FourKites Disputes Rival MacroPoint’s Newest Patent

FourKites, a provider of freight tracking technology, has disputed the latest patent obtained by rival firm MacroPoint, arguing it is “largely the same” as five other patents that a federal district court deemed invalid.

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office issued the new patent to MacroPoint on Aug. 30 for a “machine or group of machines for monitoring location of a vehicle or freight carried by a vehicle.”

That patent was issued as MacroPoint and FourKites continue an ongoing legal battle.

In November, a U.S. District Court dismissed a patent infringement suit filed by MacroPoint against FourKites. MacroPoint has appealed that ruling.

The case involves technology designed to give shippers and third-party logistics firms visibility to load status by tracking the location of drivers’ mobile phones or onboard telematics devices.

The district court’s ruling cited a 2014 Supreme Court decision, Alice Corp. vs. CLS Bank International.

MacroPoint CEO Bennett Adelson said the company’s latest patent “validates that the technology we are selling is worthy of patent protection and that it was invented by MacroPoint.”

However, FourKites CEO Matt Elenjickal said that patent was allowed by the same examiner that allowed MacroPoint’s previous five patents.

“A federal district court judge ruled those patents were invalid, and we would expect this patent to meet a similar fate,” he said.