Court Dismisses Case against Google over Sales Force Automation System

Case Filed: Aug 18, 2014

Case Closed: Oct 29, 2014

Court: District Court of Texas

Judge: K. Nicole Mitchell

Case Summary:

SFA Systems LLC (SFA), a Texas based company filed a case against Google Inc. (Google), a California based Delaware corporation alleging that the latter has infringed two of their US patents.

Patents in suit:

The patents at issue were: US6067525 entitled ‘Integrated computerized sales force automation system,’ and US7941341 entitled ‘Sales Force Automation System and Method’ issued on May 23, 2000 and May 10, 2011, respectively. The ‘525 patent expires^* by Oct 30, 2015 and the ‘341 patent expires^* by May 8, 2020. SFA Systems is the current assignee⁺ of the patents (source: MaxVal’s Assignment Database). The ‘525 and ‘341 patents relate to an automated sales system which facilitates the sale of an item or service by intelligently integrating into a single system, tools used by a salesperson in the sales process. 

As in Complaint:

SFA alleged that Google has directly infringed the ‘525 and ‘341 patents without permission or authority from it. SFA also alleged that Google is involved in various business activities such as making, using, selling, importing, and offering to sell computer implemented sales systems including methods for facilitating processes relating to the sale and provision methods of products and services.

Plaintiff also added that Google’s foregoing acts of infringement were willful and deliberate. Hence SFA is entitled to recovery of past damages, at a minimum, a reasonable royalty along with interests and costs.

Case Conclusion:

Joint stipulation of dismissal was filed by the parties’ and accordingly court ordered claims to be dismissed with prejudice with each party bearing its own costs and expenses, thereby ending the litigation.

MaxVal had discussed this case earlier on Aug 20^th 2014 when it was filed. The below mentioned blog address portrays the history of the case.

http://maxval-ip.blogspot.in/2014/08/sfa-systems-sues-google-over-sales.html

See 6:14-CV-00705 for more details. To get alerts on cases filed/closed, subscribe to our Litigation Alerts.

Max-Insight enables you to access all of our patent tools such as Patent Term Estimator, Patent Family Tree, Has This Patent Been Litigated, etc. in one location. Max-Insight is available in individual subscriptions: Free, Bronze, Silver and Gold with varying usage levels, and enterprise access plans. To learn more about Max-Insight, click here.

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* 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.

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

eDekka, Ebags Resolve Patent Dispute

Case Filed: Sep 18 2014

Case Closed: Oct 29 2014

Court: District Court of Texas

Judge: Rodney Gilstrap

Case Summary:

eDekka LLC (eDekka), a Texas based company filed a case against Ebags Inc. (Ebags), a Colorado based Delaware corporation alleging that the latter has infringed one of their US patents.

Patent in Suit:

Patent Number	Title	Issue Date	Expiration Date[i]	Current Assignee[ii]
US6266674	Random access information retrieval utilizing user-defined labels	Jul 24, 2001	Jul 24, 2018	eDekka LLC

The ‘674 patent relates to method and apparatus for hierarchically storing information thatmay be input in the form of audio input such as speech, music, etc. or facsimile (FAX) or text, or combinations thereof.

As in Complaint:

The complaint alleged that Ebags infringed the ‘674 patent by making and/or using Ebag’s website and its associated websites that include “shopping cart” functionality that are covered by one or more claims of the ‘674 patent. The infringing aspects were indicated as webpages and functionality within Ebag’s website.

eDekka added that it has been damaged by the foregoing acts of infringement of its patents by the defendant and will continue to be damaged by such infringement unless enjoined by this Court.

District Court Judgment:

Plaintiff Edekka and defendant Ebags filed joint stipulation for dismissal. Court ordered dismissal with prejudice of all claims and counterclaims asserted by the other party with all costs and fees to be incurred by the respective parties.

See 2:14-CV-00425 for more details. To get alerts on cases filed/closed, subscribe to our Litigation Alerts.

Max-Insight enables you to access all of our patent tools such as Patent Term Estimator, Patent Family Tree, Has This Patent Been Litigated, etc. in one location. Max-Insight is available in individual subscriptions: Free, Bronze, Silver and Gold with varying usage levels, and enterprise access plans. To learn more about Max-Insight, click here.

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[i] 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.

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

Volkswagen Faces Patent Infringement Suit

Case Filed: Sep 04, 2014

Court: District of Delaware

Case Summary:

Rothschild Location Technologies (Rothschild), a Florida based Delaware corporation filed a case against Volkswagen, a Virginia based corporation alleging that the latter has infringed one of their US patents.

Patent in suit:

Patent Number	Title	Issue Date	Expiration Date[i]	Current Assignee[ii]
US7917285	Device, system and method for remotely entering, storing and sharing addresses for a positional information device	Mar 29, 2011	Apr 28, 2026	Rothschild

The ‘285 patent relates to devices, systems and methods for remotely entering, storing and sharing addresses for a positional information device, e.g. a global positioning system (GPS) device.

As in Complaint:

The complaint alleged that Volkswagen infringed the '285 patent by making, using, selling, offering to sell, and/or importing "Volkswagen’s Car-Net" that are covered by one or more claims of the '285 patent.

For example, Volkswagen’s Car-Net provides a system for remotely entering location information into a positional information device. This Car-Net server is configured in Volkswagen to receive a request of at least one location, determine the address of that particular location and transmits the determined address to the positional information device. E.g. this Application is implemented in such a way that it allows the user to know where they last parked their car.

Rothschild adds that it has been damaged by the foregoing acts of infringement of its patents by Volkswagen and will continue to be damaged by such infringement unless enjoined by this Court.

Other cases filed:

Rothschild filed cases against defendants including Hyundai Motor America, Volvo Cars or North America, LLC on the same day in the U.S. District court of Delaware.

See 1:14-CV-01129 for more details. To get alerts on cases filed/closed, subscribe to our Litigation Alerts.

Max-Insight enables you to access all of our patent tools such as Patent Term Estimator, Patent Family Tree, Has This Patent Been Litigated, etc. in one location. Max-Insight is available in 4 different subscriptions: Free, Bronze, Silver and Gold with varying usage levels. To learn more about Max-Insight, click here.

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[i] 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.

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

Kaavo, HP Resolve Patent Dispute

Case Filed: Mar 19, 2014

Case Closed: Sep 04, 2014

Court: District of Delaware

Judge: Leonard P. Stark

Case Summary:

Kaavo, Inc. a Texas based Cloud computing company engaged in developing and sale of software for IT resource management filed a case against Hewlett – Packard (HP), a California based Delaware Corporation engaged in developing and manufacturing computing devices, accusing them of infringing upon one of Kaavo’s U.S patents.

Patent in suit:

Patent Number	Title	Issue Date	Expiration Date[i]	Current Assignee[ii]
US8271974	Cloud computing lifecycle management for N-tier applications	Sep 18, 2012	Oct 08, 2028	Kaavo Inc

The ‘974 patent relates to methods, devices, and systems related to management of a cloud computing environment for use by a software application.

As in Complaint:

The complaint alleged that HP infringed the '974 patent by making, using, selling, offering to sell, and/or importing "HP Cloud Application PaaS" that are covered by one or more claims of the '974 patent. The infringing aspects were indicated as the software application which is used in HP’s methods and systems for management of a cloud computing environment.

Kaavo adds that it has been damaged by the foregoing acts of infringement of its patents by the defendant and will continue to be damaged by such infringement unless enjoined by this Court.

District Court Judgment:

Kaavo and HP filed joint stipulation for dismissal and accordingly, Court ordered dismissal with prejudice of all claims and counterclaims asserted by either party with all costs and fees to be incurred by the respective parties, thereby ending the dispute.

See 1:14-CV-00354 for more details. To get alerts on cases filed/closed, subscribe to our Litigation Alerts.

Max-Insight enables you to access all of our patent tools such as Patent Term Estimator, Patent Family Tree, Has This Patent Been Litigated, etc. in one location. Max-Insight is available in individual subscriptions: Free, Bronze, Silver and Gold with varying usage levels, and enterprise access plans. To learn more about Max-Insight, click here.

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[i] 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.

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

MAZ Ends Patent Suit against Sony

Case Filed: May 16, 2014

Case Closed: Sep 02, 2014

Court: District of Delaware

Judge: Leonard P. Stark

Case Summary:

MAZ Encryption Technologies LLC (MAZ), engaged in developing software security products filed a patent suit against Sony Electronics Inc., a California based Delaware Corporation engaged in manufacturing of electronic products, accusing them of infringing upon one of Maz’s U.S patents.

Patent in suit:

Patent Number	Title	Issue Date	Expiration Date[i]	Current Assignee[ii]
US8359476	User authentication system and method for encryption and decryption	Jan 22, 2013	Mar 01, 2019	MAZ Encryption Technologies

The ‘476 patent relates to cryptographic systems and electronic document management systems. 

As in Complaint:

MAZ alleged that Sony has directly or indirectly infringed the ‘476 patent without permission or authority from it. MAZ also alleged that Sony is involved in various business activities such as making, using, selling, offering to sell its Sony VAIO products embodying the technology claimed in the ‘476 patent. The infringing aspects were indicated as Sony VAIO’s finger print software, sensor and biometric encryption systems.

MAZ adds that it has been damaged by the foregoing acts of infringement of its patents by the defendant and will continue to be damaged by such infringement unless enjoined by this Court.

District Court Judgment:

MAZ and Sony filed joint stipulation for dismissal and accordingly, Court ordered dismissal with prejudice of all claims and counterclaims asserted by the other party with all costs and fees to be incurred by the respective parties, thereby ending the dispute.

See 1:14-CV-00625 for more details. To get alerts on cases filed/closed, subscribe to our Litigation Alerts.

Max-Insight enables you to access all of our patent tools such as Patent Term Estimator, Patent Family Tree, Has This Patent Been Litigated, etc. in one location. Max-Insight is available in individual subscriptions: Free, Bronze, Silver and Gold with varying usage levels, and enterprise access plans. To learn more about Max-Insight, click here.

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[i] 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.

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