NPE filings increased sharply in November ahead of the implementation of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure amendments which became effective December 1. The amendments deleted from 18 requiring Twombly/Iqbal pleading requirements in patent cases as well as requiring proportionality for discovery. Frequent filers included CYVA Research, eCeipt, Eolas, Hawk Technology, LBS Innovations, Marshall Feature Recognition, Reflection Code, Ruby Sands and Shipping & Transit.
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.
Global Equity Management (SA) Pty. Ltd. v. AirBNB, Inc., (E.D. Tex.) (multiple cases).
Judges: Magistrate Judge Roy S. Payne; District Judge Robert W. Schroeder, III
Claim: Infringement
Defendants:
- AirBNB, Inc.
- com, Inc.
- com Singapore E-Commerce Private Limited
- Alibaba Group Holding Limited
- com
- The Priceline Group, Inc.
- Kayak, Inc.
- The Priceline Group, Inc.
- com
- The Priceline Group, Inc.
Plaintiff: Global Equity Management (SA) Pty. Ltd.
Pls. Cnsl: Laminack Pirtle and Martines; and Ramey & Schwaller
Patent: 6,690,400 (Graphic user interface for resources management of super operating system based computers).
Shipping and Transit, LLC v. Campmor, Inc., (C.D. Cal.; S.D. Fla.) (multiple cases).
Judges: Magistrate Judge Paul L. Abrams; District Judge Otis D. Wright, II; District Judge Percy Anderson; Magistrate Judge Alka Sagar; Magistrate Judge Alexander F. MacKinnon; District Judge Dean D. Pregerson; Magistrate Judge James M. Hopkins; District Judge Robin L. Rosenberg; District Judge Federico A. Moreno; District Judge Jose E. Martinez; District Judge Beth Bloom; Magistrate Judge Dave Lee Brannon
Claim: Infringement
Defendants:
- Campmor, Inc.
- Freshpair Inc.
- Glasses USA, LLC
- Suntek Systems, Inc.
- Nashbar Direct, Inc.
- EyeBuyDirect, Inc.
- GameFly, Inc.
- Bluefly, Inc.
Plaintiff: Shipping and Transit, LLC
Pls. Cnsl: Newport Trial Group; and Leslie Robert Evans & Associates
Patent: 7,400,970 (System and method for an advance notification system for monitoring and reporting proximity of a vehicle).
Hawk Technology Systems, LLC v. The Commercial Group, Inc. d/b/a Great Lakes Outdoor Supply Co., (E.D. Mich.; S.D.N.Y.)(multiple cases).
Judges: District Judge Paul D. Borman; Magistrate Judge R. Steven Whalen; District Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer
Claim: Infringement
Defendants:
- Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
- Fordham University
Plaintiff: Hawk Technology Systems, LLC
Pls. Cnsl: Marc Shulman & Associates; Lockridge Grindal Nauen; Ventura Ribeiro & Smith; and The James Law Firm
Patent: RE 43,462 (Video monitoring and conferencing system).
CryptoPeak Solutions, LLC v. Barnesandnoble.com LLC, (E.D. Tex.) (multiple cases).
Judges: Magistrate Judge Roy S. Payne; District Judge Robert W. Schroeder, III
Claim: Infringement
Defendants:
- com LLC
- Bath & Body Works Direct, Inc.
- com Inc. d/b/a Rakuten.com
- Costco Wholesale Corp.
- com, Inc.
- Etsy, Inc.
- GoPro, Inc.
- Groupon, Inc.
- Kohl’s Department Stores, Inc.
- Lowe’s Home Centers, Inc.
- com, Inc.
- Mary Kay Inc.
- Office Depot, Inc.
- Kmart Corporation
- MyGofer LLC
- Sears Holdings Management Corporation
- Shutterfly, Inc.
- Sony Network Entertainment International LLC
- Staples, Inc.
- Target Corporation
- The Home Depot USA, Inc.
- VistaPrint USA, Inc.
- Williams-Sonoma, Inc.
- Ally Bank
- Ally Financial Inc.
- AT&T Corp.
- AT&T Mobility LLC
- AT&T Services, Inc.
- Best Western International, Inc.
- Choice Hotels International, Inc.
- Classic Vacations LLC
- Egencia LLC
- Expedia, Inc.
- com LP
- Orbitz, LLC
- Travelscape LLC
- HSNi, LLC
- HSN, Inc.
- HSN Interactive LLC
- Hyatt Hotels Corporation
- Intercontinental Hotels Group, Inc.
- BuySeasons, Inc.
- Evite, Inc.
- Liberty Interactive Corporation
- QVC, Inc.
- Marriot International, Inc.
- The Ritz Carlton Hotel Company, LLC
- Pinterest, Inc.
- KAYAK Software Corporation
- OpenTable, Inc.
- The Priceline Group, Inc.
- Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.
- Baymont Franchise Systems, Inc.
- Days Inn Worldwide, Inc.
- Hawthorn Suites Franchising, Inc.
- Howard Johnson International, Inc.
- Knights Franchise Systems, Inc.
- Microtel Inns and Suites Franchising, Inc.
- Ramada Worldwide, Inc.
- Super 8 Worldwide, Inc.
- Travelodge Hotels, Inc.
- Wingate Inns International, Inc.
- Wyndham Hotel Group, LLC
- Wyndham Rewards, Inc.
- Wyndham Worldwide Corporation
- Tumblr, Inc.
- Yahoo! Inc.
- Progressive Casualty Insurance Company
Plaintiff: CryptoPeak Solutions, LLC
Pls. Cnsl: Tadlock Law Firm
Patent: 6,202,150 (Auto-escrowable and auto-certifiable cryptosystems).
i play, inc. v. Aden & Anais, Inc., (W.D.N.C.).
Claims: False Marking, Declaratory Judgment
Defendant: Aden & Anais, Inc.
Plaintiff: i play, Inc.
Pls. Cnsl: Luedeka Neely Group; and Northup McConnell & Sizemore
Patent: D,603,142 (Protective garment).
Grecia v. MasterCard Incorporated, (S.D.N.Y.) (multiple cases).
Claim: Infringement
Defendants:
- MasterCard Incorporated
- Visa Inc.
- American Express Company
Plaintiff: William Grecia
Pls. Cnsl: Siprut
Patents: 8,402,555 (Personalized digital media access system (PDMAS)); 8,533,860 (Personalized digital media access system–PDMAS part II); and 8,887,308 (Digital cloud access (PDMAS part III)).
T-Rex Property AB v. Adspace Networks, Inc., (S.D.N.Y.).
Claim: Infringement
Defendant: Adspace Networks, Inc.
Plaintiff: T-Rex Property AB
Pls. Cnsl: Farney Daniels
Patents: 7,382,334 (Digital information system); and RE 39,470 (Digital information system).
uLogin LLC v. OpenTable, Inc., (E.D. Tex.).
Judges: District Judge Rodney Gilstrap; Magistrate Judge Roy S. Payne
Claim: Infringement
Defendant: OpenTable, Inc.
Plaintiff: uLogin LLC
Pls. Cnsl: Spangler Law; and Stamoulis & Weinblatt
Patent: 5,712,979 (Method and apparatus for attaching navigational history information to universal resource locator links on a world wide web page).
Uniloc USA, Inc. et al v. Acronis, Inc., (E.D. Tex.) (multiple cases).
Claim: Infringement
Defendants:
- Acronis, Inc.
- Acronis International GmbH
- Chief Architect, Inc.
- Code 42 Software, Inc.
- Embarcadero Technologies, Inc.
- TLM, Inc. d/b/a Robert McNeel & Associates
- Symantec Corporation
- Zebra Technologies Corporation
- Electronic Arts Inc.
Plaintiffs:
- Uniloc Luxembourg SA
- Uniloc USA, Inc.
Pls. Cnsl: Hayes Messina Gilman & Hayes; and Tadlock Law Firm
Patent: 7,024,696 (Method and system for prevention of piracy of a given software application via a communications network); and 8,5669,60 (System and method for adjustable licensing of digital products).
Marshall Feature Recognition, LLC v. Raymond James Financial, Inc., (E.D. Tex.) (multiple cases).
Judges: District Judge Rodney Gilstrap; Magistrate Judge Roy S. Payne
Claim: Infringement
Defendants:
- Raymond James financial, Inc.
- Northrop Grumman Corp.
- Juniper Networks, Inc.
Plaintiff: Marshall Feature Recognition, LLC
Pls. Cnsl: Austin Hansley PLLC
Patents: 6,886,750 (Method and apparatus for accessing electronic data via a familiar printed medium); and 8,910,876 (Method and apparatus for accessing electronic data via a familiar printed medium).
Eolas Technologies Incorporated v. Amazon.com, Inc., (E.D. Tex.; N.D. Cal.) (Multiple Cases).
Judge: Magistrate Judge Paul S. Grewal
Claims: Infringement; and Declaratory Judgment
Defendants:
- com, Inc.
- Google Inc.
- Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
- Wal-Mart Stores Texas, LLC
- The Regents of the University of California
Plaintiffs:
- Eolas Technologies, Inc.
- Google Inc.
Pls. Cnsl: McKool Smith; and Kasowitz Benson Torres & Friedman
Patent: 9,195,507 (Distributed hypermedia method and system for automatically invoking external application providing interaction and display of embedded objects within a hypermedia document).
High Quality Printing Inventions, LLC v. FineStationery.com, (S.D. Fla.; D. Del.; M.D. Fla.; D. Mass.; D. Md.; D. Nev.; D. Or.; D. Mont.; N.D. Ohio; N.D. Tex.; W.D. Wash.; E.D. Wis.; C.D. Cal.; N.D. Cal.) (multiple cases).
Judges: District Judge Virginia M. Hernandez Covington; Magistrate Judge Mark A. Pizzo; District Judge F. Dennis Saylor, IV; Law Offices of D. Lev; and Rakhlin Law; District Judge Marvin J. Garbis; Magistrate Judge Cam Ferenbach; District Judge James C. Mahan; District Judge Michael H. Simon; District Judge James I. Cohn; District Judge William P. Dimitrouleas; District Judge Susan P. Watters; District Judge James S. Gwin; District Judge A. Joe Fish; District Judge Jane J. Boyle; Magistrate Judge Michael R. Wilner; District Judge Stephen V. Wilson; District Judge Dale S. Fischer; Magistrate Judge Alicia G. Rosenberg; Magistrate Judge Joseph C. Spero; Magistrate Judge Jacqueline Scott Corley
Claim: Infringement
Defendants:
- com
- Invitation Consultants, Inc.
- Bay State Envelope, Inc.
- Cimpress USA Incorporated d/b/a Vistaprint
- Barton Cotton Affinity Group, LLC d/b/a Holiday Card Center
- OvernightPrints, Inc.
- Cardphile, Inc.
- Office Depot, Inc.
- Worldwide Tickets and Labels, Inc.
- Staples, Inc.
- Master Marketing International, Inc.
- com, Inc.
- Cardstore, Inc.
- Angstrom Graphics Inc. Midwest
- Printograph, Inc. d/b/a GotPrint
- Safeguard Business Systems, Inc.
- Luxe Cards, LLC d/b/a Purple Trail
- Simply To Impress LLC
- Digital Room, Inc. d/b/a PrintRunner.com, d/b/a Next Day Flyers, d/b/a UPrinting.com, d/b/a YouPrint.com, d/b/a PrintsMadeEasy.com
- Avery Products Corporation
- Shutterfly, Inc.
- Zazzle, Inc.
- Minted, LLC
- PsPRINT
Plaintiff: High Quality Printing Inventions, LLC
Pls. Cnsl: O’Kelly & Ernst; Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz; Offit Kurman; Weinberg Wheeler Hudgins Gunn & Dial; Heyl Royster Voelker & Allen; Edwards Frickle & Culver; Sutter O’Connell; Skiermont Puckett; Hendricks and Lewis; and Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp
Patent: 6,012,070 (Digital design station procedure).