IngenioShare Sues Riot Games in Los Angeles on Four Player-Communication Patents.

The complaint

The case is IngenioShare, LLC v. Riot Games, Inc., No. 2:26-cv-12284 (C.D. Cal.), a 37-page complaint for patent infringement filed October 21, 2026, ECF No. 1. The complaint says IngenioShare, LLC is a California limited liability company. It says Riot Games, Inc. is a Delaware corporation with its headquarters and principal place of business in Los Angeles, California, and is registered to do business in California.

Jurisdiction, venue, and stay request

The complaint pleads subject matter jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. 1331 and 1338(a). It pleads personal jurisdiction based on Riot's principal place of business in the district and, on information and belief, acts of infringement in California and in the district. It pleads venue under 28 U.S.C. 1391 and 1400(b) because Riot has committed acts of infringement in the district and maintains a regular and established place of business there. The complaint says IngenioShare filed now to preserve recovery for alleged ongoing infringement while a Federal Circuit appeal on certain claims of the '810 and '727 patents remains pending, and that IngenioShare intends to seek a stay of this action pending that appeal.

The patents-in-suit

The complaint asserts four patents and alleges that IngenioShare is the owner by assignment of all right, title, and interest in each, including the right to sue for past, present, and future infringement and to collect damages.

U.S. Patent 8,744,407, titled "Systems And Processes to Manage Multiple Modes of Communication," issued June 3, 2014. Count One alleges infringement of one or more claims, including at least claim 53. Claim 53 covers a server, based on a communication protocol, for managing a user's communication when a person using a first device tries to convey a message to the user's handheld second device. The server's computing device receives the message, identifies the person, and sets a process using rules based on the user's status and the person's access priority, without providing the user's contact information to the first device even when the message is transmitted via that contact information, and with the server aware of the user's availability and configured to send availability information to the person.

U.S. Patent 10,142,810, titled "Method and Apparatus to Manage Different Options of Communication Using One User Identifier Based on Internet Protocol," issued November 27, 2018. Count Two alleges infringement of one or more claims, including at least claim 1. Claim 1 covers a computer-implemented method for managing electronic communications using a network-based portal based on Internet protocol, including providing a plurality of communication options such as text messaging and voice that all use one identifier associated with a second user, receiving a selected option from a first user after a prior registration process, permitting the second user to block the first user, and enabling receipt of the message based on that identifier without providing the second user's contact information to the first user via the portal.

U.S. Patent 10,708,727, titled "Method and Apparatus to Manage Messaging Providing Different Communication Modes Using One Identifier and Not Requiring to Disclose Contact Information," issued July 7, 2020. Count Three alleges infringement of one or more claims, including at least claim 1. Claim 1 covers a computer-implemented method that provides a plurality of modes of communication, including text, voice, and image communication, based on identifiers set via a network-based portal, enables blocking by mode, delivers a first message when the recipient has not blocked the sender, and continues with further messaging while keeping contact information undisclosed through the portal.

U.S. Patent 12,143,901, titled "Method and Apparatus to Manage Communication," issued November 12, 2024. Count Four alleges infringement of one or more claims, including at least claim 1. Claim 1 covers a non-transitory computer-readable medium with program code for a network-based portal that provides real-time voice, text, and image modes based on user-set identifiers, can prevent a second user from receiving a first user's message based on an input from the second user, handles return messaging in the session, and keeps each user's contact information, such as a phone number or email address, from being provided to the other via the portal, with identifiers distinct from that contact information.

Patent terms

Each of the four patents claims priority through a chain of earlier applications to an application filed December 7, 2004. Google Patents lists the '810, '727, and '901 patents with an anticipated expiration of December 7, 2024, and the '407 patent with an adjusted expiration of January 23, 2025, all before the complaint was filed on October 21, 2026. The '901 patent issued November 12, 2024, less than a month before its listed expiration.

Earlier litigation and Patent Office history

IngenioShare first sued Epic Games, Inc. in the Western District of Texas on June 25, 2021, on the '810 and '727 patents and two other patents, and that case was dismissed for improper venue on March 18, 2022. On July 2, 2025, IngenioShare sued Epic in the Eastern District of North Carolina on the '810 and '727 patents and U.S. Patent 10,492,038; the complaint here says the '407 and '901 patents were not asserted or adjudicated in that action. On June 4, 2026, Chief Judge Richard E. Myers II granted Epic's motion to dismiss with prejudice. The order held claim 1 of the '810 patent invalid as ineligible under 35 U.S.C. 101 and, treating that claim as representative, held the remaining asserted claims invalid on the same ground: claims 1 and 11 of the '810 patent, claims 46 and 58-62 of the '038 patent, and claims 1-3, 6-9, and 15-17 of the '727 patent. IngenioShare filed a notice of appeal to the Federal Circuit on June 12, 2026. The complaint identifies the appeal as No. 26-1944 and says IngenioShare filed its opening brief on August 31, 2026.

The complaint also recounts inter partes review history. It says the Patent Office denied institution of Epic's IPR2022-00297 against the '407 patent on May 26, 2022. It says final written decisions in IPR2022-00202 on the '810 patent and IPR2022-00291 on the '727 patent found the challenged claims not unpatentable, and that on April 24, 2025, the Federal Circuit affirmed those decisions in Epic Games, Inc. v. IngenioShare, LLC, including the Board's construction of "network-based portal" as residing on the server side of the network.

The accused products

The complaint accuses Riot's League of Legends titles, including Teamfight Tactics and League of Legends: Wild Rift, and Valorant, along with other Riot video games providing similar functionality. It alleges, on information and belief, that Riot provides additional similar games on similar terms. It focuses on in-game communication functionality and says users must agree to Riot's end-user license agreement to download, play, or access the games. Representative claim charts for League of Legends and Valorant are attached as exhibits for each asserted patent.

The counts

Each of the four counts alleges direct infringement under 35 U.S.C. 271(a) by making, using, offering to sell, selling, or importing the patented invention, and, for the '810 and '727 patents, by using and performing the claimed method through operation of the accused League of Legends and Valorant communication functionality. The complaint alleges actual notice of infringement of each patent at least as of the filing of the complaint. It also says Riot was contacted regarding the '810 patent at least as early as November 29, 2018, and regarding the '407 patent at least as early as October 11, 2019.

The relief sought

The prayer asks for a declaration that Riot has infringed the four patents-in-suit; damages under 35 U.S.C. 284; prejudgment interest under 35 U.S.C. 284; post-judgment interest under 28 U.S.C. 1961; a declaration that the case is exceptional with reasonable attorneys' fees under 35 U.S.C. 285; costs; and further relief. IngenioShare demands a jury under Rule 38(b).

What to watch next

Watch for the stay motion IngenioShare says it intends to file pending Federal Circuit No. 26-1944, for service on Riot Games, Inc., and for an answer or a Rule 12 motion.