FireNet Technologies, LLC, an affiliate of Georgia-based IP Investments Group LLC (d/b/a IPinvestments Group), a monetization firm controlled by Michael W. McLaughlin, has expanded yet again the campaign that it began last summer with separate suits filed against KEMP Technologies and Fujitsu. The NPE accuses Citrix (1:19-cv-03199) of infringing the same four network security patents already at issue in the campaign, through the provision of Citrix Application Delivery Controller (formerly NetScaler ADC) networking products and services, calling out “NetScaler ADC (also referred to as Citrix ADC) products, including hardware appliances (MPX and SDX), software implementations (VPX and CPX), and cloud implementations” specifically.

FireNet Technologies, LLC has added a new case to a litigation campaign in which Intellectual Ventures LLC (IV) retains an interest. The NPE, an affiliate of Georgia monetization firm IP Investments Group LLC (d/b/a IPinvestments Group), has accused Fortinet (4:19-cv-00798) of infringing the same four network security patents that it asserted in previous suits against A10 Networks, Fujitsu, and KEMP Technologies. FireNet targets Fortinet networking products and services, calling out “Fortinet Web Security and Firewall Products, including FortiWeb, FortiGate, and FortiADC products” specifically.

Universal Transdata, LLC, an affiliate of IP Investments Group LLC (d/b/a IPinvestments Group), has added a suit against Lenovo (1:18-cv-04327) to its litigation campaign targeting wireless peripherals (i.e., keyboard, mouse, keyboard-mouse combination) connecting through USB wireless receivers. The NPE has asserted a single patent, received in April 2017 from Intellectual Ventures LLC (IV), against eight defendants, with 2018 cases against Deerbrook Electronics, PC Gear Head, Razer, and Tecknet Online each ending last month.

FireNet Technologies, LLC has followed up last month’s case against KEMP Technologies (1:18-cv-05564) in the Southern District of New York with a second suit in the campaign, this one filed against Fujitsu (2:18-cv-00270) in the Eastern District of Texas. Both complaints assert four patents, generally related to network security, recently received from Intellectual Ventures LLC (IV). Fujitsu is accused of infringement through the provision of “networking products and services with firewall security, including, but not limited to, implementations comprising Fujitsu servers (such as PRIMERGY servers), Fujitsu storage equipment (such as ETERNUS servers), and incorporating Fujitsu network security solutions, such as NS Appliance and/or NS Options, including their dedicated, hardware, and cloud implementations”.

USB Bridge Solutions, LLC has launched a new litigation campaign, suing ACI Group (Avant Technology) (1:17-cv-01159), Kezoll Technology and Shenzhen KingSpec Electronics Technology (1:17-cv-01160), and Melco Holdings (Buffalo) (1:17-cv-01158) over a single patent generally related to an interface for a “mass storage device”. At issue are the defendants’ portable hard drives with Serial ATA (Buffalo, Shenzhen) or ATA (Avant) internal interfaces and having an external USB interface.

Max Blu Technologies, LLC has filed another lawsuit in the campaign that it began in July 2015, asserting all four disk storage patents-in-campaign against JVCKenwood (2:17-cv-08008). Infringement allegations continue to focus on Blu-Ray recordable and re-writable discs. Max Blu filed this newest case in the Central District of California, in contrast to all others in the campaign, which were filed in the Eastern District of Texas. The JVCKenwood suit follows multiple dismissals in cases brought earlier this year.

After settlement ended its last open suit, Max Blu Technologies, LLC has continued its sole litigation campaign by suing HP (2:17-cv-00341), Panasonic (2:17-cv-00342), and Vinpower (2:17-cv-00344). Blu-Ray recordable and re-writable discs are at issue in the cases, which follow November 2016 dismissals of Liberty Interactive (Anchor Bay Entertainment, Starz Media), CBS Films, and Netflix and a January 2017 dismissal with prejudice of Redbox Automated Retail in a campaign that began in July 2015 and has now hit over 15 defendants. Eight patents (6,728,196; 6,890,704; 7,352,685; 7,600,992; 7,801,016; 7,952,986; 8,363,534; 8,593,931) generally related to disc copying are asserted in each of the new complaints.

Another apparent affiliate of IP Edge LLC, Bartonfalls LLC, has initiated a litigation campaign with a flurry of lawsuits against Advance Publications, Bloomberg, CBS, Comcast (NBC), Consumers Union of United States, Discovery Communications, Disney (ABC), Forbes, Meredith (Allrecipes.com), New York Times, Scripps Networks Interactive, Time Warner (TBS), Viacom, and Ziff-Davis. The new complaints assert a single patent (7,917,922), which relates generally to automatically changing the channel on a television. Bartonfalls accuses the defendants of infringement through mechanisms for automatically changing channels or programs in video platforms available on their websites. For example, the NPE alleges that Viacom infringes when the video player on the MTV website switches from, e.g., Rihanna’s live performance of “Stay / Love on the Brain / Diamonds” to The Chainsmokers’s live performance of “Closer”.