Assignment history

Inventors

The sole named inventor for US Patent 10090567 is Christopher B. Austin. At the time of the patent's filing (2009-08-18), the original assignee was listed as "Individual," which refers to Christopher B. Austin himself. This indicates that he was likely not employed by a company in a capacity that would automatically assign the patent rights to that company, or he chose to file it under his individual name. Christopher B. Austin is also a registered patent attorney.

Original assignee

The entity named as the original assignee on the issued patent is "Individual," referring to the inventor, Christopher B. Austin. It is highly unlikely that an individual inventor, as a sole proprietor, shipped a product embodying the claims of this patent. The patent's focus is on vehicular battery chargers and charging systems.

Assignment timeline

USPTO Assignment Search Results for US10090567:

The USPTO Patent Assignment Search (https://assignmentcenter.uspto.gov/) shows the following record for US10090567:

• 2026-02-22 (executed) / recorded 2026-02-23 — Reel 059940/0989
  • Conveyance: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST
  • Assignor: AUSTIN, CHRISTOPHER B.
  • Assignee: CHARGELOGIC LLC
  • Correspondent: MATTHEW R. HOLLAND, HOLLAND LAW FIRM, 11520 N. CENTRAL EXPY., STE. 100, DALLAS, TX, 75243. This correspondent may be a repeat player.
  • Context: Transfer to asserter

Timeline diagram

timeline
    title Ownership of US 10090567
    2009 : Application filed by Christopher B. Austin
    2018 : Patent issued to Christopher B. Austin
    2026 : Assigned to ChargeLogic LLC
         : Litigation filed Texas WD

NPE / troll-pattern signals

1. Shell-entity transfer — present
   The patent was transferred from individual inventor Christopher B. Austin to CHARGELOGIC LLC in 2026. CHARGELOGIC LLC explicitly states its mission is to "offer licensing solutions to a portfolio of patents that cover technology relating to Electric Vehicle charging". Their website indicates their business model is patent licensing, not product sales, and lists a suite/PO Box address in Midland, Texas. This strongly suggests it is a licensing-only entity.

2. Known asserter in the chain — unclear
   While CHARGELOGIC LLC is a patent licensing entity, it is not currently listed on common public NPE directories (e.g., RPX, Unified Patents). However, the business model aligns with that of an NPE.

3. Repeat correspondent across the chain — unclear
   The only recorded assignment for this specific patent lists MATTHEW R. HOLLAND of HOLLAND LAW FIRM as the correspondent. Without other assignments for this patent or a broader search of other patents where this correspondent appears, it is unclear if this is a recurring pattern for this firm/attorney in NPE-related activities.

4. Cascading transfers — not present
   There is only one recorded assignment for this patent to date, so no cascading transfers are observed.

5. Pre-litigation transfer — present
   The assignment to CHARGELOGIC LLC was executed on 2026-02-22 and recorded on 2026-02-23 (Reel 059940/0989). The litigation in the Texas Western District Court (7:26-cv-00100) was filed in 2026. This timing suggests the transfer occurred very close to or just before the litigation commenced, which is a strong indicator of a pre-litigation transfer to establish venue or standing for assertion.

6. Bankruptcy fire-sale — not present
   There is no indication that the original inventor, Christopher B. Austin, filed for bankruptcy leading to this assignment.

7. Privateering — unclear
   There is no public information or SEC filings available to suggest that an operating company transferred this patent to CHARGELOGIC LLC for assertion on its behalf.

8. Defensive aggregator (anti-NPE) — not present
   The current assignee, CHARGELOGIC LLC, is not a known defensive aggregator.

Verdict

NPE — high confidence

The patent was transferred from an individual inventor to CHARGELOGIC LLC (Reel 059940/0989), an entity whose stated business model is solely "licensing solutions to a portfolio of patents" related to EV charging. This, combined with the timing of the assignment immediately preceding a known lawsuit in the Texas Western District Court (7:26-cv-00100), strongly indicates the patent is now held by a Non-Practicing Entity for the purpose of assertion.

USPTO Assignment Center search for US10090567: https://assignmentcenter.uspto.gov/