Patent Filings Roundup: Microsoft Battles Daedalus Blue; Intel Gears Up for First-to-File Fight; Electric Blanket Boogaloo

https://depositphotos.com/46023047/stock-photo-lawsuit-word-smashing-glass.htmlAfter almost 200 district court patent filings last week, things settled back into their recent rhythm, with an average 66 district court complaints (including some “Schedule A” brand anti-counterfeiting complaints) and 28 Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) petitions filed (all inter partes reviews [IPRs]) this week. There were no IP Edge or Rothschild complaints this week, after last week’s busy filings. There were no Fintiv denials again this week; the PTAB petitions included three IPRs filed by Microsoft against Daedalus Blue LLC against patents originally assigned to IBM (more below), as well as various patents related to ongoing challenges (like the rolling Lasik J&J/Alcon fight), more fracking IPRs, more Peloton-related challenges (those bikes make big bucks!), and a curious rechargeable-battery suit between a Taiwanese U.S. patent holder and a U.S. rechargeable battery company based in Michigan, A123 Systems, LLC (a name that conjures this classic clip). Those batteries are supplied to NEC and other device manufacturers, so what looks at first blush like a small suit probably is set to have broader implications. Nokia had a Google challenge denied, and two Ideahub [Synkloud] challenges by Microsoft were denied as well, on the merits; and more Uniloc/Fortress IP claims were cancelled on final written decision.

Microsoft Feeling Blue: Just before its major shift in focus from licensing to cloud computing, IBM offloaded a bunch of litigation-grade assets to Ed Gomez and various entities he controls, including Daedalus Blue LLC and Daedalus Group LLC. I love the symbolism—Daedalus was the father of Icarus and the master engineer of Greek myth, who built the labyrinth and the wax wings that helped Icarus fly too close to the sun (I’m a sucker for a good literary reference.) Reports suggest the entities control over 500 U.S. assets, and have been asserting them against major companies, including Oracle, Microstrategy, and Microsoft; this week, Microsoft fought back, challenging three of the eight patents (one would assume they’ll likely file against others in the coming weeks). The challenges are interesting amid the repositioning of IBM in the market, but the proxy war continues; it will be interesting to follow the litigation and challenges as they develop. For those playing at home, that’s IPR2021-00832 (U.S. 8,381,209), IPR2021-00831 (U.S. 8,671,132), and IPR2021-00830 (U.S. 8,572,612).

The First-to-File Two-Step: The recently beleaguered-Intel has been battered by non-practicing entities (NPEs) asserting semiconductor patents, both before the Fortress IP/VLSI trials, and now again, in their wake. In at least one of those assertions, it has chosen to go on the offense a bit, and this week served a declaratory judgment action (DJ) on NPE Longhorn IP in the Northern District of California over five semiconductor patents the NPE was seeking to license through its subsidiary Trenchant Blade Technologies, LLC, which immediately triggered a complaint filed by the Trenchant entities in the Western District of Texas. The Northern District of California complaint outlines Longhorn’s licensing practices in detail, which, for any interested, is worth the read. The five patents in suit are (perhaps unsurprisingly) former TSMC patents. In the complaint, Intel highlights that Longhorn had previously used the Lone Star subsidiary (also controlled by Longhorn President and CEO Khaled Fekih-Romdhane) to assert against others. Intel’s first-filed complaint should control under the widely accepted first-filed rule, see, e.g., In re: VOIP-PAL.com, Inc., No. 2021-12 (Feb. 19, 2021) (Moore, J.) (non-precedential) (declining to find mandamus-worthy error in District Court’s use of the first-to-file rule, where the complaint was similarly filed first in the Northern District of California, then later in the Western District of Texas; noting application of the rule is ultimately an issue of judicial discretion); but see Communications Test Design, Inc. v. Contec, LLC, No. 19-1672 (Fed. Cir. Mar. 13, 2020) (finding no abuse of discretion in accepting the later-filed suit and dismissing the first-filed DJ). But like the customer-suit exception, the Federal Circuit and district courts have been waffling on uniform application of longstanding comity rules. See In re Sprouts Farmers Market, Inc., No. 2020-116 (Fed. Cir. 2020) (Newman, J.) (non-precedential) (declining to find mandamus-worthy error in the district court’s decision not to apply the customer suit exception).

Electric Blanket Boogaloo: A competitor-competitor fight in the hotly-contested electric blanket market is heating up, with defendant London Luxury LLC headed to the PTAB to challenge U.S. Patent 10,920,376. London Luxury sells in the US under the “Brookstone” label, which to be fair was the first and only retailer that came to mind when I saw electric blanket. It’s not the first suit by E&E Company—they themselves have been the subject of a couple of patent suits from Sheex and AAVN, apparent competitors in the space. The E&E brand sells in Bed Bath & Beyond, Overstock.com, and various other retailers; E&E, for its part, is a California company that has been making electric blankets since 1998.

                              PTAB (28)

Case Number Action Owner Petitioner Patent
IPR2021-00903 Filed Aegis 11 S.A. [Fineur Int’l, Sisvel Int’l S.A.] Hisense Company, Ltd
Hisense USA Corporation
9848443
IPR2021-00832 Filed Daedalus Blue LLC [Ed Gomez, Daedalus Group LLC, poss. IBM] Microsoft Corporation 8381209
IPR2021-00834 Filed Ahern Rentals, Inc. EquipmentShare.com, Inc. 9193330
IPR2021-00897 Filed Nabors Drilling Techs., Inc. Helmerich & Payne Int’l Drilling Co.; Helmerich & Payne Techs, LLC; Motive Drilling Techs, LLC 8360171
IPR2021-00852 Filed Sovereign Peak Ventures, LLC [Dominion Harbor] Unified Patents, LLC 6877038
IPR2021-00898 Filed Alcon Inc. Johnson & Johnson Surgical Vision, Inc. 9622913
IPR2021-00875 Filed Guada Technologies LLC [IP Edge] Elastic N.V. 7231379
IPR2021-00871 Filed Teladoc Health Inc
Jonata Sub Two Inc
American Well Corporation 10059000
IPR2021-00882 Filed Wrinkl Inc Facebook, Inc. 9860198
IPR2021-00883 Filed Wrinkl Inc Facebook, Inc. 10728192
IPR2021-00831 Filed Daedalus Blue LLC [Ed Gomez, Daedalus Group LLC, poss. IBM] Microsoft Corporation 8671132
IPR2021-00900 Filed Kinectus LLC Bumble Trading Inc. 10575145
IPR2021-00904 Filed E & E Co., Ltd. London Luxury LLC 10820376
IPR2021-00902 Filed Ravgen, Inc. Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings 7332277
IPR2021-00899 Filed Alcon Inc. Johnson & Johnson Surgical Vision, Inc. 9849036
IPR2021-00880 Filed Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Mylan Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 9669069
IPR2021-00848 Filed Peloton Interactive, Inc. Echelon Fitness Multimedia, LLC 10639521
IPR2021-00909 Filed Sable Networks, Inc. [Sable IP, LLC] Cloudfare, Inc.
Sonicwall Inc.
8243593
IPR2021-00822 Filed Litl LLC [TRI Ventures, LLC] Lenovo United States Inc. 8624844
IPR2021-00855 Filed Teradata US Inc. [Teradata Corp.] SAP SE 6763357
IPR2021-00786 Filed Litl LLC [TRI Ventures, LLC] Lenovo United States Inc. 9880715
IPR2021-00830 Filed Daedalus Blue LLC [Ed Gomez, Daedalus Group LLC, poss. IBM] Microsoft Corporation 8572612
IPR2021-00894 Filed Long Hua Technology Co. A123 Systems, LLC 7803484
IPR2021-00881 Filed Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Mylan Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 9254338
IPR2021-00905 Filed Ultravision Technologies, LLC [Ultravision International] Acuity Brands Lighting, Inc. 9947248
IPR2021-00901 Filed Kinectus LLC Bumble Trading Inc. 9584464
IPR2021-00863 Filed Teradata US Inc SAP SE 9720623
IPR2021-00800 Filed Litl LLC [TRI Ventures, LLC] Lenovo United States Inc. 10289154
IPR2021-00020 Not Instituted – Merits Advance Cluster Systems, Inc. NVIDIA Corporation 10333768
IPR2021-00002 Not Instituted – Merits NXP USA, Inc Impinj, Inc. 7795951
IPR2021-00175 Not Instituted – Merits Synkloud Technologies, LLC [Ideahub] Microsoft Corporation
HP, Inc.
7870225
IPR2021-00019 Not Instituted – Merits Advance Cluster Systems, Inc. NVIDIA Corporation 10333768
IPR2021-00174 Not Instituted – Merits Synkloud Technologies, LLC [Ideahub] Microsoft Corporation
HP, Inc.
7870225
IPR2021-00163 Not Instituted – Merits Nokia Technologies OY Google LLC 8583706
IPR2020-01713 Instituted Masimo Corporation Apple, Inc 10624564
IPR2021-00082 Instituted Nexus Perforating LLC Nextier Oilfield Solutions Inc. 10352136
IPR2020-01739 Instituted Voice Tech Corporation Mycroft AI Inc. 9794348
IPR2020-01022 Instituted Arbor Global Strategies, LLC [Arbor Co. LLLP] Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd
Pantech Co., Ltd.
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
6781226
IPR2020-01608 Instituted Advanced Cluster Systems, Inc. NVIDIA Corporation 8082289
IPR2020-01638 Instituted Ultravision Technologies, LLC [Ultravision Int’l] Acuity Brands Lighting, Inc.
ACUITY BRANDS INC.
10223946
IPR2020-01716 Instituted Masimo Corporation Apple, Inc 10702194
IPR2021-00075 Instituted Advance Cluster Systems, Inc. NVIDIA Corporation 8140612
IPR2020-01733 Instituted Masimo Corporation Apple, Inc 10702195
IPR2020-01698 Instituted Guntert & Zimmerman Const. Div., Inc. Godbersen-Smith Construction Company d/b/a Gomaco Corporation 10029749
IPR2021-00088 Instituted Cytonome/ST, LLC ABS Global, Inc.
Genus PLC
10583439
IPR2021-00393 Instituted Arbor Global Strategies, LLC Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd. 6781226
IPR2021-00001 Instituted Nxp B.V Impinj, Inc. 6819092
IPR2021-00050 Instituted Guntert & Zimmerman Const. Div., Inc. Godbersen-Smith Construction Company d/b/a Gomaco Corporation 9708020
IPR2020-01646 Instituted Sentius International, LLC [Sentius Corp.] Apple, Inc 7672985
IPR2020-00460 Adverse Judgment Hammond Development International, Inc. Amazon, Inc.
Amazon.com, Inc
9264483
IPR2019-01653 Final Written Decision 4361423 Canada, Inc. d/b/a AnywhereCommerce
4361423 Canada Inc.
Square, Inc. 9818107
IPR2020-00116 Final Written Decision Sucxess LLC [SmartPat] Dataspeed Inc. 9871671
IPR2020-00102 Final Written Decision Uniloc 2017 LLC [Fortress IP] Microsoft Corporation 6498541
IPR2019-01654 Final Written Decision 4361423 Canada, Inc. d/b/a AnywhereCommerce
4361423 Canada Inc.
Square, Inc. 9818107

                       District Court (66)

Case Number Action Plaintiff Defendant Patent
1:21-cv-02362 Filed Fitness Anywhere, Inc. The Partnerships and Unincorporated Associations Identified on Schedule “A” D669945
1:21-cv-21678 Filed VPR Brands HQDTech USA, LLC 8205622
6:21-cv-00457 Filed Via Transportation, Inc. RideCo Inc. 9562785
5:21-cv-00794 Filed Fortress Iron L.P., d/b/a Fortress Building Products Barrette Outdoor Living, Inc., d/b/a RDI 10197249
9109775
6:21-cv-00462 Filed Interactive Graphic Solutions LLC [Strategic Intellectual Solutions, LLC, David White] Microsoft 9424621
9852490
9117285
8466922
8081192
7916147
9113146
8203568
1:21-cv-01861 Filed JBS Hair, Inc. SLI Production IW Corp. 10980301
10945478
4:21-cv-00090 Filed 14F Licensing N.V. Happy Feet International LLC 8978336
10267046
6:21-cv-00470 Filed Modern Font Applications, LLC Red Lobster Hospitality LLC 9886421
2:21-cv-00157 Filed Belaj Innovations LLC [Endpoint IP] Stella & Dot LLC 9101555
8084066
10434056
9622965
2:21-cv-03909 Filed Cathay Bank Gryphon Mobile Electronics, LLC
3:21-cv-10629 Filed ORGANON USA INC
Merck Sharp & Dohme Co., Inc.
Merck Sharp & Dohme B.V.
Microspherix LLC 10994058
6:21-cv-00460 Filed Identity Security LLC [f/k/a Integrated Information Solutions Corp.] Apple 7493497
8489895
9507948
8020008
1:21-cv-00556 Filed Comfort Wheels Inc. Shenzhen Miruisi Technology Co., Ltd D892010
2:21-cv-03797 Filed VPR Brands PHD Marketing Inc. 8205622
1:21-cv-10669 Filed Eagle View Technologies, Inc.
Pictometry International Corporation
GAF Materials LLC 8542880
8078436
8670961
8209152
9514568
10685149
8170840
10528960
9129376
1:21-cv-00645 Filed Novartis Handa Neuroscience, LLC
Handa Pharma, Inc.
Handa Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Handa Pharmaceuticals, LLC
9187405
10543179
3:21-cv-00102 Filed Joel Jorgenson Daniel Ewert
Anderson Industries, LLC
Kory Anderson
IronMaster Innovations, LLC
6:21-cv-00467 Filed Proven Networks, LLC [RAK Investments III, LLC, Russ, August, & Kabat; Provenance Asset Group] Barracuda Networks, Inc. 7877786
8165024
1:21-cv-02452 Filed Oakley, Inc. The Partnerships and Unincorporated Associations Identified on Schedule “A” D659180
1:21-cv-00656 Filed MOBILE PIXELS, INC. STAND STEADY COMPANY, LLC 10871801
6:21-cv-00477 Filed Foothills IP LLC Tanium Inc. 5815456
6057862
2:21-cv-00158 Filed 21st Century Garage LLC [Poss. Hangar Solutions, IPInvestments Group, Intellectual Ventures] Navistar International Corp.
Navistar International Corporation
6240365
6208948
5978737
2:21-cv-00813 Filed Blackhawk Network Incorporated SL Card Company Incorporated
Linq3 Technologies LLC
E2interactive Incorporated
1:21-cv-03929 Filed Schoeneckers, Inc. d/b/a BI Worldwide Biz-Effective Ltd., d/b/a Centrical 8768764
9779421
6:21-cv-00456 Filed VideoLabs, Inc. [PanOptis, Soryn IP, poss. Brevet Capital] Dell Technologies Inc.
Dell Technologies
7769238
8139878
6:21-cv-00459 Filed 3D Scan Guide LLC INSTITUT STRAUMANN AG
Straumann Usa, LLC
RE47368
3:21-cv-03321 Filed Vision Works IP Corp. Peloton Technology, Inc.
1:21-cv-02395 Filed Internet Media Interactive Corp. A. T. Kearney, Inc. 6049835
2:21-cv-10629 Filed ORGANON USA INC
Merck Sharp & Dohme Co., Inc.
Merck Sharp & Dohme B.V.
Microspherix LLC 10994058
6:21-cv-00463 Filed Mirror Imaging LLC Bank of America 10402447
9928275
10262009
10013435
1:21-cv-01859 Filed JBS Hair, Inc. Beauty Elements, Corp. 10786026
10945478
10980301
1:21-cv-00937 Filed Brightplanet Corporation II, Inc. International Business Machines, Corp. 6741979
3:21-cv-03397 Filed Novartis Handa Neuroscience, LLC
Handa Pharma, Inc.
Handa Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Handa Pharmaceuticals, LLC
9187405
10543179
3:21-cv-03398 Filed Intel Corp. Longhorn IP LLC [Fekih-Romdhane], Trenchant Blade Technologies, LLC 6720619
7498642
7056821
7511332
7494846
1:21-cv-00652 Filed Icon Health and Fitness, Inc. Tonal Systems, Inc. 10967214
10953268
6:21-cv-00471 Filed Foothills IP LLC Rubrik, Inc. 5815456
6057862
1:21-cv-00664 Filed Astellas Pharma SANDOZ 10842780
1:21-cv-02445 Filed VPR Brands MVH I, INC.
Myle Vape Inc.
8205622
6:21-cv-00458 Filed 3D Scan Guide LLC Implant Concierge, LLC RE47368
5:21-cv-00793 Filed Fortress Iron L.P., d/b/a Fortress Building Products Capital Lumber Company, Inc., d/b/a Cinch 10590656
10995496
6:21-cv-00465 Filed Mirror Imaging LLC Wells Fargo 10402447
9928275
10262009
10013435
2:21-cv-00283 Filed Pictometry International
Eagle View Technologies
Nearmap US 8542880
9135737
8670961
8209152
9514568
8593518
10685149
10528960
1:21-cv-00648 Filed Cedar Lane Technologies Inc. [likely Intellectual Ventures] Infinova Corporation 8537242
6972790
6924832
8165867
1:21-cv-01858 Filed JBS Hair, Inc. Hair Zone, Inc. 10786026
10945478
10980301
6:21-cv-00468 Filed HELEN OF TROY LIMITED IKEA North America Services, LLC
IKEA US Retail LLC
8726799
D675488
1:21-cv-00654 Filed PPC Broadband, Inc. Times Fiber Communications, Inc.
Amphenol Corp.
10038284
10965063
10446983
9225083
1:21-cv-04090 Filed AML IP, LLC [Dynamic Deals, d/b/a DynaIP] Tencent America, LLC 7177838
1:21-cv-04092 Filed 2109971 Ontario Inc. Refat Ijbara
Nedal Ijbara
Hollywood Furniture Ltd.
Velvet Import Corp.
Samira Furniture Ltd
et al.
D909088
3:21-cv-00704 Filed East Texas Boot Company, LLC Adidas 8695235
8191285
10426219
1:21-cv-00661 Filed Throwdown Industries Holdings, LLC FITBENCH, LLC
FITBENCH HOLDINGS LTD LLC
10092791
10960256
D831762
6:21-cv-00479 Filed 3D Scan Guide LLC Carestream Dental, LLC RE47368
6:21-cv-00480 Filed MCOM IP, LLC FIRST TECH FEDERAL CREDIT UNION 8862508
1:21-cv-02369 Filed Oakley, Inc. The Partnerships and Unincorporated Associations Identified on Schedule “A” D659180
6:21-cv-00464 Filed Mirror Imaging LLC JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. 10402447
9928275
10262009
10013435
6:21-cv-00466 Filed Riggs Technology Holdings, LLC [Ortiz & Lopez LLP] John Wiley and Sons, Inc. 7299067
1:21-cv-01857 Filed JBS Hair, Inc. SUN TAIYANG CO., LTD. 10786026
10945478
10980301
1:21-cv-01860 Filed JBS Hair, Inc. Beauty Essence, Inc. 10786026
10945478
10980301
4:21-cv-00324 Filed Chemoil Corporation Profuel, LLC 10752491
10604403
4:21-cv-00356 Filed Gravel Rating Systems LLC Under Armour 7590636
1:21-cv-00653 Filed 10x Genomics
Prognosys Biosciences, Inc
Nanostring Technologies, Inc. 10996219
10983113
10662467
10472669
10961566
2:21-cv-00591 Filed ZPE LICENSING INC. SCOTT SNYDER
SNYDER PERFORMANCE ENGINEERING, INC. dba SPE MOTORSPORTS
DAN SNYDER
10655723
10851884
1:21-cv-00662 Filed Amgen, Inc.
KAI Pharmaceuticals, Inc
Aurobindo Pharma, Ltd. 10344765
9820938
3:21-cv-01212 Filed CAYAGO TEC, GmbH
CAYAGO AMERICAS, INC
iAqua PR LLC 7963814
RE48329
9774019
3:21-cv-01036 Filed SEVEN Networks, LLC [Fortress IP, Softbank] Motorola Mobility 10299161
10178199
10499339
10063486
10154432
9661103
9602457
10595228
9516127
6:21-cv-00481 Filed Identity Software Pty. Ltd. InMoment, Inc. 6272495
6:21-cv-00482 Filed Yillio, Inc. Map Labs Ltd. dba Mapme 8650176
8943037
8285696

 

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