Hybrid Audio LLC, a newly formed Virginia entity, has filed four new Massachusetts cases asserting a single, expired signal processing patent (RE40,281) alleged to be essential to the MP3 standard for processing audio information. The new complaints accuse ASUS (1:16-cv-10643), Harman (1:16-cv-10646), Panasonic (1:16-cv-10647), and Pioneer (1:16-cv-10648) of infringement through the sale of laptops, tablets, smartphones, and other devices using the MP3 standard.