Aeritas LLC v. US Airways Group Inc. et al DC

Aeritas LLC’s file-and-settle litigation campaign continues unabated in 2018. The latest complaint, filed against Best Buy (6:18-cv-00327), comes as the March 2018 case against Taco Bell has been dismissed in light of apparent settlement and as a stipulation of dismissal, again in light of apparent settlement, has been filed in the March 2018 case against McDonalds. Throughout this campaign, begun in October 2011, Aeritas has asserted a growing family of patents generally related to delivering information to a mobile device based both on an input provided, sometimes verbally, and on the device’s location. The NPE accuses Best Buy of infringement through the provision of various features of its mobile app, including the ability to search for store locations based on the availability of saved items for purchase as well as location and/or context-aware notifications.

Aeritas LLC has added a third 2016 case to its campaign asserting what it characterizes as “mobile bar code” patents. The NPE sued Macy’s (Macy’s.com) and Nordstrom in July and has now filed a complaint against Walgreen (6:16-cv-01283). At issue are three patents (7,706,819; 8,055,285; 9,390,435) generally related to delivering information to a mobile device based both on an input provided, sometimes verbally, and on the device’s location. Throughout this campaign, which Aeritas initiated with a raft of suits filed against various airlines in October 2011, defendants have been accused of infringement through the provision of their mobile apps.