Assa / HID Threatened to "Rain Down An Avalanche" of Litigation, Competitor Alleges Extortion
Assa Abloy / HID have a long (and successful) history of suing and intimidating competitors. Now, for the second time in two years, a competitor is accusing them of misconduct.
Compare with other IPVM reporting: HID Committed Fraud, Alleges WaveLynx, and HID Settles Bruising Litigation With WaveLynx.
In this report, we analyze the legal contest, how the Assa competitor alleges the company threatened to "rain down an avalanche" of litigation, and the possible outcomes.
Executive *******
*** ********* *********** ***** **** **** Abloy **** ** *********** **********, * rare ****** *** * ******* ****-***** for************ *********** ******* ********** *******. *** *********** **** ***** ***** a ****** ********** **** - * ruling ******* **** ***** ***** *** company ********** ** ******* *** * malicious *********** ****.
***** ***** ******* **** **** ******** them *************** "**** **** ** *********" ** patent ********* ***** ** *** ***** a **** ******* ** * ****** for * ********** ****** ******* ******. Urban ***** *******, *** **** ********* by ****** ****-************ ****** ******* ***** *** *************** *** ** ****** ***** *** Appeal ***** (****) ** ********** *** validity ** *** ****** **** **** tried ** *******.
**** ******** *** "************" **************** *** says **** ** *** * ********** claim. *** ***************** ** "********" *** ****** ******** by ***** ***** *** *** ***** that ********* * **** ******* ***** have **** *** **** ********** ***-**** settlement. ** **** ** *** ******** holder ** *** ******, *********** ** "rain **** ** *********" ** ***** sounds **** **** ********* *** **** like * ********** ******.
**** ** *** ****** **** ** two ***** **** **** *** **** accused ** **********, **** **************** **** ********** *** ** ***** and ********** ** ****. ******** ********** *******, ** * rare *** *** ** ***/**** *********.
**********
***** *********** ****** *,***,***, *****:
********* ******** * ******** (**********) ** activate * **** **** **** ** receives * ******* *********** ***********.
*** ********* ******** ** *** '*** patent ** * ******* ****** ******* Access ************.
** ****** ****,******* **** ************** *** ********** ***** *** '*** patent (*.*., *** ********** ***** **** allegedly *** *** ******** ********** *** are **** ** * ***-******* ********). Liberty *** *** **** **** ** the ******** ****, ******* ******** ** * ***** ********** ** *** ******** **** ** the ******** *******.
********* ** ******* *** ***** *****, Assa ***** ***** ** ********* * free ******* ** *** '*** ******.***** ***** ******** ****, ** * ******** **** meeting **** *******'* *******, ********** ** "rain **** ** *********" ** ****** challenges ** *** ***** * **** license.
******* ******* ******* **** *** ****** **************** *****. ** ********,**** **** ********* ******** ****, ******* * *********** of ***-************.
** *** ****, **** *** ******** * ******************* *** ******** ** *** '*** patent (****** * ******** ******** ************, ** ** ***) **** *** US ****** ***** *** ****** ***** (PTAB).
***,***** ***** ** ****** **** ** throw *** ****'* *** ********, ****** **** **** ** ******* the ****** ****** ****** ** ****** Urban ***** *** ******* **** ****** Assa * **** *******. ** ******* Urban *****'* ****** *** *** ********* consequences ** ***** *****.
Urban ***** ******* *********
****** ****'* ****** ** "**** **** an ********* ** ****" ** ******* did *** ***** ** * **** license,***** ***** ******** **** **** *** **** * legitimate ***** *** ** **** ***** the ******** ** * "***** ** an ****** ** ******* * **** license ** *** ’*** ****** **** Liberty." ********* ** ***** *****, ****'* petition:
**** *** ******** ** ******* *** limitations ** **** ** *** ********** claims [** *** '*** ******] *** therefore **** *** ********* * ********** likelihood **** [****] ***** ******* **** respect ** ** ***** *** ** the ****** **********
***** ***** **** ****** **** **** is ***** * ******** **** ************** *** *** ****** ******* *********** in *** ****- *** ** ***** ***** **** until ** ** ** ****** *********** feasible ** ********.
***** **** *** *** **********, ******* and ***** ***** *** ******** ** two ***** ******** **** **** ******* with ******* ******: *******'* **** ******* Assa *** ****** ************ *** ****'* suit ******* ******* ******* * *********** of ***-************. *** *********** ** *** suits *** **** ******, *** ***** Intel **** ****'* *** ***** *****:
**** ***********, ** ******* ****running ** *******’* ***** *** ****’* ******** *** *****. ASSA could have filed its IPRs in December 2022, when Liberty’s informed ASSA that it would under no circumstances agree to a royalty free license in response to ASSA’s threats. Instead, ASSA waited a full five months before filing its IPRs, and in the interim chose instead to file a declaratory judgment action to further *** ** *******’* ********** *****. [emphasis added]
** **** ****** **** ***** *****, there's **** ********* *** ** ** throw *** ****'* ***. ** *** cases, (*)******* ********* *. **** ********** ****** (**)******* **********, ***, *. **** ********** LLC, **** ********* *** ********* ***** determining **** *** ********** ******** *** suits ** *** ** "******* *******" from *** ****** ******.
**** ********** ******* **** ** ********** ******* Assa *** *** **** ****** ******* from *******. ***** **************, ****** **** ********* * **** license ***** **** **** ******** ***** akin ** *******.
Assa **** **** ** **********, ******** ********* ******
**** ******** ***** *****'* ******** **** the **** ** ********* *** ************.
******'* ***** ** ***** *****'* ******, **** ***** **** *** *** petition *** * ********* ******** ***** to ***** ** ****'* ******** ** the *** *********** ******* *******, *** an ************ ***. **** **** **** it ******* ** **** ***** ************ with ***** ***** *** ******* ** December **** *** *** ** ****** but ** ******* **** *** ********** after ******* **** **** ** *** end ** **** *****.
**** ************** ** "********" *** ********** ********* by *** '*** ******. ** **** stated ** ******* ******:
[****'*] *****-******* ****** ****** ********** ******** Liberty’s ****** ******* ********* ** **** years. [****] ************ **** ****** ****** technology ******** ** ***** ** ***** as **** *** ******* *** **** products ***** **** ********** **** ****** the ******** ******** **** ** *** patent ** *******’* ****** ******* *********.
**** ***** *** **** *** ****** to "**** **** ** ********* ** IPRs" *** ********** *******, ** *** rightful ****** ******, ** *** **** within *** ****** ** ******* * competing ******. ***** ****, **** ***** also *** **** * **** ******* would **** **** *** **** ********** out-of-court **********.
Outlook: ********** ****** ***** **** ***** *** ****
* ****** ******* **** ***** **** the **** *********** ******** ********** * ********* *********** ****. * court *** ********* **** * ******** is ********* **** * **** ** launched "** ******, *********, ** ***** legal ******** ** *** *********." ** PTAB ****** **** ***** ***** / Liberty, **** ***** **** **** * determination - ***** ***** ****** **** Assa ***** *** ******** ** "*****" Urban ***** *** ******* "***** ********." That ***** **** *** **** *** a ********* *********** **** ******* ****, which ***** ***** *********** ******** *******.
***** *** **** *****, ***** ** considerable ********* *** **** ** ******. A ********** ***** ****** *** **** pay ***** ***** *** ******* ** license *** '*** ******. *** **** Assa ***** *** ***** ****** ** how ****** **** **** ****** ***** arguments *** *** ******* **** ***** any ********** ***** *** ** ** planning ** ****.
*******, ****'* ******* ********* *** ********** litigation ***** *** ******* **** **** will ******* **** ** *** *** and ******** ***.
* ***** ** ********** ** ****** more ***** *** '*** ****** ******. The ******* ** **** ******* ***** like * **** ***** *********** **** could ***** * *** ** ************.
****** *** **** *******.***** ***** / *******'* ********* **** ********* ***** **** **** and ** *** * **********-***** ****** control ******:
******* *** ******* *** ******** ** allow * ***** ***** ** *** terminal ** ******** * **** **** using * *** **** ** ****** computer ******. ** ****** ******* ****** is ******** **** ******** * ****** and ** ****** ******. *** ****** device ******** * ********* *** * communication ******. *** ******* *** ******* of * **** **** *** ** able ** ******* * *********** *********** presented ** * ******** ******** ******* the ************** ******. *** ********* ********* the **** **** **** * ******* reservation *********** *** **** *********.
********* * ******* ********** ****** **** develops *** ***** * ******* ** their *** ********. *** *******, *** this ***** ** ********** ***-* ******:
****** ******* ****** **** *** ******** technology *** ******** ******* ************ (********* / ***** ******** *** **********), ************* ************ ********* ***** **** ************.*** ******* ** *** ** ****** system ** ** **** ********* * temporary (**-****) ******** ** * ****** for **********, *** ** ******** **** to ************* (*******/****) *** ********* **********.
* ****** ******** ** *** **** to ******* *** ******.**** *******’* **** **** ***** ** use *** ********** **** ****** **** since ****’** ** ********. ******* ******* should ** *********** *** ************ **** invent *****, **** ** **** ***'* commercialize.
** ******, ** **'* **** **** Assa ** *** ******** ******** (** they *****), *** ***** ** ********* and **** ****** ** **** ** use *** ********** *** ****. *** that’s *** **** ** ******, *** it’s *** ****** *** *****’* ****-***** review ****** ******.
*** ******** ** ****** *** "***********" keyword ****, ***** ****** **** *******... reservations. ***** **** ****, **** ***** neatly **** "***** * ***** * smart *****" ******** ** ******* *******, which ** ****** **** *** ***** reprise ** *** "***** * ***** a ********" ** ***** *******. **** makes ** ******** ********** **** **** solid.
* *** ********** ** *** ***** this ******* ****** ***** **, ** I **** * ****** ******* **** it ***** ** ** ******* **** a ***** **********, ************ ****. *** is ******* * '**********' ** **** ABLOY? *** ** ***** ***** *** an ***? *** *** ** * declaration ** ***** *** **** * claim ** ************? ***** *** ******* thrust ** *** ******* ****** ** well-intentioned, *** **** **** *****'* **** like ** *** *** **** **** anybody ****** ** ******* ** ** litigation...
*** ** ******* * '**********' ** ASSA *****?
**** *** ******* ** *** ******* in *** ***** **** *****, *******'* ***** *************** ******* **** *******'* **** ******* offerings: ****** ********* *** ** ********. Examples **************'* ****** **** ****** ** *************** *** ***** ****** ** ******* **** ****** Control.
*** ** ***** ***** *** ** NPE?
****** ***** ***** ** * ***-********** entity ***** **** ***********, **** *****’* mean **’* * ****** *****.
***** ***** *** ************ ** **** and **** *** ******** ***********/**** ********. Most ** *** ******* **** ********** assigned ** ******* (********* *** ‘*** patent), *** *** **** **-******** ** Liberty’s ******** ********. ****** *********** ***’* ********* ****** about ***** *****’* *********, ** ******* it *** ****** ** ******** ** Liberty *** *** ******* ** ******* patents. ** *** ****, **** ***** make ** * ***-********** ****** ***** many *********** (*.*.,******** *********'*, ***** ******* **** ** ********* that “** *** **** *** **** products ** ******** **** ****** ***** patented ************”).
***** **’* **** **** **** *** sometimes ****** ** ****** ******, ***** are * ******* ** ***** ******* to **** **** (**** *** ******** or *********/*********** ***********) *** *** ****** suggests **** ***** ***** ** *** a *****. *****’* ** ****** ** it **** ********** * *******, *** the **** ********** **’* ******** ** is *** **** ***. **** **** against **** ***************** ** ****** ****** - *** ********, ******** ******* **** ************ ****** ****** “tend ** ****************… *** *** ********* ******* ******* from ***-**-***** ***********” [******** *****].
*****’* ****** ******** **** ******* ** a ****** *****, ******. *** **** litigation **’* ********* ******* ** *** Assa *** ******** ***** ** ***** **** ******* ********* ********** *** **** ******* ** issue ** *** ****/******** **********. *****’* no ****** ** *** ****** *******, Liberty *******, **** ********** * ****. Liberty’s ******** ***** ** **********/******* *** patented ** *********, *** ** ********** its ***** **** *******. *** ***** expect * ****** ***** ** **** launched **** **** ***** ***** *** litigated * ******* ******* ** *******.
*** *** ** * *********** ** prior *** **** * ***** ** inventorship?
**’* **** ** ***** *** **** Assa’s ******** ******* ** ***** *** claims, *** ****** ******* **** “********” *** **********, ***:
"**** **** ** *********" ** ********* a ********* *** ***** ******** ** the ****!
**** ** *********** ** *** ********* monopolistic ********* ** *** *** ****. How **** *** *** *** **** for ********* ** **** **** ******** monopoly ** ****** ******* *** *****? They **** * **+% *********** ** readers, ******** ***** ** *****, *** it ** * ******** ******** **** locks, *** *** ** *** ********** hardware **** **** ****. *** ******* DOJ ****** ****** ****.
*** ********** **** ****, *** **** a ***, *** **** ****** **** a ****** ******** ** **. **** exactly *** ******* ******** *** ****? The ***** ** ******** ** ******* by ****** ********** ******* *** ********** and ********. **** ******** **** ******* things **** ******* ********** **** *** granted *** ***'* **** ******* **** the ****** ********** ***** ** ******.
**** ********** ***** ** ***** **** mention ** *** ******** ****** ********** system, ***** *** *** ******* ***. It ** * **** ******* *** the ** ******** *** ********** ** general.