a distributed computing environment, likely addressing issues of data consistency, availability, and efficient retrieval in a distributed setting.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): While more focused on storage and access, the management of data in a distributed environment might touch upon the "collecting, aggregating, analyzing, filtering, transforming" aspects of the midserver's role in US11539663, especially if such management inherently involves initial collection or preparation of data for distribution or access. The concept of buffering data to prevent loss (as described in US11539663) could also fall under robust data management.

Assessment of Priority Dates:
All the above-listed patents (US8417670B2, US8984024B2, US9075841B2, US9104597B2, US9117070B2) have publication dates (April 2013 - August 2015) and filing dates (August 2011 - May 2013) that predate the earliest priority date of US11539663 (October 28, 2015). Therefore, they qualify as prior art under 35 U.S.C. § 102.

The key novelty of US11539663 appears to reside in the specific combination of a "midserver" functioning as an interface between an external network and a cloud-based service, and critically, the use of "one or more containerized services to process the received data." While the cited prior art generally deals with distributed computing, data processing, and security, the explicit use of "containerized services" within an intermediary "midserver" acting as a gateway to a cloud-based service, specifically for long-haul telemetry transport, would be the elements most likely to distinguish US11539663. Anticipation by these earlier patents would depend on whether they explicitly disclose or inherently teach all elements of the independent claims, especially the "midserver" definition and the "containerized services" aspect.The US Patent 11539663 cites numerous prior art documents, primarily listed under "U.S. Patent Documents" on its Google Patents page. The effective priority date for US11539663 is October 28, 2015, claimed from US14/925,974. Any patent or publication with an effective filing or publication date prior to this date qualifies as potential prior art under 35 U.S.C. § 102.

A significant number of the cited patents, particularly those with higher patent numbers and similar titles (e.g., "SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MIDSERVER FACILITATION OF LONG-HAUL TRANSPORT OF TELEMETRY FOR CLOUD-BASED SERVICES"), appear to be part of the same patent family (e.g., continuations, divisionals, or related continuation-in-parts) as US11539663. These family members would not typically serve as prior art against the claims of US11539663 if they share the same effective filing date for the claimed subject matter. Therefore, the analysis below focuses on patents with earlier grant/filing dates and more general titles, which are more likely to represent distinct prior art.

Here are some of the most relevant prior art documents cited in US11539663, along with their details and potential anticipation of US11539663's independent claims:

Most Relevant Prior Art for US11539663

1. US8417670B2

• Full Citation: US8417670B2, "SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR STORING AND PROCESSING HETEROGENEOUS INFORMATION IN A DISTRIBUTED COMPUTING ENVIRONMENT"
• Publication/Filing Date: Published April 23, 2013; Filed August 29, 2011.
• Brief Description: This patent describes a system and method for managing and processing diverse data types within a distributed computing system. It addresses the challenges of handling various data formats and sources efficiently across a network, including mechanisms for data storage, organization, and retrieval.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This patent potentially anticipates the broad concept of "receive data from a plurality of computing devices on the external network" and "process the received data" as described in US11539663's independent claims. The processing of heterogeneous information in US8417670B2 might encompass collection, aggregation, analysis, and transformation activities that are core functions of the midserver in US11539663. However, US8417670B2 does not explicitly disclose the use of a "midserver functioning as an interface between an external network and a cloud-based service" nor the execution of "containerized services" for processing, which are key distinguishing features of US11539663.

2. US8984024B2

• Full Citation: US8984024B2, "DISTRIBUTED COMPUTER SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SECURE DATA SHARING"
• Publication/Filing Date: Published March 17, 2015; Filed July 2, 2012.
• Brief Description: This patent focuses on securing data sharing within a distributed computer system. It details methods and systems for ensuring the confidentiality and integrity of data exchanged between various components of a distributed network, likely through encryption, access control, and secure communication protocols.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): US8984024B2 could potentially anticipate the "securely transmit the processed data to a cloud-based service" element of US11539663's independent claims. The secure data sharing mechanisms it describes might broadly cover the secure transport function of the midserver. However, similar to US8417670B2, it does not specifically describe a "midserver" or "containerized services" in the context of interfacing an external network with a cloud-based service for long-haul telemetry.

3. US9075841B2

• Full Citation: US9075841B2, "DISTRIBUTED COMPUTING SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DYNAMIC DATA ADAPTATION"
• Publication/Filing Date: Published July 7, 2015; Filed November 13, 2012.
• Brief Description: This patent discloses a distributed computing system that can dynamically adapt data based on changing conditions or requirements. This adaptation can involve transforming data formats, content, or structures to ensure compatibility and optimal processing across different parts of the distributed system.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This patent may anticipate aspects of "process the received data" in US11539663's claims, particularly concerning data transformation or modification prior to further use. The midserver in US11539663 performs "pre-processing" transformations like compression and protocol wrapping, which could be considered forms of dynamic data adaptation. The lack of specific disclosure regarding a "midserver" as an interface to a cloud-based service and the use of containerized services remains a distinguishing factor for US11539663.

4. US9104597B2

• Full Citation: US9104597B2, "DISTRIBUTED COMPUTING SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR EFFICIENT DATA PROCESSING"
• Publication/Filing Date: Published August 11, 2015; Filed March 14, 2013.
• Brief Description: This patent describes a distributed computing system designed for efficient data processing. It focuses on techniques to optimize the handling of data across distributed nodes, which may include methods for workload balancing, reducing processing time, and improving overall throughput.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): Similar to US9075841B2, this patent could anticipate the "process the received data" element of US11539663's claims. The midserver's ability to "optimize the ingestion of data" by transforming it locally and consolidating connections for efficiency can be seen as a form of efficient data processing. The novelty of US11539663, in this context, would hinge on the specific architecture of the "midserver" and its "containerized services" to achieve this efficiency in the context of long-haul transport to cloud services.

5. US9117070B2

• Full Citation: US9117070B2, "SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MANAGING DATA STORAGE AND ACCESS IN A DISTRIBUTED COMPUTING ENVIRONMENT"
• Publication/Filing Date: Published August 25, 2015; Filed May 16, 2013.
• Brief Description: This patent describes a system and method for managing how data is stored and accessed within a distributed computing environment. It covers aspects of data persistence, retrieval, and ensuring data integrity and availability across a network.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This patent might broadly anticipate the handling of data, particularly the buffering function of the midserver in US11539663 to prevent data loss. However, its primary focus on storage and access management distinguishes it from US11539663's emphasis on data ingestion, processing via containerized services, and secure transmission specifically through an intermediary midserver to a cloud-based service.

The primary differentiating features of US11539663, which these prior art references do not explicitly disclose, are the combination of a "midserver" acting as a dedicated interface between an external enterprise network and a cloud-based service, and the use of containerized services running on that midserver to perform the data processing before secure transmission. While the individual concepts of distributed data processing, secure data sharing, and data adaptation exist in the prior art, their specific integration and implementation via a containerized midserver for long-haul telemetry to a cloud service appear to be the inventive contribution of US11539663.

Under 35 U.S.C. § 103, a patent claim is considered obvious if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the subject matter as a whole would have been obvious at the time the invention was made to a person having ordinary skill in the art (POSA) to which the subject matter pertains. This analysis considers the scope and content of the prior art, differences between the prior art and the claims, the level of ordinary skill in the art, and any secondary considerations of non-obviousness.

Claims to be Analyzed:

The independent claims of US11539663 broadly cover a system and method for ingesting data into a cloud-based service from an external network. The core elements are:

• A midserver functioning as an interface between an external network and a cloud-based service.
• The midserver is configured to:
  1. Receive data from a plurality of computing devices on the external network.
  2. Run one or more containerized services to process the received data.
  3. Securely transmit the processed data to a cloud-based service.

Prior Art Identified:

1. US15/229,476 (Priority Date: August 5, 2016, claiming priority to October 28, 2015): Titled "HIGHLY SCALABLE DISTRIBUTED CONNECTION INTERFACE FOR DATA CAPTURE FROM MULTIPLE NETWORK SERVICE SOURCES." This patent application is explicitly listed in the priority chain of US11539663.
2. General Knowledge of Containerization Technology (as of October 28, 2015): Technologies such as Docker were well-established and widely adopted by the priority date, offering known benefits for deploying and managing software applications in modular, isolated, and scalable ways.
3. Background of US11539663: The patent itself describes the state of the art and the problems it seeks to solve, implicitly revealing what was known or desired in the field. These include challenges related to agent-based monitoring, managing numerous network connections, scalability, security, bandwidth, and supporting heterogeneous data sources [cite: "Discussion of the State of the Art" in US11539663].

Obviousness Analysis:

A person having ordinary skill in the art (POSA) in enterprise IT and cloud integration, by the priority date of October 28, 2015, would have found the claimed invention obvious by combining US15/229,476 with the general knowledge of containerization technology, motivated by the known problems in the field.

Combination of Prior Art References:

Primary Reference: US15/229,476, "HIGHLY SCALABLE DISTRIBUTED CONNECTION INTERFACE FOR DATA CAPTURE FROM MULTIPLE NETWORK SERVICE SOURCES."

• This reference describes a "connection interface for data capture from multiple network service sources." A POSA would understand this to be an intermediary server system, analogous to the "midserver" in US11539663, operating between an external network (with multiple computing devices/service sources) and a destination system (e.g., a cloud service, given the known trends in enterprise IT). This fulfills the aspects of a server acting as an interface and receiving data from a plurality of computing devices on the external network. The term "Highly Scalable" directly addresses problems with managing large numbers of data sources and connections, as highlighted in the background of US11539663 [cite: "Background of the Invention" in US11539663].

Secondary Reference/General Knowledge: The widespread adoption and known advantages of containerization technology (e.g., Docker, LXC) for deploying and managing diverse software applications as of October 2015.

Differences Between Claims and Combined Prior Art:

The primary difference is the explicit recitation of "running one or more containerized services to process the received data" on the intermediary server (midserver). While US15/229,476 describes an interface for data capture, it may not explicitly detail the use of containerized services for processing the data.

Motivation for a POSA to Combine the References:

A POSA, facing the challenges articulated in the background of US11539663, would have been motivated to combine the teachings of US15/229,476 with the general knowledge of containerization for the following reasons:

1. Addressing Scalability and Management Complexity: US11539663's background highlights issues with "thousands of computing devices sending data to a cloud-based service on separate connections" and the "overall number of connections to monitor at the business network edge increases substantially" with agent-based monitoring [cite: "Detailed Description" in US11539663]. An intermediary "connection interface" (from US15/229,476) would naturally serve to aggregate these connections. To manage the diverse data processing tasks required on such an interface (e.g., collection, aggregation, analysis, transformation, secure transmission), containerization offers a modular and efficient solution. Containers allow different processing components (like the "traffic processors, sensors, management services, and utilities" mentioned in US11539663) to run in isolation on the same server, simplifying deployment, updates, and resource allocation, thereby enhancing the "highly scalable" aspect of US15/229,476. [cite: "Detailed Description" in US11539663].

2. Handling Heterogeneous Data and Protocols: The patent notes that "not all devices support secure data transport," and that data might need to be "wrapped in a secure protocol before leaving the network." [cite: "Detailed Description" in US11539663]. A POSA implementing a data capture interface would recognize the need to handle various data formats and protocols. Deploying specialized services, such as Nginx for reverse proxying, system log containers, or messaging containers (as described in US11539663), as containerized services on the intermediary server, would be a logical and efficient approach to perform necessary data transformations like "compression, protocol wrapping, port bending" and ensure secure transmission to the cloud. [cite: "Detailed Description" in US11539663].

3. Enhanced Security and Resilience: US11539663 describes the midserver as a potential "cyber security target" and suggests it "may be designed to operate as a bastion host." [cite: "Detailed Description" in US11539663]. Containerization provides a layer of isolation, which would be an obvious choice for a POSA seeking to enhance the security of an intermediary server handling sensitive enterprise data. This isolation limits the impact of a potential compromise of one service and facilitates the enforcement of "least privilege" for access to individual containerized services, aligning with best security practices. [cite: "Detailed Description" in US11539663]. Furthermore, US11539663 states that "A midserver can mitigate this risk by providing traffic buffering in the event that the backhaul connection goes down." [cite: "Detailed Description" in US11539663]. Such buffering could be implemented as a containerized service, further motivating the use of containers for resilient data handling.

In conclusion, a POSA, motivated by the known problems in enterprise data management for cloud services (as detailed in US11539663's background) and the widely recognized benefits of containerization, would have found it obvious to implement the data processing functions of a scalable data capture interface (as described in US15/229,476) using containerized services for efficient, modular, secure, and flexible data ingestion and transmission to a cloud-based service.