Eric Zautner entity, e-Beacon, location detection patent challenge instituted

On January 30, 2025, less than two months after Unified filed an ex parte reexamination, the Central Reexamination Unit (CRU) granted Unified’s request, finding substantial new questions of patentability on all challenged claims of U.S. Patent 8,515,386, owned and asserted by e-Beacon LLC, an NPE and entity of Eric Zautner. The '386 patent is directed to using multiple location detection techniques to locate a VoIP phone in an emergency scenario and transmitting that location to emergency services. It has been asserted against Samsung, OnePlus, NEC, Sony, and Progressive Casualty Insurance Co.

View district court litigations by e-Beacon. Unified is represented by in-house counsel, David Seastrunk and Alyssa Holtslander.

To view the reexamination request, visit Unified’s Portal: https://portal.unifiedpatents.com/exparte/90019784

IdeaHub video codec patent challenged

On January 31, 2025, Unified Patents filed an ex parte reexamination proceeding against U.S. Patent 10,904,539, owned by Ideahub Inc., an NPE. The ‘539 patent relates to video coding techniques that apply linear method (LM) prediction modes and particularly to the prediction of a chroma pixel value using a LM chroma mode or a low-pass-filtered LM chroma mode. It has been designated as essential to the VVC standard in the Access Advance’s VVC patent pool.

Unified is represented by Dagim Tilahun and Jon Bowser of Haynes and Boone, and by in-house counsel, Jessica L.A. Marks and Michelle Aspen, in this proceeding.

IngenioSpec augmented reality patent challenged

On January 30, 2025, Unified Patents filed an ex parte reexamination proceeding against U.S. Patent 10,310,296, owned and asserted by IngenioSpec LLC, an NPE and IPVenture entity. The ‘296 patent relates to eyeglasses incorporating electrical components to streamline the user's interaction with electronic devices and enhance functionality.

View district court litigations by IngenioSpec. Unified is represented by in-house counsel, Michelle Aspen and David Seastrunk, in this proceeding.

$2,000 awarded for InnoBrilliance video streaming patent prior art

Unified is pleased to announce PATROLL crowdsourcing contest winners, Ujjwal Kumar Jha, Devinder Kumar, and Ritu Tyagi, who split a cash prize of $2,000 for their prior art submissions on U.S. Patent 9,247,299, owned by InnoBrilliance, LLC, an NPE and entity of AppBrilliance, Inc. The ‘299 patent relates to a system and method for a television system capable of displaying multiple video streams simultaneously on a single display. The system allows users to select video groups based on attributes such as sports or news, displaying them in separate areas of the screen. The patent is currently being asserted against Vector Security, Zhejiang Dahua Technology, Arlo, Element Electronics, TiVo, Lorex, and Hangzhou Hikvision.

We would also like to thank the dozens of other high-quality submissions that were made on this patent. The ongoing contests are open to anyone, and include tens of thousands of dollars in rewards available for helping the industry to challenge NPE patents of questionable validity by finding and submitting prior art in the contests. Visit PATROLL today to learn more about how to participate.

WINNING SUBMISSION

IP Investments Group entity, DataCloud Technologies, firewall patent challenge instituted

On January 28, 2025, two months after Unified filed an ex parte reexamination, the Central Reexamination Unit (CRU) granted Unified’s request, finding substantial new questions of patentability on all challenged claims of U.S. Patent 8,370,457, owned by DataCloud Technologies, LLC, an NPE and an IP Investments Group entity. The ’457 patent relates to network communication through a virtual domain. It has been asserted in over 15 district court litigations, most recently against SonicWall, Zscaler, and Palo Alto Networks.

View district court litigations by DataCloud Technologies. Unified is represented by Stephen Cortiaus and Natalie Swider of Slater Matsil and by in-house counsel, Alyssa Holtslander and Jessica L.A. Marks, in this proceeding.

To view the reexamination request, visit Unified’s Portal: https://portal.unifiedpatents.com/exparte/90019739