DCT

1:25-cv-01095

Ricoh Co Ltd v. Zoom Communications Inc

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I. Executive Summary and Procedural Information

  • Parties & Counsel:
  • Case Identification: 1:25-cv-01095, D. Del., 01/13/2026
  • Venue Allegations: Venue is alleged to be proper in the District of Delaware because Defendant is a Delaware corporation that conducts substantial business and has committed alleged acts of infringement in the district.
  • Core Dispute: Plaintiff alleges that Defendant's cloud-based communication and collaboration platform infringes seven U.S. patents related to video conferencing, interactive whiteboard integration, and data transmission technologies.
  • Technical Context: The technology at issue is in the domain of cloud-based video conferencing and collaboration platforms, a market segment that has become central to modern business and personal communication.
  • Key Procedural History: The complaint alleges that Defendant had pre-suit knowledge of the asserted patents, citing a notice letter sent on April 11, 2024, and noting that certain patents issued to Defendant cite members of Plaintiff's '487 patent family.

Case Timeline

Date Event
2010-05-06 U.S. Patent No. 10,931,917 Priority Date
2011-02-28 U.S. Patent No. 11,546,548 Priority Date
2011 Ricoh launches Unified Communication System (UCS)
2011 Zoom is founded
2012-03-22 U.S. Patent No. 11,256,464 Priority Date
2012-08-01 U.S. Patent No. 11,516,278 Priority Date
2013 Zoom launches its first video conferencing service
2014-03-31 U.S. Patent No. 10,909,059 Priority Date
2015-05-09 U.S. Patent No. 10,904,487 Priority Date
2018-11-29 U.S. Patent No. 11,289,093 Priority Date
2021-01-26 U.S. Patent No. 10,904,487 Issues
2021-02-02 U.S. Patent No. 10,909,059 Issues
2021-02-23 U.S. Patent No. 10,931,917 Issues
2022-02-22 U.S. Patent No. 11,256,464 Issues
2022-03-29 U.S. Patent No. 11,289,093 Issues
2022-11-29 U.S. Patent No. 11,516,278 Issues
2023-01-03 U.S. Patent No. 11,546,548 Issues
2024-04-11 Plaintiff sends notice letter to Defendant
2026-01-13 First Amended Complaint filed

II. Technology and Patent(s)-in-Suit Analysis

U.S. Patent No. 10,904,487 - "Integration Of Videoconferencing With Interactive Electronic Whiteboard Appliances"

The Invention Explained

  • Problem Addressed: The patent addresses the technical limitations of interactive whiteboard appliances that were not natively configured to run videoconferencing applications concurrently with whiteboard sharing sessions Compl. ¶¶54-55 '487 Patent, col. 1:35-38 This created fragmented user experiences and required users to switch between separate devices or applications Compl. ¶61
  • The Patented Solution: The invention describes an "application manager" software that executes on an interactive whiteboard appliance to manage and coordinate an interactive whiteboard application and a collaboration client software program Compl. ¶65 '487 Patent, abstract This manager controls the layering of application windows, for example, by maintaining a videoconferencing session window on top of the interactive whiteboard session window during a conference, and provides graphical user interface controls for managing the sessions Compl. ¶65 Compl. ¶68 '487 Patent, col. 2:67-3:6
  • Technical Importance: This approach enabled the creation of a portable, anywhere, easy-to-use remote video conferencing system, which the complaint alleges was a new concept at the time Compl. ¶15

Key Claims at a Glance

  • The complaint asserts independent claims 1, 8, and 15 Compl. ¶99
  • Independent claim 1 is for a whiteboard device comprising a display, network interface, processors, and memories storing instructions that, when processed, cause:
    • an interactive whiteboard session window, including at least an interactive whiteboard session content area, to be displayed on the display, wherein a selection menu to receive an instruction for starting a video conference session is overlaid on the interactive whiteboard session window; and
    • after receiving the instruction for starting the video conference session via the selection menu overlaid on the interactive whiteboard session window, a videoconference window to be overlaid on the interactive whiteboard session window.
  • The complaint reserves the right to assert dependent claims Compl. ¶104

U.S. Patent No. 10,909,059 - "Transmission Terminal, Non-Transitory Recording Medium, Transmission Method, And Transmission System"

The Invention Explained

  • Problem Addressed: In video conferencing systems with numerous users, it becomes difficult for a participant to know the total number of other participants, especially when the number of participants exceeds the display's capacity to show all video feeds simultaneously Compl. ¶¶131-132 '059 Patent, col. 23:6-19 This can lead to information overload and a lack of real-time awareness of conference participation Compl. ¶133
  • The Patented Solution: The invention discloses a transmission terminal that displays information concerning the total number of participants in an auxiliary display area, while simultaneously displaying video feeds from a number of participants that is smaller than the total (Compl. ¶¶128; Compl. ¶166; '059 Patent, FIG. 20). This allows a user to know the total number of participants at a glance, even if not all video feeds are visible Compl. ¶155
  • Technical Importance: This technology addresses a usability and scalability problem in multi-party video conferencing, allowing users to maintain situational awareness without interrupting the primary video display Compl. ¶128

Key Claims at a Glance

  • The complaint asserts independent claims 4 and 6 Compl. ¶¶190-191
  • Independent claim 4 is for a method comprising:
    • displaying on a screen of the transmission terminal, information concerning a total number of transmission terminals participating in the video conference, and
    • displaying, on the screen of the transmission terminal, respective sets of image data transmitted by transmission terminals participating in the video conference to each other, wherein
    • a number of the sets of image data, transmitted by transmission terminals participating in the video conference to each other, to display on the screen of the transmission terminal is smaller than the total number of transmission terminals participating in the video conference.
  • The complaint reserves the right to assert dependent claims Compl. ¶188

U.S. Patent No. 10,931,917 - "Transmission Terminal, Transmission Method, And Computer-Readable Recording Medium Storing Transmission Program"

  • Technology Synopsis: The patent addresses the problem of increased processing load on a central transmission managing system when users want to share content from external computer devices (like a laptop) that are not part of the main conference system Compl. ¶217 The invention provides a transmission terminal that can receive display data from such an external, non-logged-in apparatus and transmit it into the conference, bypassing the need for the external apparatus to be managed by the central system, thereby reducing system load (Compl. ¶¶214; Compl. ¶235).
  • Asserted Claims: The complaint details infringement of independent claim 8 Compl. ¶266
  • Accused Features: The accused features are those in Zoom's products that allow a user to share content (e.g., an iPhone screen) with a video conference by connecting the external device to a conference room system (a "first transmission terminal") without logging the external device into Zoom's management system (Compl. ¶¶272; Compl. ¶277).

U.S. Patent No. 11,256,464 - "Communication System, Communication Device, And Computer Program"

  • Technology Synopsis: The patent addresses the problem of how to optimally display different types of images (e.g., participant videos, shared content) across multiple displays to increase visibility Compl. ¶293 The invention provides a communication device with a display control circuit that can automatically adjust what is shown on a first and second display in response to events, such as when the supply of a third image (e.g., shared content) is finished Compl. ¶¶333-334
  • Asserted Claims: The complaint details infringement of independent claim 5 Compl. ¶353
  • Accused Features: The accused features are those within Zoom Rooms systems, such as the DTEN D7, that use one or more displays and can automatically change the display layout when a user starts or stops sharing content (a "third image") (Compl. ¶¶359; Compl. ¶364).

U.S. Patent No. 11,289,093 - "Apparatus, System, And Method Of Display Control, And Recording Medium"

  • Technology Synopsis: The patent addresses the inefficiency of navigating recorded meeting audio, which typically requires manually scrubbing a timeline slider without clear reference points Compl. ¶¶379-380 The invention solves this by converting recorded voice to timestamped text and providing a graphical control region (e.g., a playback slider) that automatically repositions to the corresponding time in the recording when a user selects a specific portion of the text transcript (Compl. ¶¶377; Compl. ¶384).
  • Asserted Claims: The complaint details infringement of independent claim 17 Compl. ¶434
  • Accused Features: The accused features are those in Zoom's products (e.g., Zoom Cloud Recording) that provide a time-stamped transcript alongside a recorded video, where selecting a portion of the text automatically moves the video playback to the corresponding point in time Compl. ¶¶440-445

U.S. Patent No. 11,516,278 - "Transmission Management System, Transmission System, And Recording Medium"

  • Technology Synopsis: The patent addresses a usability problem where traditional systems use fixed, generic names for conference destinations (e.g., "Tokyo office"), which may not be appropriate for all communication contexts (e.g., an internal team meeting vs. an inter-organizational meeting) (Compl. ¶458; Compl. ¶459; Compl. ¶460; Compl. ¶461; Compl. ¶462). The solution is a transmission management system that manages multiple destination name data items for a single destination, allowing a context-appropriate name to be displayed based on the communication scenario Compl. ¶458
  • Asserted Claims: The complaint details infringement of independent claim 16 Compl. ¶533
  • Accused Features: The accused features are those in Zoom's platform that allow users to have a default name (first name information) associated with their account but also allow them to set a different, meeting-specific name (second name information) for a particular meeting Compl. ¶¶540-543

U.S. Patent No. 11,546,548 - "Transmission Management Apparatus"

  • Technology Synopsis: The patent addresses the problem in large video conferences where, as video display areas become smaller to accommodate more participants, it becomes difficult for users to identify who is attending Compl. ¶557 The invention provides a transmission management apparatus that can provide identification information about participants (e.g., a list of names) independent of the video feeds, allowing users to see who is present regardless of the number of terminals connected (Compl. ¶¶557; Compl. ¶562).
  • Asserted Claims: The complaint details infringement of independent claim 9 Compl. ¶673
  • Accused Features: The accused features are those within Zoom that provide a participant list, which displays the names of all attendees, independently of the video gallery view Compl. ¶¶685-686

III. The Accused Instrumentality

Product Identification

  • The complaint accuses Defendant's "Zoom Workplace" platform, its predecessor "Zoom One," and their constituent products and services (Compl. ¶¶37; Compl. ¶39). These include, but are not limited to, Zoom Meetings, Zoom Rooms, Zoom Sessions, Zoom Webinars, Zoom Whiteboard, and Zoom Cloud Recording Compl. ¶41

Functionality and Market Context

  • The accused products form a cloud-based communication and collaboration platform accessible through web portals and downloadable applications for computers and mobile devices Compl. ¶36 These services enable users to conduct virtual meetings, webinars, and other collaborative sessions Compl. ¶36 The complaint alleges that Zoom launched its first video conferencing service in 2013, after Ricoh had developed its pioneering technologies Compl. ¶35 The complaint provides a screenshot from Zoom's website marketing its "One platform for limitless human connection" Compl. p. 10

IV. Analysis of Infringement Allegations

10,904,487 Patent Infringement Allegations

The complaint provides an exemplary infringement analysis for method claim 15.

Claim Element (from Independent Claim 15) Alleged Infringing Functionality Complaint Citation Patent Citation
A computer-implemented method comprising: The accused products are alleged to perform a computer-implemented method for an interactive whiteboard session. ¶111 col. 11:66-12:5
an interactive whiteboard session window, including at least an interactive whiteboard session content area, to be displayed on a display of a whiteboard device, wherein a selection menu to receive an instruction for starting a video conference session is overlaid on the interactive whiteboard session window; and When a user selects the "Whiteboard" icon in the accused products, an interactive whiteboard session window is opened. This window allegedly contains an overlaid menu with an option to "START MEETING" (or a similar function like "New Meeting"), which allows a user to start a video conference. ¶¶112-113 col. 12:6-12
after receiving the instruction for starting the video conference session via the selection menu overlaid on the interactive whiteboard session window, a videoconference window to be overlaid on the interactive whiteboard session window. After a user selects the "START MEETING" option from the menu, a video conference session is started, and a videoconference window is then overlaid on the interactive whiteboard session window. The complaint provides a visual depicting the final state where a videoconference window is overlaid on the interactive whiteboard session window Compl. p. 34 ¶¶114-115 col. 12:13-17
  • Identified Points of Contention:
    • Scope Questions: A central question may be whether the term "whiteboard device", described in the patent's specification as a specialized "interactive whiteboard appliance" Compl. ¶59, can be construed to cover general-purpose computers, mobile devices, and conference room systems (e.g., DTEN D7) running the accused software.
    • Technical Questions: An issue for the court could be whether the sequence of user interactions and resulting display changes in the accused products constitutes "overlaying" a "selection menu" and then "overlaying" a "videoconference window" in the specific manner required by the claim language and detailed description.

10,909,059 Patent Infringement Allegations

The complaint provides an exemplary infringement analysis for method claims 4 and 6. The allegations for claim 4 are summarized below.

Claim Element (from Independent Claim 4) Alleged Infringing Functionality Complaint Citation Patent Citation
A method implemented by a transmission terminal performing a video conference with a plurality of transmission terminals, method comprising: The accused products are alleged to perform a method on a transmission terminal (e.g., a user's device running Zoom). ¶196 col. 35:9-12
displaying on a screen of the transmission terminal, information concerning a total number of transmission terminals participating in the video conference, and displaying, on the screen of the transmission terminal, respective sets of image data transmitted by transmission terminals participating in the video conference to each other, wherein The accused products allegedly display both a total participant count (e.g., "52") and the video feeds ("sets of image data") from other participants on the user's screen. A screenshot of a Zoom meeting shows a "total number of participants" count of 52, while displaying a smaller number of video feeds on the screen Compl. p. 59 ¶197 col. 35:13-22
a number of the sets of image data... to display on the screen of the transmission terminal is smaller than the total number of transmission terminals participating in the video conference. The complaint alleges that in a conference with 52 participants, the accused products display 49 video feeds, a number smaller than the total. ¶198 col. 35:23-29
  • Identified Points of Contention:
    • Scope Questions: A potential point of contention is the construction of "information concerning a total number of transmission terminals". The infringement theory hinges on a simple numerical count satisfying this limitation, whereas the patent specification describes a more detailed "auxiliary area" Compl. ¶157, which could support a narrower interpretation.
    • Technical Questions: The analysis may turn on whether the accused products' logic for displaying a grid of up to 49 participants while a higher number is present performs the function of displaying a "number of the sets of image data" that "is smaller than the total number" in the manner claimed by the patent.

V. Key Claim Terms for Construction

  • For the '487 Patent:
    • The Term: "whiteboard device"
    • Context and Importance: The infringement analysis will likely hinge on whether this term is limited to the specialized "interactive whiteboard appliances" frequently described in the patent or if it can encompass general-purpose computing devices running software. The complaint accuses software on computers, laptops, and mobile devices, which may not align with the hardware-centric embodiments in the patent (Compl. ¶42, Compl. ¶54).
    • Intrinsic Evidence for Interpretation:
      • Evidence for a Broader Interpretation: The plain language of claim 1 recites "a whiteboard device" without explicit limitation to a specific type of hardware appliance '487 Patent, col. 11:1
      • Evidence for a Narrower Interpretation: The specification repeatedly refers to "interactive whiteboard appliance" and its inherent limitations, such as not being "natively configured to allow users to select and/or switch control" between applications Compl. ¶60 '487 Patent, col. 3:12-16 Figure 1 of the patent explicitly labels element 102 as an "Interactive Whiteboard (IWB) Appliance" Compl. p. 17
  • For the '059 Patent:
    • The Term: "information concerning a total number of transmission terminals"
    • Context and Importance: The infringement case for the '059 patent depends on the participant count displayed in Zoom (e.g., "52") meeting this limitation Compl. ¶197 Practitioners may focus on whether a simple integer constitutes the claimed "information," or if more detail is required.
    • Intrinsic Evidence for Interpretation:
      • Evidence for a Broader Interpretation: The plain language of the claim could be read broadly, where a numerical total is indeed "information concerning" the total number of terminals '059 Patent, col. 35:13-15
      • Evidence for a Narrower Interpretation: The specification describes an "auxiliary area" that displays not just the number of participants but also other data like Terminal ID, elapsed conference time, and network bandwidth Compl. ¶157 '059 Patent, FIG. 18, element 173 A defendant might argue this context implies the claimed "information" must be more than just a number.

VI. Other Allegations

  • Indirect Infringement: The complaint alleges that Defendant induces infringement by providing its products and services along with instructions, advertisements, and technical support that encourage customers to use the products in an infringing manner Compl. ¶¶117 Compl. ¶203 It also alleges contributory infringement, asserting the accused products are a material part of the patented inventions and are not staple articles of commerce suitable for substantial non-infringing use Compl. ¶¶118 Compl. ¶204
  • Willful Infringement: The willfulness allegations are based on both pre-suit and post-suit knowledge. The complaint alleges pre-suit knowledge based on Defendant's "regular practices for monitoring relevant patents" and because patents issued to Defendant allegedly cite Plaintiff's patent family Compl. ¶¶45-46 Post-suit knowledge is based on a "Notice Letter" sent on April 11, 2024 Compl. ¶43

VII. Analyst's Conclusion: Key Questions for the Case

  • A core issue will be one of definitional scope: can the term "whiteboard device," rooted in the '487 patent's context of specialized hardware appliances, be construed to cover the general-purpose computers, tablets, and mobile devices on which the accused software platform operates?
  • A key question of claim construction will be whether the simple numerical participant count displayed by the accused products satisfies the '059 patent's requirement for "information concerning a total number of transmission terminals," or if the patent's specification requires a more detailed set of information that the accused products do not provide.
  • A central theme across the asserted patents is the applicability of inventions described in the context of dedicated, on-premises hardware systems to a modern, cloud-based, software-as-a-service architecture. The court's interpretation of whether the claims are tied to the specific hardware embodiments disclosed or cover broader functionality will be a critical factor in the outcome of the case.
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