Patent Filings Roundup: Blackberry Accused of Abuse, PayPal Isn’t Playing, WSOU Earns Its Frequent Filer Card

https://depositphotos.com/159708306/stock-photo-legal-battleand-lawsuit.htmlThis week in patent filings, Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) filings are back up, with four post grant reviews (PGRs) and 37 inter partes reviews (IPRs), while there were 83 district court complaints; the district court numbers skew high because of the WSOU entities’ proclivity for filing dozens of independent complaints per defendant, as discussed below. This week saw a major suit from PayPal against an online coupon competitor, allegations of abusive demand letter practices by BlackBerry, and even what appears to be a Matrix-themed gag filing in Delaware. Lockdown doesn’t seem to have slowed down suits in the slightest, despite what has been happening in other industries; only time will tell how earnings reports and market dips affect the patent marketplace longterm, though if history is any guide, litigation and patent assertion will likely rise in a recession economy.

The Blacker the Berry: Former phone maker Blackberry, Ltd. has been accused by cloud and endpoint security platform Mobile Iron of abusive demand letter practices, filing a suit of their own for infringement of at least nine patents, and adding claims of noninfringement, surrender, and patent misuse of other threatened BlackBerry patents. It also adds a claim of attempted civil extortion and one for unclean hands for good measure, as well as a violation of California’s unfair competition law.  The suit doesn’t mince words: “The Blackberry Defendants built a technology made obsolete. Due to Blackberry’s shrinking presence in the marketplace, it decided to shake companies down by making countless meritless patent assertions to generate licensing revenue instead of competing in the marketplace. The Blackberry Defendants have largely become dependent on licensing revenue by seeking portfolio licenses that include patents they know are statutorily surrendered and by asserting infringement theories through unlawful notice letters that would not pass muster in any court of law and extracting extortionate license fees as it tries to rebuild its company on the backs of other companies’ technologies.”

Retails me, RetailMeNot: E-commerce giant PayPal, Inc. has sued (relative) upstart RetailMeNot, Inc. over their service of aggregating online coupon codes (among other things). PayPal, Inc. recently bought Honey Science Corp., which runs the competitor coupon code application Honey. The complaint alleges patent infringement of seven of PayPal’s patents on location-based couponing, web site design, and other various features related to the business of both Honey and RetailMeNot. RetailMeNot is now based in Austin (and once, Australia), making the Western District of Texas the home venue under TC Heartland.

Red Pill v. Blue Pill: Blue Drug Pharmaceuticals v. Red Drug Pharmaceuticals—I don’t know what’s behind this, but Kafka could’ve written the caption. The complaint appears to be some kind of joke filing: Larry Litigant has an email address: Litigant@Emailme.com, and works at ABC law firm. Someone is having some Matrix-themed fun with the Delaware Court filing system.

Semiconductor kinda life: Radent Licensing, LLC and Fury Technologies, LLC are the latest IP Edge subsidiaries to target semiconductor patents, in what appears to be the new normal for the entity, with subsidiaries such as Dynavair, Altair Logix, Pantarus, Venadium, and NovelPoint Security, among others. Such suits will only grow in importance as the chipset market continues to flourish, even in these difficult times.

Wassamatta U?: No, it’s not a hailstorm of litigation by Seton Hall’s pirated college rock radio station. It seems increasingly clear that financed litigation vehicle WSOU Investments, LLC dba Brazos Licensing and Development [WSOU Holdings, LLC] does not intend to stop their rain of complaints with ZTE and Huawei, and has moved on to Microsoft. If the pattern of litigation continues, we can expect to see dozens new suits against other major players in the device space by year’s end—and their habit of filing dozens of independent suits against each defendant means that, by the end of the year, district court statistics will be skewed up by their excessive filing model. This week alone, they filed a dozen new suits against Microsoft, adding to the dozens against ZTE and Huawei they have already filed in 2020.

 

                        PTAB (4 PGRs, 37 IPRs)

Case Number Action Owner Petitioner Patent
IPR2020-00878 Filed Apple Inc. 10330897
IPR2020-00884 Filed ONE WORLD TECHNOLOGIES, INC. d/b/a TECHTRONIC INDUSTRIES POWER EQUIPMENT 9596806
PGR2020-00061 Filed Chervon HK Limited One World Technologies, Inc.
D/B/A Techtronic Industries Power Equipment
10524420
IPR2020-00827 Filed Barkan Wireless IP Holdings, LP CommScope Technologies LLC
CommScope Holding Company Inc.
8014284
IPR2020-00892 Filed Wildcat Licensing WI, LLC Atlas Copco Tools and Assembly LLC
General Motors LLC
Faurecia Automotive Seating LLC
Magna International Inc.
RE47232
IPR2020-00831 Filed Barkan Wireless IP Holdings, LP CommScope Technologies LLC
CommScope Holding Company Inc.
8014284
IPR2020-00860 Filed Apple Inc. 10326942
PGR2020-00059 Filed Chervon HK Limited One World Technologies, Inc.
D/B/A Techtronic Industries Power Equipment
10477772
PGR2020-00058 Filed Bayer Cropscience Aktiengesellschaft Syngenta Crop Protection AG 10364243
IPR2020-00877 Filed Corephotonics Ltd. Apple Inc. 10288840
IPR2020-00859 Filed VMware, Inc. RE44818
IPR2020-00869 Filed Treefrog Developments, Inc. Fellowes, Inc. 8531834
IPR2020-00867 Filed Unified Patents, LLC 7305035
IPR2020-00891 Filed Wildcat Licensing WI, LLC Atlas Copco Tools and Assembly LLC
General Motors LLC
Faurencia Automative Seating LLC
Magna International Inc.
RE47220
IPR2020-00888 Filed Chevron HK Limited One World Technologies, Inc.
D/B/A Techtronic Industries Power Equipment
10070588
IPR2020-00889 Filed Kaifi LLC
Intellectual Discovery Co.Ltd
Alza Corporation
AT&T Communications LLC
AT&T Service Inc.
AT&T Mobility LLC
6922728
IPR2020-00887 Filed Chervon HK Limited One World Technologies, Inc.
D/B/A Techtronic Industries Power Equipment
9986686
PGR2020-00060 Filed Chervon HK Limited One World Technologies, Inc.
D/B/A Techtronic Industries Power Equipment
10485176
IPR2020-00858 Filed GE Video Compression, LLC Unified Patents, LLC 9357217
IPR2020-00882 Filed United Services Automobile Association Mitek Systems, Inc. 9818090
IPR2020-00886 Filed Chevron HK Limited One World Technologies Inc.
D/B/A Techtronic Industries Power Equipment
9826686
IPR2020-00885 Filed Chevron HK Limited One World Technologies, Inc.
D/B/A Techtronic Industries Power Equipment
9648805
IPR2020-00883 Filed ONE WORLD TECHNOLOGIES, INC. d/b/a TECHTRONIC INDUSTRIES POWER EQUIPMENT 9060463
IPR2020-00074 Not Instituted – Merits Best Medical International, Inc., Elekta, Inc. 6393096
IPR2020-00070 Not Instituted – Merits Best Medical International, Inc., Elekta, Inc. 6038283
IPR2020-00047 Not Instituted – Procedural Hanwha Q Cells & Advanced Materials Corp.
Hanwha Solutions Corporation
LONGi Solar Technology K.K.
LONGI GREEN ENERGY TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
LONGI SOLAR TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
LONGI (H.K.) TRADING LTD.
LONGI (KUCHING) SDN. BHD.
et al.
9893215
IPR2019-01649 Instituted 4361423 Canada, Inc. d/b/a AnywhereCommerce
4361423 Canada Inc.
Square, Inc. 9016566
IPR2020-00072 Instituted Best Medical International, Inc., Varian Medical Systems, Inc. 6393096
IPR2020-00080 Instituted Hammond Development International, Inc. Google LLC 10264032
IPR2020-00089 Instituted Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. 10X Genomics, Inc. 9896722
IPR2020-00088 Instituted Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. 10X Genomics, Inc. 9896722
IPR2020-00152 Instituted Rex Medical L.P. Intuitive Surgical, Inc. 9439650
IPR2020-00068 Instituted Michigan Motor Technologies LLC Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. 6757149
CBM2020-00001 Instituted Unison Strategic IP
Unisone Strategic IP, Inc.
Life Technologies Corporation 6996538
IPR2020-00087 Instituted Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. 10X Genomics, Inc. 9562837
IPR2020-00044 Instituted Uniloc 2017 LLC Netflix, Inc. 6584229
CBM2020-00005 Instituted Unisone Strategic IP, Inc.
Unison Strategic IP
Life Technologies Corporation 6996538
IPR2020-00086 Instituted Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. 10X Genomics, Inc. 9562837
IPR2019-01650 Instituted 4361423 Canada, Inc. d/b/a AnywhereCommerce
4361423 Canada Inc.
Square, Inc. 9311637
IPR2020-00111 Instituted Cassiopeia IP LLC Unified Patents, LLC 7322046
IPR2020-00071 Instituted Best Medical International, Inc., Varian Medical Systems, Inc. 6393096
IPR2019-01440 Adverse Judgment Carucel Investments, L.P. Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC 8463177
IPR2019-01104 Adverse Judgment Carucel Investments, L.P. Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. 8463177
IPR2018-01604 Final Written Decision Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe Microsoft Corporation 7421524
IPR2018-01702 Final Written Decision Hera Wireless S.A. Intel Corporation 7873389
IPR2019-00131 Final Written Decision Cellspin Soft, Inc. Panasonic Corporation of North America et al.
GoPro, Inc.
Garmin International, Inc.
Garmin USA, Inc.
Panasonic Corporation
et al.
9258698
IPR2019-00121 Final Written Decision Baxter Corporation Englewood Becton, Dickinson and Company 9474693
IPR2018-01701 Final Written Decision Hera Wireless S.A. Intel Corporation 7454234
IPR2019-00120 Final Written Decision Baxter Corporation Englewood Becton, Dickinson and Company 9662273
PGR2019-00015 Final Written Decision Team Worldwide Corporation Intex Recreation Corporation 9989979
IPR2019-00119 Final Written Decision Baxter Corporation Englewood Becton, Dickinson and Company 8554579
IPR2018-01599 Final Written Decision Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe Microsoft Corporation 6076152
PGR2019-00052 Final Written Decision Max-Planck-Gesellschaft Zur Foerderung Der Wissenschaften E.V.
Universitat Zu Koln
Progenics Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 10112974
IPR2019-00127 Final Written Decision Cellspin Soft, Inc. Canon USA, Inc.
GoPro, Inc.
Garmin International, Inc.
Garmin USA, Inc.
9258698
IPR2018-01600 Final Written Decision Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe Microsoft Corporation 6247110
IPR2020-00166 Settlement Luminati Networks Ltd. Bi Science (2009) Ltd. 9241044
IPR2020-00167 Settlement Luminati Networks Ltd. Bi Science (2009) Ltd. 9742866

 

                           District Court (83)

Case Number Action Plaintiff Defendant Patent
2:20-cv-03827 Filed Fury Technologies, LLC [IP Edge] DJI 8965598
9352833
2:20-cv-00127 Filed Estech Systems, Inc. BBVA USA Bancshares, Inc. 8391298
7068684
7123699
1:20-cv-00569 Filed Engle Grange, LLC Ford Global Technologies, LLC
Ford Motor
10442397
8548645
10077021
6:20-cv-00331 Filed WSOU Investments, LLC dba Brazos Licensing and Development [WSOU Holdings, LLC] Microsoft 7366160
6:20-cv-00332 Filed WSOU Investments, LLC dba Brazos Licensing and Development [WSOU Holdings, LLC] Microsoft 9814988
2:20-cv-03886 Filed Altair Instruments, Inc. Does
Telebrands Corp.
6241739
8:20-cv-00822 Filed Amazon.com, Inc.
Amazoncom Services, LLC
2BCOM, LLC 6928166
7127210
6885643
7039445
1:20-cv-00573 Filed Fury Technologies, LLC [IP Edge] 3D Robotics, Inc. 8965598
9352833
1:20-cv-00580 Filed Novo Nordisk Healthcare AG
Novo Nordisk
LABORATOIRE FRANCAIS DU FRACTIONNEMENT ET DES BIOTECHNOLOGIES SA
Hema Biologics, LLC
9102762
1:20-cv-03329 Filed Fury Technologies, LLC [IP Edge] Parrot Inc. 8965598
9352833
6:20-cv-00339 Filed Paypal, Inc. RetailMeNot, Inc. 9654923
8909248
7659905
6917961
7693937
9053514
9082153
2:20-cv-00134 Filed Karya Property Management, LLC ResMan, LLC 7636687
1:20-cv-00588 Filed rondevoo technologies, llc [2S Ventures, LLC] Behold.AI Technologies, Inc. 7088854
7254266
8687879
1:20-cv-00589 Filed rondevoo technologies, llc [2S Ventures, LLC] Enlitic, Inc. 7088854
7254266
8687879
1:20-cv-00367 Filed GCI OUTDOOR Wholesale Merchandisers, LLC 9060611
6:20-cv-00344 Filed WSOU Investments, LLC dba Brazos Licensing and Development [WSOU Holdings, LLC] Microsoft 8226241
5:20-cv-02995 Filed AT&T, Inc. Voip-Pal.com, Inc. 10218606
3:20-cv-01089 Filed Martin Kuster Western Digital Corp 8705243
8693206
1:20-cv-00465 Filed Karetek Holdings, LLC [IP Edge LLC] Golds Gym, Inc. 7373515
1:20-cv-00467 Filed Karetek Holdings, LLC [IP Edge LLC] RetailMeNot, Inc. 7373515
6:20-cv-00348 Filed Pearl IP Licensing, LLC [IP Edge LLC] Cellco Partnership dba Verizon Wireless 6819539
2:20-cv-00136 Filed Lupercal LLC [IPValuation Partners, LLC] The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. 9386094
1:20-cv-03399 Filed Hong Kong uCloudlink Network Technology, Ltd.
uCloudlink (America), Ltd.
SIMO Holdings, Inc. 9736689
2:20-cv-00065 Filed Stormborn Technologies LLC [IP Edge LLC] Carlson Software, Inc. RE44199
2:20-cv-00126 Filed Estech Systems, Inc. BOKF, National Association 8391298
7068684
7123699
1:20-cv-00568 Filed Centre One WideOpenWest, Inc. [WideOpenWest Holdings, LLC] 7068668
8724643
8125982
7486667
10063710
1:20-cv-00570 Filed Cedar Lane Technologies Inc. Castle Global, Inc. 6904168
1:20-cv-00578 Filed Radent Licensing, LLC [IP Edge] Infineon Technologies Americas, Corp. 8018184
8310184
8541966
1:20-cv-00579 Filed Radent Licensing, LLC [IP Edge] ROHM Semiconductor, U.S.A., LLC 8018184
8310184
8541966
8:20-cv-00828 Filed Anthony Longo
1:20-cv-02587 Filed TOY HELICOPTER SOLUTIONS, LLC Rural King Administration, Inc.
RK Holdings, LLP
Rural King Holding Co.
RE47176
3:20-cv-05256 Filed THERAPEUTICSMD, INC. Amneal Pharmaceuticals, LLC.
Amneal Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
8633178
8846648
8846649
8987237
8993548
8993549
9006222
9114145
9114146
9301920
10052386
10206932
6:20-cv-00341 Filed WSOU Investments, LLC dba Brazos Licensing and Development [WSOU Holdings, LLC] Microsoft 7106702
6:20-cv-00342 Filed WSOU Investments, LLC dba Brazos Licensing and Development [WSOU Holdings, LLC] Microsoft 7106727
6:20-cv-00345 Filed WSOU Investments, LLC dba Brazos Licensing and Development [WSOU Holdings, LLC] Microsoft 7706519
1:20-cv-02640 Filed ABC The Partnerships and Unincorporated Associations Identified on Schedule “A”
6:20-cv-00349 Filed S3G Technology Keller Williams Realty, Inc. 8572571
9304758
6:20-cv-00351 Filed Big Will Enterprises Inc. Unaliwear, Inc. 9049558
8737951
8559914
8452273
3:20-cv-01103 Filed Cedar Lane Technologies Inc. Sirius XM Radio 6502194
6526411
7173177
6721489
6452609
7610394
7642443
8165867
1:20-cv-02556 Filed ABC The Partnerships and Unincorporated Associations Identified on Schedule “A”
0:20-cv-01030 Filed PIETRO PASQUALE ANTONIO SGROMO aka Peter Anthony Sgromo Target Brands, Incorporated 7046440
9511298
8654422
1:20-cv-00572 Filed Fury Technologies, LLC [IP Edge] DroneDeploy, Inc. 8965598
9352833
1:20-cv-00575 Filed Stephen Eisenmann Illinois Tool Works Inc.
Ford Motor
6302169
6:20-cv-00335 Filed WSOU Investments, LLC dba Brazos Licensing and Development [WSOU Holdings, LLC] Microsoft 7388868
1:20-cv-00585 Filed Sunset Licensing, LLC [IP Edge] GeoTab, Inc. 8483941
5:20-cv-03003 Filed rondevoo technologies, llc [2S Ventures, LLC] RSIP Vision, Inc. 7088854
7254266
8687879
1:20-cv-00593 Filed rondevoo technologies, llc [2S Ventures, LLC] Mindshare Medical, Inc. 7088854
7254266
8687879
1:20-cv-00601 Filed FG SRC, LLC [Freeman Capital Partners, LLC] Xilinx 7149867
9153311
6:20-cv-00353 Filed Q2 Software, Inc. Lighthouse Consulting Group, LLC 8590940
7950698
RE44274
6:20-cv-00354 Filed Big Will Enterprises Inc. Montblanc Co. 9049558
8737951
8559914
8452273
3:20-cv-05426 Filed BAUSCH HEALTH IRELAND, LTD.
BAUSCH HEALTH AMERICAS, INC.
PERRIGO COMPANY, PLC
Perrigo
8809307
10478502
3:20-cv-00820 Filed rondevoo technologies, llc [2S Ventures, LLC] 12 Sigma Technologies 7088854
7254266
8687879
4:20-cv-01539 Filed Nexus Perforating, LLC C&J Energy Services, Ltd.
Steve Delozier
NexTier Oilfield Solutions, Inc.
10352136
4:20-cv-01558 Filed Varel International Industries, LLC Taurex Drill Bits, LLC 10538970
2:20-cv-00128 Filed Estech Systems, Inc. Wells Fargo Bank, NA
Wells Fargo
8391298
7068684
7123699
6067349
2:20-cv-05212 Filed Tris Pharma Teva Pharmaceutical 9545399
9844544
9844545
6:20-cv-00334 Filed WSOU Investments, LLC dba Brazos Licensing and Development [WSOU Holdings, LLC] Microsoft 8965978
6:20-cv-00337 Filed WSOU Investments, LLC dba Brazos Licensing and Development [WSOU Holdings, LLC] Microsoft 7750286
7:20-cv-03347 Filed rondevoo technologies, llc [2S Ventures, LLC] Carl Zeiss Microscopy, LLC 7088854
7254266
8687879
6:20-cv-00346 Filed WSOU Investments, LLC dba Brazos Licensing and Development [WSOU Holdings, LLC] Microsoft 8274902
1:20-cv-00591 Filed rondevoo technologies, llc [2S Ventures, LLC] Paige.AI. Inc. 7088854
7254266
8687879
1:20-cv-00592 Filed rondevoo technologies, llc [2S Ventures, LLC] DeepRadiology Corp. 7088854
7254266
8687879
1:20-cv-00455 Filed Authenex, Inc. Gemalto [Thales SA] 7519989
1:20-cv-00463 Filed Karetek Holdings, LLC [IP Edge] 360Training.com, Inc. 7373515
6:20-cv-00350 Filed Pearl IP Licensing, LLC [IP Edge] AT&T Communications, LLC
AT&T, Inc.
6819539
2:20-cv-05439 Filed Bayer
BAYER AG
Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
UNICHEM, INC. (AKA UNICHEM LABORATORIES, LTD.)
UNICHEM PHARMACEUTICALS (USA), INC.
7157456
9539218
3:20-cv-02877 Filed Mobile Iron Co. Blackberry, Ltd. 8869307
8359016
7372961
9426120
10038598
8442489
9270682
9282099
8005469
1:20-cv-00574 Filed Fury Technologies, LLC [IP Edge] Yuneec USA, Inc. 8965598
9352833
6:20-cv-00333 Filed WSOU Investments, LLC dba Brazos Licensing and Development [WSOU Holdings, LLC] Microsoft 7676550
6:20-cv-00338 Filed PROVEN NETWORKS, LLC SOLARWINDS CORP. 8165024
1:20-cv-00583 Filed SmileDirectClub, LLC Candid Care Co. 10636522
1:20-cv-00584 Filed Sunset Licensing, LLC [IP Edge] Nextraq, LLC 8483941
6:20-cv-00340 Filed WSOU Investments, LLC dba Brazos Licensing and Development [WSOU Holdings, LLC] Microsoft 8625758
5:20-cv-02964 Filed Aperture Net LLC [IP Edge] Advantech Corp. 6711204
5:20-cv-02968 Filed Sunset Licensing, LLC [IP Edge] Lilee Technology, Inc. 8483941
1:20-cv-00594 Filed RRT Holdings, LLC nuOnosys, Inc. 9805351
1:20-cv-00464 Filed Karetek Holdings, LLC  [IP Edge] EyeBuyDirect, Inc. 7373515
1:20-cv-00466 Filed Karetek Holdings, LLC [IP Edge] New Balance Athletics 7373515
2:20-cv-04059 Filed Platinum Tools, LLC Structured Cable Products, Inc.
Simply45, LLC
DAVID L SPILLER
TODD E COTA
BLAKE K TALLY
et al.
9543729
10116082
10573990
1:20-cv-05004 Filed Jensen Battery & Tire Co. Jackson Infringing Batteries
1:20-cv-05005 Filed Blue Drug Pharmaceuticals Red Drug Pharmaceuticals
1:20-cv-00472 Filed Cedar Lane Technologies Inc. Iheartmedia, Inc. 6502194
6526411
6721489
6452609
8805830
8165867
6:20-cv-00358 Filed Lupercal LLC [IPValuation Partners, LLC] Frost Bank
Frost Bankers, Inc.
9386094

 

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