Gravel Rating Systems LLC v. T-Mobile USA, Inc. et al

Last week, Gravel Rating Systems LLC added two new suits—one each against Kohl’s (4:21-cv-00258) and McAfee (4:21-cv-00259)—to its new campaign targeting e-commerce websites. Two wireless carriers and three other retailers were hit in February with allegations of infringing the same patent, which is generally related to an information database that is connected to and receives submissions from remote computer systems. The case against one of those initial defendants has already been dismissed, without prejudice.

Gravel Rating Systems LLC has kicked off litigation over a “knowledge filter” patent, suing Cellco Partnership d/b/a Verizon Wireless (4:21-cv-00153), Costco (4:21-cv-00149), Deutsche Telekom (T-Mobile) (4:21-cv-00152), Lowe’s (4:21-cv-00150), and Target (4:21-cv-00151), all in the Eastern District of Texas. The defendants are accused of infringement through their respective provision of e-commerce websites, the complaints highlighting features for posting user reviews of products listed for sale. Gravel Rating is part of a raft of related NPEs to launch litigation over the past couple of years—one which, according to public records, continues to grow.