February saw a slight increase over January as the NPE’s warmed into Q1. Frequent filers included Cedar Lane Technologies, Digi Portal, Internet Media Interactive, Linfo IP, M4siz, Noblewood IP, Swirlate, and Transcend Shipping 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 your suggestions for improving the report.

 2BCom, LLC v. Walmart Inc. (M.D. Fla.).

Judges:           Magistrate Judge Sean P. Flynn; District Judge William F. Jung

Claims:           Infringement

Defendant:     Walmart Inc.

Plaintiff:         2BCom, LLC

Pls. Cnsl:        Zoe Bernstein Law

Patents:          6,831,444 (External storage device, and remaining battery amount notifying method in the same); 6,885,643 (Method and device for facilitating efficient data transfer via a wireless communication network); 6,928,166 (Radio communication device and user authentication method for use therewith); 7,127,210 (Wireless communication apparatus)

Adim8, LLC v. Buffalo Wild Wings, Inc. (W.D. Tex.).

Judge:             District Judge Alan D. Albright

Claims:           Infringement

Defendant:     Buffalo Wild Wings, Inc.

Plaintiff:         Adim8, LLC

Pls. Cnsl:        Eureka Intellectual Property Law

Patents:          8,107,940 (System and method for providing advertising on a mobile device); 8,787,895 (System and method for providing advertising on a device)

AML IP, LLC v. Ashley Furniture Industries, LLC (multiple cases) (W.D. Tex.).          

Judge:             District Judge Alan D. Albright

Claims:           Infringement

Defendants:

  • Ashley Furniture Industries
  • Boot Barn Holdings, Inc.
  • The Cato Corporation

Plaintiff:         AML IP, LLC

Pls. Cnsl:        Ramey & Schwaller

Patents:          6,876,979 (Electronic commerce bridge system)

Aspiration Innovation, Inc. v. Subaru Corporation et. al. (N.D. Tex.).

Judge:             District Judge Terry R. Means

Claims:           Infringement

Defendants:

  • Subaru Corporation
  • Subaru of America, Inc.

Plaintiff:         Aspiration Innovation, Inc.

Pls. Cnsl:        Budo Law

Patent:            8,489,563 (Meta-configuration of profiles)

Cedar Lane Technologies Inc. v. Costar Technologies, Inc. (W.D. Tex., W.D.N.Y, D. Del., S.D. Tex., D.N.J., D. Colo.).

Judges:           District Judge Alan D. Albright; District Judge Stanley R. Chesler; Magistrate Judge Nina Y. Wang; Magistrate Judge N. Reid Neureiter

Claims:           Infringement

Defendants:

  • Costar Technologies, Inc.
  • Hitachi Kokusai Electric America, Ltd.
  • Crevis Co., Ltd.
  • Videology Imaging Solutions Inc.
  • Magic Leap, Inc.
  • PathPartner Technology Pvt. Ltd.
  • Opto Engineering SRL
  • Ikegami Electronics (USA), Inc.
  • Phase One A/S
  • Vicon Industries, Inc.

Plaintiff:         Cedar Lane Technologies Inc.

Pls. Cnsl:        Rabicoff Law; Gawthrop Greenwood

Patents:          6,972,790 (Host interface for imaging arrays); 8,537,242 (Host interface for imaging arrays); 6,473,527 (Module and method for interfacing analog/digital converting means and JPEG compression means); 6,700,999 (System, method, and apparatus for multiple face tracking)

Counterflo AB v. Amazon.com, Inc. (multiple cases) (E.D. Tex.).            

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

Claims:           Infringement

Defendants:

  • com, Inc.
  • com Services, Inc.
  • Walmart Inc.

Plaintiff:         Counterflo AB

Pls. Cnsl:        Capshaw DeRieux; Stroock Stroock & Lavan

Patents:          8,791,829 (Visualisation arrangement)

Digital Verification Systems, LLC v. Lightico, Inc. (E.D.N.Y).

Claims:           Infringement

Defendant:     Lightico, Inc.

Plaintiff:         Digital Verification Systems, LLC

Pls. Cnsl:        Kizzia Johnson

Patents:          9,054,860 (Digital verified identification system and method)

Digi Portal LLC v. Volcom, LLC (D. Del.).

Claims:           Infringement

Defendants:   Volcom, LLC

Plaintiff:         Digi Portal LLC

Pls. Cnsl:        Direction IP Law; Chong Law Firm

Patents:          5,983,227 (Dynamic page generator); 7,171,414 (Dynamic page generator); 7,565,359 (Dynamic page generator); 8,352,854 (Dynamic page generator); 9,626,342 (Dynamic page generator)

Internet Media Interactive Corp. v. Trusted Media Brands, Inc. (S.D.N.Y, D. Del., N.D. Ill.).

Judge:             District Judge John J. Tharp, Jr.

Claims:           Infringement

Defendants:

  • Trusted Media Brands, Inc.
  • FCA US LLC
  • CNA Financial Corporation

Plaintiff:         Internet Media Interactive Corp.

Pls. Cnsl:        O’Kelly & O’Rourke; Haller Law

Patents:          6,049,835 (System for providing easy access to the World Wide Web utilizing a published list of preselected Internet locations together with their unique multi-digit jump codes)

Linfo IP, LLC v. Bloomingdale’s, Inc. (N.D. Tex., S.D. Tex., W.D. Tex.).  

Judges:           District Judge Brantley Starr; District Judge Alan D. Albright

Claims:           Infringement

Defendants:

  • Bloomingdale’s, Inc.
  • STIHL Incorporated
  • Kate Spade & Company LLC

Plaintiff:         Linfo IP, LLC

Pls. Cnsl:        Ramey & Schwaller

Patent:            9,430,131 (System, methods, and user interface for organizing unstructured data objects)

M4siz Limited v. Best Buy Co., Inc. (multiple cases) (W.D. Tex.).           

Judge:             District Judge Alan D. Albright

Claims:           Infringement

Defendants:

  • Best Buy Co., Inc.
  • Macy’s, Inc.
  • Staples, Inc.
  • Target Corporation
  • Walmart Inc.

Plaintiff:         M4siz Limited

Pls. Cnsl:        Ramey & Schwaller

Patents:          6,526,402 (Searching procedures)

Noblewood IP LLC v. The New York Times Company (E.D. Tex, N.D. Tex., S.D.N.Y.).

Judge:             District Judge Jane J. Boyle

Claims:           Infringement

Defendants:

  • The New York Times Company
  • Virtucom, Inc.
  • Pure Barre, LLC
  • Wolters Kluwer NV

Plaintiff:         Noblewood IP LLC

Pls. Cnsl:        Loaknauth Law; Budo Law

Patent:            7,941,553 (Method and device for streaming a media file over a distributed information system)

Route Guidance Systems LLC v. DoorDash, Inc. (multiple cases) (D.Del.).        

Claims:           Infringement

Defendants:

  • DoorDash, Inc.
  • Waitr Inc.
  • Maplebear Inc. d/b/a Instacart

Plaintiff:         Route Guidance Systems LLC

Pls. Cnsl:        Devlin Law Firm

Patents:          6,917,876 (Route guidance for vehicles)

Swirlate IP LLC v. Lantronix, Inc. (D. Del.)

Claims:           Infringement

Defendant:     Lantronix, Inc.

Plaintiff:         Swirlate IP LLC

Pls. Cnsl:        Direction IP Law; Chong Law Firm

Patents:          7,154,961 (Constellation rearrangement for ARQ transmit diversity schemes); 7,567,622 (Constellation rearrangement for ARQ transmit diversity schemes)

Tiare Technology, Inc. v. El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc. (multiple cases) (E.D. Tex.).     

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

Claims:           Infringement

Defendants:

  • El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc.
  • El Pollo Loco, Inc.
  • Freddy’s Holdings, Inc.
  • Freddy’s, LLC
  • McAlister’s LLC
  • Wingstop Holdings, Inc.
  • Wingstop Inc.

Plaintiff:         Tiare Technology, Inc.

Pls. Cnsl:        Davis Firm

Patents:          10,157,414 (Patron service system and method); 11,195,224 (Patron service system and method); 8,682,729 (Patron service system and method)

Transcend Shipping Systems, LLC v. Sonoco Products Company (W.D. Tex).

Claims:           Infringement

Defendant:     Sonoco Products Company

Plaintiff:         Transcend Shipping Systems, LLC

Pls. Cnsl:        Garteiser Honea

Patents:          10,181,109 (Apparatus and method for providing shipment information); 10,796,268 (Apparatus and method for providing shipment information); 7,253,731 (Apparatus and method for providing shipment information); 7,482,920 (Apparatus and method for providing shipment information); 9,847,029 (Apparatus and method for providing shipment information)

Wave Linx LLC v. Cincinnati Bell, Inc. (S.D. Ohio).

Judge:             District Judge Timothy S. Black

Claims:           Infringement

Defendant:     Cincinnati Bell, Inc.

Plaintiff:         Wave Linx LLC

Pls. Cnsl:        Sand Sebolt & Wernow

Patent:            8,843,549 (Streaming method for transmitting telephone system notifications to internet terminal devices in real time)

Wordlogic Corporation et al v. Big Lots Stores, Inc. (W.D. Tex.).

Judge:             District Judge Alan D. Albright

Claims:           Infringement

Defendants:

  • Big Lots, Inc.
  • Big Lots Stores, Inc.

Plaintiffs:

  • 602531 British Columbia Ltd.
  • WordLogic Corporation

Pls. Cnsl:        Eureka Intellectual Property Law

Patents:          7,681,124 (Data entry for personal computing devices)