Win Elements LLC v. Yondr, Inc.

Win Elements LLC has initiated a patent infringement lawsuit against Yondr, Inc. in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, case number 2:24-cv-09311-JLS-E, filed on October 29, 2024. The case is currently active with a motion to dismiss noted on the docket. The assigned judge for the case is the Honorable Josephine L. Staton.

The plaintiff, Win Elements LLC, is a small company founded in 2017, with 1-10 employees, based in Moreno Valley, California. They market a "Multi-Tiered Safe Pouch" system designed to create phone-free spaces, particularly in educational settings. This suggests Win Elements LLC operates in the market for device-locking solutions and holds intellectual property, including a trademark for "Safe Pouch®" and U.S. Patent No. 10,980,324. The defendant, Yondr, Inc., is an American operating company founded in 2014, headquartered in San Francisco, CA. Yondr's primary product is the "Yondr Pouch," a magnetic locking pouch used to enforce phone-free zones in various environments such as schools, live events, and courtrooms.

The patent listed as at issue in the prompt is U.S. Patent No. 12,133,078, titled "System and apparatus for selectively limiting user control of an electronic device." This patent describes a system and apparatus, such as a case with a locking means, designed to selectively limit a user's control over a mobile electronic device. The locking mechanism can be triggered by factors like geographical location or a specified time, aiming to reduce distractions and prevent unauthorized recordings at communal events. However, public patent records unequivocally indicate that U.S. Patent No. 12,133,078 is assigned to Yondr, Inc., with Yondr's founder, Graham Dugoni, listed as the inventor, and the patent was granted on the same day this lawsuit was filed: October 29, 2024. This creates a direct contradiction with Win Elements LLC being the plaintiff asserting this specific patent. It is possible Win Elements LLC is asserting a different patent, or the complaint involves an unusual legal arrangement (e.g., a declaratory judgment action, or Win Elements is an exclusive licensee, though no such information is available), or the metadata in the prompt contains a clerical error regarding the asserted patent.

The case is notable given the discrepancy in patent ownership and the competitive market for "phone-free environment" solutions. Both parties appear to be operating companies involved in providing systems for restricting mobile device use in various public and educational settings, a market that has seen increasing adoption and some public debate. The litigation takes place in the Central District of California, a popular venue for patent disputes involving technology companies based in the region. The early stage of the litigation, marked by a motion to dismiss, indicates initial challenges to the complaint. An earlier IPR petition also confirms Yondr's active enforcement of related patents, including the 12,133,078 patent, in other litigation.

Win Elements LLC initiated a patent infringement lawsuit against Yondr, Inc. in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California on October 29, 2024, asserting U.S. Patent No. 12,133,078. The case is currently active.

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

1. Filing & Initial Pleadings

• Complaint Filed (2024-10-29): Win Elements LLC filed its complaint against Yondr, Inc. in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, case number 2:24-cv-09311-JLS-E. The asserted patent is U.S. Patent No. 12,133,078, titled "System and apparatus for selectively limiting user control of an electronic device."

2. Pre-trial Motions of Substance

• While the prompt noted a motion to dismiss, specific details regarding its filing or outcome in this particular case are not yet publicly detailed in the provided search results. Such motions are common in the early stages of litigation.

3. Parallel PTAB IPR/PGR Proceedings

• PGR Petition Filed (2025-08-13): A Post-Grant Review (PGR) petition, PGR2025-00070, was filed with the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) challenging U.S. Patent No. 12,133,078 B2. The petitioners are Be Smarter, LLC and James Guerra, while Yondr, Inc. is identified as the Patent Owner.
• Related Litigation Noted: Mandatory notices filed by Yondr, Inc. in the PGR proceeding (PGR2025-00070) confirm that U.S. Patent No. 12,133,078 is also at issue in this Central District of California case (2:24-cv-09311-JLS-E) and in another case, Be Smarter v. Yondr, Inc., in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas (Case No. 1:24-cv-01326-ADA).
• Expected Institution Decision (December 2025): For a related IPR (IPR2025-00970) on U.S. Patent No. 9,819,788 (also owned by Yondr and involved in the Western District of Texas case), a decision on whether to institute inter partes review was expected by December 10, 2025. A final written decision, if instituted, was anticipated by December 10, 2026. The PGR for the '078 patent (PGR2025-00070) would follow a similar timeline for institution decisions.
• Arguments Against Institution: Yondr, Inc., as the Patent Owner in PGR2025-00070, requested that the PTAB deny institution of the duplicative petition, arguing that the Fintiv factors strongly favor denial, citing the parallel district court litigation with an expected trial before a final written decision from the PTAB.

4. Current Posture

• The case in the Central District of California, Win Elements LLC v. Yondr, Inc. (2:24-cv-09311-JLS-E), remains active. The outcome of the PGR proceedings challenging the asserted patent could significantly influence the district court litigation, potentially leading to a stay or affecting the claims at issue.

Here is the counsel of record representing Win Elements LLC, the plaintiff in Win Elements LLC v. Yondr, Inc.:

Frederic M. Douglas

• Role: Lead Counsel
• Firm: Law Offices of F. M. Douglas, Esq.
• Office Location: Irvine, CA
• Experience Note: Mr. Douglas is a solo practitioner specializing in litigation and has served as lead attorney in several plaintiff-side patent infringement litigation cases. He also maintains a patent prosecution practice. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering and a Juris Doctor.

Counsel of Record for Defendant Yondr, Inc. in Win Elements LLC v. Yondr, Inc.

In the patent infringement case Win Elements LLC v. Yondr, Inc. (2:24-cv-09311-JLS-E) in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, the defendant Yondr, Inc. is represented by attorneys from Knobbe, Martens, Olson & Bear, LLP.

Based on publicly available filings related to the '078 patent, specifically Yondr, Inc.'s mandatory notices in a related Post-Grant Review (PGR2025-00070) where Yondr is the Patent Owner, the following attorneys are listed for Yondr, Inc.:

• Stephen C. Jensen
  • Role: Attorney for Patent Owner (presumably lead or co-lead counsel in related patent matters).
  • Firm: Knobbe, Martens, Olson & Bear, LLP, Irvine, CA.
  • Relevant Experience: Stephen C. Jensen is a partner at Knobbe Martens and is recognized for his extensive experience in patent litigation, particularly in post-grant proceedings before the PTAB and district court litigation. He frequently represents technology companies.
• Rhett D. Ramsey
  • Role: Attorney for Patent Owner (presumably part of the litigation team).
  • Firm: Knobbe, Martens, Olson & Bear, LLP, Irvine, CA.
  • Relevant Experience: Rhett D. Ramsey is a partner at Knobbe Martens specializing in patent litigation and post-grant proceedings. He has represented clients in various technology sectors.

While these attorneys were explicitly named in a related PTAB filing that referenced the Win Elements LLC v. Yondr, Inc. district court case, it strongly indicates their involvement. Direct confirmation of their specific "lead counsel," "of counsel," or "local counsel" roles within the district court docket for this particular case was not directly accessible through the available search tools, nor was information about in-house counsel appearing in this specific litigation. Yondr Group does have an in-house legal team, including an Interim General Counsel and Legal Counsel, but their appearance as counsel of record in this specific district court case has not been confirmed.