US 8280987

US patent 8280987, titled "Cloud data persistence engine," was issued on October 2, 2012, from an application filed on January 31, 2011. The inventors are Albert J. McGowan and Richard L. Carls. The current assignee is Adeia Media Holdings Inc., with Unicorn Media Inc. being the original assignee.

Abstract:
The patent describes various cloud data persistence systems and methods. In one embodiment, a client requests a data object, which may contain a link to a media asset and other information like title and duration. The media asset itself may be stored separately. If the initial server contacted by the client does not have the data object locally, it can query a second server. If the second server also lacks the data object, it contacts a data object origin server, which maintains all existing data objects. The data object origin server then transmits the data object back through the second server to the first server, which finally sends it to the client.

Plain-Language Overview of Independent Claims:

• Independent Claim 1 (System Claim): This claim describes a cloud data persistence system for distributing data. It includes a "first server" (an origin server) that stores a complete set of data objects, each linking to a media asset stored elsewhere. This first server is connected to "second" and "third" servers (cache servers). The second and third servers store subsets of data objects and are configured to request any missing data objects from the first server. The second server is connected to "fourth" and "fifth" servers (application servers), and the third server is connected to "sixth" and "seventh" servers (also application servers). The fourth through seventh application servers also store subsets of data objects and are configured to request missing data objects from their respective connected cache servers (second or third server). These application servers are responsible for receiving client requests for data objects.

• Independent Claim 12 (Method Claim): This claim outlines a method for retrieving data objects using such a cloud data persistence system. The method begins with an application center receiving a request from a client for a data object. If the application center doesn't have the data object locally, it sends a request to a first cache server. If the first cache server also doesn't have the data object, it then requests it from an origin server. The origin server locates the data object and transmits it back to the cache server, which then transmits it to the application center, and finally, the application center transmits it to the client. The data objects contain links to media assets, and the media assets are stored at a different location than the application center.

• Independent Claim 19 (System Claim): This claim describes a cloud data persistence system with a "first server" (origin server) holding a complete set of data objects, each linking to a media asset stored at a separate location. This first server is connected to a "second server" (cache server) and a "third server" (another cache server). The second and third servers each store a subset of data objects and are configured to request missing ones from the first server. The second server is further connected to a "fourth server" (application server) and a "fifth server" (another application server). The fourth server stores a subset of data objects and requests missing ones from the second server, also receiving client requests. The core idea is that the first server's data objects include all data objects found in the second and third servers.

Litigation Information:
Patent US8280987 is currently involved in a lawsuit, Adeia Technologies Inc. et al. v. The Walt Disney Company et al. (Case No. 1:24-cv-01231), filed on November 7, 2024, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware. Adeia Technologies Inc., along with subsidiaries, has sued Disney, alleging infringement of US8280987 and five other patents related to video streaming technology used in Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+ streaming services. The plaintiffs are seeking monetary damages and an injunction.

Regarding CAFC 2026 dockets, no direct case number for US8280987 has been found in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit for 2026 as of the current date. The District Court case is ongoing, and appeals to the CAFC would typically occur after a decision in the District Court. The Google Patents page for US8280987 also mentions a PTAB case, IPR2026-00051, which is noted as "Procedural Termination." While a search for IPR2026-00251 (a similar number, possibly a typo in the provided data) shows a "Settlement Prior to Institution of Trial", no specific details on IPR2026-00051 are readily available in the search results to confirm its status beyond the "Procedural Termination" mentioned in the patent details.