March continued 2016’s upward trend of NPE filings.  Of particular note, there were more new NPEs – as opposed to frequent filers – in March than in January or February.  Frequent filers included Hawk Technology, Landmark Technology, PanTaurus 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.

EveryMD.com LLC v. LinkedIn Corporation, (C.D. Cal.).

Claim:             Infringement

Defendant:     LinkedIn Corporation

Plaintiff:        EveryMD.com LLC

Pls. Cnsl:        TechCoastLaw

Patent:            9,137,192 (Method and apparatus for generating web pages for members).

PanTaurus LLC v. Aladdin Knowledge Systems, Ltd., (E.D. Tex.).

Claim:             Infringement

Defendants:

  • Aladdin Knowledge Systems, Ltd.
  • Gemalto Inc.
  • SafeNet, Inc.
  • Harris Corporation
  • Motorola Solutions, Inc.
  • Pitney Bowes Inc.
  • Pulse Secure, LLC
  • Vormetric, Inc.
  • WatchData Technologies USA Inc.

Plaintiff:        PanTaurus LLC

Pls. Cnsl:        Ferraiuoli LLC

Patent:            6,272,533 (Secure computer system and method of providing secure access to a computer system including a stand-alone switch operable to inhibit data corruption on a storage device).

Shipping and Transit, LLC v. Global Experience Specialists, Inc., (S.D. Fla.; C.D. Cal.; N.D. Cal.) (multiple cases).

Judges:           District Judge James I. Cohn; District Judge Donald M. Middlebrooks; Magistrate Judge Dave Lee Brannon; Magistrate Judge Charles F. Eick; District Judge Beverly Reid O’Connell

Claims:           Infringement; and Declaratory Judgment

Defendants:

  • Global Experience Specialists, Inc.
  • CSA Transportation, Inc.
  • Whenever Communications, LLC
  • The Beauty Supply Warehouse, Inc.
  • Adorama, Inc.
  • Apollo Future Technology, Inc.
  • FTL Apparel, LLC

Plaintiff:        Shipping and Transit, LLC

Pls. Cnsl:        Leslie Robert Evans & Associates; Newport Trial Group; and Mitchell + Company

Patents:          6,415,207 (System and method for automatically providing vehicle status information); 6,763,299 (Notification systems and methods with notifications based upon prior stop locations); 6,904,359 (Notification systems and methods with user-definable notifications based upon occurance of events); and 7,400,970 (System and method for an advance notification system for monitoring and reporting proximity of a vehicle).

Landmark Technology, LLC v. Canada Drugs LP, (S.D. Cal.).

Judges:           District Judge Gonzalo P. Curiel; Magistrate Judge William V. Gallo

Claim:             Infringement

Defendant:     Canada Drugs LP

Plaintiff:        Landmark Technology, LLC

Pls. Cnsl:        Banie & Ishimoto

Patent:            6,289,319 (Automatic business and financial transaction processing system).

Stonemark Technologies LLC v. Office Depot, Inc., (E.D. Tex.).

Claim:             Infringement

Defendant:     Office Depot, Inc.

Plaintiff:        Stonemark Technologies LLC

Pls. Cnsl:        Russ August & Kabat; and Spangler Law

Patents:          7,050,654 (Methods for generating composite images including positioning grid); 7,236,647 (Methods and apparatuses for generating composite images including warping); 7,315,659 (Methods for generating composite images including filtering and embroidery price calculation); and 7,835,591 (Methods and apparatus for generating composite images).

T-Rex Property AB v. ANC Sports Enterprises, LLC, (D. Minn.; W.D. Tex. ) (multiple cases).

Judge:             District Judge Robert Pitman

Claim:             Infringement

Defendants:

  • ANC Sports Enterprises, LLC
  • Eye Corp (USA) Inc.

Plaintiff:        T-Rex Property AB

Pls. Cnsl:        Farney Daniels

Patents:          6,430,603 (System for direct placement of commercial advertising, public service announcements and other content on electronic billboard displays); 7,382,334 (Digital information system); and RE 39,470 (Digital information system).

Location Services IP, LLC v. Doctor’s Associates, Inc. d/b/a Subway, (E.D. Tex.).

Claim:            Infringement

Defendants:

  • Doctor’s Associates, Inc. d/b/a Subway
  • Franchise World Headquarters, LLC d/b/a Subway Restaurants d/b/a Subway
  • Subway Sandwich Shops, Inc.
  • Subway Subs, Inc.
  • Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas
  • Blue Cross Blue Shield Association
  • United Healthcare, Inc.
  • UnitedHealth Group, Inc.

Plaintiff:        Location Services IP, LLC

Pls. Cnsl:        Collins Edmonds Schlather & Tower

Patents:          6,202,023 (Internet based geographic location referencing system and method); 6,356,834 (Geographic location referencing system and method); and 8,935,220 (Unified geographic database and method of creating, maintaining and using the same).

Hawk Technology Systems, LLC v. Del Papa Distributing Company, Inc., (E.D. Tex., D. Nev.; N.D. Ill.; M.D.N.C.) (multiple cases).

Judge:             District Judge John J. Tharp, Jr.

Claim:             Infringement

Defendants:

  • Del Papa Distributing Company, Inc.
  • Panorama Towers Condominium Unit Owners’ Association, Inc.
  • 1720 S. Michigan Condominium Association
  • Goodwill Industries of Northwest North Carolina, Inc.

Plaintiff:        Hawk Technology Systems, LLC

Pls. Cnsl:        The Andrade Law Firm; Law Office of David Bailey; Media Litigation Firm; Lewis & Roberts; and Lockridge Grindal Nauen

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

Intellectual Ventures I LLC et al v. FTD Companies, Inc., (E.D. Tex.) (multiple cases).

Judge:             District Judge Rodney Gilstrap

Claim:             Infringement

Defendants:

  • FTD Companies, Inc
  • J Crew Group, Inc.

Plaintiffs:

  • Intellectual Ventures II LLC
  • Intellectual Ventures I LLC

Pls. Cnsl:        Nix Patterson & Roach

Patents:          5,969,324 (Accounting methods and systems using transaction information associated with a nonpredictable bar code); 6,633,900 (Mobile crew management system for distributing work order assignments to mobile field crew units); 6,782,370 (System and method for providing recommendation of goods or services based on recorded purchasing history); and RE 43,715 (System and method for integrating public and private data).

Tangelo IP, LLC v. Snap-On Incorporated, (E.D. Tex.).

Claim:            Infringement

Defendants:

  • Snap-On Incorporated
  • Snap-On Tools Company, LLC
  • Dollar General Corporation
  • Brooks Brothers Group, Inc.
  • Famous Brands International
  • Fields Gifts, Inc.
  • Jeg’s Automotive, Inc.

Plaintiff:        Tangelo IP, LLC

Pls. Cnsl:        Collins Edmonds Schlather & Tower

Patent:            8,429,005 (Method for determining effectiveness of display of objects in advertising images).

Guyzar, LLC v. Dow Jones & Company, Inc. d/b/a The Wall Street Journal, (E.D. Tex.).

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

Claim:             Infringement

Defendants:

  • Dow Jones & Company, Inc. d/b/a The Wall Street Journal
  • Fitbit, Inc.
  • com LLC
  • Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC d/b/a USA Today
  • Groupon, Inc.
  • com, LP
  • Karmaloop, LLC
  • LivingSocial, Inc.
  • Lonely Planet Global, Inc.
  • New Avon, LLC
  • Office Depot, Inc.
  • com, Inc.
  • Polyvore, Inc.
  • The New York Times Company
  • Travelzoo Inc.
  • Viacom International Inc.
  • com, Inc.
  • Vox Media, Inc. d/b/a SB Nation
  • Zulily, LLC

Plaintiff:        Guyzar, LLC

Pls. Cnsl:        Ferraiuoli LLC

Patent:            5,845,070 (Security system for internet provider transaction).

Interface IP Holdings LLC v. Societe Air France, (D. Del.) (multiple cases).

Claim:             Infringement

Defendants:

  • Societe Air France
  • Koninklijke Luchtvaart Maatschappij NV

Plaintiff:        Interface IP Holdings LLC

Pls. Cnsl:        Black & Hamill; and Farnan

Patents:          7,080,325 (Graphical device for comprehensive viewing and input of variable data via a browser-based display); 7,406,663 (Graphical input device with dynamic field width adjustment for input of variable data via a browser-based display); and 7,500,201 (Data input method and system with multi-sub-field matching of user entries into a graphical input device).

Verify Smart Corp. v. Twitter, Inc., (E.D. Tex.).

Judge:             District Judge Rodney Gilstrap

Claim:            Infringement

Defendants:

  • Twitter, Inc.
  • USAA
  • com, Inc.
  • Dropbox, Inc.
  • Basecamp, Inc.

Plaintiff:        Verify Smart Corp.

Pls. Cnsl:        Zimmerman Weiser & Paray

Patent:            8,285,648 (System and method for verifying a user’s identity in electronic transactions).

Uniloc USA, Inc. et al v. Facebook, Inc., (E.D. Tex.).

Claim:            Infringement

Defendants:

  • Facebook, Inc.
  • Viber Media Sarl
  • WhatsApp Inc.

Plaintiffs:

  • Uniloc Luxembourg, SA
  • Uniloc USA, Inc.

Pls. Cnsl:        Cesari and McKenna; and Tadlock Law Firm

Patent:            8,571,194 (System and method for initiating a conference call).

Youtoo Technologies, LLC v. Twitter, Inc., (N.D. Tex.).

Judge:             District Judge David C Godbey

Claim:             Infringement

Defendant:     Twitter, Inc.

Plaintiff:        Youtoo Technologies, LLC

Pls. Cnsl:        Steptoe & Johnson; Friedman Suder & Cooke; and Niro Haller & Niro

Patents:          8,464,304 (Content creation and distribution system); 8,601,506 (Content creation and distribution system); and 9,083,997 (Recording and publishing content on social media websites).

Quest NetTech Corporation v. Artix Entertainment LLC, (E.D. Tex.).

Claim:            Infringement

Defendants:

  • Artix Entertainment LLC
  • Budget Travel, LLC
  • Emerald Expositions LLC
  • Enervex, Inc.
  • Enterplay LLC
  • The Garden Shows Production Company Inc.
  • Hannaford Bros. Co., LLC
  • hhgregg, Inc.
  • Madavor Media, LLC d/b/a JazzTimes
  • ZAM Network LLC

Plaintiff:        Quest NetTech Corporation

Pls. Cnsl:        The Dacus Firm

Patent:            5,508,731 (Generation of enlarged participatory broadcast audience).

Anuwave, LLC v. Amarillo National Bank, (E.D. Tex.).

Judges:           Magistrate Judge Roy S. Payne; District Judge Robert W. Schroeder, III

Claim:            Infringement

Defendants:

  • Amarillo National Bank
  • Austin Bank, Texas NA
  • Cathay Bank
  • Citizens National Bank of Texas
  • Community National Bank
  • East West Bank
  • First Lockhart National Bank
  • Fort Sill National Bank
  • Inter National Bank
  • Jacksboro National Bancshares, Inc.
  • Jacksboro National Bank d/b/a MyBankTexas.com
  • Regions Bank
  • Regions Financial Corporation
  • Security Bank
  • Texas Bank
  • US Bancorp
  • US Bank National Association d/b/a US Bank
  • WestStar Bank

Plaintiff:        Anuwave, LLC

Pls. Cnsl:        Ferraiuoli LLC

Patent:            8,295,862 (Method and system to enable communication through SMS communication channel).

AlmondNet, Inc. et al v. Yahoo! Inc., (E.D.N.Y.).

Claim:             Infringement

Defendant:     Yahoo! Inc.

Plaintiffs:

  • AlmondNet, Inc.
  • Datonics, LLC
  • Intent IQ, LLC

Pls. Cnsl:        Law Offices of Louis J. Hoffman; and Susman Godfrey

Patents:          7,822,639 (Added-revenue off-site targeted internet advertising); 7,979,307 (Method and stored program for accumulating descriptive profile data along with source information for use in targeting third-party advertisements); 8,244,574 (Method, computer system, and stored program for causing delivery of electronic advertisements based on provided profiles); 8,244,582 (Method and stored program for accumulating descriptive profile data along with source information for use in targeting third-party advertisements); 8,244,586 (Computerized systems for added-revenue off-site targeted internet advertising); 8,494,904 (Method and stored program for accumulating descriptive profile data along with source information for use in targeting third-party advertisements); 8,671,139 (Media properties selection method and system based on expected profit from profile-based ad delivery); 8,677,398 (Systems and methods for taking action with respect to one network-connected device based on activity on another device connected to the same network); 8,775,249 (Method, computer system, and stored program for accumulating descriptive profile data along with source information for use in targeting third-party advertisements); and 8,959,146 (Media properties selection method and system based on expected profit from profile-based ad delivery).