July filings were up slightly as patent holders figured out where to file and cleared out a backlog of cases. As in June, post-TC Heartland filings, East Texas filings stayed way down and the bulk of the non-Texas filings went to Delaware, as well as to a lesser degree California and Illinois district courts, in particular. Frequent filers included Blackbird Technologies, JSDQ Mesh Technologies, Kaldren, Mirror Imaging, Realtime Data, 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.
Blackbird Tech LLC d/b/a Blackbird Technologies v. Scalematrix et al. (S.D. Cal.; D. Del.) (multiple cases).
Judges: District Judge Larry Alan Burns; Magistrate Judge William V. Gallo
Claim: Infringement
Defendants:
- Scalematrix
- Scalematrix Holdings, Inc.
- INRIX, Inc.
- Capital One Financial Corporation
Plaintiff: Blackbird Tech LLC d/b/a Blackbird Technologies
Pls. Cnsl: Blackbird Tech LLC d/b/a Blackbird Technologies; Stamoulis & Weinblatt; and Walker Stevens Cannom Yang
Patents: 8,424,885 (Method and apparatus for an environmentally-protected electronic equipment enclosure); 9,400,190 (Real-time traffic condition measurement using network transmission data); 7,958,214 (Method for secure transactions utilizing physically separated computers); 8,285,832 (Method for secure transactions utilizing physically separated computers); and 9,424,848 (Method for secure transactions utilizing physically separated computers).
RAH Color Technologies LLC v. Quad/Graphics, Inc. (N.D. Ill.; D. Colo.) (multiple cases).
Judges: District Judge Robert W. Gettleman; District Judge Sara L. Ellis
Claim: Infringement
Defendants:
- Quad/Graphics, Inc.
- Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
Plaintiff: RAH Color Technologies LLC
Pls. Cnsl: Global IP Law Group
Patents: 6,995,870 (System for distributing and controlling color reproduction at multiple sites); 7,312,897 (System for distributing and controlling color reproduction at multiple sites); 7,729,008 (System for distributing and controlling color reproduction at multiple sites); 7,830,546 (System for distributing and controlling color reproduction at multiple sites); 8,537,357 (System for distributing and controlling color reproduction at multiple sites); 8,760,704 (System for distributing and controlling color reproduction at multiple sites); 8,279,236 (Methods and apparatus for calibrating a color display); 8,638,340 (Color calibration of color image rendering devices); 9,404,802 (System for distributing and controlling color reproduction at multiple sites); and 9,516,288 (Color calibration of color image rendering devices).
VOIT Technologies, LLC v. It’s Only Natural, LLC (D. Colo.; S.D. Fla.; M.D. Fla.; W.D.N.C.) (multiple cases).
Judges: District Judge Robert N. Scola, Jr.; Magistrate Judge Edwin G. Torres; Magistrate Judge James M. Hopkins; District Judge Robin L. Rosenberg; District Judge Paul G. Byron; Magistrate Judge Thomas B. Smith; District Judge Steven D. Merryday; Magistrate Judge Julie S. Sneed; District Judge Marcia Morales Howard; Magistrate Judge Monte C. Richardson; District Judge K. Michael Moore; Magistrate Judge Andrea M. Simonton; Magistrate Judge David S. Cayer; District Judge Frank D. Whitney; Magistrate Judge David Keesler; District Judge Richard Voorhees
Claim: Infringement
Defendants:
- It’s Only Natural, LLC
- Bluegate, Inc.
- CCTV Camera Pros, LLC
- The Holster Store, Inc.
- Budget Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc.
- David Tyson Lighting, Inc.
- Jackson Lighting and Electric Supply Company
- Better Planet Brands, LLC
- Combi USA, Inc.
- Power Transmission Services, Inc.
Plaintiff: VOIT Technologies, LLC
Pls. Cnsl: Lipscomb & Partners; and Leak & Jamison
Patent: 6,226,412 (Secure digital interactive system for unique product identification and sales)
Kaldren LLC v. AbbVie Inc. (N.D., Ill.; E.D. Wis.) (multiple cases).
Judges: District Judge Matthew F. Kennelly; District Judge Ronald A. Guzman; District Judge John J. Tharp, Jr.; District Judge Thomas M. Durkin; District Judge Elaine E. Bucklo; District Judge J.P. Stadtmueller; Magistrate Judge William E Duffin; Magistrate Judge Nancy Joseph
Claim: Infringement
Defendants:
- AbbVie Inc.
- Allstate Insurance Holdings LLC
- Anixter Inc.
- Medline Industries, Inc.
- Signode Industrial Group LLC
- Marinette Marine Corporation
- The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company
- Western States Envelope Company
- Woodway USA, Inc.
Plaintiff: Kaldren LLC
Pls. Cnsl: Corcoran IP Law; Media Litigation Firm; and Schulz Law
Patents: 6,098,882 (Variable formatting of digital data into a pattern); 6,176,427 (Variable formatting of digital data into a pattern); 6,820,807 (Variable formatting of digital data into a pattern); and 8,281,999 (Variable formatting of digital data into a pattern).
IDB Ventures, LLC v. DSW Inc. (E.D. Tex.) (multiple cases).
Judge: District Judge Rodney Gilstrap
Claim: Infringement
Defendants:
- DSW Inc.
- Academy Ltd.
- Burlington Stores, Inc.
Plaintiff: IDB Ventures, LLC
Pls. Cnsl: Cunningham Swaim
Patent: 6,216,139 (Integrated dialog box for rapidly altering presentation of parametric text data objects on a computer display).
Spider Search Analytics LLC v. MicroPyramid Inc. (E.D. Tex.; D. Mass.) (multiple cases).
Judges: Magistrate Judge K. Nicole Mitchell; District Judge Robert W. Schroeder, III; District Judge Denise J. Casper
Claim: Infringement
Defendants:
- MicroPyramid Inc.
- Gift Hero, Inc.
- HubSpot, 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).
Fall Line Patents, LLC v. Choice Hotels (E.D. Tex.) (multiple cases).
Claim: Infringement
Defendants:
- Choice Hotels International, Inc.
- Uber Technologies, Inc.
Plaintiff: Fall Line Patents, LLC
Pls. Cnsl: Antonelli Harrington & Thompson
Patent: 9,454,748 (System and method for data management).
e-Numerate Solutions, Inc. et al v. Mattress Firm Holding Corp. (D. Del.).
Claim: Infringement
Defendant: Mattress Firm Holding Corp.
Plaintiffs:
- e-Numerate, LLC
- e-Numerate Solutions, Inc.
Pls. Cnsl: O’Kelly Ernst & Joyce; and O’Rourke Law Office
Patents: 7,650,355 (Reusable macro markup language); 8,185,816 (Combining reusable data markup language documents); 9,262,383 (System, method, and computer program product for processing a markup document); and 9,268,748 (System, method, and computer program product for outputting markup language documents).
Smart Authentication IP, LLC v. Personal Capital Corporation (D. Del.).
Claim: Infringement
Defendant: Personal Capital Corporation
Plaintiff: Smart Authentication IP, LLC
Pls. Cnsl: Stamoulis & Weinblatt
Patent: 8,082,213 (Method and system for personalized online security
Mirror Imaging LLC v. Austin Bancorp, Inc. (E.D. Tex.) (multiple cases).
Claim: Infringement
Defendants:
- Austin Bancorp, Inc.
- Austin Bank, Texas NA
- Independent Bank
- Independent Bank Group, Inc.
- LegacyTexas Bank
- Legacy Texas Group, Inc.
- Prosperity Bancshares, Inc.
- Prosperity Bank
- Southside Bank
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).
Hybrid Audio, LLC v. Adobe systems Incorporated (E.D. Del.) (multiple cases).
Claim: Infringement
Defendants:
- Adobe Systems Incorporated
- AOL Inc.
- Cyberlink Corporation
- Navico, Inc.
Plaintiff: Hybrid Audio, LLC
Pls. Cnsl: Devlin Law Firm
Patent: RE 40,281 (Signal processing utilizing a tree-structured array).
TMI Solutions LLC v. Bath & Body Works Direct, Inc. (D. Del.) (multiple cases).
Claim: Infringement
Defendants:
- Bath & Body Works Direct, Inc.
- Gap, Inc.
- Nordstrom, Inc.
- Staples, Inc.
- L Brands, Inc.
- Victoria’s Secret Stores, Inc.
Plaintiff: TMI Solutions LLC
Pls. Cnsl: Devlin Law Firm; and Nelson Bumgardner
Patents: 9,484,077 (Providing services from a remote computer system to a user station over a communications network); and 9,484,078 (Providing services from a remote computer system to a user station over a communications network).
Realtime Data LLC d/b/a IXO v. Acronis, Inc. (D. Mass.; D. Del.) (multiple cases).
Judge: District Judge Indira Talwani
Claim: Infringement
Defendants:
- Acronis, Inc.
- EVault, Inc.
Plaintiff: Realtime Data LLC d/b/a IXO
Pls. Cnsl: Birnbaum & Godkin; Bayard; and Russ August & Kabat
Patents: 7,415,530 (System and methods for accelerated data storage and retrieval); 8,717,204 (Methods for encoding and decoding data); 9,054,728 (Data compression systems and methods); and 9,116,908 (System and methods for accelerated data storage and retrieval).
GTX Corp. v. Openbucks Corp. (N.D. Cal.).
Judge: Magistrate Judge Elizabeth D. Laporte
Claim: Infringement
Defendant: Openbucks Corp.
Plaintiff: GTX Corp.
Pls. Cnsl: Ellis Law Group; and Rubin & Rudman
Patent: 6,876,979 (Electronic commerce bridge system).
Crane Merchandising Systems, Inc. v. NewZoom, LLC f/k/a NewZoom, Inc. d/b/a ZoomSystems et al. (D. Del.; N.D. Tex.) (multiple cases).
Judge: District Judge Sam A. Lindsay
Claim: Infringement
Defendants:
- Benefit Cosmetics, LLC
- Best Buy Stores, LP
- Macy’s, Inc.
- NewZoom, LLC f/k/a NewZoom, Inc. d/b/a ZoomSystems
- The Honest Company, Inc.
- Best Buy Co., Inc.
Plaintiff: Crane Merchandising Systems, Inc.
Pls. Cnsl: Munck Wilson Mandala; and Young Conaway Stargatt & Taylor
Patents: 6,328,180 (Apparatus and method for vending products); and 8,484,068 (Method and system for evaluating consumer demand for multiple products and services at remotely located equipment).
EveryMD.com LLC v. Amazon.com, Inc. (C.D. Cal.).
Claim: Infringement
Defendant: Amazon.com, Inc.
Plaintiff: EveryMD.com LLC
Pls. Cnsl: TechCoastLaw
Patent: 9,584,461 (Method and apparatus for transmitting electronic mail).
CustomPlay, LLC v. Amazon.com, Inc. (S.D. Fla.) (multiple cases).
Judge: District Judge Kenneth A. Marra
Claim: Infringement
Defendants:
- com, Inc.
- Apple Inc.
Plaintiff: CustomPlay, LLC
Pls. Cnsl: Carey Rodriguez Milian Gonya
Patents: 8,494,346 (Identifying a performer during a playing of a video); 9,124,950 (Providing item information notification during video playing); 9,380,282 (Providing item information during video playing); and 6,408,128 (Replaying with supplementary information a segment of a video).