Polaris PowerLED Technologies, LLC has initiated what, as a formal matter, is its fourth litigation campaign, suing Western Digital (1:24-cv-00101) in the Western District of Texas over the provision of certain solid-state drives (SSDs). Asserted are three patents originally developed at PMC-Sierra, which Microsemi acquired in 2016; Microsemi was acquired by Microchip Technology a couple of years later.

Polaris PowerLED Technologies, LLC has launched what is its third litigation campaign, as a formal matter, suing familiar defendant VIZIO, along with AmTRAN Technology, Hon Hai Precision Industry (Competition Team Technology USA), Innolux, Newegg, and TPV Technology (Top Victory Electronics (Taiwan), Top Victory Investments, Trend Smart America, TPV Intern­ational (USA)) (2:23-cv-03478) in a single Central District of California complaint. The sole asserted patent generally relates to an LED driver for “driving LEDs connected to different parallel paths”, with VIZIO accused of infringement through the provision of certain TVs, and the remaining defendants, over the manufacture (AmTRAN, Hon Hai Precision Industry, InnoLux, and TPV) or sale (Newegg) of those accused VIZIO TVs. The plaintiff’s disclosures in connection with the new complaint reveal backing by a prominent litigation funder.

In January of this year, Central District of California Judge James V. Selna denied a VIZIO motion for attorney fees, finding nothing exceptional in the conduct of the last active case filed by Polaris PowerLED Technologies, LLC. Now, that plaintiff has filed another case in the campaign, suing Dell and Microsoft (6:22-cv-00254) in a single Western District of Texas complaint. Asserted is a single former Microsemi patent generally related to adjusting an LED display backlight, with direct infringement allegations targeting Dell laptops and Microsoft Surface products “that contain ambient light sensors and automatic brightness control features”. Microsoft is also charged with indirect infringement through the alleged inducement of “third parties who use Microsoft’s software (e.g., Windows) on their computers”, including Dell.

The day after an 18-month standstill provision in a settlement agreement that ended prior litigation between Polaris PowerLED Technologies, LLC and Samsung, the latter has asked the District of Delaware for a declaratory judgment of noninfringement of a single Polaris patent (1:21-cv-00068). That patent generally relates to adjusting an LED display backlight, with earlier allegations of infringement targeting certain Samsung televisions, displays, and monitors. The resumption of litigation between the two parties comes as Polaris PowerLED appeals a grant of summary judgment of noninfringement of the same patent in VIZIO’s favor, from a case filed in the Northern District of California.

Polaris PowerLED Technologies, LLC has filed another round in its LED display adjustment campaign, hitting Hisense (8:20-cv-00123), LG Electronics (LGE) (8:20-cv-00125), and TCL (8:20-cv-00127) in the Central District of California, where an earlier case against VIZIO is set for trial in September 2020. The asserted patents generally relate to adjusting an LED display backlight, with the defendants accused of infringement through the provision of televisions with certain LED backlight adjustment features (e.g., local dimming, black frame insertion, and scanning backlight features).

On the eve of its trial in the Eastern District of Texas in a case filed against Samsung in October 2017, Polaris PowerLED Technologies, LLC has filed a second suit against the company (2:19-cv-00229) in the same district. District Judge Rodney Gilstrap held a final conference on June 11, 2019 in preparation for trial over a single patent generally directed to setting the brightness level of an electronic display based on the ambient light level, targeting certain Galaxy smartphones and tablets as well as other products. The new complaint asserts a different patent, generally related to controlling a “backlight system”, accusing Samsung of infringement through the provision of certain televisions, particularly calling out “a local dimming feature that dims the backlight behind parts of the screen that are displaying black”. That patent is already at issue in the campaign, having been asserted in a September 2018 suit against VIZIO in the Central District of California.