Barco NV v. Unknown Defendant

Barco NV, a global technology company headquartered in Kortrijk, Belgium, specializes in visualization, collaboration, and networking technology for the entertainment, enterprise, and healthcare markets. The company's product portfolio includes high-performance projectors, LCD video walls, medical displays, image processors, and wireless collaboration tools like ClickShare. Barco is an operating company, actively developing and selling products and holding over 900 granted patents worldwide.

In this patent infringement litigation, Barco NV and its U.S. subsidiary, Barco, Inc., are the plaintiffs. The defendants are Yealink (USA) Network Technology Co., Ltd. and Yealink Network Technology Co., Ltd. The case, 2:23-cv-00521, was filed in the Eastern District of Texas. The asserted patent is U.S. Patent No. 10,762,002, which generally relates to wireless presentation systems and methods, specifically to a system for wireless communication of presentation content. The accused products are Yealink's WPP20 and WPP30 wireless presentation devices, which Yealink has admitted infringe several of Barco's ClickShare patents.

The case is proceeding in the Eastern District of Texas (Marshall Division) before District Judge Rodney Gilstrap and has been referred to Magistrate Judge Roy S. Payne. The Eastern District of Texas has historically been a popular venue for patent litigation due to its "rocket docket" reputation for fast trials and plaintiff-friendly procedural rules, although filings there decreased after the Supreme Court's TC Heartland decision in 2017. However, plaintiffs have found new strategies to maintain venue in the EDTX by targeting foreign affiliates. This case is notable as it involves Barco, an operating company, actively enforcing its intellectual property related to its "ClickShare" wireless presentation technology, against a competitor. Barco has a history of consistently defending its intellectual property for its ClickShare products through litigation globally. A related inter partes review (IPR) proceeding, IPR2024-01436, has been filed by Yealink (USA) Network Technology Co., Ltd. and Yealink Network Technology Co., Ltd. against U.S. Patent No. 10,762,002 before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB). In December 2025, a jury in the U.S. District Court in Marshall, Texas, awarded Barco over $900,000 in damages for one year of infringing sales and ensured the continued removal of Yealink's WPP20 and WPP30 devices from the US market.

Key Legal Developments and Outcome for Barco NV v. Yealink (USA) Network Technology Co., Ltd. et al.

The patent infringement lawsuit, Barco NV v. Unknown Defendant, initially filed under case number 2:23-cv-00521 in the Eastern District of Texas, identifies the defendants as Yealink (USA) Network Technology Co., Ltd. and Yealink Network Technology Co., Ltd.. The case involves U.S. Patent No. 10,762,002. The litigation remains active.

Chronological Developments:

• Filing & Initial Pleadings:

  • November 14, 2023: Barco, Inc. and Barco NV (collectively, "Plaintiffs") filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Yealink (USA) Network Technology Co., Ltd. and Yealink Network Technology Co., Ltd. ("Defendants") in the Eastern District of Texas. The complaint initiated Case No. 2:23-cv-0521-JRG-RSP.
  • While specific dates for the defendants' answer or counterclaims are not immediately available from the provided snippets, it is noted that the "Defendants admitted to infringement, the extent of which the Court later resolved after a dispute arose as to this."

• Pre-trial Motions of Substance:

  • October 13, 2025: Magistrate Judge Roy S. Payne issued a Memorandum Order partially granting and partially denying Defendants' Daubert Motion and Motion to Strike Expert Opinion of Michael C. Brogioli (Dkt. No. 112). Dr. Brogioli was retained by the Plaintiffs to provide opinions regarding claim construction. This motion concerned the admissibility of expert testimony.

• Claim Construction (Markman) Outcomes:

  • An expert declaration regarding claim construction by Michael C. Brogioli, Ph.D., was filed on January 28, 2025 (Document 71-11). The court's ruling on the Daubert motion against this expert on October 13, 2025, indicates that claim construction has been a significant part of the pre-trial proceedings. However, the specific outcome of the Markman hearing itself or a formal claim construction order is not detailed in the provided search results.

• Parallel PTAB IPR Proceedings:

  • September 16, 2024: Yealink USA Network Technology Co Ltd and Yealink Network Technology Co Ltd (petitioners) filed an Inter Partes Review (IPR) petition, IPR2024-01439, challenging the patentability of U.S. Patent No. 10,762,002, with Barco NV as the patent owner.
  • April 8, 2025: The Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) instituted IPR2024-01439.
  • April 7, 2026: A Final Written Decision for IPR2024-01439 is due. The outcome of this IPR could significantly impact the ongoing district court litigation, potentially invalidating or narrowing the asserted claims of U.S. Patent No. 10,762,002.

• Current Posture:

  • The case remains active in the Eastern District of Texas, with the most recent public docket activity in October 2025 concerning expert testimony. There is no information in the provided search results about a trial date, settlement, or final judgment as of the current date.

The plaintiff Barco NV in Barco NV v. Unknown Defendant (now known as Barco, Inc. et al. v. Yealink (USA) Network Technology Co., LTD. et al.), case number 2:23-cv-00521 in the Texas Eastern District Court, is represented by counsel from K&L Gates LLP and Dentons US LLP.

The counsel of record for the plaintiff Barco NV includes:

K&L Gates LLP

• Christopher Centurelli (Lead Counsel, pro hac vice)
  • Firm: K&L Gates LLP, Boston, MA.
  • Note: Centurelli is a partner at K&L Gates and focuses on intellectual property litigation. He has represented clients in various patent infringement cases across a range of technologies.
• Anna E. L'Hommedieu (Lead Counsel, pro hac vice)
  • Firm: K&L Gates LLP, Boston, MA.
  • Note: L'Hommedieu is a partner in K&L Gates' intellectual property litigation practice, with experience in patent, trade secret, and copyright disputes.
• Joshua N. Andrews (Lead Counsel, pro hac vice)
  • Firm: K&L Gates LLP, Boston, MA.
  • Note: Andrews is an associate at K&L Gates, focusing on intellectual property litigation, including patent infringement.
• Erik J. Halverson (Lead Counsel)
  • Firm: K&L Gates LLP, San Francisco, CA.
  • Note: Halverson is admitted to practice before the Eastern District of Texas and is a partner in K&L Gates' intellectual property litigation practice, handling patent, trade secret, and licensing disputes.

Dentons US LLP

• Victor C. Johnson (Local Counsel)
  • Firm: Dentons US LLP, Dallas, TX.
  • Note: Johnson is admitted to practice in Texas (Bar No. 24029640) and is likely serving as local counsel. He has experience in intellectual property litigation, including patent infringement cases in Texas federal courts.
• Forrest D. Gothia (Local Counsel)
  • Firm: Dentons US LLP, Dallas, TX.
  • Note: Gothia is admitted to practice in Texas (Bar No. 24125250) and also likely serves as local counsel. His practice includes patent litigation in the Eastern District of Texas.
• Stephen Yang (Lead Counsel, pro hac vice)
  • Firm: Dentons US LLP, New York, NY.
  • Note: Yang is a partner at Dentons focusing on patent litigation, particularly in the electronics and software sectors.
• Timothy C. Bickham (Lead Counsel, pro hac vice)
  • Firm: Dentons US LLP, Washington, DC.
  • Note: Bickham is a partner at Dentons with extensive experience in patent litigation, including matters before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and federal district courts.

In-House Counsel for Barco NV

• Kurt Verheggen (General Counsel)
  • Firm: Barco NV, Kortrijk, Belgium.
  • Note: Mr. Verheggen serves as the General Counsel of Barco, overseeing legal, audit, risk, and compliance matters.

The defendants, Yealink (USA) Network Technology Co., Ltd. and Yealink Network Technology Co., Ltd., are represented by counsel from Dentons US LLP.

The legal team representing Yealink includes:

• Stephen Yang - Partner, Dentons US LLP (New York, New York). Yang is a lead attorney on the Intellectual Property and Technology trial team that secured a significant courtroom victory for Yealink in this case. He also leads the team for related Patent Office proceedings. His experience includes coordinating large-scale patent enforcement actions.
• Victor Johnson - Partner, Dentons US LLP (Dallas, Texas). Johnson was a lead attorney for Yealink in the jury trial.
• Forrest Gothia - Managing Associate, Dentons US LLP. Gothia made key contributions to both the jury trial and the Patent Office proceedings.
• Haley Eastham - Senior Managing Associate, Dentons US LLP. Eastham made key contributions to the jury trial.
• Kevin Greenleaf - Counsel, Dentons US LLP. Greenleaf was involved in supporting the trial team and led the Patent Office proceedings. He is also listed as an attorney for Yealink USA Network Technology Co Ltd. in a reexamination proceeding for a related patent.
• Timothy C. Bickham - Partner, Dentons US LLP (Washington, DC). Bickham provided additional support to the Dentons Intellectual Property and Technology trial team.
• Reid Ashinoff - Litigation Partner, Dentons US LLP. Ashinoff provided pivotal trial support.

The Dentons team has been instrumental in a coordinated litigation strategy for Yealink, which included both the district court trial and parallel inter partes review (IPR) proceedings before the USPTO. Yealink has actively challenged the validity of Barco's patents through these IPR proceedings.