Untitled case

In a patent infringement lawsuit filed in the Texas Northern District Court, Non-Practicing Entity (NPE) Competitive Access Systems Inc. is suing Motorola Mobility LLC. The case, numbered 4:25-cv-00948, was filed on August 29, 2025, and is presided over by Judge Mark Pittman. Competitive Access Systems Inc. is identified as an NPE, or Patent Assertion Entity, operating in the high-tech industry.

The asserted patent in this litigation is U.S. Patent No. 7,606,156, titled "Hardware Based Utilization Metering". This patent generally describes systems and methods related to monitoring hardware usage. While PLC AGENT LLC is listed as an assignee of this patent, Competitive Access Systems Inc. is the plaintiff, suggesting either a direct assignment or an exclusive licensing agreement granting them the right to sue for infringement. The specific products or services from Motorola Mobility LLC accused of infringing this patent were not explicitly detailed in the public search results, but Motorola Mobility is an operating company known for its mobile devices and related technologies.

This case is part of a broader trend of patent litigation initiated by NPEs, particularly in Texas district courts. The Texas Northern District Court, like its Eastern and Western counterparts, is a prominent venue for patent infringement lawsuits, with NPEs driving a significant portion of these filings. The plaintiff, Competitive Access Systems Inc., has a history of patent assertions, including an Inter Partes Review (IPR) proceeding (IPR2025-01371) against Red Hat Inc., which also involves US Patent No. 7,606,156, among other patents. This indicates an active strategy by Competitive Access Systems Inc. to monetize its patent portfolio.

Here's a summary of the key legal developments and outcomes for the patent infringement litigation involving US Patent 7,606,156 in the Texas Northern District Court, case number 4:25-cv-00948:

Case Name: Competitive Access Systems, Inc. v. Motorola Mobility LLC
Court: U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas
Case Number: 4:25-cv-00948
Patents-in-Suit: U.S. Patent No. 7,606,156
Status: Active litigation

Key Legal Developments:

• Filing of Complaint (2025-08-29): Competitive Access Systems Inc. filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Motorola Mobility LLC in the Texas Northern District Court. The case alleges infringement of US Patent No. 7,606,156.
• E-Discovery Order (2026-05-08): A joint motion for the entry of an Electronically Stored Information (ESI) Order was filed by Competitive Access Systems Inc. The court subsequently issued an "ORDER REGARDING E-DISCOVERY."

Parallel PTAB IPR Proceedings:

• IPR Petition Filed (Prior to 2025-10-06): Red Hat Inc. filed an Inter Partes Review (IPR) petition, IPR2025-01371, challenging the patentability of U.S. Patent No. 7,606,156B2, among others, owned by Competitive Access Systems Inc.
• Patent Owner's Motion for Discretionary Denial (2025-10-06): The Patent Owner, Competitive Access Systems Inc., filed a motion requesting discretionary denial of institution of the IPR.
• Institution Denied (2025-11-20): The Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) issued a decision denying institution of IPR2025-01371. The PTAB's decision was a discretionary denial, based on factors outlined in Fintiv, noting that Red Hat was a petitioner in parallel litigation, and the IPR would not be a "true alternative" to the parallel district court proceedings.

As of May 23, 2026, the district court case remains active and appears to be in its early stages of litigation, with discovery just commencing. There have been no reported outcomes regarding claim construction, substantive pre-trial motions (other than the e-discovery order), trial events, or a final disposition.

The plaintiff in this patent infringement case, Competitive Access Systems, Inc., is represented by attorneys from Stinson LLP.

Here is the identified counsel of record for the plaintiff:

• B. Scott Eidson

  • Role: Partner, likely lead counsel.
  • Firm: Stinson LLP, St. Louis office.
  • Experience Note: Scott Eidson is described as first-chair trial counsel who has secured significant multi-million dollar jury verdicts in patent infringement, false advertising, trademark infringement, trade secret misappropriation, and breach of contract cases. He also assists clients with patent portfolio management and enforcement strategies, and represents companies before the USPTO.

• Timothy D. Krieger

  • Role: Of Counsel, likely lead counsel.
  • Firm: Stinson LLP, St. Louis office.
  • Experience Note: Timothy Krieger has extensive experience litigating various business disputes in state and federal courts, including patent, trademark, and copyright infringement, trade secret misappropriation, false advertising, and breach of contract. He is a registered U.S. patent attorney with degrees in electrical and computer engineering, and prepares and prosecutes patents in a range of electrical, electronics, software, and computer system technologies. He also handles post-grant proceedings before the USPTO.

• Darlene F. Ghavimi

  • Role: Partner, potential local counsel.
  • Firm: Stinson LLP, Dallas office.
  • Experience Note: Darlene Ghavimi represents clients in high-stakes intellectual property disputes in federal courts nationwide and before the International Trade Commission. She handles patent, trademark, and copyright litigation, as well as proceedings before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board and Patent Trial and Appeal Board. Her practice involves managing matters from early case assessment through trial and post-grant proceedings.

Here is the counsel of record representing the defendant, Motorola Mobility LLC, in case 4:25-cv-00948 in the Texas Northern District Court:

For Defendant Motorola Mobility LLC

• John Jackson

  • Role: Counsel
  • Firm: Jackson Walker LLP, Fort Worth, TX (likely local counsel given the firm's strong Texas presence).
  • Experience Note: John Jackson is listed on the docket in connection with a motion to transfer, suggesting involvement in strategic procedural aspects of the case. He is a partner at Jackson Walker, and the firm has a notable intellectual property litigation practice in Texas.

• Christopher Reed Clayton

  • Role: Counsel (admitted Pro Hac Vice)
  • Firm: Unspecified firm, likely based outside of the Northern District of Texas given the need for Pro Hac Vice admission.
  • Experience Note: His admission pro hac vice indicates he is actively involved in the case and likely has specific expertise relevant to the litigation.

• Eric Findlay

  • Role: Lead Counsel (indicated by motion to proceed without local counsel)
  • Firm: Findlay Craft LLP, Tyler, TX (a firm known for patent litigation in the Eastern and Northern Districts of Texas).
  • Experience Note: Eric Findlay is a prominent patent litigator in Texas, frequently representing technology companies in complex patent infringement cases in Texas federal courts. His filing of an "Unopposed MOTION to Proceed Without Local Counsel" suggests he is lead counsel and intends to handle the case without an additional local attorney from a different firm.

Note on potential additional counsel:
Motorola Mobility LLC has also utilized Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP for related inter partes review (IPR) proceedings involving other patents. Specifically, Michael T. Morlock, Russell A. Korn, and Chris Leah of Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP (Atlanta, GA office) were identified as counsel for Motorola Mobility LLC in IPR2022-00430. While not explicitly listed on the district court docket for 4:25-cv-00948 in the provided search snippets, it is common for companies to use the same legal teams for parallel district court and PTAB proceedings, so their involvement is possible but unconfirmed for this specific district court case based solely on the current information.