Safecast Limited v. Google, LLC

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 6 SAFECAST LIMITED, Case No. 23-cv-03128-PCP

Plaintiff,

ORDER DISMISSING COMPLAINT

v. WITH LEAVE TO AMEND

GOOGLE, LLC, Defendant.

12 In this patent case, plaintiff SafeCast Limited claims that defendant Google, LLC’s advertising products infringe its patent for automating compliance with broadcasting authority regulations governing the time at which certain ads may be shown. Google moves for dismissal on two grounds: first, because the patent’s claims are directed to the abstract idea of “automating compliance” and lack an inventive concept, and are thus ineligible for patenting under 35 U.S.C. § 101; and second, because regardless of patent eligibility SafeCast fails to plausibly plead that Google has infringed SafeCast’s patent. Although the Court agrees that SafeCast’s patent is directed at an abstract idea, the Court will not decide whether the patent must be invalidated as ineligible under Section 101 because SafeCast has…