Opinion ID: 2673152
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: VGo’s Accused Product

Text: VGo, founded in 2007, produces low-cost remote telepresence robot systems that allow a user at one location to control remotely a robot to interact with others at a second location. The VGo system includes three main components: the VGo App, the VGoNet, and the VGo robot. A user runs the VGo App program from a computer or tablet to connect to a VGo robot through the VGoNet, a network service in the cloud that connects authorized VGo users with VGo robots. Similarly, the VGo robot contains several features, including a video display, two-way audio, and a camera. The parties generally agree on how the VGo system operates. See Joint Appendix (“J.A.”) 15000–72, 10750– 8 INTOUCH TECHNOLOGIES, INC. v. VGO COMMUNICATIONS, INC. 59, 10880–93. The VGo system allows up to twenty preauthorized users to gain control of a robot. When a user launches the VGo App, he sees a window containing a “buddy list” of VGo robots with color-coded status indicator buttons to the left of each robot name. The color of the status indicator button specifies each robot’s availability, including green for “Ready,” red for “Busy,” and grey for “Offline.” The green “Ready” button indicates that the robot is available. If the robot is available, the “buddy list” also displays a green “call button” with a video camera icon to the right of the robot’s name. By clicking the green “call button” of an available robot, the VGo system provides the first requesting user exclusive control of that robot, and the status indicator changes from green for “Ready” to red for “Busy.” The green “call button” to the right of the robot’s name also disappears. When a user surrenders control of a VGo robot, the robot sends a message to the VGo system, which changes the VGo robot’s status indicator from red for “Busy” to green for “Ready.” The green “call button” to the right of that robot’s name then reappears. Once connected, a user can drive the robot around and communicate with others at the robot’s location. The VGo system includes “real-time” control of the VGo robot’s camera through a computer mouse in “look mode.” J.A. 10886–89. In this mode, the camera can tilt to look up or down. To look right or left, the entire robot rotates right or left, respectively. The direction the VGo robot turns is based on the location of the pointer in the VGo App interface screen. The interface screen includes a centerline, and if the pointer is to the right of the centerline, the robot rotates right, and vice versa. Even if the pointer is not moving, but is located to the right of the centerline, the robot will continue to rotate right. And, even if the pointer is moving left, as long as it is located to the right of the centerline, the robot will continue to rotate right. INTOUCH TECHNOLOGIES, INC. v. VGO COMMUNICATIONS, INC. 9