Plaintiff Coding Technologies filed a complaint last week against Zuca, Inc., a rolling bag company, for patent infringement, claiming it infringed United States Patent No. 8,540,159 (“the ‘159 Patent”), entitled “Method for Providing Mobile Service Using Code-pattern” by “using and/or incorporating code patterns in connection with promotional media distributed by and/or controlled by” Zuca.
Specifically, Coding Technologies alleged that Zuca infringed at least claim 1 of the ’159 patent by using the QR code in promotional content and media; the QR code is designed to be scanned by a smartphone. Zuca “provides content (e.g., a website with promotional information) with the use of a code pattern (e.g., a QR code) in connection with promotional media containing the code pattern. The content is provided by a user terminal (e.g., a smartphone or other device capable of scanning the code pattern).” Zuca used QR codes on its bags to locate and report a lost bag.
The technology is designed to allow someone to scan the QR code on the bag with their smartphone to report it as lost. Therefore, as described in the patent, a “photographic image of the code pattern (e.g. image of QR code) is obtained using a camera of the user terminal (e.g., the camera of the smartphone).” Plaintiff states that this process infringes its patent. Additionally, “[a] processor of the user terminal processes the photographic image of the code pattern to extract the code pattern (e.g., image of QR code) from the photographic image. The extracted code pattern can be viewed by the user.” This code is then “decoded by the processor of the user terminal (e.g., smartphone processor) into code information (e.g. the URL of the web page associated with Defendant).” Once a person uses his smartphone to scan the QR code, the code is decoded and the embedded hyperlink in the code is used to bring the person to Zuca’s website. Coding Technologies claimed that Zuca receives information on its server in connection with a user’s device through the QR code. They alleged that Zuca’s use of this patented technology infringes the ’159 patent.
Coding Technologies has sought judgment in its favor, an order enjoining the defendant from further infringement, an award for damages, pre- and post-judgment interest, and further relief as determined by the court.
Coding Technologies has brought similar QR code suits against grocery chain HyVee and technology companies like Qualtrics. They are represented by SML Avvocati. The suit is filed in the Northern District of California.
