Anatomy of a Patent Lawsuit: Magnacross sues 17 companies in the wireless networking and communications industry for alleged infringement of U.S. Patent No. 6,917,304

Magnacross LLC, a Texas limited liability company, claimed owner of U.S. Patent No. 6,917,304, titled “Wireless Multiplex Data Transmission System,” filed patent infringement lawsuits against 17 companies: Actiontech Electronics, Inc., ADRTAN, Inc., Aerohive Networks, Inc., Allied Telesis, Inc., Belkin International, Inc., Cradlepoint, Inc., D-Link Systems, Inc., Encore Electronics, Inc., Newo Corporation, Sophos Inc., Teldat Corporation, T-P Link USA Corporation, TRENDnet, Inc., WatchGuard Technologies, Inc., Western Digital Corporation, Zoom Telephonics, Inc., ZyXEL Communications, Inc.  Magacross filed the lawsuits in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, Marshall Division. Magnacross asserts the defendants all directly infringe at least claim 12 of U.S. Patent No. 6,917,304, by making, using, selling, and/or offering to sell an apparatus for wireless transmission of data infringing upon the invention.

About Magnacross:

According to Texas Secretary of State records, Magnacross is a limited liability company formed in Texas on March 26, 2014 with an address at 5900 S. Lake Forest Dr., Suite 300, McKinney, TX 75070. Magnacross allegedly acquired ownership of U.S. Patent No. 6,917,304 in April 2014 from TT IP, LLC.

More information can be found in Magnacross Secretary of State records.

About U.S. Patent No. 6,917,304:

U.S. Patent No. 6,917,304 was granted on July 12, 2005 and relates to a wireless multiplex data transmission system, namely, a method and apparatus for the wireless transmission of data through a communications channel between at least two local data sensors.

Specifically, Magnacross claims the defendants are directly infringing claim 12 of the patent, which is directed to an apparatus for wireless transmission of data in digital and/or analogue format through a communications channel from at least two local data sensors to a data processing means.

A copy of the patent can be found here.

Enforcement History of U.S. Patent No. 6,917,304:

U.S. Patent No. 6,917,304 has been the basis of over 40 patent infringement lawsuit filings since November 2014.

Prosecution History of U.S. Patent No. 6,917,304:

The application for U.S. Patent No. 6,917,304 (Serial No. 09/402,262) was filed on February 28, 2000 and claimed priority to PCT/GB98/00866, published as WO1998/44471, and filed on April 3, 1998, which PCT claims priority to United Kingdom Patent Application No. 9706797.9 filed on April 3, 1997.

According to the prosecution history of U.S. Patent No. 6,917,304, the patent application was originally filed with 25 claims, 4 being independent claims. In the examination process, an Office Action was issued requiring an election on a restriction requirement. The examiner found certain claims in the application were drawn to a method for wireless transmission of data in digital and/or analogue format through a communication channel from at least two local data sensors to a data processing means (Group I), and that other claims were drawn to a specific method of vibration analysis of a machine or other article (Group II), indicating the groups contain distinct inventions requiring applicant to elect a group of claims to prosecute for registration.

The Group I claims were elected by applicant, ultimately resulting in the 21 claims, 2 being independent claims. U.S. Patent No. 6,917,304 issued on July 12, 2005.

U.S. Patent No. 7,188,527 titled, “Apparatus And Method For Vibration Analysis Of A Machine Or Other Article” claims priority to U.S. Patent No. 6,917,304.

A PDF of the prosecution file history of U.S. Patent No. 6,917,304 is accessible here.

Current Patent Litigation History for Magnacross Filing in Eastern District of Texas (EDTX):

Magnacross is currently represented by David R. Bennett of Direction IP Law out of Chicago, IL.

Defendants D-Link Systems, Incorporated and ZyXEL Communications, Inc. are currently represented by Dallas William Tharpe and Herbert A. Yarbrough, III of Yarbrough Wilcox, PLLC out of Tyler, TX. All other Defendants do not currently have representation of counsel entered into the record with the Court.

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