Commitments and Contingencies

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2022

Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]

Commitments And Contingencies

Note 7. Commitments And Contingencies

Operating Leases

The Company accounts for leases in accordance with Topic 842. The Company’s operating lease portfolio includes corporate offices, information technology (IT) equipment, and automobiles with remaining lease terms of 1 year to 4 years. Operating lease ROU assets are presented within other assets. The current portion of operating lease liabilities are presented within trade accounts payable and other current liabilities, and the non-current portion of operating lease liabilities are presented separately on the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheet.

Supplemental balance sheet information related to leases was as follows:

	March 31,		December 31,
	2022		2021
ROU assets	$	144,394	$	156,626
Lease liabilities current	$	37,642	$	39,909
Lease liabilities payable non-current		110,373		119,886
Total operating lease liabilities	$	148,015	$	159,795
Weighted-average remaining lease term		44 months		47 months
Weighted-average discount rate		3.8%		3.8%

As of March 31, 2022, maturities of operating lease liabilities were as follows:

2022 (April 1 – December 31)	$	31,836
2023		42,389
2024		43,743
2025		40,344
Total		158,312
Less: interest		(10,297	)
Total Lease Payments	$	148,015

Employee Related Agreements

In August 2014, the Company entered into an employment agreement with Mr. Andrea, which was subsequently amended several times, most recently on January 31, 2022. The effective date of the original employment agreement was August 1, 2014 and it will expire on July 31, 2022, subject to renewal as approved by the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors. Pursuant to his amended employment agreement, Mr. Andrea will receive an annual base salary of $216,000. The employment agreement provides for quarterly bonuses equal to 5% of the Company’s pre-bonus net after tax quarterly earnings for a total quarterly bonus amount not to exceed $12,500; and annual bonuses equal to 9% of the Company’s annual pre-bonus net after tax earnings in excess of $300,000 up to $3,000,000, and 3% of the Company’s annual pre-bonus adjusted net after tax earnings in excess of $3,000,000. Adjustments to net after tax earnings shall be made to remove the impact of change in recognition of accumulated deferred tax asset value and any income recognized from forgiveness of debt or tax credits received relating to the CARES Act. All bonuses shall be payable as soon as the Company’s cash flow permits. All bonus determinations or any additional bonus in excess of the above will be made in the sole discretion of the Compensation Committee. Under certain circumstances, Mr. Andrea is entitled to a change in control payment equal to twelve months of Mr. Andrea’s most recent base salary plus a pro-rated portion of Mr. Andrea’s most recent annual and four quarterly bonuses paid immediately preceding the change of control, continuation of health and medical benefits for twelve months and immediate vesting of all stock options in the event of a change in control during the term of his agreement and subsequent termination of his employment within twelve months following the change of control. In the event of his termination without cause or resignation with the Company’s consent, Mr. Andrea is entitled to a severance payment equal to two months of his base salary, plus the two months pro-rated portion of his most recent annual and quarterly bonuses, payment of $12,500 (the un-paid bonus for the quarter ended September 30, 2017) and a continuation of health insurance coverage for Mr. Andrea and his dependents for 6 months. At March 31, 2022, the future minimum cash commitments under this agreement aggregate $72,000.

On November 11, 2008, the Company entered into an amended and restated change in control agreement with Corisa L. Guiffre, Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Assistant Corporate Secretary of the Company. The change in control agreement provides Ms. Guiffre with a severance benefit upon termination in connection with a change in control (as defined in the agreement). If Ms. Guiffre is terminated following a change in control, the Company will pay Ms. Guiffre a sum equal to three times Ms. Guiffre’s average annual compensation for the five preceding taxable years. All restrictions on any restricted stock will lapse immediately and incentive stock options and stock appreciation rights, if any, will become immediately exercisable in the event of a change in control of the Company. Additionally, life, medical, dental and disability coverage and payments will be continued for 36 full calendar months following the date of termination.

Legal Proceedings

In September 2016, the Company filed a complaint with the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York, alleging patent infringement against Apple Inc. (“Apple”) and requesting monetary and injunctive relief (the “New York Litigation”). The New York Litigation was stayed pending final disposition of a parallel case that the Company filed against Apple with the United States International Trade Commission (“ITC”). The ITC’s final decision finding that Apple did not violate the ITC’s statute was issued on March 22, 2018. Apple informed the New York judge of this final decision on May 30, 2018. The ITC’s final decision does not affect Andrea’s right to continue prosecuting the New York Litigation.

In January 2017, Apple filed four (4) petitions for inter partes review (“IPR”) of the Company’s patents asserted in the New York Litigation with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (“PTO”). The Company filed its Patent Owner’s Preliminary Response in two of these IPR proceedings on May 1, 2017. The PTO instituted the four IPR proceedings requested by Apple on July 24, 2017. The Company filed its Patent Owner’s Response in two of these IPR proceedings on November 7, 2017. Oral argument in these two IPR proceedings occurred on April 25, 2018. On July 12, 2018, the PTO issued its final written decisions in those two IPR proceedings, ruling that claims 6-9 of the Company’s U.S. Patent No. 6,363,345 remain valid and enforceable after the PTO’s review. On September 13, 2018, Apple filed its Notice of Appeal of that ruling to the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (the “Federal Circuit”). Apple filed its Appeal Brief with the Federal Circuit on January 31, 2019. The Company filed its Response to Apple’s Appeal Brief on March 12, 2019. The Federal Circuit held an oral argument on October 1, 2019. On February 7, 2020, the Federal Circuit issued its decisions on Apple’s appeals. The Federal Circuit affirmed the PTO’s findings in one of the ongoing IPRs. In the other ongoing IPR, the Federal Circuit partly affirmed the PTO’s findings, but also partly vacated the PTO’s findings, and remanded the case back to the PTO for further proceedings. On remand of the ongoing IPR, on October 28, 2020, the PTO found that claims 6-9 of the Company’s U.S. Patent No. 6,363,345 are invalid. The Company has appealed this decision to the Federal Circuit. The Company filed its Appeal Brief with the Federal Circuit on February 26, 2021. Apple filed its Response to the Company’s Appeal Brief on May 7, 2021. The Company filed its Reply to Apple’s Response to the Company’s Appeal Brief on June 11, 2021. Oral argument before the Federal Circuit occurred on December 8, 2021. On April 22, 2022, the Federal Circuit issued its decision on the Company’s appeal, which partially affirmed the PTO’s findings, but also partially vacated the PTO’s findings, and remanded the case back to the PTO for further proceedings. The parties are now awaiting the PTO’s further decision.

The New York Litigation is stayed pending the final outcome of Apple’s IPR proceedings against the Company’s U.S. Patent No. 6,363,345.

Andrea intends to vigorously prosecute the New York Litigation and the ongoing IPR proceedings.