Basler (2:21-cv-05160), Walmart (6:21-cv-01234), WideOpenWest (1:21-cv-03154), and Wyze Labs (1:21-cv-01704) are the latest defendants to be added to the first litigation campaign of Cedar Lane Technologies Inc., launched in May 2019 with a suit against Advert Tech. The plaintiff asserts six patents in overlapping sets, one of which is newly asserted in litigation, with the defendants accused of infringement through the provision of a wide variety of products, including cameras and streaming products. At issue are a variety of features, ranging from image processing to the support of the Google Assistant platform. Over 150 defendants have now been sued in this campaign, while the number of asserted patents (each received either directly or indirectly from Intellectual Ventures LLC (IV)) nears 50.
In its suit against Walmart, Cedar Lane asserts a single patent ( 8,165,867) generally related to remote device control. Belonging to a family of six, the patent issued in April 2012 and has an estimated priority date in September 2000. Walmart is accused of infringement through the support of the Google Assistant platform in the onn. Android Streaming Device and Voice Remote.
Wyze is also accused of infringing the '867 patent, as well as two separate image processing patents (6,972,790; 8,537,242) through the provision of smart home products that support Google Assistant and Wyze cameras, respectively. Belonging to a family of three, the '790 and '242 patents issued in December 2005 and September 2013, respectively, with a shared estimated priority in January 2000.
In its case against Basler—which Cedar Lane first sued in a September 2021 case that was dismissed (without prejudice) following service issues—the NPE asserts the '790 and '242 patents, as well as a third patent (6,473,527) generally related to JPEG compression. Comprising a family of one, the '527 patent issued in October 2002 and has an estimated priority date in June 1999. Basler is targeted over the provision of surveillance camera products.
Finally, WideOpenWest is accused of infringing two patents in addition to the '867 patent: the first, generally related to a remote control equipped with a microphone for "receiving voice input" (6,629,077); and the second, to controlling and viewing media content received through the Internet on a television (6,978,475). Comprising a family of one, the '077 patent is newly asserted in litigation and issued in September 2003 with an estimated priority date in November 2000. WideOpenWest is targeted over the WOW! tv+ Voice Remote. Belonging to a family of two, the '475 patent issued in December 2005 with an estimated priority date in November 1999. The defendant is accused of infringing the '475 and '867 patent through the support of Google Assistant in the WOW! tv+ Voice Remote and Box streaming device.
Background concerning the formation of Cedar Lane; the origin of these former IV patents, as well as their path into the plaintiff's hands; and the litigation history of this campaign can be reviewed at "Cedar Lane, Elsewhere Ordered to Show Cause in Light of Failure to Prosecute, Targets Streaming Services in Another Round of Suits" (October 2020).
Cedar Lane has yet to take any of its cases much beyond pleadings; to date, 26 other cases in the campaign remain active—against Ambir, Ametek, Anker, Arlo Technologies, Avision, Brother, Costco, Funai Electric, Hasselbladd, Hilton, Hitachi, JVC Kenwood, Lenovo (Motorola Mobility), LT Security, Omron Electronics, Plustek, Resideo Technologies, Riso Kagaku, Seiko (Seiko Epson), Source Technologies, Starfish Technologies, Star Microtronics, Thales (Thales E-Security), Trip.com, Twin Point Capital (Frontpoint Security), and Zebra Technologies. A one-page assessment of the campaign is available for download on RPX Insight. 11/23, Basler, Eastern District of Pennsylvania, WideOpenWest, District of Colorado; 11/30, Walmart, Western District of Texas; 12/2, Wyze Labs, District of Delaware.
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