Several new green patent complaints were filed in September and October in the areas of LEDs, smart grid, smart meters and wastewater handling.
Smart Grid
JSDQ Mesh Technologies LLC v. Silver Springs, Inc. and Pepco Holdings, Inc.
JSDQ filed a patent infringement lawsuit on September 10, 2015 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware.
This complaint accuses Silver Springs and Pepco of infringing three U.S. Patents Nos. 7,286,828 entitled “Method of Call Routing and Connection,†RE43,675 entitled “Wireless Radio Routing System,†and RE44,607 entitled, “Wireless Mesh Routing Method.â€
The technology involved in the suit includes Silver Springs’ Smart Grid Mesh Network solutions, which the complaint alleges includes a wireless routing system and an Aerohive routing system used in conjunction with directional radio signals.
The complaint alleges Pepco is infringing the patents through its use of Silver Springs’ Smart Grid Mesh Network and associated products and services.
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Smart Meters
 Transdata, Inc. v. Landis+Gyr, Inc. and Landis+Gyr Technology, Inc.
Transdata, Inc. v. Itron, Inc.
Transdata, Inc. v. General Electric Company and GE Energy Management Services, Inc.
On September 11, 2015, TransData filed three separate complaints in federal court in Tyler, Texas.
Each of the three complaints corresponds to a different defendant(s) (see the complaints here, here, and here), but each complaint asserts the same three patents. These complaints follow a long list of consolidated “smart meter†cases, and in each complaint, Transdata notes that the defendant(s) indemnified and/or defended other defendant(s) in the earlier consolidated cases.
Two of the asserted patents, U.S. Patent Nos. 6,181,294 (‘294 Patent)and 6,462,713 (‘713 Patent) are related and entitled “Antenna for Electric Meter and Manufacture Thereof.â€Â The third patent, U.S. Patent No. 6,903,699, entitled “Wireless Communication Device for Electric Meter and Method of Manufacture Thereof,†is a continuation-in-part of ‘713 and continuation of ‘294.
These patents describe an electric meter capable of bi-directional communication over a wireless network. The meter is equipped with wireless communication circuitry and an antenna allowing the meter to wirelessly send usage data to a remote location and wirelessly, receive operational instructions from the remote location.
For a more detailed discussion of the patented meter technology and discussion of earlier case, see our previous post here.
Numerous industrial and residential electric meters made by the defendants are at issue in these cases.
The Landis+Gyr products include residential meters containing the Landis+Gyr Gridstream RF Mesh Residential Endpoint; industrial and commercial meters containing Landis+Gyr Gridstream RF Mesh Commercial and Industrial Endpoint; and meters with the AMI communication modules and antenna.
The Itron and General Electric meters include various residential and industrial meters equipped with under-the-glass wireless communication modules and meters with the AMI communication modules and antenna.
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LEDs
Global Tech LED, LLC. V. Every Watt Matters, LLC and DRK Enterprises, Inc.
Global Tech LED, LLC V. Hilumnz International Corp., Hilumnz, LLC and Hilumnz USA, LLC
Global Tech LED filed a complaint against Every Watt Matters and DRK (“EWMâ€) on September 14, 2015 and a complaint against Hilumnz on September 15, 2015.
Both complaints were filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida and allege the defendant(s) infringed U.S. Patent No. 9,091,424, entitled “LED Light Bulb.â€
The patent pertains to an LED device that can replace or retrofit a light bulb in an electrical socket. The LED device has a screw connector for screwing into a light bulb socket. A bracket connects the screw portion to the housing, which holds one or more LEDs. The housing can rotate to direct the light from the LED and contains an electrically powered cooling fan to dissipate heat generated by LED.
Both complaints allege EWM and Hilumnz offer for sale infringing LED lamp products. The Hilumnz complaint also alleges that Hilumnz offers for sale various Retrofit Kits.
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Wastewater Handling
Liberty Pumps Inc. v. Franklin Electric Co., Inc.
On October 23, 2015, Liberty Pumps Inc. (“Libertyâ€) filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York. The complaint alleges Franklin Electric Co. Inc. (Franklin) is infringing U.S. Patent Nos. 8,523,532 (‘532 Patent) and 8,888,465 (‘465 Patent) entitled, “Sewage Handling System, Cover and Controls.â€
The ‘532 and ‘465 Patents describe a basin/pump assembly for moving liquids such as sewage. If a bathroom is lower than a household sewer effluent pipe, this assembly would pump the bathroom wastewater to the level of sewer effluent pipe.
The assembly has a basin with a bottom, sides and a hanging feature formed into the basin. The hanging feature has a hanging portion with a level switch. A pump is disposed in the basin. Also, the basin may have a cover assembly that can be fastened to the open top of the basin.
The accused products include Franklin’s LittleGIANT Pit+Plus Sewage Basin.
Jayne Saydah is a registered patent attorney with experience prosecuting patent applications for a broad range of technologies. Â She has a B.S. in Environmental Engineering and an interest in protecting the intellectual property rights of any environmentally conscience inventions and businesses.