BMW Texas Suit Accuses Patent Owner of Forum Shopping in Germany

Finnegan client BMW AG sued Onesta IP LLC in the Western District of Texas, accusing the non-practicing entity of misusing U.S. patents and engaging in improper forum shopping. BMW alleges Onesta bypassed U.S. courts by suing BMW in Germany over two U.S. patents covering computer processing and power allocation related to Qualcomm Snapdragon automotive circuits.

BMW argues this strategy avoids U.S. procedural and constitutional safeguards and pressures BMW over allegedly stale claims, threatening its U.S. operations. BMW seeks declarations of non-infringement, patent misuse, and invalidity, as well as a temporary restraining order and anti-suit injunction barring Onesta from enforcing the U.S. patents outside American courts. Onesta has also asserted related patents against other tech companies in U.S. and ITC proceedings.

Read: “BMW Texas Suit Accuses Patent Owner of Forum Shopping in Germany”