SAN ANTONIO – (Nov. 6, 2019) A U.S. District Court jury in Marshall, Texas, has found that Wells Fargo willfully infringed on two USAA patents for the “auto capture” process, which simplifies check deposits made with mobile devices.
The jury awarded USAA $200 million in damages for Wells Fargo’s past infringement of USAA’s auto capture patents associated with this lawsuit. In June 2018, USAA filed a patent infringement lawsuit alleging Wells Fargo Mobile® Deposit infringed on certain USAA patents related to mobile check capture.
The process allows bank customers to use their mobile devices to photograph and then deposit checks without visiting a branch or sending checks by mail. This technology has led to a revolution in consumer banking. Nearly every U.S. bank and credit union uses this technology, benefiting some 87 million U.S. consumers. USAA continues to seek opportunities to create reasonable and mutually beneficial licensing agreements with banks and credit unions for use of USAA’s mobile remote deposit capture process.
“The verdict acknowledged the value of USAA’s innovation on behalf of members,” said Nathan McKinley, USAA vice president of corporate development. “We hope the industry acknowledges this verdict as further evidence of the enforceability of these patents. Our goal is to be reasonably compensated for the benefits we believe the industry has received from using USAA’s pioneering efforts.”
USAA filed a separate suit for additional patents related to the mobile remote deposit process against Wells Fargo in August 2018 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern Division of Texas. It is scheduled for trial in January 2020.
Funds received as a result of this verdict and future royalty payments coming from licensing of the technology will be invested in additional improvements to better serve members. USAA pioneered mobile remote deposit capture, driven by the need to support members of the military and their families across the globe.
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