Vindolor, LLC v. Lululemon Athletica, Inc.

Vindolor, LLC continues to add defendants to its sole litigation campaign, last month adding suits against Target (6:19-cv-00338) and Walmart (6:19-cv-00339) that allege infringement of a single patent broadly related to using biometric authentication to create an “access code” based on a resulting identification profile. The NPE’s newest complaints target the retailers’ alleged sale of Apple and Samsung devices featuring Apple Pay or Samsung Pay.

A motion to dismiss the last open case from Vindolor, LLC’s November round of lawsuits, brought against Discount Tire, has been filed in the Eastern District of Texas, but the campaign will outlive closure in that suit. In new complaints, the NPE accuses Best Buy (6:19-cv-00158), Lululemon Athletica (6:19-cv-00156), and Macy’s (6:19-cv-00157) of infringing the same patent, which is generally related to using biometric authentication to create an “access code” based on a resulting identification profile. Throughout the campaign, Vindolor has targeted defendants for their use of NFC-enabled point-of-sale terminals offering contactless payments in conjunction with multiple payment platforms, including those provided by Alphabet (Google), Apple, Microsoft, PayPal, Samsung, and Wells Fargo.

Vindolor, LLC has expanded its sole litigation campaign with new suits filed against Disney Stores (2:18-cv-00375), NTW, LLC (d/b/a National Tire and Battery) (2:18-cv-00374), and Restoration Hardware (2:18-cv-00373) in the Eastern District of Texas. The asserted patent generally relates to using biometric authentication to create an “access code” based on a resulting identification profile, with defendants throughout the campaign targeted over their use of NFC-enabled point-of-sale terminals offering contactless payments. Vindolor alleges infringement through the accused terminals’ compatibility with various payment platforms, including “Microsoft Wallet, Wells Fargo Wallet, Masterpass, Samsung Pay, Android Pay, Google Pay, Google Wallet, Apple Pay, and PayPal mobile” as used with a variety of Android, iOS, and/or Windows smartphones and related mobile apps.

Vindolor, LLC has launched a new litigation campaign, filing four separate suits against retailers Buc-ee’s (6:18-cv-00104), Euromarket Designs (d/b/a Crate & Barrel) (6:18-cv-00105), Retail Services & Systems (d/b/a Total Wine & More) (6:18-cv-00108), and Spec’s Family Partners (d/b/a Spec’s Wine, Spirits & Finer Foods) (6:18-cv-00107) over their use of NFC-enabled point-of-sale terminals offering contactless payments. The NPE alleges infringement through the accused terminals’ compatibility with “Microsoft Wallet, Wells Fargo Wallet, Masterpass, Samsung Pay, Android Pay, Google Pay, Google Wallet, Apple Pay, and PayPal mobile” as used with various Android, iOS, and/or Windows smartphones and related mobile apps.