TYLER, Texas (Legal Newsline) - A Texas-based non-practicing entity this week filed lawsuits against a bevy of companies, including restaurant chains Chipotle Mexican Grill and Panera Bread, for allegedly infringing its patents for online ordering, search and payment technology.
Landmark Technology LLC, which according to its complaints has a physical location in Tyler, Texas, filed nine separate lawsuits in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas Monday.
The federal court has become a popular venue for patent infringement cases because of its set of local rules for such cases and rather fast trial settings.
The nine defendants include: Chipotle, Panera, Allegiant Travel Company, AmerisourceBergen Corporation, Choice Hotels International Inc., Shutterstock Inc., Wayfair Inc., Weight Watchers International Inc. and Zoetis Inc.
In particular, Landmark accuses Chipotle, Allegiant and AmerisourceBergen of infringing U.S. Patent No. 5,576,951, entitled “Automated Sales and Services System.”
The claims of the ‘951 patent relate to “a computer search system for retrieving information” and “a computerized system for selecting and ordering a variety of information, goods and services.”
Landmark accuses Panera, Shutterstock and Wayfair of infringing U.S. Patent No. 7,010,508, entitled “Automated Multimedia Data Processing Network.”
The claims of the ‘508 patent relate to “an automated multimedia system for data processing for delivering information on request to at least one user.”
The company -- which has been referred to by some as a so-called “patent troll” -- goes on to accuse Choice Hotels, Weight Watchers and Zoetis of infringing U.S. Patent No. 6,289,319, entitled “Automated Business and Financial Transaction Processing System.”
The claims of the ‘319 patent relate to “an automated data processing system for processing business and financial transactions between entities from remote sites” -- basically, paying with a credit card online.
The company’s owner, Lawrence Lockwood, has filed similar lawsuits over the ‘319 patent against Dunkin’ Donuts, Abercrombie & Fitch, Harley-Davidson and Rubbermaid.
From Legal Newsline: Reach Jessica Karmasek by email at patents@legalnewsline.com.