Patent Filings Roundup: Dozens of Patents DJed Under Alice; Counterfeit Kids’ Bikes Challenged; Board Refuses Non-Fintiv Policy Arguments

District court patent filings were low this week with 49, a substantial percentage of which were filed against small or medium-sized companies by IP Edge or Leigh Rothschild-owned subsidiaries. The Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) was steady with 33, one post grant review (PGR), the rest inter partes reviews (IPRs). The fallout from the Magnetar-backed Irish entity Neodron filing in the International Trade Commission (ITC) continued with the usual trickle of filings against their portfolio; frequent litigant Omnitracs, LLC (through various subsidiaries), a fleet management company, was the target of a handful of challenges, and a handful of parties filed challenges on semiconductor-related disputes.

The Great 101 DJ of 2020: The Alice-related fallout between two well-heeled Wall Street players continues a decade after it began with a new declaratory judgment (DJ) action over the entire remaining portfolio of 50+ patents based on five earlier-challenged patents (of a 65-patent portfolio) being held unpatentable.

The backstory (and complaint) here is long, but boils down to a financial services firm (Double Rock) hired in 2009 to farm out “cash sweep” services, i.e., distribute customer funds between multiple bank accounts so that the balance in each is below the $250,000 FDIC-insured limit. At some point, the firm, Reich & Tang, realized they could acquire Double Rock and do the work themselves in-house. But as a part of the agreement, they took a license to patents held by Island IP. Reich & Tang acquired Double Rock, and as part of that acquisition paid millions in licensing fees to the principals. After Alice in 2015, Reich & Tang analyzed the portfolio and found the patents invalid under Alice, and refused to continue license payments. Double Rock filed suit in the New York Supreme Court (state court) alleging breach of contract and that the license prevented validity challenges. Eventually that dispute (which involved multiple DJ actions and other collateral amicus filings and more), settled on the eve of trial.

Unrelatedly, in a litigation against Deutsche Bank over some of the patents of the portolio, those patents were eventually held unpatentable, starting in 2012 and culminating in an order following some intervening decisions.

This is where it gets even harder to follow. Apparently, an affiliate of Stone Castle Management, Stone Castle Insured Sweep, through a series of actions, obtained a license to the portfolio originally developed by Double Rock (and now owned by Island IP). Later, Stone Castle alleges, Island IP (now owning Double Rock) began in 2018 to threaten it with patent infringement and trade secret violations. According to the DJ complaint, which asserts unpatentability under Alice for the rest of the portfolio, Island IP filed a civil action against StoneCastle alleging infringement of five of the 65 patents of the portfolio.

StoneCastle and affiliates moved to dismiss Island IP’s patent infringement claims under 35 U.S.C. § 101; the court agreed and dismissed Island IP’s complaint.

Undeterred, the discussions over the remaining portfolio apparently continued, prompting this massive DJ action the remaining assets (and two others that recently issued).

Wanna ride bikes?: In what appears to be a counterfeit enforcement action, Hyper Bicycles, Inc. moved to sue Taiwanese national Fa-Shing Lu for making and marketing the child’s 16-inch Moto Hyper Nitro Circus Bike (which a quick Google search reveals is sold by, among others, Wal-Mart), as infringing on two of their design patents covering their own Hyper Bicycle products. Such counterfeit enforcement actions are becoming increasingly common on the docket, suggesting parties are finally turning away from their general aversion to using the district court to enforce relatively small claims.

PTAB considers policy arguments, refuses others: In another Fintiv denial benefitting a foreign company over a U.S. one, Apple had another IPR denied consideration on a Maxell (i.e., Hitachi) digital camera patent. While this has grown routine and the trial date was scheduled for December, it’s notable that the Board panel (again) refused to consider policy arguments not specifically identified in Fintiv as designated by the Director, stating:

Petitioner also presents extensive policy arguments against the Board’s application of Fintiv and NHK […]. We need not address these arguments, as the Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has designated Fintiv and NHK as precedential decisions of the Board.

PTAB (33)

Case Number	Action	Owner	Petitioner	Patent
IPR2020-01517	Filed	Omnitracs LLC [Omnitracs Holdings, LLC]	Platform Science, Inc.	7725216
IPR2020-01639	Filed	iRobot Corporation	SharkNinja Operating LLC SharkNinja Management LLC SharkNinja Sales Company	10296007
IPR2020-01661	Filed	Enventure Global Technology, Inc.	Weatherford U.S., LP	7159665
IPR2020-01669	Filed	Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft Zur Foerderung Der Angewadten Forschung EV	Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.	6548391
IPR2020-01683	Filed	Neodron Ltd. [Magnetar Capital]	Samsung Electronics Samsung Electronics America, Inc. Sony Corporation Sony Mobile Communications (USA), Inc.	8749251
IPR2020-01612	Filed	Omnitracs LLC [Omnitracs Holdings, LLC]	Platform Science, Inc.	6925308
IPR2020-01672	Filed	Management Science Associates, Inc. [Clark Consulting Inc.]	Datavant, Inc.	9614814
IPR2020-01643	Filed	Align Technology, Inc.	3Shape A/S 3Shape, Inc.	10507088
IPR2020-01688	Filed	Ideahub Inc	Vudu, LLC [Comcast]	10270830
IPR2020-01640	Filed	iRobot Corporation	SharkNinja Operating LLC SharkNinja Management LLC SharkNinja Sales Company	7389156
PGR2020-00086	Filed	Exela Pharma Sciences, LLC	Eton Pharmaceuticals, Inc.	10653719
IPR2020-01644	Filed	Align Technology, Inc.	3Shape A/S 3Shape, Inc.	10507089
IPR2020-01642	Filed	Align Technology, Inc.	3Shape A/S 3Shape, Inc.	10507088
IPR2020-01689	Filed	Ideahub Inc	Vudu, LLC [Comcast]	10313414
IPR2020-01668	Filed	Pinn Inc. [Law Office of Ryan E. Hatch, P.C.; Whitaker Chalk Swindle & Schwartz PLLC; and Connor Kudlac Lee PLLC, Randolph Square IP]	Apple Inc.	9807491
IPR2020-01518	Filed	Omnitracs LLC [Omnitracs Holdings, LLC]	Platform Science, Inc.	7725216
IPR2020-01677	Filed	Maxpower Semiconductor Inc.,	Rohm Semiconductor USA, LLC	8659076
IPR2020-01660	Filed	R421a LLC	Dynatemp International, Inc.	9982179
IPR2020-01667	Filed	Mexichem Amanco Holding Sa De Cv [Orbita Advance Corporation]	The Chemours Company FC, LLC	8633340
IPR2020-01682	Filed	Neodron Ltd. [Magnetar Capital]	Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. Samsung Electronics America, Inc. Sony Corporation Sony Mobile Communications (USA), Inc.	8749251
IPR2020-01613	Filed	Omnitracs LLC [Omnitracs Holdings, LLC]	Platform Science, Inc.	6925308
IPR2020-01674	Filed	Maxpower Semiconductor Inc.	Rohm Semiconductor USA, LLC	7843004
IPR2020-01662	Filed	JBF Interlude 2009 Ltd. [JBF Interlude 2009 Ltd. – Israel]	Quibi Holdings, LLC	9271015
IPR2020-01629	Filed	NXP USA, Inc	Impinj, Inc.	7374097
IPR2020-01645	Filed	Align Technology, Inc.	3Shape A/S 3Shape, Inc.	10507089
IPR2020-01670	Filed	Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft Zur Foerderung Der Angewadten Forschung EV	Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.	6548391
IPR2020-01676	Filed	Maxpower Semiconductor Inc.	Rohm Semiconductor USA, LLC	8466025
IPR2020-01675	Filed	Maxpower Semiconductor Inc.	Rohm Semiconductor USA, LLC	8067719
IPR2020-01666	Filed	Enventure Global Technology, Inc. [Halliburton]	Weatherford U.S., LP	7918284
IPR2020-01647	Filed	Avago Technologies International Sales Pte. Limited [Broadcom, Inc.]	Netflix, Inc.	8259121
IPR2020-01664	Filed	Core Optical Technologies LLC	Juniper Networks, Inc. Nokia Corp. Nokia of America Corporation	6782211
IPR2020-01663	Filed	JBF Interlude 2009 Ltd.	Quibi Holdings, LLC	9271015
IPR2020-01622	Filed	Align Technology, Inc.	3Shape A/S 3Shape, Inc.	9675430
IPR2020-00898	Not Instituted – Merits	United Technologies Corporation	General Electric Company	8641366
IPR2020-00740	Not Instituted – Merits	Kannuu Pty Ltd.	Samsung Samsung Electronics America, Inc Samsung Electronics America, Inc.	8676852
IPR2020-00736	Not Instituted – Merits	Kannuu Pty Ltd.	Samsung Samsung Electronics America, Inc Samsung Electronics America, Inc.	9697264
IPR2020-00739	Not Instituted – Merits	Kannuu Pty Ltd.	Samsung Samsung Electronics America, Inc Samsung Electronics America, Inc.	8996579
IPR2020-00597	Not Instituted – Procedural	Maxell, Ltd. [Maxell Holdings, Ltd.]	Apple Inc.	8339493
IPR2020-00737	Instituted	Kannuu Pty Ltd.	Samsung Samsung Electronics America, Inc Samsung Electronics America, Inc.	9436354
CBM2020-00011	Instituted	Trioptima AB	Quantile Technologies Limited	7613649
IPR2020-00768	Instituted	WorldSource Enterprises LLC Eco Agro Resources, LLC Eco World Group, LLC, d/b/a Presidon Ag World Source Enterprises, LLC Eco World Group, LLC d/b/a Presidion AG et al.	Solvay USA Inc.	10301231
IPR2020-00738	Instituted	Kannuu Pty Ltd.	Samsung Samsung Electronics America, Inc Samsung Electronics America, Inc.	8370393
IPR2020-00680	Instituted	Medtronic, Inc.	Axonics Modulation Technologies, Inc.	8457758
IPR2020-00007	Instituted	Novoluto GmbH	EIS Gmbh	9849061
IPR2020-00686	Instituted	Parus Holdings Inc.	Apple Inc.	7076431
IPR2020-00712	Instituted	Medtronic, Inc.	Axonics Modulation Technologies, Inc.	8738148
IPR2020-00681	Instituted	Targeted Radio LLC [Acacia Research]	Unified Patents, LLC	8948684
IPR2020-00687	Instituted	Parus Holdings Inc.	Apple Inc.	9451084
IPR2020-00713	Instituted	Medtronic, Inc.	Axonics Modulation Technologies, Inc.	9821112
IPR2019-00820	Final Written Decision	MPH Technologies Oy	Apple Inc.	7937581
IPR2019-00606	Final Written Decision	KOM Software Inc.	NetApp, Inc. Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company	8234477
IPR2019-00819	Final Written Decision	MPH Technologies Oy	Apple Inc.	7620810
IPR2019-00895	Final Written Decision	Wright Medical Technology, Inc. [Wright Medical Group NV]	Paragon 28, Inc.	9259252
IPR2019-00897	Final Written Decision	Spin Master Ltd.	Choirock Contents Factory Co., Ltd	8500508
IPR2019-00879	Final Written Decision	Ioengine, LLC	Ingenico Inc.	9059969
IPR2019-00846	Final Written Decision	Autel Robotics USA LLC	SZ DJI Technology Co., Ltd.	9260184
IPR2019-00900	Final Written Decision	Spin Master Ltd.	Choirock Contents Factory Co., Ltd	9868073
IPR2019-00608	Final Written Decision	KOM Software Inc.	NetApp, Inc. Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company	9361243
IPR2019-00607	Final Written Decision	KOM Software Inc.	NetApp, Inc. Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company	9361243
IPR2019-00865	Final Written Decision	Pharmacyclics LLC [Abbvie Corporation]	Sandoz, Inc.	9795604
IPR2019-00901	Final Written Decision	Spin Master Ltd.	Choirock Contents Factory Co., Ltd	9975058
IPR2016-00850	Final Written Decision	Synchronoss Technologies, Inc.	Dropbox, Inc.	6671757
IPR2019-00894	Final Written Decision	Wright Medical Technology, Inc.	Paragon 28, Inc.	9144443
IPR2016-00851	Final Written Decision	Synchronoss Technologies, Inc.	Dropbox, Inc.	6671757
IPR2019-00929	Final Written Decision	Ioengine, LLC	Ingenico Inc.	9774703

District Court (49)

Case Number	Action	Plaintiff	Defendant	Patent
2:20-cv-00311	Filed	Estech Systems, Inc.	Oliver Street Dermatology Management, LLC d/b/a U.S. Dermatology Partners Oliver Street Dermatology ASC, LLC Oliver Street 5.01(a), Inc. d/b/a U.S. Dermatology Partners	8391298 7068684 7123699 6067349
3:20-cv-06607	Filed	Largan Precision Co., Ltd.	Ability Opto-Electronics Technology Co., Ltd. Newmax Technology Co., Ltd. Hewlett-Packard	8395691 7274518 8988796 9146378
6:20-cv-00860	Filed	Trust & Verify Data Protection LLC	Best Buy Co., Inc.	7162735
1:20-cv-02871	Filed	Geographic Location Innovations, LLC [Leigh Rothschild]	Anatomie Corporation	7917285
1:20-cv-07868	Filed	Stonecastle Cash Management LLC [Stonecastle Partners, LLC]	Island Intellectual Property, LLC [Double Rock Corp., Reserve Management Co.]	7509286 7519551 7536350 7668771 7668772 7933821 7672886 7680734 7716131 7769688 7809640 8311916 8386383 8612324 8311939 8370236 8521569 8719062 7672902 8019667 8260697 8352342 8566200 8566201 8583545 7996308 8452702 8458089 8589289 7752107 7752129 8032456 8260705 8380621 8688577 7672901 7680716 8019668 8239321 8386382 8571960 8606676 8290859 8290860 8290861 8355985 8401962 8560442 8571984 8498933 RE43246
1:20-cv-03941	Filed	Merrill Manufacturing Co.	Simmons Manufacturing Co.	D881817
1:20-cv-00878	Filed	Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co. H Lundbeck A/S	Accord Healthcare Intas Biopharmaceuticals	7453267 9270552 9329659 9689899
6:20-cv-00875	Filed	ONSCREEN DYNAMICS, LLC	Getac Technology Corp.	9395917 9645663
6:20-cv-00862	Filed	Trust & Verify Data Protection LLC	McAfee, LLC	7162735
1:20-cv-02878	Filed	Rothschild Broadcast Distribution Systems, LLC [Leigh Rothschild]	Zoom Video Communications, Inc.	8856221
3:20-cv-06621	Filed	Display Technologies, LLC [Leigh Rothschild]	Zenreach, Inc.	9300723
2:20-cv-00665	Filed	Grip6	MPforLife	10004301
1:20-cv-01284	Filed	Swirlate IP LLC [IP Edge, LLC]	Coolpad Technologies, Inc.	7154961 7567622
7:20-cv-07899	Filed	CARDINAL MOTORS, Inc.,	H&H Sports Protection USA, Inc.	D661027
6:20-cv-00867	Filed	Wireless Communications Mobile LLC	True Protection, LLC	9125079
6:20-cv-00874	Filed	ONSCREEN DYNAMICS, LLC	EMBROSS North America, Ltd.	9395917 9645663
6:20-cv-00876	Filed	Monolithic Power Systems, Inc. CHENGDU MONOLITHIC POWER SYSTEMS CO., LTD.	PROMATE ELECTRONIC CO., LTD. MERAKI INTEGRATED CIRCUIT (SHENZHEN) TECHNOLOGY, LTD.	8067973 8400790 10432104
1:20-cv-01263	Filed	Q3 Networking, LLC [IP Edge]	Commscope, Inc. ARRIS US Holdings, Inc. CommScope Holding Company, Inc. Ruckus Wireless, Inc.	7895305 8797853 7457627 7609677
1:20-cv-07803	Filed	Display Technologies, LLC [Leigh Rothschild]	Cloud4Wi, Inc.	9300723
1:20-cv-11739	Filed	Fa-Hsing Lu	Hyper Bicycles, Inc.	D529842 D556642
3:20-cv-02930	Filed	Geographic Location Innovations, LLC [Leigh Rothschild]	BMC Stock Holdings, Inc.	7917285
3:20-cv-06687	Filed	Be TopNotch Wyoming, LLC	Joy Life, Inc.	9373104
1:20-cv-05729	Filed	Dr. Fraser Stoddart Northwestern University	PanaceaNano, Inc. Youssry Botros	9808788 9834803 9816049 10583147 10736967
3:20-cv-00232	Filed	Alaska Railroad Corp.	Flying Crown Subdivision Addition No. 1 and Addition No. 2 Property Owners Association
5:20-cv-02129	Filed	Location Based Services, LLC [Leigh Rothschild]	Alimentation Couche-Tard (US), Inc.	9702713
6:20-cv-00861	Filed	Trust & Verify Data Protection LLC	Electronic Arts	7162735
1:20-cv-07817	Filed	Display Technologies, LLC [Leigh Rothschild]	Mobstac, Inc.	9300723
1:20-cv-02873	Filed	Rothschild Patent Imaging, LLC [Leigh Rothschild]	Brandfolder, Inc.	9936086
6:20-cv-00863	Filed	Geographic Location Innovations, LLC [Leigh Rothschild]	Williams-Sonoma, Inc., d/b/a Pottery Barn	7917285
3:20-cv-06684	Filed	TeleNav, Inc.	Omnitek Partners, LLC	8645057 8224569
5:20-cv-06686	Filed	ROHM Semiconductor, U.S.A., LLC	MaxPower Semiconductor, Inc.	7843004 8076719 8466025 8659076
1:20-cv-23901	Filed	Panther Innovations, LLC	TERAMIND, INC.	7502797
2:20-cv-00312	Filed	SEVEN Networks, LLC [Fortress IP, Softbank]	Apple
1:20-cv-01283	Filed	Swirlate IP LLC [IP Edge]	Keep Truckin, Inc.	7154961 7567622
3:20-cv-00755	Filed	Schneider Pvt Ltd.	Anord Mardix (USA), Inc. Anord Mardix (Ireland), Ltd.	RE48059 7888362
6:20-cv-00865	Filed	Wireless Communications Mobile LLC	Fort Knox Security Services	9125079
6:20-cv-00873	Filed	Monolithic Power Systems, Inc. CHENGDU MONOLITHIC POWER SYSTEMS CO., LTD.
1:20-cv-01264	Filed	Q3 Networking, LLC [IP Edge]	Netgear, Inc.	7457627 7609677 7895305 8797853
1:20-cv-01265	Filed	Q3 Networking, LLC [IP Edge]	Aruba Networks Hewlett-Parkard Co.	7609677 7895305 8797853 7457627
1:20-cv-07816	Filed	Display Technologies, LLC [Rothschild]	Leantegra, Inc.	9300723
3:20-cv-13103	Filed	Janssen Research & Development, LLC Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Janssen Pharmaceutica, N.V., [Johnson & Johnson]	Mylan Laboratories, Ltd. Mylan	10143693
4:20-cv-03297	Filed	STYLWAN IP HOLDING, LLC Stylwan, Inc.	Stress Engineering Services, Inc.	7231320 7403871 8050874 8086425 8428910 8831894
2:20-cv-00313	Filed	Eighth Street Solutions, LLC [Endpoint IP]	McAfee, LLC	7664924 9600661 10503418
4:20-cv-00722	Filed	Wistaria Trading, Ltd. Blue Spike, LLC Blue Spike International Ltd	Cable One, Inc.	8224705 8473746 RE44222 RE44307 9021602 9104842 7475246 8739295
1:20-cv-01282	Filed	Altair Logix LLC [IP Edge]	Ascom (US), Inc.	6289434
6:20-cv-00864	Filed	Wireless Communications Mobile LLC	DFW Security, LLC	9125079
6:20-cv-00866	Filed	Wireless Communications Mobile LLC	Protect America, Inc.	9125079
6:20-cv-00870	Filed	Parkervision, Inc.	Hisense Visual Technology Co., Ltd. F/K/A QINGDAO HISENSE ELECTRONICS CO., LTD. Hisense Co. Ltd.	7292835 6049706 6580902 7110444 8588725 8660513 9246736 9444673 6266518 9118528
6:20-cv-00872	Filed	Worlds, Inc.	Microsoft Corp.	8082501

*This article was updated on October 1 to clarify the details of the Double Rock declaratory judgment dispute.

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Jonathan Stroud Jonathan Stroud is General Counsel at Unified Patents, LLC, where he manages a growing team of talented, diverse attorneys and oversees a docket of administrative challenges, appeals, licensing, pooling, and [...see more]

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