Defendant

Ford Motor Company

15 cases as defendant.

Cases
15
Active
6
9 closed
Filed
2008–2024
Top venue
D. Delaware
2 cases
Also appears as a plaintiff in 2 cases → View as plaintiff

Company profile

Ford Motor Company is a publicly traded American multinational automobile manufacturer headquartered in Dearborn, Michigan. Founded by Henry Ford in 1903, the company trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol F. While it is a public company, the Ford family retains significant voting control through a special class of stock. In 2023, Ford employed approximately 177,000 people worldwide and reported revenues of around $176 billion.

Ford is an operating company that designs, manufactures, markets, and services a full line of vehicles. Its automotive brands include Ford and the luxury brand Lincoln. The company's vehicle portfolio includes trucks (such as the F-Series), sport utility vehicles, commercial vans, and cars, including the iconic Mustang. Ford is organized into three primary business segments: Ford Blue for internal combustion engine (ICE) and hybrid vehicles; Ford Model e for electric vehicles (EVs) and connected services; and Ford Pro, which serves commercial customers. The company also provides automotive financing through its subsidiary, Ford Motor Credit Company.

Ford's patent litigation profile is that of a large operating company frequently defending itself against patent infringement claims, often from non-practicing entities (NPEs). The provided data shows Ford as a defendant in all six tracked cases and a plaintiff in none. These lawsuits have been filed in various federal district courts, including jurisdictions known for patent litigation like the Eastern and Western Districts of Texas. This pattern is typical for major technology and manufacturing companies, which are often targets for patent assertion entities.

The plaintiffs in the tracked cases appear to be patent assertion entities. For instance, AutoConnect Holdings LLC and Autonavigare LLC have been identified as NPEs that have also sued other major automakers like General Motors and Toyota over vehicle control and navigation systems. Fleet Connect Solutions LLC is described as an entity of Empire IP, a monetization firm, and has sued numerous companies over fleet management and wireless communication patents. Similarly, VB Assets, LLC is the successor to VoiceBox Technologies and has asserted patents related to conversational AI against companies like Amazon. These cases reflect the patent litigation landscape where major corporations like Ford are routinely targeted over technologies integrated into their complex products.

Filing activity

2008: 1 case'08'10'122014: 1 case'14'16'182020: 1 case'202022: 2 cases2'222023: 2 cases2024: 2 cases'24
Cases filed per year naming Ford Motor Company as defendant.

Sol IP, LLC v. Ford Motor Company

dismissed without prejudice
Docket:
2:22-cv-00097
Filed:
2022-03-31
Terminated:
2022-09-21
Patents:10090894
π Sol IP, LLCΔ Ford Motor Company

Filed March 31, 2022 against Ford Motor Company in E.D. Tex. Marshall Division, with an amended complaint on April 22, 2022. It was dismissed without prejudice on September 21, 2022; the narrative notes a contradiction about whether US 10,090,894 was actually asserted in the Ford filing.

Automotive Technologies International, Inc. v. Delphi Corporation et al.

judgment
Docket:
2:08-cv-11048
Filed:
2008-03-11
Terminated:
2011-03-09
Patents:6833516648408072439457407029
π Automotive Technologies International, Inc.Δ Delphi CorporationΔ DPH Holdings CorporationΔ Delphi Automotive Systems, L.L.C.Δ Ford Motor CompanyΔ General Motors Corporation/CompanyΔ Motors Liquidation CompanyΔ Nissan North America, Inc.Δ Hyundai Motor AmericaΔ Mercedes-Benz USAΔ Volvo Cars of North AmericaΔ Fuji Heavy Industries USA

ATI sued Delphi and multiple automotive OEMs/suppliers in E.D. Mich. asserting the '516 patent along with U.S. Patents 6,484,080, 7,243,945, and 7,407,029. On March 9, 2011, the court granted summary judgment of invalidity on all four patents, including '516 as anticipated by Blackburn '243; the case was consolidated with 2:10-cv-10647 and appealed.

Automotive Technologies International, Inc. v. Delphi Corp. et al.

judgment; remanded for settlement
Docket:
2:08-cv-11048; 2:10-cv-10647
Patents:6850824
π Automotive Technologies International, Inc.Δ Delphi Corp.Δ Delphi Automotive Systems, LLCΔ DPH Holdings Corp.Δ General Motors Corp.Δ General Motors Company, LLCΔ General Motors LLCΔ Ford Motor CompanyΔ Volvo Cars of North America, Inc.Δ Hyundai MotorΔ Nissan North America, Inc.Δ Mercedes-Benz USA, LLCΔ Fuji Heavy Industries USA, Inc.Δ Motors Liquidation Company

ATI's consolidated E.D. Mich. actions against Delphi and other automotive defendants were linked to the '824 patent. Judgment was adverse to ATI, and portions of the summary judgment were appealed and ultimately remanded for settlement.