NPEs finished the year busy.* Frequent filers included Alpha Modus, AML IP, ContactWave, DataCloud Technologies, Disintermediation Services, Linfo IP, PacSec3, Patent Armory, S3G Technology, Social Positioning Input Systems, Tiare Technology, Torus Ventures, and Wolverine Barcode IP.

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.

Alpha Modus, Corp. v. Wakefern Food Corporation et al (E.D. Tex.).

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

Claims:                       Infringement

Defendants:

  • Shelf Nine LLC
  • Wakefern Food Corporation

Plaintiff:         Alpha Modus, Corp.

Pls. Cnsl:        Dickinson Wright

Patents:          10,360,571 (Method for monitoring and analyzing behavior and uses thereof); 10,853,825 (Method for monitoring and analyzing behavior and uses thereof); 10,977,672 (Method and system for real-time inventory management, marketing, and advertising in a retail store); 11,042,890 (Method and system for customer assistance in a retail store); 11,301,880 (Method and system for inventory management in a retail store)

AML IP LLC v. Albertsons Companies, Inc. (W.D. Tex.).

Claims:           Infringement

Judge:             District Judge David Counts

Defendants:

  • Albertsons Companies, Inc.
  • Alamo Drafthouse Cinemas, LLC
  • Dunkin’ Brands, Inc. d/b/a Dunkin’ Donuts d/b/a Baskin Robbins
  • La Madeleine De Corps, Inc.

Plaintiff:         AML IP LLC

Pls. Cnsl:        Ramey

Patent:            7,177,838 (Method and apparatus for conducting electronic commerce transactions using electronic tokens)

ContactWave LLC v. Macy’s, Inc. (multiple cases) (E.D. Tex.).   

Claims:           Infringement

Defendants:

  • Macy’s, Inc.
  • Best Buy Co., Inc. 
  • Nordstrom, Inc.
  • Walgreen Co. d/b/a Walgreens  
  • Walmart, Inc.

Plaintiff:         ContactWave LLC

Pls. Cnsl:        Rabicoff Law

Patent:            9,531,665 (Information messaging system)

DataCloud Technologies, LLC v. Groupon, Inc. (N.D. Ill.).

Claims:           Infringement

Defendant:     Groupon, Inc.

Plaintiff:         DataCloud Technologies, LLC 

Pls. Cnsl:        Rozier Hardt McDonough

Patent:            6,651,063 (Data organization and management system and method); 7,209,959 (Apparatus, system, and method for communicating to a network through a virtual domain providing anonymity to a client communicating on the network)

Disintermediation Services, Inc. v. Living Spaces Furniture, LLC (E.D. Tex.).

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

Claims:           Infringement

Defendant:     Living Spaces Furniture, LLC

Plaintiff:         Disintermediation Services, Inc.

Pls. Cnsl:        Gillam & Smith; Global IP Law Group

Patent:            11,240,183 (Two-way real time communication system that allows asymmetric participation in conversations across multiple electronic platforms); 11,336,597 (Two-way real time communication system that allows asymmetric participation in conversations across multiple electronic platforms); 11,349,787 (Two-way real time communication system that allows asymmetric participation in conversations across multiple electronic platforms); 11,855,937 (Two-way real time communication system that allows asymmetric participation in conversations across multiple electronic platforms);

Linfo IP, LLC v. American Giant, Inc. (S.D.N.Y., S.D. Tex., N.D. Tex.).

Judges:           District Judge A. Joe Fish; District Judge Jane J. Boyle

Claims:           Infringement

Defendants:

  • Air Oasis LLC
  • American Giant, Inc. 
  • LOOG Guitars, LLC 
  • Stellar Data Recovery Inc.
  • Tekzoom, Inc. d/b/a Perfume Empire

Plaintiff:         Linfo IP, LLC

Pls. Cnsl:        Law Office of David J. Hoffman; Ramey

Patent:            9,092,428 (System, methods and user interface for discovering and presenting information in text content)

PacSec3, LLC v. CyberArk Software, Inc. (S.D. Tex.).

Claims:           Infringement

Defendant:     CyberArk Software, Inc.

Plaintiff:         PacSec3, LLC

Pls. Cnsl:        Ramey

Patent:            7,523,497 (Packet flooding defense system)

Patent Armory Inc. v. Backcountry.com, LLC (D. Del., D. Mass., E.D. Pa., N.D. Tex., E.D. Tex., E.D. Va., N.D. Ill., S.D. Tex., W.D. Tex.).

Judges:           District Judge Jeffrey L. Schmehl; Judge Ada Brown; District Judge Sam A. Lindsay; District Judge Andrea R. Wood; District Judge Rodney Gilstrap; District Judge David C. Godbey

Claims:           Infringement

Defendants:

  • Backcountry.com, LLC
  • Benefit Cosmetics LLC
  • Biobot Analytics, Inc.
  • Carbon Health Inc. 
  • Citibank NA 
  • Comerica Bank
  • Computer Aid, Inc.
  • Computer Aid, Inc.
  • Continuum Global Solutions, LLC
  • Dick’s Sporting Goods, Inc.
  • Del Taco Restaurants, Inc. 
  • Delta Air Lines, Inc.
  • Digital Federal Credit Union
  • Dominion Dental Services, Inc.
  • First Technology Federal Credit Union d/b/a First Tech Federal Credit Union
  • General Dynamics Information Technology, Inc.
  • General Nutrition Corporation
  • GrubHub Inc.
  • Likewize Corp.
  • Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company
  • Optimax Ltd.
  • The American Automobile Association, Inc.

Plaintiff:         Patent Armory Inc.

Pls. Cnsl:        Rabicoff Law; Garibian Law Offices; Dickinson Wright; DNL Zito

Patent:            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. Walgreen Co. (E.D. Tex.).

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

Claims:           Infringement

Defendant:     Walgreen Co. d/b/a Walgreens

Plaintiff:         S3G Technology LLC

Pls. Cnsl:        Parker Bunt & Ainsworth

Patents:          10,831,468 (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); 11,662,995 (Network efficient location-based dialogue sequence using virtual processor); 9,940,124 (Modification of terminal and service provider machines using an update server machine)

Social Positioning Input Systems, LLC v. PetPace LLC (D. Mass.).

Claims:           Infringement

Defendant:     PetPace LLC

Plaintiff:         Social Positioning Input Systems, LLC

Pls. Cnsl:        Lambert Shortell & Connaughton

Patent:            9,261,365 (Device, system and method for remotely entering, storing and sharing addresses for a positional information device)

Tiare Technology, Inc. v. CKE Restaurants Holdings, Inc. et al (E.D. Tex.).

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

Claims:           Infringement

Defendants:

  • Carl’s Jr. Restaurants LLC
  • CKE Restaurants Holdings, 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)

Torus Ventures LLC v. Gainsco Auto Insurance Agency, Inc. (multiple cases) (E.D. Tex).

Claims:           Infringement

Defendants:

  • Gainsco Auto Insurance Agency, Inc. 
  • Germania General Agency, Inc 
  • Globe Life Inc.
  • Golden Bank National Association 
  • Gringo’s Mexican Kitchen No. 1 Inc
  • Guaranty Bank & Trust, NA
  • Higginbotham Insurance Group, Inc
  • Hotchkiss Insurance Agency, LLC 
  • Incline Insurance Group, LLC
  • Insurance Agents Alliance Of Texas, Inc 
  • Gulf States Financial Services, Inc 
  • Interflex Payments LLC
  • Invited Foundation 
  • Iscential Inc.
  • Kleberg Bank, National Association 
  • La Familia Agency LLC d/b/a La Familia Auto Insurance 
  • Landry’s Payroll, Inc.
  • Legend Bank
  • Liberty Bankers Life Insurance Company 
  • Lone Star National Bank

Plaintiff:         Torus Ventures LLC

Pls. Cnsl:        Rabicoff Law

Patent:            7,203,844 (Method and system for a recursive security protocol for digital copyright control)

Wolverine Barcode IP, LLC v. Costco Wholesale Corporation (multiple cases) (W.D. Tex.).          

Claims:           Infringement

Defendants:

  • Costco Wholesale Corporation
  • CVS Pharmacy, Inc. 

Plaintiff:         Wolverine Barcode IP, LLC

Pls. Cnsl:        Ramey

Patent:            9,280,689 (Method and apparatus for conducting offline commerce transactions)