Aldi, Inc.

Cascades Branding Innovation LLC filed a patent infringement suit against Aldi, Inc., alleging that Aldi's mobile application infringed on U.S. Patent No. 8,131,597 and other related patents. The core of the plaintiff's argument was that Aldi's app, which allows users to find nearby stores and access product information by interacting with the brand's logo, utilized the patented technology of using a brand as a link to access information.

Aldi responded by filing a motion to dismiss the case, arguing that the patent was invalid under 35 U.S.C. § 101 because it was directed to an abstract idea. The district court agreed with the defendant, ruling that the patent's claims were for an abstract concept of using a brand to find and obtain information, and lacked a sufficient 'inventive concept' to be patent-eligible. The case was dismissed with prejudice on March 31, 2024. The decision was subsequently appealed by Cascades, but the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit affirmed the lower court's judgment on September 25, 2025.