The bulk of the Eastern District of Texas complaint that Quantum Technology Innovations, LLC just filed against Liberty Media (SiriusXM) (2:24-cv-00246) is devoted to recounting the prosecution history of the sole patent-in-suit and to pleading defensively against an Alice attack. The intensity of that focus is perhaps motivated by the SiriusXM motion challenging the patents asserted against it this past December—by Display Technologies, LLC, which, like Quantum, is a plaintiff associated with Leigh M. Rothschild—as patent-ineligibly drawn to the abstract idea of “transferring a digital media file”. There, SiriusXM cites a prior court order characterizing Display’s “goal”: to pursue a “’nuisance-value’ settlement” through a “ransom” that SiriusXM does not wish to pay.

Valve has filed a second amended complaint in the Western District of Washington case (2:23-cv-01016) begun last July against Leigh M. Rothschild and three associated entities Display Technologies, LLC; Patent Asset Management, LLC; and Rothschild Broadcast Distribution Systems, LLC (RBDS), together with Rothschild counsel Meyler Legal, PLLC and its principal Samuel Meyler. The defendants have refiled a motion to dismiss the complaint in which they argue that Valve is “attempting to make ‘a mountain out of a mole hill’ by characterizing a simple clerical error as some sort of legal malfeasance” under the state’s “Patent Troll Protection Act”. Meanwhile, venue challenges in Eastern District of Texas cases filed this past September by three other Rothschild plaintiffs—Quantum Technology Innovations, LLC; Social Positioning Input Systems, LLC (SPIS); and Symbology Innovations, LLC—are ripening.

Display Technologies, LLC, an entity associated with prolific inventor and frequent plaintiff Leigh M. Rothschild, has expanded its wireless connectivity campaign with suits against Microsoft (Activision Publishing) (2:24-cv-00043) and Wondershare Technology Group (2:24-cv-00046) in the Eastern District of Texas. The plaintiff asserts two patents generally related to transferring media files wirelessly between devices. Activision is accused of infringement through the provision of videogames that implement voice chat functionalities, while Wondershare is accused over the MobileTrans app, which supports features for transferring files from an iPhone to an Android smartphone.

This past week, Valve Corporation filed a Western District of Washington complaint (2:23-cv-01016) naming as defendants prolific inventor and plaintiff Leigh M. Rothschild and three associated entities Display Technologies, LLC; Patent Asset Management, LLC; and Rothschild Broadcast Distribution Systems, LLC (RBDS), together with Rothschild counsel Meyler Legal, PLLC and its principal Samuel Meyler. Valve pleads claims of bad-faith patent assertion and unfair business practices under the Washington State Consumer Protection Act, arising via demands sent to Valve concerning the alleged infringement of patents that Valve pleads are covered by a 2016 license agreement with Display Technologies. Valve also pleads breach of contract, further asking the court for declaratory judgments, one for invalidity and another for unenforceability. Materials attached to Valve’s complaint suggest that the universe of “demands” from Rothschild-tied entities extends beyond those from the defendants named here.   

Display Technologies, LLC, an entity associated with prolific inventor and frequent plaintiff Leigh M. Rothschild, has sued Ford (6:22-cv-00515) and Nissan (6:22-cv-00516) in the Western District of Texas and Rossmax (3:22-cv-00772) in the Southern District of California over the support of wireless connectivity in certain automobile infotainment systems (Ford and Nissan) and blood pressure monitor systems (Rossmax). A single patent generally related to transferring media files wirelessly between devices is asserted. Since launching its sole litigation campaign in 2015, Display Technologies has sued over 70 defendants and asserted two patents (both naming Rothschild as its inventor).

Last month, Display Technologies, LLC, an entity affiliated with prolific inventor and frequent plaintiff Leigh M. Rothschild, sued Arkray (0:21-cv-02458) and Nonin Medical (0:21-cv-02456) in the District of Minnesota and BMW (6:21-cv-01214) in the Western District of Texas over the support of wireless connectivity in a wide range of products (i.e., blood glucose meters, pulse oximeters, and automotive infotainment systems, respectively). At issue in each complaint is a single patent generally related to transferring media files wirelessly between devices. Since launching its sole litigation campaign in 2015, Display Technologies has sued 60 defendants and asserted two patents (each naming Rothschild as its inventor).

As recently reported by RPX in its Q3 in Review, NPE litigation targeting the Automotive sector increased during the third quarter by over 180%. Several familiar faces in the patent monetization space launched or expanded automotive campaigns in Q3, including multiple NPEs tied by public records to third-party litigation funders. While the number of defendants sued in automotive campaigns remains relatively low as compared to other busy sectors, the litigation activity of several established plaintiffs in this space reflects sustained NPE interest.

Display Technologies, LLC, an entity affiliated with prolific inventor and frequent plaintiff Leigh M. Rothschild, has filed additional litigation in its over six-year long litigation campaign, suing Daimler (Mercedes-Benz) (6:21-cv-00766) in the Western District of Texas, Greater Goods (4:21-cv-00988) in the Eastern District of Missouri, and Olympus (5:21-cv-03502) in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. The plaintiff asserts a single patent, generally related to transferring media files wirelessly between devices, with Mercedes-Benz targeted over its automobile infotainment system and Greater Goods and Olympus over various software products. At issue are features for sharing files through Wi-Fi and/or Bluetooth connectivity.

Display Technologies, LLC, an entity affiliated with prolific inventor and frequent plaintiff Leigh M. Rothschild, has pushed the number of defendants in its sole litigation campaign to nearly 50, suing GM (6:21-cv-00240), Harley-Davidson (6:21-cv-00242), Honda (6:21-cv-00242), Toyota (6:21-cv-00304), and Volkswagen (Porsche) (6:21-cv-00230) in March alone. Infotainment systems are targeted, with these defendants joining several other vehicle makers in the campaign, including Aston Martin, against which Display Technologies has sought entry of a default judgment, with Rothschild providing a supportive declaration with an estimated damages range for that case.

Display Technologies, LLC, one of many NPEs controlled by inventor Leigh M. Rothschild, has sued AP Global (2:20-cv-05041), Faurecia (Clarion) (8:20-cv-01028), and Mazda (8:20-cv-01029), each in the Central District of California. A single patent generally related to wirelessly transferring media files between devices is asserted, with the defendants accused of infringement through the provision of media streaming products that feature Bluetooth connectivity: for AP Global and Mazda, the BlueSYNC BX speaker; and for Clarion, the Clarion Car Infotainment System.