Google, AT&T, Metro PCS, Nextel, Peoples, Verizon and Skyhook in Patent Infringement Lawsuit

Plaintiff: TracBeam

Defendants: Google, AT&T, Metro PCS, Texas RSA 7B3, LP d/b/a People Wireless Services, Sprint Nextel Corp, Sprint Spectrum LP, Nextel of California, Nextel Communications of the Mid-Atlantic, Nextel of New York, Nextel South Corp, Nextel West Corp, Nextel of Texas, Cellco Partnership d/b/a Verizon Wireless, Skyhook Wireless

Case Number: 6:13-cv-00093

Date Filed: January 23, 2013

Court: Texas Eastern District Court

Patents-in-Suit: US7525484 and US7764231

Patent Number Current Assignee[i]	Issue Date	Expiration Date[ii]	Title
US7525484 TracBeam (as per face page)	Apr 28, 2009	Sep 08, 2017	Gateway and hybrid solutions for wireless location
US7764231 TracBeam	Jul 27, 2010	Sep 08, 2017	Wireless location using multiple mobile station location techniques

Table information sourced from Maxval’s Assignment Database.

The Parties:

AT&T provides telecommunication services and products, including wireless communications, local exchange services, long-distance services, data/broadband and Internet services, video services, telecommunications equipment, managed networking, wholesale services and directory advertising and publishing.

 

Metro PCS provides facilities based wireless broadband mobile communications. Its products include voice services, data services, custom calling features and advanced handsets.

Peoples is private company categorized under cellular telephones services and was established in 2001 and incorporated in Texas.

Sprint Nextel provides a comprehensive range of wireless and wireline communications services that are designed to meet the needs of individual consumers, businesses, government subscribers and resellers. 

Verizon Communications provides wired and wireless telecommunication services. It provides communications, information and entertainment products and services to consumers, businesses and governmental agencies.

Google focuses on improving the ways people connect with information. The company provides variety of services and tools for advertisers of all sizes, from simple text ads to display and mobile advertising and to publishers, whether small or large. The company primarily focuses on the areas which include search, advertising, operating systems and platforms and enterprise.

Skyhook develops Wi-Fi positioning systems to provide location results in urban areas. It engages in location positioning, context, and intelligence. 

As in complaint:

Plaintiff alleges that defendants infringe the above patents by marketing products and services for determining the locations of wireless mobile devices (e.g., the locations of AT&T subscribers’ cellular phones, the locations of Metro PCS subscribers’ cellular phones, the locations of Sprint Nextel subscribers’ cellular phones, the locations of Verizon subscribers‟ cellular phones, Google’s My Location).

Other Cases Filed:

TracBeam in the past had filed a case against AT&T and Metro PCS (6:11-cv-00096) on February 25, 2011 which is still pending (source: Litigation Database).

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[i] MaxVal offers Patent Assignment Alert service where subscribers receive email alerts when assignments relating to target applications, patents or entities of interest are recorded.

[ii] Expected expiration date. Patent Term Estimator is a free web-based tool that automatically calculates patent terms and expiration dates for U.S. utility patents.