Quantum Imaging LLC filed a patent infringement lawsuit last Friday in Texas federal court against defendants Sony Group Corporation, Sony Corporation of America, Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc., Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC, and Bluepoint Games Inc. (collectively, Sony). The suit says that Sony copied its intellectual property knowingly, owing to the defendants’ awareness of the patent family for at least some of the patents-in-suit since February 2005.
The complaint first dedicates several pages to explaining why the Texas court has jurisdiction over the four Sony defendants, none of which are legally registered or headquartered in the state. The filing notes, however, that Bluepoint Games, incorporated and based in Texas, is part of PlayStation Studios, ostensibly a division of one or two domestic Sony entities.
The filing explains that Quantum, a Wyoming company, is the assignee of four patents related to “devices and programs that offer functionality providing users the ability to engage in business-related transactions and other functionalities while playing games and other functionalities.” One patent, entitled “System and Method for Integrating Business-Related Content into an Electronic Game,” was issued in 2013 while the three others, all entitled “Interactive Virtual Thematic Environment,” were issued in 2019, 2020, and 2021.
The lawsuit says that a number of Sony products make use of claims in the asserted patents including at least some of the following: PlayStation Network, PlayStation VITA, PlayStation 4, PlayStation VR, and PlayStation 5. The complaint adds that accused products include game software such as Demon’s Souls, an action role-playing game from PlayStation Studios and Bluepoint Games.
Sony has and continues to directly infringe, induce infringement, and contributorily infringe, according to the plaintiff. The filing seeks damages, including treble damages for willful infringement, and an award of plaintiff counsel’s fees and costs.
Quantum Imaging is represented by Spencer Fane LLP and Dunlap Codding PC.
