Augmented Reality/Virtual Reality Litigation Update: Responding To Patent Litigation Threats From AR/VR Non-Practicing Entities

Introduction

The recent surge in augmented reality and virtual reality ("AR/VR") technology throughout the world has naturally led to increases in granted patents covering this technology. With this has come more patent litigation in the AR/VR space. We have begun tracking AR/VR litigation in our AR/VR Litigation Update article series. In this article, we focus on AR/VR patent litigation by non-practicing entities ("NPEs"). NPEs are business entities that do not develop or sell products but assert patents against companies that do. As an example, our first post in the AR/VR Litigation Update Series summarizes recent cases filed by an NPE asserting an AR/VR patent.

Not all NPEs are created equal. Some companies that produce and sell goods or services strategically consolidate their intellectual property holdings into a bankruptcy-remote non-practicing entity. Other NPEs are not connected to any development of goods or services, but instead center their business