NTP Goes Big Game Hunting Again
Yesterday, July 8th, Virginia patent company NTP, Inc. filed suit in the Richmond Division of the Eastern District of Virginia against pretty much every mobile technology heavyweight it had not yet sued, namely: Apple, Google, HTC, LG, Microsoft, and Motorola.
The case numbers and complaints are listed here:
- 3:10-cv-00467 – NTP, Inc. v. Apple, Inc.
- 3:10-cv-00468 – NTP, Inc. v. LG Electronics et al
- 3:10-cv-00469 – NTP, Inc. v. Google Inc.
- 3:10-cv-00470 – NTP, Inc. v. Microsoft Corporation
- 3:10-cv-00471 – NTP, Inc. v. Motorola, Inc.
- 3:10-cv-00472 – NTP, Inc. v. High Tech Computer Corp. et al
The cases allege infringement of eight patents related to e-mail and mobile devices (collectively, “the Campana Patents”). That designation refers to Thomas Campana, who the Complaints allege invented wireless e-mail.
Five of the patents at issue were the subject of NTP’s high-stakes patent litigation war against RIM, the makers of Blackberry devices (E.D. Va. case no. 3:01-CV-767). All of the new cases have been assigned to Chief Judge James R. Spencer, before whom NTP prevailed against RIM. These too should draw significant media coverage.
Keep in mind that NTP also has additional suits, filed in 2006 and 2007, that are pending in the Eastern District of Virginia against Palm, T-Mobile, Verizon Wireless, AT&T, Sprint Nextel, and Alltel. Seven of the patents involved in NTP's new suits are also at issue in its action against Palm, and all eight are at issue in the suits against the others. Those cases are stayed pending reexamination, and as we’ve blogged before, NTP has not fared so well before the PTO (although one would not know that from the Complaints).
NTP is represented by Christian & Barton and (in at least some of the cases) by Goodwin Procter LLP and Hughes, Hubbard & Reed LLP.
