TZU Technologies LLC, one of the “licensing programs” under “intellectual property accelerator” 2S Ventures, LLC, has launched a second litigation campaign, this one over a patent, generally related to a “self-articulating behind-wall camera”, from a family familiar to litigation. The NPE has accused Fluke (2:19-cv-00561), Milwaukee Electric Tool (1:19-cv-00651), and Optim (1:19-cv-00709) of infringement through the provision of diagnostic scopes (e.g., a videoscope for insertion and inspection of a vehicle’s gas tank). The subject matter of TZU Technologies’s prior litigation campaign suggests that the proper pronunciation of the plaintiff’s name is meant to be “tease you”.

On March 21, 2019, individual inventor Bao Tran assigned to California entity Rondevoo Technologies, LLC a portfolio that includes 16 US patents generally related to “nano” sensors, circuit elements, packaging, and genetic engineering. That same day, Tran assigned to Eloqui Voice Systems, LLC (EVS) a set of three US patents, two of them generally pertaining to speech recognition systems, and the third, to a “smart system powered by a light socket”. Both Rondevoo and EVS can be traced through Red Dragon Innovations, LLC to attorney Daniel C. Cotman of Cotman IP. With both Rondevoo and EVS already in litigation, over patents acquired separately, these latest transfers suggest that more campaigns or cases may be coming.

Rondevoo Technologies, LLC has added a case against HMD Global and Nokia (1:19-cv-00595) to its litigation campaign over a single patent that generally pertains to “clustering” keys on an input device, such as a telephone keypad or computer keyboard, to facilitate selection entry. The NPE has targeted the ability to enter alternate (e.g., accented) characters through the keypads of certain Android smartphones in complaints filed earlier against HTC, LG Electronics (LGE), Sony, and ZTE, calling out the Nokia 9 PureView in its latest complaint. The case against Sony was dismissed without prejudice (before an answer was filed) in January 2019, while the ZTE suit was dismissed in March, with prejudice in light of a settlement after the defendant answered. HTC has also answered, while the court granted LGE an extension of the deadline to respond Rondevoo’s complaint.

In one of its three litigation campaigns to date, Rondevoo Technologies, LLC asserts a single patent generally related to “clustering” keys on an input device, such as a telephone keypad or computer keyboard, to facilitate selection entry. The NPE has targeted the ability to enter alternate (i.e., accented) characters through the keypads of certain Android smartphones in complaints filed earlier against LG Electronics (LGE), Sony, and ZTE and now in a new complaint filed against HTC (2:18-cv-01625), calling out the HTC Desire 300. The deadlines to answer or otherwise respond have been extended into December for LGE and Sony; ZTE has answered.

Rondevoo Technologies, LLC has added ZTE (1:18-cv-06212) to the litigation campaign that it began in June of this year with cases filed against LG Electronics (LGE) in the District of Delaware and Sony in the Northern District of Illinois. The NPE has targeted the ability to enter alternate (i.e., accented) characters through the keypads of certain Android smartphones—in this latest complaint, calling out ZTE’s Max XL. Rondevoo asserts a single patent generally related to “clustering” keys on an input device, such as telephone keypad or computer keyboard, to facilitate selection entry. Rondevoo pleads that the “inventors” recognized “a need for improving cluster key arrangements for mobile devices such as cell-phones”, citing to the patent’s abstract for the statement that “[t]his cluster key arrangement may be mechanically configured or electronically configured”. The deadlines to answer or otherwise respond have been extended to September 17 and October 14 for LGE and Sony, respectively.

Rondevoo Technologies, LLC has opened up a second litigation campaign, filing a District of Delaware suit against LG Electronics (LGE) (1:18-cv-00860) and a Northern District of Illinois suit against Sony (1:18-cv-03950). The NPE asserts a single patent generally related to “clustering” keys on an input device, such as telephone keypad or computer keyboard, to facilitate selection entry, with infringement allegations focused on the ability to enter alternate (i.e., accented) characters through the keypads of certain Android smartphones—e.g., Sony’s Xperia Z5 and the LG G3. Rondevoo pleads that the “inventors” recognized “a need for improving cluster key arrangements for mobile devices such as cell-phones”, citing to the patent’s abstract for the statement that “[t]his cluster key arrangement may be mechanically configured or electronically configured”.

A late May assignment suggests that courts may soon see litigation filed by a plaintiff with connections to 2S Ventures, LLC—an “intellectual property accelerator” with apparent ties to several litigating NPEs. Meanwhile, former Intellectual Ventures LLC (IV) assets continue to spread among NPEs, with one assignee (a top filer in 2017) kicking off three new campaigns in April-May involving IV divestitures.

RPX took notice, among the USPTO assignment records made available during the first half of July, of a patent transfer involving over 160 assets to Fortress Investment Group LLC. Other assignees of note included IP Edge LLC, the most prolific patent plaintiff in 2017 thus far, and Rondevoo Technologies, Inc., which appears to be on the precipice of launching its first litigation campaign.

RPX took notice, among the USPTO assignment records made available during the first half of June, of patent transfers to a number of frequent plaintiffs in patent litigation, including Blackbird Tech LLC; IP Valuation Partners LLC; and Monument Patent Holdings, LLC. Assignees also included Intellectual Ventures LLC, Longhorn IP LLC, and several NPEs associated with California attorney Daniel Cotman. Dongbu HiTek and Sharp were among the assignors.