Pico Byte Systems, LLC v. Pioneer Electronics (USA) Inc.

District Judge Rodney Gilstrap has issued summary judgments of non-infringement in the numerous suits filed by Iris Connex, LLC, finding that the mobile device makers targeted by the plaintiff—including Apple, Dell, Huawei, LG Electronics (LGE), Microsoft, and Samsung—have not infringed a single patent (6,177,950) generally related to a portable phone with a multi-position and multi-function camera. Iris Connex, a Texas-based NPE managed by attorney Nicolas J. Labbit, had argued that the ‘950 patent should be read to include a “unified” camera system with front and rear cameras, as found in the accused smartphones and tablets. However, in multiple, identical orders issued on September 2, Judge Gilstrap ruled that the defendants have not infringed after holding that the ‘950 patent required a single, multi-position camera.

This past week, Pico Byte Systems, LLC, one of at least 16 NPEs managed by Nicolas J. Labbit, filed 25 infringement suits asserting a single networking patent (7,719,981).The NPE is targeting a wide range of consumer electronics that have Bluetooth capabilities, including smartphones, tablets, PCs, portable speakers, wireless headphones, wearables, televisions, home theater systems, and Blu-ray players. Acer, AliphCom (d/b/a Jawbone), ASUSTek, BlackBerry, GoPro, Harman, HTC, NVIDIA, Panasonic, Samsung, Sharp, Toshiba, and Yahama are among the named defendants.