As reported by Law360, a California federal judge has sided with Pandora Media in a patent infringement lawsuit brought by Bluebonnet Internet Media Services LLC, finding that the asserted patents relating to playlist generation were invalid.
U.S. District Judge Vince Chhabria issued an order granting Pandora Media’s motion for judgment on the pleadings, citing the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2014 ruling in Alice Corp. v. CLS Bank International, which held that patents cannot cover abstract ideas without adding any innovative elements. He noted that even though claims in the patents "may capture the core of a good business idea ... they are directed to an abstract idea and lack an inventive concept — and are therefore invalid."
Law360 quoted a Pandora statement: "Pandora is pleased with the outcome, and thanks the court and its staff for their efforts. As this case demonstrates, Pandora will not fall victim to the shakedown tactics of nonpracticing entities and will vigorously defend itself against baseless claims."
Pandora was represented by Fenwick litigation partner Bryan A. Kohm and associates Jonathan T. McMichael, Shannon E. Turner, Jessica L. Benzler, and Max DiBaise.
The case is Bluebonnet Internet Media Services LLC v. Pandora Media LLC, Case Number 3:21-cv-08294, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.
The full article is available on Law360 (subscription required).