RecepTrexx v. Yamaha: Audio Hush Patent Suit Dismissed With Prejudice in 108 Days
RecepTrexx LLC filed a patent infringement action against Yamaha Corporation in the Eastern District of Texas asserting US7012652B1, covering audio hush technology for entertainment equipment. The case closed after just 108 days when RecepTrexx voluntarily dismissed all claims with prejudice, permanently extinguishing its right to re-litigate the same claims against Yamaha.
Audio Hush Patent Suit Against Yamaha Ends Before Substantive Contest
On January 30, 2024, RecepTrexx LLC filed a patent infringement complaint against Yamaha Corporation in the Eastern District of Texas (Case No. 2:24-cv-00061), assigned to Judge Rodney Gilstrap. The sole patent asserted was US7012652B1, directed to audio hush technology for entertainment equipment — particularly television receivers — which automatically mutes or attenuates audio output under defined conditions.
The case closed on May 17, 2024, just 108 days after filing, when RecepTrexx filed a Notice of Voluntary Dismissal With Prejudice. Judge Gilstrap accepted and acknowledged the notice, formally dismissing all claims and causes of action asserted against Yamaha with prejudice. Crucially, each party was ordered to bear its own costs, expenses, and attorneys’ fees, suggesting no financial settlement payment was publicly disclosed as part of the resolution.
A dismissal with prejudice this early in proceedings — before any defendant answer or substantive motion practice appears on the docket — is consistent with a confidential settlement, a licensing agreement, or a plaintiff’s reassessment of claim viability following pre-suit negotiations. The public record does not disclose which dynamic drove the resolution, leaving the underlying commercial terms entirely opaque. Notably, no defendant law firm appeared on record, suggesting Yamaha may not have formally engaged litigation counsel before the dismissal.
Filing to Dismissed with Prejudice in 108 days
108 days — resolved well before typical E.D. Texas patent trial timelines of 18–24 months
Dismissed with prejudice: what this outcome means for both parties
Voluntary dismissal with prejudice permanently bars re-filing
Under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 41(a), a voluntary dismissal with prejudice operates as a final adjudication on the merits. RecepTrexx cannot re-file the same infringement claims against Yamaha Corporation based on US7012652B1 in any federal court. This is categorically distinct from a dismissal without prejudice, which would preserve the plaintiff’s right to refile. The finality here is absolute as to these parties and these claims.
FRCP 41(a) — final on the meritsRecepTrexx gives up its infringement claims permanently
By dismissing with prejudice, RecepTrexx has irrevocably surrendered its right to pursue Yamaha for infringement of US7012652B1. The each-party-bears-own-costs order means RecepTrexx recovered no court-awarded fees. Whether a confidential licence or settlement payment was exchanged outside the court record is unknown — the public record is silent on any compensation flowing to the plaintiff as a condition of dismissal.
Claims permanently extinguishedYamaha exits with no liability finding and no fee award
Yamaha Corporation faces no adjudicated finding of infringement, no damages award, and no injunction. The with-prejudice dismissal insulates Yamaha from any future suit by RecepTrexx on this patent. The court’s cost-neutrality order means Yamaha absorbs its own defence costs — if any were incurred, given no defendant counsel appeared on the docket — without reimbursement, which is the standard baseline absent exceptional circumstances.
No liability — immune from re-suitEarly exit signals pre-litigation dynamics worth monitoring
A 108-day lifecycle ending in a with-prejudice dismissal before substantive proceedings is consistent with a licensing resolution or a plaintiff’s tactical withdrawal. For competitors operating in the audio and AV equipment space, US7012652B1 remains a live patent that RecepTrexx can assert against other parties. Companies in consumer electronics, broadcasting equipment, or AV receiver markets should assess their exposure to the audio hush claims independent of this Yamaha outcome.
Patent still live against othersFull party and counsel information
| Role | Name | Type | Detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plaintiff | RecepTrexx, LLC | Company | Patent assertion entity — holder of US7012652B1 covering audio hush technologySearch in Eureka ↗ |
| Defendant | Yamaha Corporation | Company | Yamaha Corporation — global manufacturer of musical instruments and audio/AV equipmentSearch in Eureka ↗ |
| Plaintiff counsel | Isaac Phillip Rabicoff | Attorney | Counsel for RecepTrexx, LLCSearch in Eureka ↗ |
| Plaintiff law firm | Rabicoff Law LLC | Law Firm | Representing RecepTrexx, LLCSearch in Eureka ↗ |
| Presiding judge | Judge Rodney Gilstrap | Judge | Texas Eastern District CourtSearch in Eureka ↗ |
Official order — verbatim text
The court’s order accepts and acknowledges RecepTrexx’s voluntary dismissal notice, formally closing all claims with prejudice under FRCP 41(a). The language ‘ACCEPTS AND ACKNOWLEDGES’ reflects the ministerial character of the ruling — no merits adjudication occurred. The cost-neutrality provision (‘each party to bear its own costs’) is the default under FRCP 54(d) absent a prevailing party determination, and its inclusion here confirms no party achieved prevailing-party status triggering fee-shifting under 35 U.S.C. § 285.
US7012652B1 — Audio Hush Technology for Entertainment Equipment
US7012652B1 is a US utility patent covering audio hush technology — systems that automatically attenuate or mute audio output in entertainment equipment, with particular reference to television receivers. The underlying application number is US10/338096. The patent covers the automatic suppression of audio signals under defined triggering conditions, a function relevant to broadcast receivers, AV amplifiers, home theatre systems, and related consumer electronics. Its grant as a B1 publication indicates it issued without pre-grant publication.
For the audio and consumer electronics sector, US7012652B1 represents a functionality claim that could map onto a broad range of products incorporating automatic volume control, audio ducking, or smart mute features — capabilities now prevalent in smart TVs, AV receivers, soundbars, and streaming devices. The fact that RecepTrexx targeted Yamaha — a major AV equipment manufacturer — suggests the patent holder views the claim scope as commercially significant. Competitors in this space, including AV receiver, home theatre, and broadcast equipment manufacturers, should independently assess their exposure.
Should your product team run an FTO against US7012652B1?
If your company designs, manufactures, or sells entertainment equipment incorporating audio hush, automatic muting, audio ducking, or smart volume attenuation features — particularly in televisions, AV receivers, soundbars, or home theatre systems — US7012652B1 warrants a formal freedom-to-operate assessment. The Yamaha dismissal does not signal patent invalidity or narrow claim scope; it resolves only one bilateral dispute. RecepTrexx retains full enforcement rights against all other parties.
PatSnap Eureka’s FTO Search Agent can map your product’s technical features against the claim language of US7012652B1, surface relevant prior art that could support an invalidity challenge, and identify any continuation or divisional applications in the same family that may present additional risk. Running this analysis now — before receiving a demand letter — is significantly more cost-effective than responding to E.D. Texas litigation.
Run a freedom-to-operate analysis on US7012652B1 to assess your product’s exposure
Run FTO in Eureka →Similar Audio and Entertainment Equipment Patent Cases in E.D. Texas
Cases involving audio technology and entertainment equipment patents litigated in the Eastern District of Texas before Judge Gilstrap, including NPE assertion patterns.
What this case signals for the consumer audio and AV equipment IP landscape
A swift with-prejudice exit in E.D. Texas suggests pre-litigation dynamics that matter to anyone operating in the audio and entertainment equipment sector.
US7012652B1 remains enforceable against other defendants
The dismissal resolves only the dispute between RecepTrexx and Yamaha. The patent itself is unaffected — no invalidity ruling, no IPR decision, and no claim construction has narrowed its scope. Any company making or selling audio hush or automatic muting functionality in entertainment equipment should treat this patent as an active enforcement risk and conduct a formal FTO assessment.
No defendant counsel on record suggests rapid pre-suit resolution
The absence of any appearing defence counsel in the docket — combined with a 108-day close — is consistent with a swift licensing negotiation or settlement concluded before Yamaha needed to formally engage litigation counsel. This pattern is common in NPE-driven cases in the Eastern District of Texas and suggests RecepTrexx may be pursuing a licensing campaign across the audio equipment industry.
RecepTrexx v Yamaha — key questions answered
The case was dismissed with prejudice on May 17, 2024, after RecepTrexx LLC filed a voluntary notice of dismissal. Judge Rodney Gilstrap in the Eastern District of Texas accepted the notice, permanently extinguishing RecepTrexx’s infringement claims against Yamaha Corporation. Each party was ordered to bear its own costs and attorneys’ fees.
RecepTrexx asserted US7012652B1, a patent covering audio hush technology for entertainment equipment, with particular application to television receivers. The underlying application number is US10/338096. The patent relates to systems that automatically attenuate or mute audio output under defined triggering conditions.
No. A voluntary dismissal with prejudice resolves only the dispute between these two specific parties. No court ruled on the validity, scope, or infringement of US7012652B1. The patent remains fully enforceable against all other parties, and RecepTrexx can continue to assert it in separate actions against different defendants.
The Eastern District of Texas — particularly before Judge Rodney Gilstrap — is a historically plaintiff-favourable patent venue with substantial docket experience and plaintiff-friendly scheduling norms. Patent assertion entities frequently file in this district to apply procedural and cost pressure on defendants. Yamaha may have had limited grounds to challenge venue before the voluntary dismissal mooted the issue.
No. A dismissal with prejudice under FRCP 41(a) operates as a final adjudication on the merits, barring RecepTrexx from re-asserting the same claims against Yamaha Corporation based on US7012652B1. This preclusive effect is permanent and applies specifically to the claims and parties in this action. RecepTrexx retains the right to assert the patent against entirely different defendants.
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