Plaintiff
3 cases as plaintiff.
Ecofactor, Inc. is a privately held patent assertion entity. Founded in the late 2000s and formerly headquartered in Palo Alto, California, the company has been listed as "Out of Business" since July 2021. As a venture-backed startup, it had raised over $13 million in funding. According to a 2020 filing, it had approximately 12 employees.
Ecofactor originally operated as a technology company, developing a cloud-based software service to optimize energy use for homes via smart thermostats. The platform analyzed data from network-connected thermostats, weather forecasts, and the thermal characteristics of a home to automatically adjust heating and cooling, aiming to reduce energy consumption without sacrificing comfort. The company no longer offers these services and now functions as a non-practicing entity (NPE), monetizing its portfolio of patents related to smart home and energy management technology.
The company's patent-litigation posture is that of a patent asserter. As shown in the case data, Ecofactor has acted exclusively as a plaintiff in all tracked lawsuits. It has initiated infringement campaigns against numerous smart thermostat manufacturers, with all three of its tracked cases filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, a venue known for patent litigation.
Ecofactor is most notable for its litigation against major technology companies. In a prominent case, Ecofactor, Inc. v. Google LLC, a jury awarded Ecofactor over $20 million in damages, finding that Google's Nest smart thermostats infringed an Ecofactor patent. However, the damages award was the subject of a significant appeal. In May 2025, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, in an en banc decision, vacated the award and ordered a new trial on damages, establishing a stricter standard for the admissibility of expert testimony on patent damages. The defendants in its other tracked cases include major smart home and HVAC control manufacturers ecobee, Emerson Electric, and Resideo Technologies.
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This case was terminated after a notice of settlement was filed. It was dismissed with prejudice on June 29, 2022, suggesting an out-of-court agreement was reached.
This case was terminated following a notice of settlement. The case was dismissed with prejudice on July 18, 2022, indicating a settlement was reached.
This case was terminated after a notice of settlement was filed, leading to a dismissal with prejudice on November 4, 2022.