Following inter partes review (IPR) proceedings initiated by Avaya, the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) decided in favor of Network-1 Technologies. In December 2012 Avaya filed a petition for IPR of claims 6 and 9 of Network-1’s 6,218,930 patent. The patent originated with Merlot Communications and relates to an apparatus for remotely powering equipment over an Ethernet network. The PTAB instituted review in May 2013 of claims 6 and 9, concluding that Avaya had demonstrated a reasonable likelihood of prevailing on the grounds of the claims being anticipated by prior art. Dell joined the proceedings in July 2013, as did HP and Sony in September 2014. Oral arguments in the three joined cases were heard in January 2014.