Publicly traded Immersion Corporation (IMMR) has filed a second suit targeting Meta Platforms (1:23-cv-01386) over the provision of its Quest augmented and virtual reality systems, the first concerning Quest 2 and Quest Pro and this second one, Quest 3. Five of the same six patents are asserted in both Western District of Texas complaints. At the end of October, the Federal Circuit turned away Meta’s petition for a writ of mandamus that would have ordered District Judge Alan D. Albright to transfer the first suit against it to the Northern District of California.

Immersion Corporation (IMMR) issued a trio of announcements on March 5, providing investors with an update on its fourth quarter financials, a “major transformation” of its board of directors, and the company’s entrance into the “adult device market”.

Last quarter, Immersion Corporation provided investors with an update on its new strategic initiative—an optimistic plan for moving forward now that the company is no longer “mired in constant litigation” and has “transitioned out of cash burn mode”. However, with activist investor VIEX Capital Advisors ratcheting up pressure on Immersion—in which Acacia Research Corporation also holds a large stake—the company may need to focus on fending off a proxy fight.

Last quarter, Immersion Corporation’s CEO Ramzi Haidamus told investors that with the company’s last outstanding lawsuit settled, Immersion—which he said has been mired in constant patent litigation for the past 17 years—could now focus on a strategic initiative to drive long-term value for its shareholders. On November 6, Immersion released its third-quarter financials and provided investors with a broad overview of its plan for moving forward now that it has “transitioned out of cash burn mode”.

Immersion Corporation’s CEO Ramzi Haidamus told investors on August 1 that with its last outstanding lawsuit settled, the company—which he said has been “mired” in “constant” patent litigation for the past 17 years—can now focus on a strategic initiative to drive long-term value for its shareholders. However, despite having settled its litigation against Samsung and, most recently, Motorola Mobility, Immersion may need to gear up for a new battle, this one with large investors VIEX Capital Advisors and Acacia Research Corporation.

Immersion Corporation appears to be the latest publicly traded IP licensing company that is being pushed by large investors to consider strategic alternatives. On June 3, hedge fund VIEX Capital Advisors—which holds a 10.3% stake in Immersion—filed a Schedule 13D in which it described Immersion’s shares as being “materially undervalued” and called for “significant and immediate improvements” to Immersion’s “corporate governance, cost structure and capital allocation”.

Approximately one year after the Federal Circuit reversed an adverse result in a prior case filed against HTC, publicly traded Immersion Corporation has revived its litigation efforts, filing suit in early July against Fitbit (5:17-cv-03886) and now in early August against Lenovo (Motorola Mobility) (1:17-cv-01081) and Samsung (2:17-cv-00572). Immersion pleads that it “owns and licenses a broad portfolio of pioneering patents related to the use of haptics technology” and that both Motorola Mobility and Samsung are past licensees of its patents that chose not to renew their licenses. “Haptics technology” and “haptic feedback” are the plaintiff’s terms for touch or tactile sensations provided to the user of an electronic device. Immersion targets “haptic sensations” (e.g. vibration) provided to the user of the defendants’ mobile devices, particularly in response to use of a touchscreen.