This week’s District Court patent filings were robust, with a dip in Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) filings–a big chunk of which were related to a dispute over robot vacuum cleaners. A few new (or renewed) assertion campaigns, a few small inter-company disputes, and a number of pharmaceutical disputes led the charge.
I say Robot, you say vacuum: Call it the great robot vacuum wars of 2020: industry leader iRobot sued SharkNinja for infringement of three patents (as well as false advertising)—seeking a preliminary injunction of a competing product right before the lucrative holiday season. iRobot contended that SharkNinja had “brazenly ripped off” their Roomba robotic vacuum cleaners with their much less expensive IQ Robot competitor product. That bid failed, and the case continued; now SharkNinja has filed multiple inter partes reviews (IPRs) seeking to invalidate the asserted patents.
It’s worth noting that SharkNinja (formed in 2003) is no David itself; apparently owned by Euro-Pro, a 100-year old company, it markets blenders (Ninja brands) and vacuum cleaners (Shark brands), among other things, and it has supplanted Dyson as the leader of the U.S. vacuum cleaner market – though it has now set its sights on competing in the robot vacuum market.
The North remembers: Far North Patents, LLC, an NPE with no known ties to funders or aggregators, continued its earlier assertion campaign of five former-Intellectual Ventures-owned semiconductor/networking switch routing patents of December of last year against International Business Machines, Broadcom, NXP, Mitel Networks, NEC, Marvell, Sonus, and Texas Instruments, Inc., adding ZTE, ADVA Optical Networking SE, Microchip Tech. Inc., and Analog Devices, Inc., this time moving from the Eastern to the Western District of Texas.
And Alvogen PB Research And Development, LLC and Norwich Pharmaceuticals, Inc. filed an Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDAs) litigation on 23 patents on the medication Rifaximin, sold under the trade name Xifaxan® (the more recent 550 mg formulation; the earlier drug was approved in 2004; the formulation, 2010), approved to treat traveler’s diarrhea and irritable bowel syndrome, among other indications. Allergan and one other company have filed ANDAs; Defendants AlfaSigma SpA, manufacturer Salix Pharmaceuticals, and Bausch Health Ireland, Ltd. make and market the only currently approved FDA drug. Bausch had earlier settled with Actavis Labs over a potential generic competitor, a settlement that included at least one patent whose term extended to 2029; they later hit Sandoz with a suit (including 14 patents, apparently regarding the earlier 200 mg formulation); and also apparently settled with Allergan, and earlier ANDA filer. There are no approved generics and patent expiry appears a long way off
PTAB (23) | ||||
Case Number | Action | Owner | Petitioner | Patent |
IPR2020-00696 | Filed | LBS Innovations, LLC | Apple Inc. | 6091956 |
IPR2020-00731 | Filed | Neodron Ltd. | Dell, Inc. Dell Products LP Lenovo (United States) Inc. HP, Inc. |
9024790 |
IPR2020-00733 | Filed | iRobot Corporation | SharkNinja Operating LLC SharkNinja Management LLC SharkNinja Sales Company |
9550294 |
IPR2020-00734 | Filed | iRobot Corporation | SharkNinja Operating LLC SharkNinja Management LLC SharkNinja Sales Company |
9921586 |
IPR2020-00661 | Filed | Intertrust Technologies Corporation | Dolby Laboratories, Inc. | 8191158 |
IPR2020-00762 | Filed | Hoyt Augustus Fleming | Cirrus Design Corporation | RE47474 |
PGR2020-00044 | Filed | Canopy Growth Corporation | GoFire, Inc., | 10327479 |
IPR2020-00660 | Filed | Intertrust Technologies Corporation | Dolby Laboratories, Inc. | 6785815 |
IPR2020-00735 | Filed | iRobot Corporation | SharkNinja Operating LLC SharkNinja Management LLC SharkNinja Sales Company |
10045676 |
PGR2020-00046 | Filed | Gree, Inc. | Supercell OY | 10328347 |
IPR2020-00662 | Filed | Intertrust Technologies Corporation | Dolby Laboratories, Inc. | 6640304 |
IPR2020-00756 | Filed | Uniloc 2017 LLC | Google LLC | 9564952 |
IPR2020-00726 | Filed | BOT M8, LLC | Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC | 8112670 |
IPR2020-00757 | Filed | Uniloc 2017 LLC | Google LLC | 7012960 |
IPR2020-00732 | Filed | iRobot Corporation | SharkNinja Operating LLC SharkNinja Management LLC SharkNinja Sales Company |
9492048 |
IPR2020-00765 | Filed | Uniloc 2017 LLC | Google LLC | 6366908 |
IPR2020-00755 | Filed | Uniloc 2017 LLC | Google LLC | 6366908 |
PGR2020-00043 | Filed | Gree, Inc. | Supercell OY | 10328346 |
IPR2020-00763 | Filed | Early Warning Services, LLC | 8887308 | |
IPR2020-00728 | Filed | Sunoco Partners Marketing & Terminals L.P. | U.S. Venture, Inc | 9207686 |
IPR2020-00752 | Filed | Henny Penny Corporation | Frymaster LLC | 10285539 |
IPR2020-00747 | Filed | CoolIT Systems, Inc. | Asetek A/S | 9057567 |
IPR2020-00753 | Filed | Lighting Science Group Corporation | Signify Holding B.V. Acuity Brands Lighting, Inc. |
8506118 |
IPR2019-01600 | Not Instituted – Merits | Facebook, Inc. | Blackberry Limited | 8429231 |
IPR2020-00013 | Not Instituted – Merits | Ethanol Boosting Systems, LLC Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Ford Motor Company | 8069839 |
IPR2019-01647 | Not Instituted – Merits | Gebo Cermex USA, Inc. Gebo Cermex Canada Inc. Gebo Packaging Solutions France S.A.S |
Alliance Industrial Corporation Acmi USA, Inc. Acmi S.P.A |
6168005 |
IPR2019-01523 | Not Instituted – Merits | Collabo Innovations, Inc. | Advance Micro Devices, Inc Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. |
7930575 |
IPR2019-01646 | Not Instituted – Merits | Nikola Corporation | Tesla, Inc. | 10077084 |
IPR2020-00011 | Not Instituted – Procedural | Ethanol Boosting Systems, LLC Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Ford Motor Company | 9255519 |
IPR2020-00012 | Not Instituted – Procedural | Ethanol Boosting Systems, LLC Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Ford Motor Company | 10138826 |
IPR2020-00010 | Not Instituted – Procedural | Ethanol Boosting Systems, LLC Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Ford Motor Company | 9810166 |
IPR2019-01584 | Not Instituted – Procedural | Uniloc 2017 LLC | Google LLC | 6519005 |
IPR2020-00041 | Instituted | Uniloc 2017 LLC | Netflix, Inc. Roku, Inc. |
8407609 |
IPR2020-00139 | Instituted | Secure Wave Storage Solutions Inc. SecureWave Storage Solutions, Inc |
Kingston Technology Co., Inc. | 7036020 |
IPR2019-01476 | Instituted | Monument Peak Ventures, LLC | Robert Bosch LLC | 7148908 |
IPR2019-01669 | Instituted | Contec, LLC. | Communications Test Design, Inc. | 8689071 |
IPR2019-00932 | Instituted | Secure Wave Storage Solutions Inc. SecureWave Storage Solutions, Inc |
Micron Technology, Inc. Kingston Technology Co., Inc. |
7036020 |
IPR2019-01475 | Instituted | Monument Peak Ventures, LLC | Robert Bosch LLC | 7035461 |
IPR2019-01644 | Instituted | Carucel Investments, L.P. | Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC | 8718543 |
IPR2019-01598 | Instituted | Facebook, Inc. | Blackberry Limited | 7302698 |
IPR2019-01670 | Instituted | Contec, LLC. | Communications Test Design, Inc. | 8209732 |
IPR2019-01037 | Adverse Judgment | Realtime Adaptive Streaming, LLC | Google LLC | RE46777 |
IPR2019-01038 | Adverse Judgment | Realtime Adaptive Streaming, LLC | Google LLC | RE46777 |
IPR2018-01755 | Final Written Decision | Lexos Media IP, LLC | Ralph Lauren Corporation | 6118449 |
IPR2019-00926 | Final Written Decision | Clinicomp International., Inc. | Athenahealth, Inc. | 6665647 |
IPR2018-01475 | Final Written Decision | Invt SPE LLC | Apple Inc. HTC Corporation HTC America, Inc. ZTE Corporation |
7760815 |
IPR2018-01634 | Final Written Decision | Clinicomp International., Inc. | Cerner Corporation | 6665647 |
IPR2018-01761 | Final Written Decision | Neapco Drivelines LLC | American Axle & Manufacturing, Inc. | 5772520 |
IPR2019-00233 | Final Written Decision | Mark W. Kilbourne | Apple Inc. August Home, Inc. |
7373795 |
IPR2018-01473 | Final Written Decision | Invt SPE LLC | Apple Inc. HTC Corporation HTC America, Inc. ZTE Corporation |
6611676 |
IPR2019-01304 | Settlement | Guada Technologies LLC | Bloomreach, Inc. | 7231379 |
IPR2020-00213 | Settlement | Honeyman Cipher Solutions, LLC | Unified Patents, LLC | 5991399 |
IPR2019-00592 | Settlement | KOM Software Inc. | NetApp, Inc. Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company |
6438642 |
IPR2019-00383 | Settlement | MCP IP, LLC | Bowtech, Inc. | 9423201 |
IPR2019-00386 | Settlement | MCP IP, LLC | Bowtech, Inc. | 8919333 |
IPR2019-00591 | Settlement | KOM Software Inc. | NetApp, Inc. Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company |
6438642 |
IPR2019-00380 | Settlement | MCP IP, LLC | Bowtech, Inc. | 7946281 |
IPR2019-00382 | Settlement | MCP IP, LLC | Bowtech, Inc. | 9816775 |
IPR2020-00332 | Settlement | Bell Northern Research, LLC Cortland Capital Market Services LLC AS Collateral Agent |
LG Electronics, Inc. | 7945285 |
District Court (69) | ||||
Case Number | Action | Plaintiff | Defendant | Patent |
2:20-cv-02713 | Filed | Teradyne | Astronics Corp. Astronics Test Systems, Inc. |
7395479 |
2:20-cv-03168 | Filed | Cubist Pharmaceuticals, Co. | Mylan Mylan, N.V. |
9138456 |
2:20-cv-00088 | Filed | RAH Color Technologies, LLC | Microsoft | 6995870 7312897 7729008 9404802 9516288 |
1:20-cv-21240 | Filed | Global Life Technologies Corp. | Medline Industries | 8999406 9463212 9943561 10307452 |
8:20-cv-00595 | Filed | Sipco | D-Link Systems, Inc. | 7103511 7697492 6914893 7263073 8924588 8964708 |
2:20-cv-03270 | Filed | Merck Sharp & Dohme B.V. Organon USA, Inc. |
Mylan Mylan API US, LLC |
RE44733 |
1:20-cv-21270 | Filed | Internet Media Interactive Corp. | Lennar Corp. | 6049835 |
6:20-cv-00221 | Filed | Far North Patents, LLC | Microchip Technology | 8306053 6246702 6215797 8891504 6661804 |
6:20-cv-00222 | Filed | Far North Patents, LLC | ZTE | 8306053 6246702 6215797 8891504 6661804 |
2:20-cv-00480 | Filed | BRIAN ROBERT BLAZER dba CARPENTER BEE SOLUTIONS | BEST BEE BROTHERS, LLC RSP, INC. |
8375624 RE46421 |
8:20-cv-00725 | Filed | Blueprint IP Solutions, LLC | Raymond James Financial, Inc. | 8089980 |
6:20-cv-00244 | Filed | 511 TECHNOLOGIES, INC. CADDO SYSTEMS, INC. |
NXP NXP USA, Inc. NXP Semiconductors |
8352880 7191411 7216301 7640517 7725836 10037127 |
4:20-cv-00234 | Filed | Magnacharge, LLC | AT&T, Inc. | 7417402 |
6:20-cv-00211 | Filed | WSOU Investments, LLC dba Brazos Licensing and Development | ZTE | 8451839 |
6:20-cv-00212 | Filed | NEODRON, INC. | Apple | 9823784 7821502 10146351 |
3:20-cv-02067 | Filed | PROVEN NETWORKS, LLC | Extreme Networks, Inc. | 8018852 8165024 7877786 |
1:20-cv-00415 | Filed | Novartis | Lupin Limited | 8101659 8796331 8877938 9388134 |
3:20-cv-03168 | Filed | Cubist Pharmaceuticals, Co. | Mylan Mylan, N.V. |
9138456 |
4:20-cv-00051 | Filed | Cedar Lane Technologies Inc. | Progress Solar Solutions, LLC | 8733963 9428100 |
6:20-cv-00216 | Filed | WSOU Investments, LLC AKA Brazos Licensing and Development | ZTE | 7489929 |
4:20-cv-04069 | Filed | Durasystems Barriers Inc. | Jeremias, Inc. | 9976768 10024569 |
1:20-cv-00052 | Filed | Cubist Pharmaceuticals, Co. | Mylan | 9138456 |
3:20-cv-00725 | Filed | Lightside Technologies LLC | HTC Corp. | 8374253 8873640 |
6:20-cv-00234 | Filed | Jens H.S. Nygaard | Formula One Management Ltd. Red Bull Technology Ltd. Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix Ltd. Scuderia Ferrari S.p.A. Ferrari S.p.A. et al. |
7494178 |
4:20-cv-00255 | Filed | 511 TECHNOLOGIES, INC. CADDO SYSTEMS, INC. |
Siemens Aktiengesellschaft (AG) Siemens Digital Industries Software, Inc. |
8352880 7191411 7216301 7640517 7725836 10037127 |
4:20-cv-00237 | Filed | Magnacharge, LLC | IKEA Dallas, L.P., IKEA North America Services, LLC |
7417402 |
4:20-cv-00239 | Filed | Magnacharge, LLC | Target | 7417402 |
8:20-cv-00583 | Filed | A&A Global Imports, Inc. | ROVE, LLC | D766076 |
1:20-cv-00416 | Filed | Internet Media Interactive Corp. | Shopify, Inc. | 6049835 |
6:20-cv-00226 | Filed | Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corp. Essential Wifi, LLC |
Texas Instruments | 7280551 7545781 7400616 7242720 |
6:20-cv-00227 | Filed | Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corp. Essential Wifi, LLC |
Acer America, Inc. Acer, Inc. |
7280551 7545781 7400616 7242720 |
4:20-cv-00338 | Filed | Six Hogs, LLC | John Doe dba Samsonico International, Inc. Samsonico USA LLC |
8992356 |
4:20-cv-01070 | Filed | David Alexander Stewart Shotkam, LLC |
Raymond C. Ling Tachyon, Inc. |
8908045 |
6:20-cv-00228 | Filed | WSOU Investments, LLC dba Brazos Licensing and Development | ZTE | 8179960 |
1:20-cv-00431 | Filed | Ferring B.V. Polypeptide Laboratories A/S Ferring Pharmaceuticals Ferring International Center S.A. |
Fresenius Kabi FRESENIUS KABI AG |
9579359 9415085 8841081 9877999 8828938 |
1:20-cv-00434 | Filed | Mallinckrodt Hospital Products IP, Ltd. Mallinckrodt Hospital Products, Inc. New Pharmatop LP |
Baxter International, Inc. | 9610265 6992218 9399012 9987238 10383834 |
8:20-cv-00722 | Filed | Tekvoke, LLC | PayG, LLC dba SkySwitch | 6687343 |
1:20-cv-21349 | Filed | ILC Dover, LP FloodBarrier, Inc. |
||
4:20-cv-00235 | Filed | Magnacharge, LLC | Best Buy Co., Inc. | 7417402 |
4:20-cv-00236 | Filed | Magnacharge, LLC | Huawei Technologies, Co., Ltd. | 7417402 |
4:20-cv-00238 | Filed | Magnacharge, LLC | Kohl`s, Inc. | 7417402 |
2:20-cv-02757 | Filed | Claire`s Stores, Inc. | Noam Krasniansky CM National, Inc. |
D667996 |
3:20-cv-03229 | Filed | Bristol-Myers Squibb | Teva Pharmaceutical | 7491725 |
0:20-cv-00801 | Filed | Halverson Wood Products, Inc. | Classified Systems, LLC dba Hammerhead Attachments | 7669618 |
6:20-cv-00224 | Filed | WSOU Investments, LLC dba Brazos Licensing and Development | ZTE | 7487240 |
1:20-cv-00423 | Filed | Sonohm Licensing LLC | MilDef, Inc. | 6651207 7106705 |
1:20-cv-00430 | Filed | AlfaSigma SpA Salix Pharmaceuticals BAUSCH HEALTH IRELAND, LTD. |
Alvogen PB Research And Development, LLC Norwich Pharmaceticals, Inc. |
7045620 7612199 7902206 7906542 7915275 8158644 8158781 8193196 8309569 8518949 8642573 8741904 8829017 8835452 8853231 8946252 8969398 9271968 9421195 9629828 10314828 10335397 10456384 |
6:20-cv-00231 | Filed | WSOU Investments, LLC dba Brazos Licensing and Development | ZTE | 8147071 |
1:20-cv-00437 | Filed | Cassiopeia IP LLC | Technicolor USA, Inc. | 7322046 |
3:20-cv-00317 | Filed | Mentone Solutions LLC | Pax Technology, Inc. | 6952413 |
8:20-cv-00724 | Filed | Blueprint IP Solutions, LLC | Catalina Marketing Corp. | 8089980 |
1:20-cv-21350 | Filed | ILC Dover, LP | FloodBarrier, Inc. | 9453316 9303423 9453314 |
6:20-cv-00246 | Filed | Anadex Data Communications, LLC | Lorex | 7210120 |
6:20-cv-00210 | Filed | Bell Semiconductor, LLC | NXP Semiconductors, NV NXP, BV NXP USA, Inc. |
7566964 6596639 6544907 6281129 6960836 8049340 8288269 6743669 6342734 6153543 |
5:20-cv-00120 | Filed | Cedar Lane Technologies Inc. | Progress Solar Solutions, LLC | 8733963 9428100 |
6:20-cv-00218 | Filed | Far North Patents, LLC | ADVA Optical Networking SE | 8306053 6246702 6215797 8891504 6661804 |
6:20-cv-00219 | Filed | Far North Patents, LLC | Analog Devices, Inc. | 8306053 6246702 6215797 8891504 6661804 |
6:20-cv-00220 | Filed | Intellectual Ventures II, LLC | VMWare, Inc. | 9338217 9686378 9092546 7016963 6816464 |
6:20-cv-00225 | Filed | Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corp. Essential Wifi, LLC |
MediaTek | 7280551 7545781 7400616 7242720 |
2:20-cv-02849 | Filed | Beverly Hills Teddy Bear Co. | GennComm, LLC | 10427061 10596475 |
1:20-cv-00422 | Filed | Sonohm Licensing LLC | Contec Americas, Inc. | 6651207 7106705 |
2:20-cv-03314 | Filed | Merck Sharp & Dohme B.V. Organon USA, Inc. |
MSN Laboratories Private, Ltd. MSN PHARMACEUTICALS, Inc. MSN LIFE SCIENCES PRIVATE, LTD. |
RE44733 |
6:20-cv-00229 | Filed | WSOU Investments, LLC dba Brazos Licensing and Development | ZTE | 8730905 |
6:20-cv-00236 | Filed | Anadex Data Communications, LLC | Compassion Consulting & Distribution, LP dba Top Dawg Electronics | 7310120 |
1:20-md-02930 | Filed | Novartis | ||
8:20-cv-00721 | Filed | Tekvoke, LLC | 3CX USA Corp. | 6687343 |
1:20-cv-10620 | Filed | WILDLIFE ACOUSTICS, INC. | FRONTIER LABS PTY., LTD. | 7782195 |
6:20-cv-00243 | Filed | STC.UNM | GlobalFoundries U.S. Inc. GlobalFoundries, Inc. Globalfoundries U.S. 2 LLC |
9142400 |
6:20-cv-00245 | Filed | 511 TECHNOLOGIES, INC. CADDO SYSTEMS, INC. |
Microchip Technology | 8352880 7191411 7216301 7640517 7725836 10037127 |
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Pro Se
April 2, 2020 09:13 amI think we all are waiting to see how the IP around Covid-19 explode into the equivalent of IP Nuclear Warfare… what’s disturbing is someone will need to bite the soap for the “greater good” of humanity with a cure/vaccines… what’s sad is that entity will only buy themselves patent turmoil and unfair scrutiny…
Is it worth it?