SHENZHEN RONGLIDA TECHNOLOGY CO. LTD. D/B/A SHUTTERLIGHT v. Pathway IP LLC

This case, IPR2025-01231, involves an inter partes review (IPR) proceeding before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) challenging the validity of US Patent 7841729. The petitioner is SHENZHEN RONGLIDA TECHNOLOGY CO. LTD. D/B/A SHUTTERLIGHT, a company that operates as a leading independent distributor of electronic components, with products used in consumer electronics, mobile terminals, and computers, among other fields. The patent owner is Pathway IP LLC, identified as a Non-Practicing Entity (NPE) or patent assertion entity (PAE) whose primary business model focuses on patent monetization through licensing and litigation, particularly in the lighting technology space.

The patent at issue, US Patent 7841729, broadly covers an illuminator device designed for use with web cameras and communication terminals. It describes a device comprising a bulb for emitting light, a reflector, and an arm for connecting to the terminal, allowing for optimal illumination of a user. While an IPR itself does not directly accuse a product, this proceeding is likely a defensive maneuver in response to parallel patent infringement litigation. Indeed, Pathway IP LLC has filed a patent infringement lawsuit, Pathway IP LLC v. The Individuals, Corporations... Identified on Schedule A, which explicitly names "ShutterLight" as a defendant, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois (Case No. 1:2024cv05218, filed June 21, 2024). The accused products in such related cases typically involve personal video lighting systems or similar illumination devices.

The IPR is currently pending and has been instituted before the PTAB. The PTAB serves as an administrative forum for challenging the patentability of claims in issued patents, primarily based on prior art. This venue is critical for defendants in patent litigation, offering an opportunity to invalidate asserted patents more efficiently than in district court. This case is notable as it highlights a common dynamic in patent litigation where an operating company (SHUTTERLIGHT) utilizes an IPR to challenge a patent asserted by an NPE (Pathway IP LLC), which specializes in monetizing its intellectual property portfolio through enforcement actions in sectors like consumer electronics and lighting. The outcome of this IPR could significantly influence the ongoing district court infringement proceedings.

The inter partes review (IPR) proceeding, IPR2025-01231, was initiated by SHENZHEN RONGLIDA TECHNOLOGY CO. LTD. D/B/A SHUTTERLIGHT against Pathway IP LLC, challenging the validity of US Patent 7,841,729. The IPR is currently pending and has been instituted for trial.

Here's a chronological overview of the key legal developments:

Parallel District Court Litigation:

• 2024-06-21: Pathway IP LLC filed a patent infringement lawsuit against multiple defendants, including SHENZHEN RONGLIDA TECHNOLOGY CO. LTD. D/B/A SHUTTERLIGHT (identified as "ShutterLight"), in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. The case is titled Pathway IP LLC v. The Individuals, Corporations, Limited Liability Companies, Partnerships, and Unincorporated Associations Identified on the Attached Schedule A, with case number 1:2024cv05218. This litigation forms the backdrop for the subsequent IPR challenge.

IPR Filing & Initial Pleadings:

• 2025-07-11: SHENZHEN RONGLIDA TECHNOLOGY CO. LTD. D/B/A SHUTTERLIGHT filed its Petition for Inter Partes Review (IPR) with the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) against Pathway IP LLC, targeting US Patent 7,841,729.
• Pre-Institution Briefing: Pathway IP LLC, as the Patent Owner, filed a Preliminary Response. In this response, it sought to deny institution of the IPR, primarily alleging that the Petitioner was acting as a proxy for another entity.
• Petitioner's Reply: The Petitioner, SHENZHEN RONGLIDA TECHNOLOGY CO. LTD., filed a Reply to the Patent Owner's Preliminary Response. The Petitioner argued that it was a named defendant in a parallel district court litigation (referring to the 1:2024cv05218 case) and had a direct, independent interest in challenging the patent to protect its business from potential injunctions and damages.

Pre-Trial Motions of Substance — Institution:

• Late 2025 - Early 2026 (Exact Date Not Specified): The PTAB instituted the IPR for trial. This decision would have been made under the new Director Review process, which became effective on October 20, 2025, where Director John A. Squires personally reviews and makes all institution determinations. Routine institution decisions under this process are typically issued as summary notices, without detailed written explanations, unless novel or important factual or legal issues are present. The Petitioner's arguments regarding its status as a direct defendant in parallel litigation and its independent interest in the IPR were presumably persuasive for institution. Specific details on which claims were instituted and on what grounds are not publicly available in the provided sources.

Discovery Milestones:

• 2026-04-10: The most recent reported filing in the IPR is Patent Owner Exhibit 2038, a Supplemental Declaration of Eric Bretschneider, Ph. D. This indicates that the IPR is actively proceeding post-institution, likely in the evidence and discovery phase, which is characteristic of an instituted IPR.

Current Posture:

• As of May 21, 2026, IPR2025-01231 is pending and has been instituted for trial, with proceedings ongoing in the post-institution phase. There has been no final written decision, settlement, or appeal reported.

The plaintiff, SHENZHEN RONGLIDA TECHNOLOGY CO. LTD. D/B/A SHUTTERLIGHT, is represented by the following counsel:

• Hasan A. Almashat (Lead Counsel)

  • Firm: Dinsmore & Shohl LLP
  • Office Location: San Diego, CA (a Los Angeles address for the firm was also noted in a filing related to this case).
  • Experience: Hasan Almashat is an Associate Attorney whose practice focuses on patent prosecution, counseling clients on building intellectual property portfolios, conducting infringement analysis, patentability searches, drafting appeal briefs, and litigation matters, including Inter Partes Reviews. His technological expertise spans areas such as Machine Learning Models, AI, Cloud Networks, Autonomous Vehicle Control, and Mobile Device Applications.

• Wei Wang (Counsel)

  • Firm: Glacier Law LLP
  • Office Location: New York, NY.
  • Experience: Wei Wang is an Attorney at Glacier Law LLP, a firm that lists Patent Litigation as one of its practice areas. She has argued for defendants-appellees in a Federal Circuit appeal concerning design patents related to hoverboards. Her practice areas generally include Intellectual Property, and she is admitted to practice in several federal district courts, including in New York, Illinois, Colorado, and Texas.

To identify the counsel of record for Pathway IP LLC in IPR2025-01231, a review of publicly available PTAB docket information is necessary. While several search results mention Pathway IP LLC in the context of other patent litigation cases (primarily district court infringement suits where they often act as a plaintiff against "Schedule A Defendants"), these do not directly provide counsel information for the specific IPR in question.

As of the current date, May 21, 2026, direct information regarding the counsel of record for Pathway IP LLC in IPR2025-01231 is not readily available through the performed web searches. PTAB dockets for specific IPRs are the most authoritative source for counsel appearances. Without direct access to the docket for IPR2025-01231, or a specific filing listing counsel, the information cannot be definitively provided.

Therefore, the counsel of record representing Pathway IP LLC in IPR2025-01231 has not been identified through the available public web search resources. Filings would need to be reviewed directly on the PTAB's electronic filing system.