Cedar Lane Technologies filed a complaint on Tuesday in the Western District of Texas for patent infringement against Dish Network alleging that the defendant infringed the patents-in-suit through its Movies for Purchase feature.
The patents-in-suit are United States Patent Nos. 6,502,194 (the ’194 patent); 6,526,411 (the ’411 patent); 6,721,489 (the ’489 patent); 7,173,177 (the ’177 patent); 7,642,443 (the ’443 patent); and 8,165,867 (the ’867 patent). The patents relate to playback of network audio on demand, creating and managing playlists, management of owned and unowned inventory, and translating a device command.
Dish Network purportedly infringed the ’443 patent by “making, using, offering to sell, selling and/or importing” its exemplary accused products, such as its Movies for Purchase feature as part of the Video on Demand menu. Specifically, the plaintiff averred that Dish Network infringed at least claim 24 of the ’443 patent, which states: “[a] method comprising: a computer device storing a list that includes one or more items; the computing device determining whether each item in the list was previously purchased by a user; the computing device allowing the user to initiate a purchase of an item in the list that has not yet been purchased by the user; and the computing device indicating on a display of the computing device that a purchased item has not yet been received by the user.”
The plaintiff averred that Dish Network’s Movies for Purchase feature allows users to purchase movies. This feature, found under the Video on Demand menu, provides users “with a list of Movies for Purchase,” according to the claim chart. Additionally, under the Video on Demand menu, a user has the My Purchases list, which lists the movies that the user has purchased previously, the plaintiff stated. Furthermore, Cedar Lane Technologies claimed that when a user is viewing the Movies for Purchase list, the “user can purchase a movie that has not already been previously purchased by selecting the movie, selecting Buy, and selecting Confirm. The user can use the payment method already on file with Dish Network or select ‘Add Payment Method’ and make a one-time purchase.” Moreover, according to the plaintiff, when viewing the My Purchases tab from the DISH Anywhere display, “purchased movies can be downloaded to any Android or iOS device for offline viewing.
Dish Network is accused of direct, induced, and contributory infringement. Cedar Lane Technologies has sought judgment that the patents-in-suit are valid and enforceable, declaratory judgment for Dish Network’s infringement, an award for damages, an award for costs and fees, and other relief. Cedar Lane Technologies is represented by Rabicoff Law LLC.
