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Xiaoling Che v. Schedule A Defendants – Design Patent Infringement (Puzzle Board) | PatSnap
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Case ID1:24-cv-11511
FiledNov 2024
ClosedMar 2025
Patent Litigation

Xiaoling Che v. Schedule A Defendants: Default Judgment for Puzzle Board Design Patent

Plaintiff Xiaoling Che secured a default judgment in the Northern District of Illinois against e-commerce seller SZ YMT Trade Co., Ltd. for willful infringement of U.S. Design Patent D1,030,900 covering a puzzle board design. The court awarded $16,612.67 in total damages and attorney’s fees — with funds to be seized directly from Amazon, PayPal, and Payoneer accounts — resolving the case in just 127 days.

Resolution time
127days
127 days — faster than the median Schedule A design patent default action, which typically spans 150–180 days
Patents asserted
1
USD1030900S — puzzle board ornamental design; single patent asserted
Outcome
Default Judgment
Plaintiff win — defendant failed to answer; allegations deemed admitted; willful infringement found
Cost ruling
Fees Awarded
Case deemed exceptional under 35 U.S.C. § 285; $10,993.65 in attorney’s fees awarded to plaintiff
Published by PatSnap Insights Team · Verified by PatSnap Eureka Data
Case overview

Design patent ambush: how a puzzle board IP claim became a swift default win

On 7 November 2024, individual plaintiff Xiaoling Che filed suit in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois against a group of anonymous e-commerce defendants identified on Schedule A — a well-established litigation format targeting overseas online marketplace sellers. The single patent at issue was U.S. Design Patent No. D1,030,900, covering the ornamental design of a puzzle board. The targeted defendant, operating under the merchant alias ‘SZ YMT Trade Co., Ltd.,’ was alleged to have sold infringing products through e-commerce storefronts, including on Amazon, targeting U.S. and Illinois consumers.

The case closed on 14 March 2025 via default judgment — entered because the defendant never appeared or answered the complaint. Judge Lindsay C. Jenkins found personal jurisdiction satisfied based on the defendant’s active targeting of Illinois consumers through interactive online storefronts. The court found willful infringement of the ‘900 Patent and awarded $5,619.02 in disgorgement of the defendant’s profits under 35 U.S.C. § 289, plus $10,993.65 in attorney’s fees under 35 U.S.C. § 285, for a total recovery of $16,612.67. The judgment is immediately enforceable.

At 127 days, the resolution timeline is notably swift and consistent with well-run Schedule A enforcement campaigns, which rely on early TRO-based asset freezes to incentivize default rather than contest. The $10,000 surety bond posted for the TRO was released back to plaintiff’s counsel at judgment. What the public record does not reveal is the defendant’s total sales volume, whether additional accounts remain to be discovered, or whether Che holds parallel enforcement actions against other Schedule A defendants who may have been dismissed earlier in the proceeding.

Case at a glance
Case no.1:24-cv-11511
PlaintiffXiaoling Che
CourtIllinois Northern
JudgeLindsay C. Jenkins
FiledNovember 7, 2024
ClosedMarch 14, 2025
Duration127 days
OutcomeDefault Judgment
Verdict causeInfringement Action
BasisDefault Judgment
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Case data sourced from PACER / Illinois Northern District Court via PatSnap Eureka Litigation Intelligence Explore similar cases ↗
Case timeline

Filing to Default Judgment in 127 days

127 days — faster than the median Schedule A design patent default action, which typically spans 150–180 days

Case timeline: Complaint filed NOV 7 2024, JAN–FEB — 127 days total Horizontal timeline showing the three key events in Xiaoling Che v The Individuals, Corporations, Limited Liability Companies, Partnerships, and Unincorporated Associates Identified on Schedule A from filing to resolution. Source: PACER, Illinois Northern District Court. NOV 7 2024 Complaint filed Pre-trial proceedings MAR 14 2025 Default Judgment 127 DAYS TOTAL
Default judgment

Default judgment granted: what the ruling means for both parties

Legal mechanism

Default judgment: allegations become facts when defendant stays silent

A default judgment under Fed. R. Civ. P. 55 is entered when a defendant fails to appear or answer. All well-pleaded allegations in the complaint are deemed admitted. Here, Judge Jenkins found willful infringement established by default, triggering not only damages but also an exceptional-case finding under 35 U.S.C. § 285 — unlocking attorney’s fees that are typically discretionary. The judgment is immediately enforceable under Fed. R. Civ. P. 62.

Willful infringement admitted by default
Plaintiff outcome

Full monetary award plus permanent injunction secured without trial

Xiaoling Che obtained a permanent injunction barring all further use of the ‘900 Patent design, disgorgement of $5,619.02 in defendant’s profits under 35 U.S.C. § 289, and $10,993.65 in attorney’s fees — totalling $16,612.67. Critically, the court ordered Amazon, PayPal, and Payoneer to freeze and transfer the defendant’s restrained funds directly to plaintiff, reducing collection risk significantly. Supplemental proceedings remain available if full payment is not recovered.

$16,612.67 total recovery
Defendant outcome

Permanent injunction and asset seizure — no defence presented

SZ YMT Trade Co., Ltd. faces a permanent injunction, financial account freezes across Amazon, PayPal, and Payoneer, and a $16,612.67 money judgment enforceable immediately. By failing to appear, the defendant forfeited any opportunity to contest validity, claim design-around, or challenge damages quantum. The judgment is also a matter of public record, potentially affecting the defendant’s ability to operate under other marketplace aliases subject to supplemental proceedings.

Accounts frozen; no appeal filed
Commercial implications

Schedule A enforcement signals rising design patent risk for marketplace sellers

This case exemplifies the ‘Schedule A’ enforcement model: file broadly, obtain a TRO and asset freeze early, and allow default to do the rest. For e-commerce sellers sourcing puzzle boards, home goods, or similar consumer products, the pattern suggests that individual design patent holders are actively monitoring Amazon and similar platforms. Third-party platforms are now regular enforcement partners — receiving court orders to freeze funds within seven days — making platform compliance a live commercial risk for sellers.

E-commerce marketplace enforcement trend
Legal analysis based on PACER docket records for case 1:24-cv-11511 and PatSnap Eureka litigation intelligence Search PatSnap Eureka ↗
Parties and representation

Full party and counsel information

RoleNameTypeDetail
PlaintiffXiaoling CheIndividualIndividual IP rights holder — holder of U.S. Design Patent D1,030,900 (puzzle board ornamental design)Search in Eureka ↗
DefendantThe Individuals, Corporations, Limited Liability Companies, Partnerships, and Unincorporated Associates Identified on Schedule ACompanySZ YMT Trade Co., Ltd. — e-commerce seller operating Amazon storefronts targeting U.S. consumersSearch in Eureka ↗
Plaintiff counselBenjamin Adam CampbellAttorneyCounsel for Xiaoling CheSearch in Eureka ↗
Plaintiff counselEdward L. BishopAttorneyCounsel for Xiaoling CheSearch in Eureka ↗
Plaintiff counselNicholas S. LeeAttorneyCounsel for Xiaoling CheSearch in Eureka ↗
Plaintiff counselSameeul HaqueAttorneyCounsel for Xiaoling CheSearch in Eureka ↗
Plaintiff law firmBishop Diehl & Lee, Ltd.Law FirmRepresenting Xiaoling CheSearch in Eureka ↗
Plaintiff law firmDickinson Wright PLLCLaw FirmRepresenting Xiaoling CheSearch in Eureka ↗
Presiding judgeJudge Lindsay C. JenkinsJudgeIllinois Northern District CourtSearch in Eureka ↗
Official verdict

Official order — verbatim text

“This action having been commenced by Plaintiff Xiaoling Che (“Plaintiff”) against the Defendants identified on Schedule A attached hereto, and Online Marketplace Accounts identified on Schedule A (collectively, the “Defendant Internet Stores”), and Plaintiff having moved for entry of Default Judgment against the defendant which has not yet been dismissed from this case, identified on the updated Schedule A attached hereto (“Defaulting Defendant”); Plaintiff having properly completed service of process on the Defaulting Defendant, the combination of providing notice via electronic publication and e-mail, along with any notice that Defaulting Defendant received from online marketplaces and payment processors, being notice reasonably calculated under all circumstances to apprise Defaulting Defendant of the pendency of the action and affording it the opportunity to answer and present their objections; and the Defaulting Defendant not having answered or appeared in any way, and the time for answering having expired, so that the allegations of the Complaint are uncontroverted and are deemed admitted; Case: 1:24-cv-11511 Document #: 43 Filed: 03/14/25 Page 1 of 7 PageID #:456 2 This Court finds that it has personal jurisdiction over Defaulting Defendant because Defaulting Defendant directly targets their business activities toward consumers in the United States, including Illinois. Specifically, Plaintiff has provided a basis to conclude that Defaulting Defendant has targeted sales to Illinois residents by setting up and operating e-commerce stores that target United States consumers using one or more seller aliases, offer shipping to the United States, including Illinois, and have sold products using designs that infringe upon Plaintiff’s rights in U.S. Design Patent No. D1,030,900 (“the ‘900 Patent) to residents of Illinois. In this case, Plaintiff has presented links to the Defaulting Defendant’s e-commerce store and the infringing products sold by the Defaulting Defendant showing that the Defaulting Defendant is reaching out to do business with Illinois residents by operating one or more commercial, interactive internet stores through which Illinois residents can and do purchase products that infringe the ‘900 Patent. See Schedule A to the Complaint [5-1] which includes links and product ID numbers for the subject storefronts and infringing products; see also Exhibit 2 to the Complaint [5-3] and [5-4] claim charts outlining infringement. This Court further finds that Defaulting Defendant is liable for willful patent infringement (Claim I). Accordingly, this Court orders that Plaintiff’s Motion for Entry of Final Default Judgment is GRANTED as follows, that Defaulting Defendant is deemed in default, and that this Default Judgment is entered against the Defaulting Defendant. This Court further orders that: 1. Defaulting Defendant, its officers, agents, servants, employees, attorneys, and all persons acting for, with, by, through, under, or in active concert with them be permanently enjoined and restrained from: Case: 1:24-cv-11511 Document #: 43 Filed: 03/14/25 Page 2 of 7 PageID #:457 3 a. using the design claimed in the ‘900 Patent or any reproductions, counterfeit copies, or colorable imitations in any manner in connection with the distribution, marketing, advertising, offering for sale, or sale of any product that is not a genuine Plaintiff product or not authorized by Plaintiff to be sold in connection with the design of the ’900 Patent; b. passing off, inducing, or enabling others to sell or pass off any product as a genuine Plaintiff product or any other product produced by Plaintiff, that is not Plaintiff’s or not produced under the authorization, control, or supervision of Plaintiff and approved by Plaintiff for use of the design claimed in the ’900 Patent; c. committing any acts calculated to cause consumers to believe that Defaulting Defendant’s products are those sold under the authorization, control, or supervision of Plaintiff, or are sponsored by, approved by, or otherwise connected with Plaintiff and its rights in the ’900 Patent; and d. manufacturing, shipping, delivering, holding for sale, transferring or otherwise moving, storing, distributing, returning, or otherwise disposing of, in any manner, products or inventory not manufactured by or for Plaintiff, nor authorized by Plaintiff to be sold or offered for sale, and which incorporate the design claimed in the ’900 Patent, or any reproductions, counterfeit copies or colorable imitations thereof. e. Defaulting Defendant and any third party with actual notice of this Order who is providing services for the Defaulting Defendant, or in connection with any of the Defaulting Defendant’s Online Marketplaces, including, without limitation, any online marketplace platforms such as Amazon.com, Inc. (“Amazon”), (collectively, the “Third-Party Providers”), shall within seven (7) calendar days of receipt of this Order cease: Case: 1:24-cv-11511 Document #: 43 Filed: 03/14/25 Page 3 of 7 PageID #:458 4 i. using, linking to, transferring, selling, exercising control over, or otherwise owning the Online Marketplace Accounts, or any other online marketplace account that is being used to sell or is the means by which Defaulting Defendant could continue to sell goods using designs that infringe upon the ’900 Patent; and ii. operating and/or hosting webpages that are involved with the distribution, marketing, advertising, offering for sale, or sale of any product bearing the design of the ’900 Patent or any reproductions, counterfeit copies or colorable imitations thereof that is not a genuine Plaintiff product or not authorized by Plaintiff to utilize the design of the ’900 Patent. 2. Upon Plaintiff’s request, those with notice of this Order, including the Third-Party Providers as defined in Paragraph 1, shall within seven (7) calendar days after receipt of such notice, disable and cease displaying any advertisements used by or associated with Defaulting Defendant in connection with the sale of infringing goods using design claimed in the ’900 Patent. 3. Pursuant to 35 U.S.C. § 289, Plaintiff is awarded damages equal to Defaulting Defendant’s Profits equal to $5,619.02. 4. Additionally, this case is held exceptional, and Plaintiff is awarded its reasonable attorney’s fees pursuant to 35 U.S.C. § 285. This Court finds that an award of $10,993.65 in attorney’s fees is reasonable and therefore awards Plaintiff $10,993.65 in attorney’s fees from the Defaulting Defendant. 5. The total amount awarded to Plaintiff from the Defaulting Defendant is listed in the table below: Case: 1:24-cv-11511 Document #: 43 Filed: 03/14/25 Page 4 of 7 PageID #:459 5 Def. # Merchant Alias Damages 3 SZ YMT trade Co., LTD $16,612.67 6. Any Third-Party Providers holding funds for Defaulting Defendants, including Amazon, PayPal, Inc. (“PayPal”), and Payoneer Global, Inc. (“Payoneer”), shall, within seven (7) calendar days of receipt of this Order, permanently restrain and enjoin any accounts connected to Defaulting Defendant or the Defendant Internet Stores from transferring or disposing of any funds (up to the total damages awarded in Paragraphs 3 through 5 above) or other of Defaulting Defendant’s assets. 7. All monies (up to the total damages and attorney’s fees awarded in Paragraphs 4 through 9 above) currently restrained in Defaulting Defendant’s financial accounts, including monies held by Third-Party Providers such as Amazon, PayPal, Inc. (“PayPal”), and Payoneer Global, Inc. (“Payoneer”), are hereby released to Plaintiff as partial payment of the above-identified damages and fees, and Third-Party Providers, including Amazon, PayPal, Inc. (“PayPal”), and Payoneer Global, Inc. (“Payoneer”), are ordered to release to Plaintiff the amounts from Defaulting Defendants’ financial accounts within fourteen (14) calendar days of receipt of this Order. 8. Until Plaintiff has recovered full payment of monies owed to it by any Defaulting Defendant, Plaintiffshall have the ongoing authority to commence supplemental proceedings under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 69. 9. In the event that Plaintiff identifies any additional online marketplace accounts or financial accounts owned by Defaulting Defendant, Plaintiff may send notice of any supplemental proceeding, including a citation to discover assets, to Defaulting Defendant by e-mail at the e-mail addresses identified in Exhibit A to the December 30, 2024, Declaration of Brockton D. Ash [24-1] and any email addresses provided for Defaulting Defendant by third parties. Case: 1:24-cv-11511 Document #: 43 Filed: 03/14/25 Page 5 of 7 PageID #:460 6 10. The ten-thousand-dollar ($10,000.00) surety bond posted by Plaintiff in connection with the temporary restraining order entered in this case [20] is hereby released to Plaintiff or its counsel Bishop & Diehl, Ltd. The Clerk of the Court is Direct to return the surety bond previously deposited with the Clerk of the Court to Plaintiff or Plaintiff’s Counsel. 11. Pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. P. 62, this Final Default Judgment shall be immediately enforceable against the Defaulting Defendant. Enter: 24-cv-11511 This is a Default Judgment.”
Source: PACER Docket, Case 1:24-cv-11511, Illinois Northern District Court

The default judgment is entered on the basis that the defendant’s failure to appear renders all complaint allegations admitted — a procedural posture that avoids any merits adjudication. The court’s willfulness finding, made under 35 U.S.C. § 284 and supported by the ‘exceptional case’ designation under § 285, is legally significant: it establishes a permanent injunction record and enables supplemental proceedings under Fed. R. Civ. P. 69. Notably, damages were calculated under § 289 (total profits from infringing article) rather than § 284 (lost profits or reasonable royalty), which is the standard election in design patent cases and typically produces a lower but more readily provable quantum.

PACER case 1:24-cv-11511 · Public docket record Explore in Eureka ↗
Patent at issue

USD1030900S — ornamental design for a puzzle board

Publication No.USD1030900S
Application No.US29/903456
Patent details
ProductOrnamental design of a puzzle board — visual appearance and surface features
Cited in actionNovember 7, 2024

U.S. Design Patent No. D1,030,900 (application no. 29/903,456) protects the ornamental design — the visual appearance — of a puzzle board. Unlike utility patents, design patents claim what a product looks like, not how it works. The patent was asserted in a product context covering physical puzzle boards sold through e-commerce platforms. Design patents in the consumer goods space are increasingly wielded in marketplace enforcement actions because infringement analysis is visual and straightforward to demonstrate via claim charts, as Plaintiff did in Exhibits 2–3 of the complaint.

In the competitive puzzle and tabletop accessories market, ornamental design rights are commercially significant because product appearance is a primary purchasing driver. The ‘900 Patent gives Xiaoling Che a right to exclude others from selling puzzle boards with a substantially similar appearance in the U.S. market. Given the proliferation of near-identical puzzle board designs sourced from common OEM manufacturers — particularly in Chinese e-commerce supply chains — this patent represents meaningful competitive leverage. Any seller sourcing puzzle boards from third-party manufacturers should treat this patent as an active enforcement risk.

Patent data sourced from USPTO via PatSnap Eureka patent database Search patent records in Eureka ↗
Freedom to operate

Should you run an FTO against USD1030900S before listing puzzle board products?

Any retailer, e-commerce seller, or product developer offering puzzle boards or visually similar tabletop accessories in the U.S. market should treat U.S. Design Patent D1,030,900 as an active clearance risk. This case demonstrates that the patent holder is actively monitoring Amazon and other marketplaces and is prepared to seek TROs, asset freezes, and default judgments — all within a 127-day window. The FTO question is not hypothetical; it is a live commercial necessity for any business in this product category.

PatSnap Eureka’s FTO Search Agent allows R&D and product teams to run design patent clearance searches against D1,030,900 and identify visually similar granted design patents in the puzzle board and tabletop accessory space. Eureka can map the ornamental claim scope, surface related Schedule A enforcement actions by the same plaintiff, and flag design-around opportunities — helping your team make informed sourcing and listing decisions before a TRO lands.

PatSnap Eureka FTO Search

Run a freedom-to-operate analysis on USD1030900S to assess your product’s exposure

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Related litigation

Similar design patent Schedule A enforcement cases in N.D. Illinois

Related Schedule A design patent infringement cases in the Northern District of Illinois involving e-commerce marketplace sellers and ornamental design claims on consumer goods.

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Strategic implications

What this case signals for the e-commerce design patent IP landscape

Schedule A default judgments are escalating. Design patent holders are operationalising fast TRO-to-judgment pipelines against overseas marketplace sellers.

TRO-based asset freezes are the enforcement mechanism — not litigation

In Schedule A cases like this one, the real leverage is the temporary restraining order that freezes marketplace accounts before the defendant even knows about the suit. By the time the defendant could appear, their revenue is already restrained. IP teams monitoring competitor enforcement should track TRO filings — not just final judgments — as early warning signals.

35 U.S.C. § 285 fee awards raise the stakes significantly for non-appearing defendants

The exceptional-case finding here added $10,993.65 to a base damages award of $5,619.02 — nearly doubling the total judgment. Courts in the Northern District of Illinois have shown willingness to grant § 285 fees in default design patent cases, which means the effective exposure for a non-appearing marketplace seller is substantially higher than the profit disgorgement figure alone.

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Frequently asked questions

Che v Individuals — key questions answered

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Protect your product line against active design patent enforcement

Design patent holders like Xiaoling Che are actively monitoring e-commerce platforms and moving quickly to TRO and default judgment. Run an FTO search on D1,030,900 and monitor Schedule A enforcement trends using PatSnap Eureka before your marketplace accounts are at risk.

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