Recent patent/copyright infringement cases filed in U.S. District Court

Recent patent infringement suits filed in U.S. Courts, Eastern District of Texas, June 14-21

Marshall Division

June 14
Avago Technologies General et al vs. EM Microelectronic-Marin
Inventors Gary Gordon and Michael Brosnan received U.S. Patent No. 6,995,748 on Feb. 7, 2006, for "Apparatus for Controlling a Screen Pointer with a Frame Rate Based on Velocity." The patent was assigned to Avago, a Singapore company. Avago said Microelectronic is infringing on its patent. It seeks compensation for lost profits, reasonable royalties and up to three times actual damages.
Otis Carroll of Ireland, Carroll & Kelley PC of Tyler is representing the plaintiff.
The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge T. John Ward.
Case No. 2:07-cv-00249-TJW

June 15
Retractable Technologies Inc. vs. Becton Dickinson and Company
Retractable claims it has several patents for safety syringes that eliminate the risk of needlesticks to health workers. The syringes automatically withdraw the needle after injection and before the needle is withdrawn fro m the patient. Retractable says Becton is infringing on its patent and marketing syringes it claims are "safety needles." Plaintiff also says Becton Dickinson employs unlawful exclusion schemes to keep Retractable's "technologically superior safety needle products from the market."
Roy Hardin of Locke, Liddell & Sapp LLP of Dallas is representing the plaintiff.
The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge David Folsom.
Case No. 2:07-cv-00250-DF

02 Micro International Ltd. vs. Microsemi Corp.
The case was transferred from the Northern District of California. Micro International develops and markets high performance inverter controllers for managing power delivered to cold cathode fluorescent lamps used as backlight in liquid crystal display applications. The companies are in an ongoing dispute over the patents for the products.
The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Leonard E. Davis
Case No. 2:07-cv-00253-LED

June 18
LG Electronics Inc. vs. Hitachi Ltd. et al
LG Electronics makes personal computers, mobile phone handsets, DVD recorders and , relevant to this case, plasma televisions. LG says it has U.S. Patent No. 6,621,230 "Method for Operating Plasma Display Panels" and other patents relating to plasma display technology. LG claims Hitachi is knowingly infringing on its patents. The plaintiff has filed previous suits against Hitachi in Texas and California. They are seeking treble damages.
Melissa Richards Smith of Marshall is representing the plaintiff.
The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge T. John Ward.
Case No. 2:07-cv-00251-TJW

FotoMedia Technologies LLC vs. AOL et al
FotoMedia claims it holds the patent on the "Method and System for Creating Messages Including Image Information" (U.S. Patent No. 6,018,774) and other photo-sharing technology. It is alleging that defendants including AOL, Photo Bucket, Shutterfly and Yahoo! operate photo-sharing Web sites that are an infringement of the patent. "Defendants willful infringement and disregard patent rights and will continue to do so unless permanently enjoined by the court." FotoMedia is seeking treble damages.
Mike McKool of McKool, Smith PC in Marshall is representing FotoMedia.
The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge T. John Ward.
Case No. 2:07-cv-00256-TJW

June 19
911 EP Inc. vs. Whelen Engineering Co. Inc.
911 EP claims it holds U.S. Patent No. 6,693,551 and others for replaceable LED modules and LED light assemblies and warning signals used on motor vehicles. The company says Whelen has been infringing on the patents.
Sam Baxter of McKool Smith PC in Marshall is representing the plaintiff.
The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge T. John Ward.
Case No. 2:07-cv-00259-TJW

Johnson Mattheny Inc.vs. Noven Pharmaceuticals Inc.
Johnson says it owns U.S. Patent No. 6,096,760 issued Aug. 1, 2000, for "Solid-aPhenyl-2-Piperidene Acetate Free Base." Plaintiff claims Noven is using the product in its pharmaceutical formulas. Johnson is seeking enhanced damages.
Eric Albritton of Longview is representing the plaintiff.
The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge T. John Ward.
Case No. 2:07-cv-00260-TJW

June 20
Tyco Healthcare Group LP et al vs. E-Z-EM Inc.
Tyco says it holds the patent on a medical fluid injector, U.S Patent No. 5,568,710 issued Feb. 9, 1999. The plaintiff says defendants are marketing and selling injector systems that infringe on the patent. They are seeking damages not less than three times the actual amount.
Melissa Richards Smith of Gillam & Smith in Marshall is representing the plaintiff.
The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge T. John Ward.
Case No. 2:07-cv-00262-TJW

Beneficial Innovations Inc. vs. Blockdot Inc. et al
Beneficial claims it holds U.S. Patent No. 6,712,702 for a "Method and System for Playing Games on a Network." It alleges that defendants including Blockdot, Careerbuilder, Gamespot, Digg, the New York Times, the Washington Post and the Weather Channel infringe on the patent.
S. Calvin Capshaw of Longview is representing Beneficial.
The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge T. John Ward.
Case No. 2:07-cv-00263-TJW-CE

Texarkana Division

June 18
LG Electronics Inc. vs. Hitachi Ltd. et al
LG claims it holds the patent on car audio/visual products including U.S. Patent No. 5,790,096. The patents are used in car stereos and navigation systems. LG alleges that defendants including Hitachi and Clarion are using its technology, including systems sold in Nisson and Infiniti vehicles.
James Fussell III of Texarkana is representing LG Electronics.
The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge David Folsom.
Case No. 5:07-cv-00090-DF

QR Spex Inc. vs. Xonix Corp. et al
QR Spex says it was issued U.S. Patent No. 6,769,767 for "Eyewear with Exchangeable Temples Housing a Transceiver Forming ad hoc Network with other Devices" issued on Aug. 3, 2004. QR claims Oakley and Motorola are infringing on the patent with O Rokr, a Bluetooth enabled product. QR says the product is not licensed for sale in Texas or Oklahoma.
Robert Schroeder III of Texarkana is representing QR Spex.
The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge David Folsom
Case No. 5:07-cv-00092-DF