Lawsuit home, find case, find lawyer,legal solution. Software ag had appealed the district courts judgment arguing, among other things, that globerangers trade secret claim was preempted by. In this case, globerangers trade secret misappropriation claim requires. What is the best intellectual property protection for software. Globeranger alleged that software ag wrongfully obtained copies of its software. Globeranger offers an faa federal aviation administration approved automated inspection process for aviation emergency equipment including life vests, o 2 generators, and fire extinguishers. In a 2011 complaint, globeranger accused software ag of accessing globeranger data, manuals and software to complete the project.
It found that globeranger did not prove malice, and so was not entitled to punitive damages, nor did it prove conspiracy. All content is posted anonymously by employees working at globeranger. Globeranger online training courseware globeranger. Navy sought to acquire certain new rfid technology. Nov 19, 2007 a spokesman for software ag on monday said the company has not been formally served with the lawsuit and thus had no comment. The central allegation in that case was that competitor software ag misappropriated globeranger s radio frequency identification rfid technology most commonly used in electronic readers in tollbooths, like ezpass after it had taken over software ag s subcontract with the u. Yyz llc files patent infringement lawsuit against software ag. Globeranger says it was cheated out of navy work dallas. Software ags next contentionand one of the more complex issues in this caseis that globeranger did not prove that software ag acquired any of its alleged trade secrets improperly, and therefore failed to prove the second element of texas trade secret misappropriation. Susman godfrey represented an instore advertising company in a lawsuit. Globeranger claimed that software ag misappropriated its rfid technology after taking over globeranger s subcontract with the navy to implement the technology.
In november 2014, melton tried and won a theft of trade secret lawsuit on behalf of dallasbased globeranger corporation against germanbased software ag alleging misappropriation of globeranger s proprietary radio frequency identification rfid technology. Lawsuit alleges cloakanddagger conspiracy by software ag. Dec 17, 2010 globerangers lawsuit does not disclose the size of the navy contract it was seeking. The online courses are offered to employees, contractors, customers and partners who qualify and register for the course through their globeranger account manager. Then came a woman named kim gray, who works for an alaskabased software company called naniq systems llc. Software ag challenges that result on a number of grounds, but its principal argument is that globeranger finds itself in a jurisdictional. Globeranger utilizes this software along with a customized physical placement of rfid tags, readers, and servers for each customer in order to deploy an rfid system. You would never know this is a fujitsu company because fujitsu is incredible when it comes time to image, honesty and integrity.
Globerangers claim is not preempted, software ag asserts that the court. Thereafter, when software ag was creating the navys enterprisewide system, it accessed globeranger s trade secrets and then globeranger sued for misappropriation of trade secrets. Mar 26, 2011 lawsuit alleges cloakanddagger conspiracy by software ag. Therefore, the court upheld the jurys finding of trade secret use. It stood to make hundreds of millions of dollars from stealing globerangers technology and. By justia opinion summaries plaintiff, developer of a passive radio frequency identification rfid system for commercial use, alleged a number of texas claims against a group of software companies in state court.
The litigation alleges that software ag usa was receiving a u. Middleware helps different computer systems work together. Nov 01, 2016 what is the best intellectual property protection for software. Rfid technology is not new, globerangers complaint notes. Lawsuit alleges cloakanddagger conspiracy by software ag arn. Middleware giant software ag conducted an elaborate corporate espionage scheme replete with sex, lies and an audiotape, according to allegations in a lawsuit filed by rfid radio frequency. Parties, docket activity and news coverage of federal case globeranger corporation v. Software ag and two systems integrators are accused of an elaborate scheme to steal rfid trade secrets. Lawsuit alleges cloakanddagger conspiracy by software ag middleware giant software ag conducted an elaborate corporate espionage scheme replete with sex, lies and an audiotape, according to. Software ag s sales of adabas and related products grew 5% in the companys most recent quarter.
Globeranger uses the example of a company using middleware to target its marketing by connecting its customer database with its. Visibility enterprisesoftware ag had not implemented rfid for a client. Globeranger has created a suite of solution accelerators and configurable applications atop the imotion platform to quickly develop. Middleware giant software ag conducted an elaborate corporate espionage scheme replete with sex, lies and an audiotape, according to allegations in a lawsuit filed by rfid radio frequency identification vendor globeranger. The court found that the trade secret claim is not preempted but that a dismissed conversion claim was preempted and supports federal jurisdiction. A flexible platformbased system that supports multiple applications through rfid radio frequency identification technology, our combination of industry knowledge and proven iot solutions make us the manufacturers choice above and beyond other general software providers. The navy ordered globeranger to stop its subcontracting work and said it would convert the three existing instances to the enterprisewide system. Middleware giant software ag conducted an elaborate corporate espionage scheme replete with sex, lies and an audiotape, according to allegations in a lawsuit filed by rfid vendor globeranger. According to globeranger, gray had an affair with robert bacon, the program director for the navys rfid efforts. Thereafter, when software ag was creating the navys enterprisewide system, it accessed globerangers trade secrets and then globeranger sued for misappropriation of trade secrets. Inside apples design process during the golden age of steve jobs. While working on the navy contract, software ag accessed some of globerangers data, manuals and software. Globeranger uses rfid technology to manage its inventory.
Software ag timely filed this motion following the courts entry of judgment in accordance with the jurys verdict, finding in favor of plaintiff globeranger corporation globeranger on its trade secret misappropriation claim and awarding globeranger. Lawsuit alleges cloakanddagger software ag conspiracy it. Learn from software experts like bayareanewsgroup and the dallas morning news. He also declined to say whether software ag recently has made any changes to its customer auditing program. We also affirmed the denial of globeranger s motion to remand based on actual or possiblethis is the source of the intense debate preemption of the conversion claim. Navy contract that globeranger had been pursuing for years. In november 2014, melton tried and won a theft of trade secret lawsuit on behalf of dallasbased globeranger corporation against germanbased software ag alleging misappropriation of globerangers proprietary radio frequency identification rfid technology. Although not giving a definitive answer on the matter, the united states district court for the north district of texas found in globeranger corp. Globeranger products include the imotiontm platform which provides the software infrastructure that connects the physical world of automated data collection using rfid technology with enterprise software systems. Jan 30, 2017 the central allegation in that case was that competitor software ag misappropriated globerangers radio frequency identification rfid technology most commonly used in electronic readers in tollbooths, like ezpass after it had taken over software ags subcontract with the u. Automated inspections for aviation emergency equipment. On september 7, 2016, the fifth circuit in globeranger corp.
Federal copyright preemption of state law claims still a. Finally, the court rejected software ag s claims of error in regard to the damages award and affirmed the award. Lawsuit alleges cloakanddagger software ag conspiracy. Accordingly, the fifth circuit ruled that globerangers trade secret claim. As the complaint alleged only conversion of intangible property for which. Recently our colleagues natalie arbaugh and rex mann discussed the fifth circuits decision in globeranger corp. The district court denied software ags motions for judgment as a matter of law. Jul 19, 2018 although not giving a definitive answer on the matter, the united states district court for the north district of texas found in globeranger corp. What is the best intellectual property protection for. Manufacturings smart inventory partner for asset tracking. Lawsuit alleges cloakanddagger conspiracy by software ag cio. On the merits, the court concluded that globeranger s evidence is sufficient to show that software ag used the navy solution in developing its own product.
Globeranger and software ag a larger, more general software company, the navy went withsoftware ag s proposal rooted inits webmethods software platform. Globeranger sued software ag in federal court for trade secret misappropriation. Globeranger uses the example of a company using middleware to target its marketing by connecting its customer database with its ordering system. A flexible platformbased system that supports multiple applications through rfid radio frequency identification technology, our combination of industry knowledge and proven iot solutions make us the manufacturers choice above and beyond other general software. The navy ordered globeranger to stop its subcontracting work and said it would convert the three existing instances to the enterprisewide system, the panel recalled.
However, this was only the opening move in software ag s plan, globeranger alleged. As the complaint alleged only conversion of intangible property for which there is equivalency between the rights protected under that state tort and federal. Globeranger claimed that software ag misappropriated its rfid technology after taking over globerangers. Read software books like sv150 doubletruck 042416 and lawsuit for free with a free 30day trial. See who you know at globeranger, leverage your professional network, and get hired.
Lawsuit filed by richardsonbased globeranger accuses competitors of stealing its technology to win a u. Software ag owns software entitled webmethods that globeranger characterizes as middleware. Mar 02, 2011 then came a woman named kim gray, who works for an alaskabased software company called naniq systems llc. Globeranger also alleges that software ag, in order to gain a competitive advantage, misrepresented that software ag developed the navys rfid system.
Lawsuit alleges cloakanddagger conspiracy by software ag software ag and two systems integrators are accused of an elaborate scheme to steal rfid trade secrets. Globeranger offers some of its traditional instructor led classes in a selfpaced, online course format. Aug 17, 2012 globeranger has a generic rfid software platform named imotion. Software ag, which dwarfs globeranger in size, had an irresistible motive. In a 2015 trade secret misappropriation case involving susman godfrey client globeranger s radio frequency identification rfid technology, globeranger alleged that software ag wrongfully obtained copies of its software system as deployed at navy depots, reverseengineered the trade secrets from the globeranger software, and then created a. The suit also alleges that gray was also in a relationship with german company software ag. Software ag, which dwarfs globeranger in size, had an irresistible motive, the complaint adds. We also affirmed the denial of globerangers motion to remand based on actual or possible this is the source of the intense debate preemption of the conversion claim. Federal jurisdiction under doctrine of complete preemption. Globeranger s lawsuit does not disclose the size of the navy contract it was seeking.
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