One-E-Way, Inc. v. Dell Technologies Inc.

The patent infringement lawsuit, One-E-Way, Inc. v. Dell Technologies Inc., is currently in its early stages in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas. The plaintiff, One-E-Way, Inc., describes itself as an electronic products design and manufacturing firm, founded by C. Earl Woolfork, which has focused on commercializing wireless audio technology. Dell Technologies Inc. is a major American multinational technology company known for its broad range of products and services, including personal computers, servers, and other IT infrastructure and solutions. One-E-Way has previously engaged in patent litigation and licensing efforts with other major electronics companies.

The accused products or services in this case are Dell's wireless headphones and speakers that support "wireless transmission and/or reception of an audio signal in compliance with versions of the Bluetooth standard," including Bluetooth 5.0. The sole patent asserted in this litigation is U.S. Patent No. 10,468,047, titled "Wireless digital audio music system." This patent generally describes a wireless digital audio system comprising a portable audio source with a digital audio transmitter and an audio receiver coupled to a headphone set. The system is configured for digital wireless communication, utilizes fuzzy logic for optimized digital signal processing, and employs code division multiple access (CDMA) communication to ensure private audio enjoyment without interference.

The case is being heard in the Western District of Texas, a venue that has historically been popular for patent litigation due to its fast-track scheduling orders and, until recently, the high likelihood of cases being assigned to Judge Alan Albright, who cultivated an environment attractive to patent plaintiffs. However, as of July 2022, patent cases in the Waco Division (where many patent cases were filed to reach Judge Albright) are now randomly assigned among all judges in the Western District of Texas, which may impact its prior predictability for plaintiffs. The assigned judge for this particular case is Judge Robert Pitman. This case is notable as One-E-Way has a history of asserting its patents against large tech companies, including a previous lawsuit against Apple involving similar wireless audio technology that concluded in August 2023 with a Federal Circuit affirmation of non-infringement. Furthermore, U.S. Patent No. 10,468,047 is also the subject of an ongoing inter partes review (IPR) proceeding (IPR2025-01516) initiated by [[Samsung Electronics Co.](/litigations/by-defendant/Samsung%20Electronics%20Co.), Ltd.](/litigations/by-plaintiff/Samsung%20Electronics%20Co.%2C%20Ltd.) against One-E-Way, Inc., with a trial instituted as of February 17, 2026. One-E-Way has also filed similar complaints against Anker Innovations and Samsung in the Western District of Texas.

One-E-Way, Inc. v. Dell Technologies Inc.: Key Legal Developments

Case Number: 1:24-cv-01558
Court: U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas
Assigned Judge: Robert Pitman
Patents at Issue: 10468047
Current Status: Early Stages

This patent infringement litigation was filed by One-E-Way, Inc. against Dell Technologies Inc. in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas. The case is in its very early stages, having been filed in late 2024.

Key Legal Developments:

• Filing & Initial Pleadings:

  • Complaint Filed: One-E-Way, Inc. initiated the lawsuit on December 18, 2024, by filing a complaint against Dell Technologies Inc. in the Western District of Texas. The case was assigned to Judge Robert Pitman. Details regarding Dell's answer or any counterclaims are not yet publicly available through general web search, which is typical for cases in their nascent stages.

• Pre-trial Motions of Substance:
  Due to the recent filing date of December 18, 2024, there are no publicly available records of substantive pre-trial motions such as motions to dismiss, transfer, stay pending IPR, or for summary judgment, nor any rulings on such motions.

• Claim Construction (Markman):
  The case has not yet reached the claim construction (Markman) stage, which typically occurs later in patent litigation after initial pleadings and some discovery.

• Discovery Milestones:
  No significant discovery milestones have been publicly reported, consistent with the early phase of the litigation.

• Trial Events, Verdict, and Post-Trial Motions:
  The case has not proceeded to trial, nor have there been any verdicts or post-trial motions.

• Settlement, Dismissal, Judgment, or Appeal:
  There is no public information indicating a settlement, dismissal, judgment, or appeal in this case. The litigation remains active and in its early procedural phases.

• Parallel PTAB IPR/PGR Proceedings:
  A search for parallel PTAB IPR (Inter Partes Review) or PGR (Post-Grant Review) proceedings related to U.S. Patent No. 10,468,047 at the USPTO Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) through general web search, which queries the USPTO's public databases, did not yield any active or concluded IPR or PGR proceedings for this specific patent. Given the patent's issue date (which can be inferred from the filing date of the lawsuit asserting it, suggesting it is relatively recent), a Post-Grant Review (PGR) would have a narrow nine-month window from the patent's grant date for filing.

The current posture of One-E-Way, Inc. v. Dell Technologies Inc. is that of an active patent infringement lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, still in its initial procedural phase following the filing of the complaint.

Counsel of Record for Plaintiff One-E-Way, Inc.

In the case of One-E-Way, Inc. v. Dell Technologies Inc., 1:24-cv-01558, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, the following attorneys have appeared as counsel for the plaintiff, One-E-Way, Inc.:

• Adam G. Price

  • Role: Counsel
  • Firm: DiNovo Price Ellwanger & Hardy LLP, Austin, Texas.
  • Experience Note: Adam Price focuses on intellectual property litigation, including patent infringement cases.

• Daniel L. Schmid

  • Role: Counsel
  • Firm: DiNovo Price Ellwanger & Hardy LLP, Austin, Texas.
  • Experience Note: Daniel Schmid's practice includes patent litigation and other intellectual property disputes.

An attorney named D. Andrew G. Dinovo is also associated with DiNovo Price Ellwanger & Hardy LLP in relation to this case, indicating the firm's involvement.

Additionally, an order dated May 30, 2025, granted an attorney named "Pease" pro hac vice status. However, the specific firm and full name of this attorney, as well as their direct connection to One-E-Way, Inc. through an appearance notice, are not explicitly detailed in the readily available docket snippets, preventing a full profile at this time.

Based on available docket information for One-E-Way, Inc. v. Dell Technologies Inc. (1:24-cv-01558), the following attorneys are representing Dell Technologies Inc.:

• Bradley Dalton Coburn

  • Role: Counsel for Dell Inc. and Dell Technologies Inc.
  • Firm: Shelton Coburn LLP
  • Office Location: (Not specified in search results, but Shelton Coburn LLP is a Texas-based firm specializing in intellectual property and business litigation).
  • Note: Bradley Coburn is a partner at Shelton Coburn LLP, a firm known for its work in intellectual property and business litigation, including patent defense.

• Barry Kenneth Shelton

  • Role: Counsel for Dell Inc. and Dell Technologies Inc.
  • Firm: Shelton Coburn LLP
  • Office Location: (Not specified in search results, but Shelton Coburn LLP is a Texas-based firm specializing in intellectual property and business litigation).
  • Note: Barry Shelton is a founding partner of Shelton Coburn LLP, with extensive experience in intellectual property and commercial litigation, including representing clients in patent infringement cases.