March continued to be a pleasantly slow months for trolls.  Repeat filers included Cascades Branding, Eclipse IP, Hawk Technology, Marshall Feature Recognition, and SFA Systems.

As usual, I prepared the report in partnership with and using Docket Navigator and its powerful database.  Docket Navigator is a valuable resource, and the place to go if you want to keep track of new patent litigation filings or want to know what is happening in particular cases, how your judge has historically handled a particular type of motion, or a particular plaintiff’s litigation history.

Finally, please let me know if you have thoughts about the report or changes you would like to see.  I am preparing it as a service for retailers and their supply chain who may want an overview of the patent litigation landscape.  So, I am very open to ways to improve the report for you.

Hawk Technology Systems, LLC v. United Supermarkets LLC, (E.D. Tex., S.D. Fla.) (multiple cases).

Judge:            District Judge Jose E. Martinez

Claim:            Infringement

Defendants:

  • United Supermarkets LLC
  • The Old Evangeline Downs, LLC
  • Columbia Sportswear USA Corporation

Plaintiff:        Hawk Technology Systems, LLC

Pls. Cnsl:        Law Office of Everett Upshaw

Patent:            RE 43,462 (Video monitoring and conferencing system).

Plaintiff:        Hawk Technology Systems, LLC

Pls. Cnsl:        Law Office of Everett Upshaw; and Lipscomb Eisenberg & Baker

Marshall Feature Recognition, LLC v. Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc.(E.D. Tex.) (multiple cases).

Judges:           District Judge Rodney Gilstrap; Magistrate Judge Roy S. Payne

Claim:            Infringement

Defendants:

  • CVS Caremark Corporation
  • HJ Heinz Company
  • Target Corporation
  • Toni&Guy USA, LLC
  • Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company
  • ValPak Direct Marketing Systems, Inc.

Plaintiff:        Marshall Feature Recognition, LLC

Pls. Cnsl:        Austin Hansley

Patent:            6,886,750 (Method and apparatus for accessing electronic data via a familiar printed medium).

Plaintiff:        Marshall Feature Recognition, LLC

Pls. Cnsl:        Austin Hansley

Patent:           6,886,750 (Method and apparatus for accessing electronic data via a familiar printed medium).

Eclipse IP LLC v. Safeway Inc., (C.D. Cal., E.D. Cal.) (multiple cases).

Judges:           District Judge Virginia M. Kendall; Magistrate Judge Stanley A. Boone;  District Judge Lawrence J. O’Neill

Claim:             Infringement

Defendants:

  • Safeway Inc.
  • Hailo Network USA, Inc.
  • Tri Starr Management Services, Inc.
  • Pacific Gas and Electric Company

Plaintiff:        Eclipse IP, LLC

Pls. Cnsl:        Newport Trial Group; Howard & Howard

Patents:          8,232,899 (Notification systems and methods enabling selection of arrival or departure times of tracked mobile things in relation to locations); 8,531,317 (Notification systems and methods enabling selection of arrival or departure times of tracked mobile things in relation to locations); 7,064,681(Response systems and methods for notification systems); 7,479,901 (Mobile thing determination systems and methods based upon user-device location); 7,538,691 (Mobile thing determination systems and methods based upon user-device location); 7,479,899 (Notification systems and methods enabling a response to cause connection between a notified PCD and a delivery or pickup representative); 7,482,952 (Response systems and methods for notification systems for modifying future notifications); 7,876,239 (Secure notification messaging systems and methods using authentication indicia); 7,113,110 (Stop list generation systems and methods based upon tracked PCD’s and responses from notified PCD’s)’ 7,479,900 (Notification systems and methods that consider traffic flow predicament data); 7,561,069 (Notification systems and methods enabling a response to change particulars of delivery or pickup).

Con-way, Inc. v. Eclipse IP, LLC, (E.D. Mich.).

Judges:           District Judge Terrence G. Berg; Magistrate Judge R. Steven Whalen

Claim:            Declaratory Judgment

Defendant:     Eclipse IP, LLC

Plaintiff:        Con-way, Inc.

Pls. Cnsl:        Honigman Miller Schwartz and Cohn

Patents:          7,479,899 (Notification systems and methods enabling a response to cause connection between a notified PCD and a delivery or pickup representative); 7876239       Secure notification messaging systems and methods using authentication indicia

Microsoft Corporation v. Neomedia Technologies, Inc. (W.D. Wash.).

Claim:            Declaratory Judgment

Defendant:     NeoMedia Technologies, Inc.

Plaintiff:        Microsoft Corporation

Pls. Cnsl:        Perkins Coie

Patent:           8,131,597 (System and method for using an ordinary article of commerce to access a remote computer).

Starbucks Corporation v. NeoMedia Technologies, Inc., (W.D. Wash.).

Claim:           Declaratory Judgment

Defendant:     NeoMedia Technologies, Inc.

Plaintiff:        Starbucks Corporation

Pls. Cnsl:        Perkins Coie

Patent:            8,131,597 (System and method for using an ordinary article of commerce to access a remote computer).

Cascades Branding Innovation LLC v. Marriott International Inc., (N.D. Ill.) (multiple cases).

Judge:            District Judge James B. Zagel; District Judge Matthew F. Kennelly

Claim:            Infringement

Defendants:

  • Marriott International Inc.
  • Michelin North America, Inc.
  • Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.

Plaintiff:        Cascades Branding Innovation LLC

Pls. Cnsl:        Flachsbart & Greenspoon

Patents:          7,768,395 (Brand mapping); 8,106,766 (Brand mapping); and 8,405,504 (Brand mapping).

eDekka LLC v. American Girl Brands, LLC (E.D. Tex.) (multiple cases).

Judge:            District Judge Rodney Gilstrap; Magistrate Judge Roy S. Payne

Claim:            Infringement

Defendants:

  • CafePress Inc
  • Eddie Bauer LLC
  • OmahaSteaks.com, Inc.
  • The Swiss Colony, LLC
  • Tiffany & Co.
  • Appleseeds, Inc.
  • Art.com Inc.
  • Coastal Contacts Inc.
  • Coldwater Creek, Inc.
  • Karmaloop LLC
  • Lululemon Athletica Inc.
  • One Kings Lane Inc.
  • Safeway Inc.
  • Zazzle Inc.

Plaintiff:        eDekka LLC

Pls. Cnsl:        Tadlock Law Firm

Patent:           6,266,674 (Random access information retrieval utilizing user-defined labels).