Fern Avenue Solutions, LLC v. Protected Solutions, LLC, Civil Action No. 1:23-cv-02085-SCJ (N.D. Ga., May 9, 2023)

A patent infringement action asserting a single patent involving armored, moveable furniture for securing classrooms from armed intruders has been filed in the Northern District.  Plaintiff Fern Avenue Solutions, LLC, brought suit against Defendant ProtectED for infringement of U.S. Patent No. 9,310,170 (“the ’170 Patent”).  The invention claimed in the ’170 Patent offers a solution for securing a room and its occupants from bullets.  According to the Complaint, Plaintiff’s patented invention provides a moveable furniture piece with an armored panel, a locking mechanism, and a means for securing the furniture in position to block a room’s entrance.  Plaintiff accuses ProtectED’s product, the “ProtectED Rooms Bookcase,” of embodying their patented invention.  As described in the Complaint, the accused product is a bookshelf that uses an armored or ballistic panel, a mobility mechanism like wheels, and a locking mechanism to securely block a room’s entrance. The Complaint includes counts for direct, induced, and contributory infringement pursuant to 35 U.S.C. § 271(a)-(c).

The case has been assigned to Judge Steve Jones.