The number of infringement suits filed by NPEs controlled by inventor Leigh M. Rothschild sharply increased last year, with over 140 patent cases filed in 2015 compared to just 35 in 2014. In fact, according to RPX’s 2015 NPE Activity: Highlights report published on January 4, 2016, Rothschild ranked first among the top ten NPEs by campaign defendants added in 2015.

Rothschild Digital Media Innovations sued Sony for alleged patent infringement. The patent-in-suit relates to websites that provide a protected storage medium to users for accessing interactive material (6,101,534). Rothschild’s complaint accuses Sony’s PlayStation game console, discs, and cards of infringement. The ‘534 patent originates with inventor Leigh Rothschild, who appears to control the two entities that have previously asserted the patent. In 2002 and 2003 Trust Licensing initiated two short-lived suits against CD-ROM manufacturers that both ended in dismissals. In 2006 Rothschild Trust Holdings sued Citrix and ORB Networks; Citrix settled following about four months of litigation, and the case against ORB was administratively closed pending reexamination (the case has not been reopened). Reexamination of the ‘534 patent concluded in June 2011 with claim 2 cancelled, two claims added, and the remaining claims confirmed or not reexamined. RPX reviewed the patent in an open market opportunity in March 2011 (Rothschild Video – Acq). 6/10, Florida Southern District Court, 1:14cv22134