NPEs skipped the usual lull heading into the holidays as filings stayed high.* Frequent filers included Alpha Modus, AML IP, Andra Group, Content Aware, Fall Line Patents, Linfo IP, Patent Armory, S3G Technology, Torus Ventures, and Virtual Creative Artists.

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. Brookshire Grocery Co. (E.D. Tex.).

Claims:           Infringement

Defendant:     Brookshire Grocery Company

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. Aveda Corporation (W.D. Tex., E.D. Tex.).

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

Claims:           Infringement

Defendants:   

  • Advance Auto Parts, Inc.  
  • AutoZone, Inc.  
  • Aveda Corporation
  • Chick-Fil-A, Inc.
  • CVS Pharmacy, Inc.
  • Walgreen Co. d/b/a Walgreens
  • Whatabrands LLC
  • The Finish Line, Inc.

Plaintiff:         AML IP LLC

Pls. Cnsl:        Ramey

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

Andra Group, LP v. Fossil Group, Inc. (multiple cases) (E.D. Tex.).            

Judge:             District Judge Robert W. Schroeder, III

Claims:           Infringement

Defendants:

  • Fossil Group, Inc. 
  • GameStop, Inc. 
  • Signet Jewelers, Ltd.
  • Zale Corporation 

Plaintiff:         Andra Group, LP

Pls. Cnsl:        BrusterSorey & Hoover

Patent:            8,078,498 (Virtual showroom system and method)

Content Aware, LLC v. Algolia SAS (multiple cases) (E.D. Tex.).            

Claims:           Infringement

Defendants:   

  • Algolia SAS 
  • Nosto Solutions Ltd. 
  • The Home Depot, Inc.

Plaintiff:         Content Aware, LLC

Pls. Cnsl:        Rabicoff Law

Patent:            11,107,098 (System and method for content recognition and data categorization)

Fall Line Patents, LLC v. 7-Eleven, Inc. (multiple cases) (E.D. Tex.).

Judge:             District Judge Robert W. Schroeder, III

Claims:           Infringement

Defendants:   

  • 7-Eleven, Inc.
  • Academy, Ltd. d/b/a Academy Sports & Outdoors, Inc. 
  • Advance Auto Parts, Inc.
  • Advance Stores Company, Incorporated  
  • Aldi Inc.
  • Aldi (Texas) LLC 
  • AutoZone, Inc. 
  • Best Buy Co., Inc.
  • Best Buy Stores, LP
  • Brookshire Grocery Company
  • Brinker International, Inc. 
  • Chili’s, Inc.  
  • CBOCS, Inc.
  • CBOCS Properties, Inc.
  • CBOCS Texas, LLC  
  • Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc. 
  • Darden Concepts, Inc. d/b/a Darden Restaurants
  • Darden Restaurants, Inc. 
  • Olive Garden of Texas, LLC  
  • RARE Hospitality International, Inc. 
  • DoorDash Essentials, LLC 
  • DoorDash, Inc.  
  • EAN Holdings, LLC d/b/a Enterprise Rent A Car  
  • EAN Services, LLC 
  • Enterprise Holdings, Inc. 
  • Lowe’s Companies, Inc. 
  • Lowe’s Home Centers, LLC 
  • SFM, LLC d/b/a Sprouts Farmers Market  
  • Sprouts Farmers Market, Inc.  

Plaintiff:         Fall Line Patents, LLC

Pls. Cnsl:        Antonelli Harrington & Thompson

Patent:            9,454,748 (System and method for data management)

Linfo IP, LLC v. Dyln, Inc. (W.D. Tex.).

Judge:             District Judge David Counts

Claims: Infringement

Defendant:     Dyln, Inc.

Plaintiff:         Linfo IP, LLC

Pls. Cnsl:        Ramey

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

Oribel Pte Ltd. v. Carters Inc. (E.D. Tex.).

Claims:           Infringement

Defendant:     Carter’s, Inc.

Plaintiff:         Oribel Pte LTD.

Pls. Cnsl:        Ahmad Zavitsanos & Mensing; Quisenberry Law

Patent:            10,736,437 (Portable activity center)

Patent Armory Inc. v. Campaign Monitor Pty Ltd. (E.D. Tex., D. Colo., W.D. Tex., E.D. Va., W.D. Wis.).

Claims:           Infringement

Defendants:

  • Auctane, Inc.
  • Avid Ratings, Inc. 
  • Banner Health
  • Campaign Monitor Pty Ltd.
  • Carnival Corporation
  • Citizen Watch Co., Ltd. 
  • Cognizant Technology Solutions US Corporation
  • Farmers Group, Inc.  
  • Genworth Financial, Inc.
  • Northwestern Mutual LLC 

Plaintiff:         Patent Armory Inc.

Pls. Cnsl:        Rabicoff Law

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. BJs Restaurants, Inc. (E.D. Tex.).

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

Claims:           Infringement

Defendant:     BJ’s Restaurants, Inc.

Plaintiff:         S3G Technology LLC

Pls. Cnsl:        Parker Bunt & Ainsworth

Patents:          11,662,995 (Network efficient location-based dialogue sequence using virtual processor); 8,572,571 (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); 9,940,124 (Modification of terminal and service provider machines using an update server machine)

Torus Ventures LLC v. First Texas National Bank (E.D. Tex.).

Judge:             District Judge Rodney Gilstrap

Claims:           Infringement

Defendant:     First Texas 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)

Virtual Creative Artists, LLC v. Cars.com, LLC (N.D. Ill.).

Judge:             District Judge John F. Kness

Claims:           Infringement

Defendant:     Cars.com, LLC

Plaintiff:         Virtual Creative Artists, LLC

Pls. Cnsl:        Direction IP Law

Patent:            10,339,576 (Revenue-generating electronic multi-media exchange and process of operating same)