August filings slowed some from July, as they usually do with NPEs taking a summer break.  After the TC Heartland venue decision came down, filings increased and diversified.  As you would expect, NPEs began filing most cases outside of the Eastern District of Texas.  Most of the non-Texas filings went to Delaware, but many were also dispersed across California, Florida, and Illinois.  Frequent filers included Anuwave, Coding Technologies, Kaldren, Mirror Imaging, Pherah, Tangelo IP, and VOIT Technologies.

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 your suggestions for improving the report.

Anuwave LLC v. Community Banks of Colorado (D. Colo.; D. Del.) (multiple cases).

Judge:             Magistrate Judge Michael J. Watanabe

Claim:             Infringement

Defendants:

  • Community Banks of Colorado
  • Capitol Federal Savings Bank
  • Chase Bank USA
  • TCF Financial Corporation

Plaintiff:        Anuwave LLC

Pls. Cnsl:        Ferraiuoli; and Stamoulis & Weinblatt

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

VOIT Technologies, LLC v. Outdoor Edge Cutlery Corp. (D. Colo.; M.D. Fla.; E.D. Tex.) (multiple cases).

Judges:           District Judge James D. Whittemore; Magistrate Judge Thomas G. Wilson; District Judge Paul G. Byron; Magistrate Judge Daniel C. Irick

Claim:             Infringement

Defendants:

  • Outdoor Edge Cutlery Corp.
  • Volt, LLC
  • USA Vacuum, LLC
  • Brand Runner, Inc.

Plaintiff:        VOIT Technologies, LLC

Pls. Cnsl:        Lipscomb & Partners

Patent:            6,226,412 (Secure digital interactive system for unique product identification and sales).

Mirror Imaging LLC v. Green Bancorp, Inc. (E.D. Tex.) (multiple cases).

Judge:             District Judge Rodney Gilstrap

Claim:            Infringement

Defendants:

  • Green Bancorp, Inc.
  • Green Bank, National Association
  • Inwood Bancshares, Inc.
  • Inwood National Bank, National Association
  • Origin Bancorp, Inc.
  • Origin Bank
  • PlainsCapital Bank
  • Texas Bank and Trust Company
  • AFNB Holdings, Inc.
  • American First National Bank
  • Bank of the Ozarks
  • Bank of the Ozarks, Inc.
  • Cathay Bank
  • Cathay General Bancorp
  • IBERIABANK Corporation
  • Regions Bank, NA
  • Regions Financial Corporation
  • BTH Bank
  • BTH Bank, National Association
  • City Bank
  • East West Bank
  • Hanmi Bank
  • Texas Capital Bank, NA

Plaintiff:        Mirror Imaging LLC

Pls. Cnsl:        Rabicoff Law

Patents:          6,963,866 (Method of obtaining an electronically stored financial document); 7,552,118 (Method of obtaining an electronically-stored financial document); 7,836,067 (Method of obtaining electronically-stored financial documents); and 9,141,612 (Method of obtaining an electronically-stored financial document).

BillingNetwork Patent, Inc. v. Modernizing Medicine, Inc. (N.D. Ill.).

Judge:             District Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman

Claim:             Infringement

Defendant:     Modernizing Medicine, Inc.

Plaintiff:        BillingNetwork Patent, Inc.

Pls. Cnsl:        Haller Law; and Noble IP

Patent:            6,374,229 (Integrated internet facilitated billing, data processing and communication system).

Millennium Commerce, LLC v. Tabletop Media LLC (N.D. Tex.).

Judge:             District Judge Sam A. Lindsay

Claim:             Infringement

Defendant:     TableTop Media LLC

Plaintiff:        Millennium Commerce, LLC

Pls. Cnsl:        Law Office of Ryan E Hatch; and Ni Wang & Massand

Patent:            7,954,701 (Electronic fund transfer or transaction system).

OpenPrint LLC v. Oki Data Americas, Inc. (D. Del.) (multiple cases).

Claim:            Infringement

Defendants:

  • Oki Data Americas, Inc.
  • Panasonic Corporation of North America
  • HP Inc.

Plaintiff:        OpenPrint LLC

Pls. Cnsl:        Devlin Law Firm; Ni Wang & Massand; and Toler Law Group

Patents:          6,023,345 (Facsimile to E-mail communication system with local interface); 6,381,313 (Fax routing system and method using standard fax machine and personal computer); 6,639,974 (Fax routing system and method using standard fax machine and personal computer); 7,446,906 (Facsimile to E-mail communication system with local interface); 8,547,601 (Facsimile to E-mail communication system); 8,941,888 (Facsimile to E-mail communication system with local interface); 6,209,993 (Structure and fabricating method for ink-jet printhead chip); and 6,717,699 (Method for hybrid printing).

Vaultet LLC v. Cook’s Direct, Inc. (N.D. Ill.; E.D.N.Y.; E.D. Tex.) (multiple cases).

Judges:           District Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman; District Judge Robert W. Schroeder, III

Claim:             Infringement

Defendants:

  • Cook’s Direct, Inc.
  • com, Inc.
  • Victoria’s Secret Stores, LLC
  • Neiman Marcus Group, Inc.
  • Starbucks Corporation
  • Skechers USA, Inc.

Plaintiff:        Vaultet LLC

Pls. Cnsl:        Chaudhari Law; Rabicoff Law; and Zimmerman Levi & Korsinsky

Patent:            7,814,009 (Anonymous on-line cash management system).

Tangelo IP, LLC v. HEB Grocery Company, LP (E.D. Tex.; N.D. Tex.) (multiple cases).

Judges:           District Judge Rodney Gilstrap; District Judge Barbara M. G. Lynn

Claim:            Infringement

Defendants:

  • HEB Grocery Company, LP
  • Harbor Freight Tools USA, Inc.
  • Sam Ash Music Corporation

Plaintiff:        Tangelo IP, LLC

Pls. Cnsl:        Stamoulis & Weinblatt; Van Cleef Law Office; and Ni Wang & Massand

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

Virginia Innovation Sciences, Inc., v. Amazon.com, Inc. (E.D. Va.) (multiple cases).

Judges:           District Judge Mark S. Davis; Magistrate Judge Lawrence R. Leonard; District Judge John A. Gibney, Jr.

Claim:             Infringement

Defendants:

  • com, Inc.
  • HTC America, Inc.
  • HTC Corporation

Plaintiff:        Virginia Innovation Sciences, Inc.

Pls. Cnsl:        Michael Best & Friedrich

Patents:          8,135,398 (Method and apparatus for multimedia communications with different user terminals); 9,369,844 (System and method for providing locally applicable internet content with secure action requests and item condition alerts); 9,723,443 (System and method for providing locally applicable internet content with secure action requests and item condition alerts); and 9,729,918 (Method and system for efficient communication).

Spider Search Analytics LLC v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (W.D. Ark.).

Judge:             District Judge Timothy L. Brooks

Claim:             Infringement

Defendant:     Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.

Plaintiff:        Spider Search Analytics LLC

Pls. Cnsl:        Ferraiuoli

Patent:            7,454,430 (System and method for facts extraction and domain knowledge repository creation from unstructured and semi-structured documents).

WorldPantry.com, Inc. v. Landmark Technology, LLC (N. D. Cal.).

Claim:             Declaratory Judgment

Defendant:     Landmark Technology, LLC

Plaintiff:        WorldPantry.com, Inc.

Pls. Cnsl:        Mitchell + Company

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

Kaldren LLC v. Cigna Corporation (D. Del.; E.D.N.Y.; N.D. Ill.; E.D. Tex.; W.D. Wis.) (multiple cases).

Judges:           District Judge Joan H. Lefkow; District Judge Edmond E. Chang; Magistrate Judge Stephen L. Crocker; District Judge James D. Peterson

Claim:             Infringement

Defendants:

  • Cigna Corporation
  • The Hain Celestial Group, Inc.
  • Rust-Oleum Corporation
  • Trippe Manufacturing Company d/b/a Tripp Lite
  • Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas, Inc.
  • Stemco LP
  • LaCrosse Technology, Ltd.
  • Madison Gas and Electric Company
  • Wausau Paper Corp.

Plaintiff:        Kaldren LLC

Pls. Cnsl:        Stamoulis & Weinblatt; Toler Law Group; Corcoran IP Law; Zimmerman Law Group; and Media Litigation Firm

Patents:          6,820,807 (Variable formatting of digital data into a pattern); 8,281,999 (Variable formatting of digital data into a pattern); 6,098,882 (Variable formatting of digital data into a pattern); and 6,176,427 (Variable formatting of digital data into a pattern).

Pherah LLC v. Volusion, LLC (E.D. Tex.; D. Del.) (multiple cases).

Claim:             Infringement

Defendants:

  • Volusion, LLC
  • Weebly, Inc.
  • Symphony Commerce, Inc.

Plaintiff:        Pherah LLC

Pls. Cnsl:        Chaudhari Law; and Stamoulis & Weinblatt

Patent:            RE 44,652 (Computer-readable data product for managing sales information).

Coding Technologies, LLC v. American Airlines, Inc. (E.D. Tex.; S.D. Tex.) (multiple cases).

Judge:             District Judge Rodney Gilstrap

Claim:            Infringement

Defendants:

  • American Airlines, Inc.
  • Ben E. Keith Company
  • Dickey’s Barbecue Restaurants, Inc.
  • Halliburton Company
  • Keller Williams Realty, Inc.
  • Mary Kay, Inc.
  • Omni Hotels Corporation
  • Omni Hotels & Resorts
  • Schlumberger Technology Corporation
  • Stewart & Stevenson LLC
  • Apache Corporation
  • BNSF Railway Company
  • Cabot Oil & Gas Corporation
  • Huntsman Corporation
  • MRC Global, Inc.
  • Powell Industries, Inc.
  • Spectra Energy Corp.

Plaintiff:        Coding Technologies, LLC

Pls. Cnsl:        Kizzia Johnson

Patent:            8,540,159 (Method for providing mobile service using code-pattern).