Display Technologies, LLC v. Clarion Corporation of America DC

Display Technologies, LLC, an entity associated with prolific inventor and frequent plaintiff Leigh M. Rothschild, has sued Ford (6:22-cv-00515) and Nissan (6:22-cv-00516) in the Western District of Texas and Rossmax (3:22-cv-00772) in the Southern District of California over the support of wireless connectivity in certain automobile infotainment systems (Ford and Nissan) and blood pressure monitor systems (Rossmax). A single patent generally related to transferring media files wirelessly between devices is asserted. Since launching its sole litigation campaign in 2015, Display Technologies has sued over 70 defendants and asserted two patents (both naming Rothschild as its inventor).

Last month, Display Technologies, LLC, an entity affiliated with prolific inventor and frequent plaintiff Leigh M. Rothschild, sued Arkray (0:21-cv-02458) and Nonin Medical (0:21-cv-02456) in the District of Minnesota and BMW (6:21-cv-01214) in the Western District of Texas over the support of wireless connectivity in a wide range of products (i.e., blood glucose meters, pulse oximeters, and automotive infotainment systems, respectively). At issue in each complaint is a single patent generally related to transferring media files wirelessly between devices. Since launching its sole litigation campaign in 2015, Display Technologies has sued 60 defendants and asserted two patents (each naming Rothschild as its inventor).

Display Technologies, LLC, an entity affiliated with prolific inventor and frequent plaintiff Leigh M. Rothschild, has filed additional litigation in its over six-year long litigation campaign, suing Daimler (Mercedes-Benz) (6:21-cv-00766) in the Western District of Texas, Greater Goods (4:21-cv-00988) in the Eastern District of Missouri, and Olympus (5:21-cv-03502) in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. The plaintiff asserts a single patent, generally related to transferring media files wirelessly between devices, with Mercedes-Benz targeted over its automobile infotainment system and Greater Goods and Olympus over various software products. At issue are features for sharing files through Wi-Fi and/or Bluetooth connectivity.

Display Technologies, LLC, an entity affiliated with prolific inventor and frequent plaintiff Leigh M. Rothschild, has pushed the number of defendants in its sole litigation campaign to nearly 50, suing GM (6:21-cv-00240), Harley-Davidson (6:21-cv-00242), Honda (6:21-cv-00242), Toyota (6:21-cv-00304), and Volkswagen (Porsche) (6:21-cv-00230) in March alone. Infotainment systems are targeted, with these defendants joining several other vehicle makers in the campaign, including Aston Martin, against which Display Technologies has sought entry of a default judgment, with Rothschild providing a supportive declaration with an estimated damages range for that case.

Display Technologies, LLC, one of many NPEs controlled by inventor Leigh M. Rothschild, has sued AP Global (2:20-cv-05041), Faurecia (Clarion) (8:20-cv-01028), and Mazda (8:20-cv-01029), each in the Central District of California. A single patent generally related to wirelessly transferring media files between devices is asserted, with the defendants accused of infringement through the provision of media streaming products that feature Bluetooth connectivity: for AP Global and Mazda, the BlueSYNC BX speaker; and for Clarion, the Clarion Car Infotainment System.

NPE litigation in the Automotive market sector during the first four months of 2020 was up nearly threefold from the same time period last year. Most recently, 21ST CENTURY GARAGE LLC and Sisvel International S.A. (d/b/a Sisvel Group) have taken aim at companies operating in the sector, but the year so far has seen new campaigns launched by plaintiffs ranging from relatively recent entrants to patent monetization (e.g., Quartz Auto Technologies, LLC) to established players (e.g., Conversant Wireless Licensing, S.à.r.l.), as well as additional cases filed in existing campaigns waged by inventor-controlled Omega Patents, L.L.C. and frequent plaintiff Leigh M. Rothschild. From wireless connectivity to more traditional automotive technologies, something about 2020 has drawn more litigation to the sector.