2012年4月20日，在全球許多國家提供網路傳真服務eFax之公司j2 Global, Inc. (該公司之前名稱為j2 Global Communications, Inc.，以下稱j2)、以及其子公司Advanced Messaging Technologies, Inc.(以下稱AMT)，以共同原告之身分向美國中加州聯邦地院提告，控告Integrated Global Concepts, Inc.公司以MaxEmail 為名稱所提供之透過電子郵件收發網路傳真等服務，侵犯原告分別擁有之4項專利。
本案系爭專利如下：
US 6,208,638，名稱為「透過電路或封包交換網路傳輸與檢索傳真與語音訊息的方法與裝置（Method and apparatus for transmission and retrieval of facsimile and audio messages over a circuit or packet switched network）」，2001年核發，權利人為j2；
US 6,350,066，名稱為「儲存、傳遞與管理訊息之系統與方法（Systems and methods for storing, delivering, and managing messages）」，2002年核發，AMT取得其權利；
US 6,597,688，名稱為「用來透過網路傳輸訊息之可調性架構（Scalable architecture for transmission of messages over a network）」，2003年核發，權利人為j2；
US 7,020,132，名稱為「用來透過網路傳輸訊息之可調性架構（Scalable architecture for transmission of messages over a network）」，2006年核發，權利人為j2。
早在2009年，j2 便以相同專利對美國另一家提供網路傳真服務之EasyLink Services International Corporation提起專利侵權告訴。而後在2011年，j2與AMT亦以共同原告之身分，向同樣提供網路傳真服務之RingCentral Inc. 公司以及Nextiva Inc. 公司提起專利侵權告訴。(569字；表2)
表一、請求項解析
| US 6,208,638請求項1 |
US 6,350,066請求項1 |
1. A system comprising:
一個系統包括 |
1. A system for receiving and storing a message signal directed to an intended recipient and for relaying the message signal to a computer, comprising:
一個接收儲存訊息訊號，將之導向目標接收者並分程傳送訊息訊號於電腦的系統，包括 |
a set of switches coupled to a circuit switched network (Fig.1 -130) for receiving a set of incoming call signals, wherein the incoming call signal includes an inbound address, and wherein a switch in the set of switches(Fig.1 -140) redirects an incoming can signal from a first communications server (Fig.1 -150) to a second communications server if a first condition occurs; and,
附在用來接收撥入訊號之電路交換網路上的轉換器組，其中撥入訊號包括一項傳入位址，而當首要條件發生時，轉換器組中一個轉換器將撥入訊號從第一個傳輸伺服器重新導向第二個傳輸伺服器 |
a telephone interface for receiving an incoming call from a public switched telephone network (Fig.1 -26、24、28), the incoming call including the message signal;
用來從公共交換電話網路接收撥入撥號之電話機交換介面，該撥入撥號包含訊息訊號 |
a set of communications servers coupled to the set of switches for receiving the set of incoming call signals, each communications server being coupled to a network (Fig.1 -180) and containing a message processing resource configured to process a received audio message into a digital representation, wherein each communications server further comprises a trunk line interface to extract the inbound address and stores the inbound address, a set of final destination addresses and account status, and the message processing resource is further configured to determine, based on the inbound address, a user account and a destination on a packet switched network and send the digital representation to the destination,
附在用來接受撥入訊號之轉換器組的一組傳輸伺服器，每一個傳輸伺服器連接於網路上並包含有可接收語音訊息轉成數位表示之訊息處理資源，以及可擷取傳入位址並儲存傳入位址、一組目的位址與帳號狀態之中繼線交換介面，而訊息處理資源更進一步構建來，依據傳入位址決定在封包交換網路上的使用者帳號與目的位址，並將數位表示傳送至目的位址 |
a central processor (Fig. 1 - 10) for receiving the message signal from the telephone interface and for storing the message signal in a storage medium;
中央處理器用來接收來自電話機交換介面之訊息訊號並將之於儲存於儲存媒體 |
wherein the inbound address is assigned to the user account and the outbound address comprises at least one email address
其中傳入位址分配給使用者帳號，而傳出位址至少包含一組電子郵件位址 |
a hyper-text transfer protocol deamon for receiving a request for the message signal from the computer and for forwarding the request to a network server, the request from the computer being formatted in a hyper-text transfer protocol; and
超文件傳輸協定常駐程式用來接收來自電腦、傳送依據超文件傳輸協定格式化之訊息訊號的要求 |
| 請求項2 |
the network server, in response to receiving the request from the hyper-text transfer protocol deamon, forwarding at least a part of the message signal to the hyper-text transfer protocol deamon;
網路伺服器，用來回應來自超文件傳輸協定常駐程式之要求，轉送至少一部份之訊息訊號給超文件傳輸協定常駐程式 |
2. The system of claim 1, where the first condition occurs if the first communications server sends a rejection signal to the switch.
在請求項1之系統中，首要條件發生於第一個傳輸伺服器傳送拒絕信號給轉換器 |
| 請求項3 |
wherein the hyper-text transfer protocol deamon transmits at least part of the message signal to the computer (Fig.1 - 32).
超文件傳輸協定常駐程式傳送至少一部份訊息訊號給電腦 |
3. The system of claim 1, where the first condition occurs if the first communications server is unable to process the incoming call signal.
在請求項1之系統中，首要條件發生於第一個傳輸伺服器無法處理撥入訊號 |
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| US 6,597,688請求項1 |
US 7,020,132請求項1 |
1. A system for supporting a message delivery service, comprising:
一個支援訊息傳送服務之系統，包括 |
1. A system for supporting a message delivery service, comprising:
一個支援訊息傳送服務之系統，包括 |
a plurality of processing servers (Fig.2 - 17) each being coupled to communicate with a plurality of first outbound resources and a database server (Fig.2 -27), over an internal packet-switched data network, the database server containing account information on customers of the message delivery service,
整合來與複數對外傳輸資源傳播的複數處理伺服器，以及存有訊息傳送服務顧客帳號資料之資料庫伺服器，連接於內部封包交換資料網路上 |
a server (Fig.2 -17) coupled to communicate with a plurality of first outbound resources and a database server (Fig.2 -27), over an internal packet-switched data network, the database server containing account information on customers of the message delivery service,
與複數對外傳輸資源傳播的伺服器，連接於內部封包交換資料網路上，以及存有訊息傳送服務顧客帳號資料之資料庫伺服器 |
each processing server implements a router-filter (Fig.2 -23)and a message queue (Fig.2 -21), the message queue to store request messages that are received from a customer of the message delivery service over an external packet-switched data network, the router-filter to obtain a request message from the queue while polling the queue for pending requests, validate a customer associated with said request message after accessing the account information in the database server, and determine to which of the plurality of first outbound resources (Fig.2 -31) to assign said request message,
個別處理伺服器執行封包檢測與訊息佇列存取，訊息佇列存取儲存從外部封包交換資料網路所接收之顧客訊息要求，封包檢測從訊息佇列存取取得該訊息要求並暫緩其處理，以資料庫伺服器中資料確認顧客帳號資料後，決定何者對外傳輸資源應分配給該訊息要求 |
the server implements a router-filter (Fig.2 -23) and a message queue (Fig.2 -21) , the message queue to store a request message received from a customer of the message delivery service over an external packet-switched data network, the router-filter to obtain a request message from the queue, validate said request message by accessing the account information in the database server, and determine to which of the plurality of first outbound resources (Fig.2 -31) to assign said request message,
伺服器執行封包檢測與訊息佇列存取，訊息佇列存取儲存從外部封包交換資料網路所接收之顧客訊息要求，封包檢測從訊息佇列存取取得該訊息要求，以資料庫伺服器中資料確認顧客帳號資料後，決定何者對外傳輸資源應分配給該訊息要求 |
each of the first resources being capable of converting an input request message into a format capable of being received by a fax machine over a telephone network.
個別傳輸資源可以將輸入訊息轉化成可被傳真機透過電話網路接收的格式 |
each of the first resources being capable of converting an input request message into a format capable of being received by a fax machine over a circuit switched network.
個別傳輸資源可以將輸入訊息轉化成可被傳真機透過電路交換網路接收的格式 |
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Source: 科技政策研究與資訊中心—科技產業資訊室整理，2012/04
表二、專利訴訟案件基本資料
j2 Global, Inc. et al.控告Integrated Global Concepts, Inc.
| 訴訟名稱 |
j2 Global, Inc. et al. v. Integrated Global Concepts, Inc. |
| 提告日期 |
2012年4月20日 |
| 原告 |
j2 Global, Inc.
Advanced Messaging Technologies, Inc. |
| 被告 |
Integrated Global Concepts, Inc. |
| 案號 |
2:12-cv-03439-MRP-PLA |
| 訴訟法院 |
U.S. District Court for the Central District of California |
| 系爭專利 |
US 6,208,638
US 6,350,066
US 6,597,688
US 7,020,132 |
| 訴狀下載 |
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Source: 科技政策研究與資訊中心—科技產業資訊室整理，2012/04
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