As is often the case, NPE activity slowed a bit in November, perhaps for the holidays.* Frequent filers included DigiMedia Tech, Liberty Peak Ventures, Patent Armory, S3G Technology, and Sovereign Peak Ventures.

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.

* Note I am catching up on a backlog because of some very busy IP litigation over the last year or so.

Adaptive Avenue Associates, Inc. v. OpticsPlanet, Inc. (N.D. Ill.).

Claims:           Infringement

Defendant:     OpticsPlanet, Inc.

Plaintiff:         Adaptive Avenue Associates, Inc.

Pls. Cnsl:        Direction IP Law

Patents:          7,171,629 (Customizable web site access system and method therefore); 7,428,707 (Customizable web site access system and method therefore)

BWB Co Ltd v. Alibaba Group Holding Limited et al (N.D. Cal.).

Claims:           Infringement

Defendants:

  • Alibaba Cloud US LLC
  • Alibaba.com US E-Commerce Corp.
  • Alibaba.com US LLC d/b/a AliExpress.com
  • Alibaba Group Holding Limited
  • Alibaba Group US Inc.

Plaintiff:         BWB Co Ltd

Pls. Cnsl:        YK Law

Patents:          10,460,366 Commercial transaction system, administration server, and program); 11,138,644 (Commercial transaction system, administration server, and program); 11,776,027 (Commercial transaction system, administration server, and program); 11,776,028 (Commercial transaction system, administration server, and program)

DigiMedia Tech, LLC v. Best Buy Co., Inc. et al (E.D. Tex.).

Claims:           Infringement

Defendants:

  • Best Buy Co., Inc.
  • BestBuy.com, LLC
  • Best Buy Health, Inc.
  • Best Buy Stores, LP
  • Best Buy Texas.com, LLC

Plaintiff:         DigiMedia Tech, LLC

Pls. Cnsl:        Kent & Risley

Patents:          6,606,287 (Method and apparatus for compression rate selection); 6,684,220 (Method and system for automatic information exchange); 7,715,476 (System, method and article of manufacture for tracking a head of a camera-generated image of a person); 8,160,980 (Information system based on time, space and relevance)


Liberty Peak Ventures, LLC v. Fiserv, Inc. et al (E.D. Tex.).

Judge:             District Judge Rodney Gilstrap

Claims:           Infringement

Defendants:

  • Fiserv, Inc.
  • FiServ Solutions, LLC

Plaintiff:         Liberty Peak Ventures, LLC

Pls. Cnsl:        Bragalone Olejko Saad

Patents:          7,312,707 (System and method for authenticating a RF transaction using a transaction account routing number); 7,431,207 (System and method for two-step payment transaction authorizations); 7,587,756 (Methods and apparatus for a secure proximity integrated circuit card transactions); 7,668,750 (Securing RF transactions using a transactions counter); 7,835,960 (System for facilitating a transaction); 7,953,671 (Methods and apparatus for conducting electronic transactions); 8,794,509 (Systems and methods for processing a payment authorization request over disparate payment networks); 8,814,039 (Methods for processing a payment authorization request utilizing a network of point of sale devices); 8,851,369 (Systems and methods for transaction processing using a smartcard); 9,195,985 (Method, system, and computer program product for customer-level data verification)

Monticello Enterprises, LLC v. Macy’s, Inc. et al (multiple cases) (W.D. Tex.).

Claims:           Infringement

Defendants:

  • Bluemercury, Inc.
  • Macys.com, LLC
  • Macy’s, Inc.
  • Macy’s Retail Holdings, LLC
  • Petco Animals Supply Stores, Inc.
  • Petco Health & Wellness Company, Inc.
  • Starbucks Corporation

Plaintiff:         Monticello Enterprises, LLC

Pls. Cnsl:        George Brothers Kincaid & Horton; Manatt Phelps & Phillips

Patents:          10,121,186 (System and method of using a browser application programming interface for making payments); 10,643,266 (System and method for in-app payments); 11,004,139 (System and method for providing simplified in store purchases and in-app purchases using a use-interface-based payment API); 11,461,828 (System and method for receiving data at a merchant device from a user device over a wireless link); 11,468,497 (System and method for receiving data at a merchant device from a user device over a wireless link); 9,824,408 (Browser payment request API)

MusicQubed Innovations, LLC v. Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment, Inc. et al (E.D. Tex.).

Claims:           Infringement

Defendants

  • Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment, Inc.
  • Redbox Automated Retail, LLC

Plaintiff:         MusicQubed Innovations, LLC

Pls. Cnsl:        Rozier Hardt McDonough

Patents:          10,469,601 (Content management apparatus); 7,130,616 (System and method for providing content, management, and interactivity for client devices); 7,281,274 (Electronic media distribution system); 7,461,077 (Representation of data records); 8,930,277 (Content management apparatus); 9,491,215 (Electronic media distribution system); RE42,685 (Upgrading digital media servers)

Patent Armory Inc. v. Cruise America, Inc. (M.D. Fal., S.D. Tex.).

Judges:           District Judge Wendy W. Berger; Judge Leslie Hoffman Price

Claims:           Infringement

Defendants:

  • Cruise America, Inc.
  • Stewart Title Guaranty Company

Plaintiff:         Patent Armory Inc.

Pls. Cnsl:        Rabicoff Law; Beusse Sanks

Patents:          10,237,420 (Method and system for matching entities in an auction); 10,491,748 (Intelligent communication routing system and method); 7,023,979 (Telephony control system with intelligent call routing); 7,269,253 (Telephony control system with intelligent call routing); 9,456,086 (Method and system for matching entities in an auction)

S3G Technology LLC v. AutoZone, Inc. (W.D. Tex., E.D. Tex.).

Claims:           Infringement

Defendants:

  • AutoZone, Inc.
  • Boot Barn, Inc. d/b/a Sheplers
  • Designer Brands Inc.

Plaintiff:         S3G Technology LLC

Pls. Cnsl:        Parker Bunt & Ainsworth

Patents:          10,261,774 (Modification of terminal and service provider machines using an update server machine); 8,572,571 (Modification of terminal and service provider machines using an update server machine); 9,940,124 (Modification of terminal and service provider machines using an update server machine); 9,081,897 (Modification of terminal and service provider machines using an update server machine); 11,210,082 (Modification of terminal and service provider machines using an update server machine)

Sovereign Peak Ventures, LLC v. HMD Global et al (W.D. Tex.).

Claims:           Infringement

Defendants:

  • HMD Global
  • HMD Global Oy

Plaintiff:         Sovereign Peak Ventures, LLC

Pls. Cnsl:        Connor Lee & Shumaker

Patents:          10,039,144 (Wireless base station and wireless communication terminal and wireless communication system); 10,468,913 (Electronic device including non-contact charging module); 8,902,871 (Wireless base station and wireless communication terminal and wireless communication system); 9,357,441 (Wireless base station and wireless communication terminal and wireless communication system); 9,620,282 (Noncontact connector apparatus and system using inductive coupling between coils)

Virtual Creative Artists, LLC v. Nextdoor, Inc. (multiple cases) (D.Del.).         

Claims:           Infringement

Defendants:

  • Nextdoor, Inc. 
  • The Meet Group, Inc. 

Plaintiff:         Virtual Creative Artists, LLC

Pls. Cnsl:        Direction IP Law; Chong Law Firm

Patents:          9,477,665 (Revenue-generating electronic multi-media exchange and process of operating same); 9,501,480 (Revenue-generating electronic multi-media exchange and process of operating same)