USB Technologies, LLC v. Best Buy Co., Inc. et al

USB Technologies, LLC (USB Tech) has filed suit against Kingston Technology (8:17-cv-02235), asserting the same patent, generally related to an SD memory card with built-in USB connectivity, that has been at issue since this campaign began in March 2015. USB Tech’s most recent certificates of interested parties identifies only the plaintiff and defendant, while past disclosures have identified (in July 2017) Red Dragon Innovations, LLC, an entity managed in part by California attorney Daniel C. Cotman, and (through July 2016) Q Patents, Inc., an entity formed by fellow California attorney Brian Yates. Kingston has been accused of infringement through the provision of flash drives that each contain both a USB connector and an Apple Lightning connector.

USB Technologies, LLC (USB Tech) has added a 2017 wave of cases to the 2015 and 2016 waves, each of which has since seen all of the cases filed dismissed. The newest defendants are ADATA Technology (2:17-cv-05023) and Sunvalleytek International and Hootoo.com (3:17-cv-03869). A single patent (7,809,866), generally related to an SD memory card with built-in USB connectivity, has been asserted throughout this campaign, which has hit over two dozen defendants since March 2015. As in the Pasadena-based NPE’s previous cases, its latest defendants are accused of infringement through the making and/or selling of dual-interface USB flash drives.

USB Technologies, LLC expanded its sole litigation campaign significantly, adding eight suits to the single litigation it filed previously. Defendants in the new suits are ABT Electronics, Adorama, Amazon, B&H Foto, Best Buy, Brookstone, eBay, Rakuten, Sanho, Sears, and Walmart. A single patent (7,809,866) is asserted in the campaign, concerning an SD memory card with built in USB connectivity, such that the microprocessor in the card supports both interfaces. Double interface USB flash memory drives made or sold by defendants are the accused products in the campaign.