On April 10, the USPTO made public an assignment of over 400 patent assets from Intellectual Ventures LLC (IV) to Vista Peak Ventures, LLC, an affiliate of Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC. This transfer appears to be part of a larger transaction announced by Dominion in February, involving over 1,200 US and foreign LCD patents originating with NEC. Last month, Dominion announced that it had acquired from IV a portfolio of nearly 1,000 patents developed by American Express. Also in March, a Dominion affiliate (Monument Peak Ventures, LLC) began a campaign asserting former Kodak patents received from IV.

On February 13, 2018, IV affiliate Getner Foundation LLC assigned a total of 426 patent assets to Vista Peak Ventures, all originating with NEC; the transfers were recorded on February 28. According to Dominion Harbor, the NEC portfolio “has broad international coverage across the United States, Europe and Asia” and covers “many key LCD technology areas used in today’s leading LCD panels and the associated manufacturing processes, including the IPS and TFT structures, backlights, and display drivers”.

The past two years have seen Dominion accelerate its acquisition, as well as assertion, of patents from IV. Dominion’s newest campaign, involving former Kodak patents acquired from IV late last year, began on March 16 with suits against GoProSZ DJI Technology, and Victor Hasselblad. Monument Peak Ventures has accused the companies of infringing a group of patents generally related to various aspects of photography, including cameras and post-processing software.

Dominion appears to be planning to also monetize the Kodak portfolio in Europe; in May 2017, Dominion announced a licensing partnership with Swedish IP brokerage and consulting firm Parallel North IP AB as part of a “comprehensive global plan to commercialize” the Kodak portfolio.

The past 12 months have seen a number of prolific NPEs, including IP Valuation Partners LLC (d/b/a IPVal) and Leigh M. Rothschild, initiate campaigns asserting IV divestitures. It is not yet known whether IV holds a financial stake in the success of those NPEs’ campaigns; however, as recently reported by RPX, SEC filings indicate that IV will receive 50% of any net proceeds from Quest Patent Research Corporation’s campaign asserting a portfolio of patents received from IV. More information is available on RPX Insight.

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