Sacramento-based smart security camera company Rhombus Systems Inc. is the latest target of a company with a history of filing patent infringement lawsuits against companies that utilize cloud-based computing.
Rothschild Broadcast Distribution Systems LLC, based in Texas, holds a patent for "system and method for storing broadcast content in a cloud-based computing environment," which was issued in 2014. The company states the patent teaches a method and apparatus for media content storage and delivery.
The plaintiff alleges Rhombus Systems' security camera platform infringes on the patent because it offers the ability to record media content to cloud storage and uses delivery systems and services such as streaming live video and recorded videos to a consumer device.
Rhombus' physical security platform allows users to access, view, manage and share video footage remotely. The system uses cloud-based cameras and smart sensors and allows the user to utilize artificial intelligence analytics to issue alerts for specific people, objects and vehicles without taxing the system, according to its website. The company was founded in 2016.
Rhombus co-Founder and CEO Garrett Larsson declined to comment on the lawsuit.
"I'm sure by investigating the public record of the plaintiff you'll see what type of entity is pursuing this litigation," Larsson said.
Rothschild Broadcast Distribution Systems currently has 35 open cases throughout the U.S. in which it alleges infringement, most of which have been filed in the last two years with one case from 2016 still active in Texas, according to an online litigation databank through Unified Patents LLC.
Legal representatives for Rothschild Broadcast Distribution Systems did not respond to a request for comment from the Business Journal.
The lawsuit states that Rothschild Broadcast has suffered monetary damages and is entitled to a monetary judgment due to Rhombus' product that allegedly infringes on the patent "without license or authorization."
Rothschild is asking the court to enjoin Rhombus from further infringement, or to award Rothschild a running royalty from the time of judgment going forward.
The lawsuit was filed on Sept. 20 in the U.S. District Court of the Eastern District of California in Sacramento. The parties are scheduled to appear in court on Jan. 27.
