Anton Innovations Inc., a subsidiary of Quarterhill Inc. (f/k/a Wi-LAN Inc.), has sued Micro-Star (MSI Computer) (8:17-cv-01880) over the provision of laptops and tablets with wireless transceivers that can connect to Wi-Fi through multiple wireless protocols (e.g., 802.11a, b, g, and/or n) and to cellular broadband networks (e.g., GSM and UMTS). Wireless modules made by Intel and Qualcomm and broadband connection manager software made by Google are implicated, in various combinations, by the NPE’s complaint. The new case reopens Anton’s campaign after a short hiatus following dismissals in each of June, July, and August of this year; all four wireless communications patents previously at issue in the campaign are asserted against MSI Computer.

On February 9, Wi-LAN, Inc. (WiLAN) announced its financial results for the fourth quarter and fiscal year of 2016. The Canadian NPE reported net earnings of $8.6M for Q4, up from $3M during the same quarter last year. Quarterly revenue was $30.2M, compared to $26M during the same period in 2015. However, the company’s overall revenue for 2016 was $92.9M, down from $102.9M in the previous year.

Wi-LAN, Inc. (WiLAN) subsidiary Anton Innovations Inc. has filed suit against Amazon (8:17-cv-00216), asserting four wireless communications patents (5,854,985; 6,134,453; 6,934,558; 7,386,322) against the company’s Fire OS tablets, including the Fire HD. Anton alleges infringement through the tablets’ use of Wi-Fi modules capable of accessing multiple wireless protocols (e.g. 802.11a, b, g, and/or n) and frequencies, with exemplary chipsets made by Broadcom. Also at issue are the frequency- and protocol-agile cellular networking hardware utilized by certain Amazon tablets, such as 3G modules made by AnyData.

Wi-LAN, Inc. (WiLAN) subsidiary IPA Technologies Inc. has added ZTE (1:17-cv-00025) to its speech recognition campaign, following a wave of December filings against Alco Electronics (1:16-cv-01169), Amazon (1:16-cv-01266), DISH Network (1:16-cv-01170), HTC (1:16-cv-01171), and TCL (1:16-cv-01236). ZTE is accused of infringing two patents (6,523,061; 6,742,021) generally related to speech recognition and the “navigation” of “electronic data sources” through the provision of Android smartphones and tablets offering Google’s Now virtual assistant.

Anton Innovations Inc., a subsidiary of Wi-LAN Inc. (WiLAN), has added Shaghal (d/b/a Ematic) (8:17-cv-00043) to its sole litigation campaign, accusing the company of infringing four wireless communication patents (5,854,985; 6,134,453; 6,934,558; 7,386,322). At issue in the complaint are various Ematic e-book readers and tablets with Wi-Fi modules that utilize multiple wireless protocols (e.g. 802.11a, b, g, and/or n) and frequencies, including chipsets made by Realtek. This is the NPE’s first new litigation since it began the campaign in October with a suit against MiTAC (Getac) (8:16-cv-01850), asserting the same four patents against the company’s notebooks and tablets. That lawsuit remains in initial pleadings.

During the first week of October 2016, Anton Innovations Inc., a subsidiary of Wi-LAN Inc. (WiLAN), filed its first patent suit, effectively taking over a campaign initiated by another NPE (MLR, LLC) that has hit more than 20 electronics makers to date. Anton sued MiTAC (Getac) (8:16-cv-01850) on October 6 over four wireless communication patents (5,854,985; 6,134,453; 6,934,558; 7,386,322), accusing the company of infringement through the provision of notebooks and tablets that contain multi-modal wireless transceivers. Also on October 6, apparent WiLAN affiliate Atlas IP, LLC  added two new defendants to its smart energy grid campaign, suing Master Meter (6:16-cv-01214) and Mueller Systems (6:16-cv-01213) for alleged infringement of an expired wireless communication patent (5,371,734). These latest suits bring Atlas IP’s campaign defendant count to 13.