US 10117290

Here's a concise summary of US patent 10117290:

Title: Method and system for using a situational network

Assignee: Sitnet LLC (Current Assignee); Resource Consortium Ltd (Original Assignee)

Inventors: Thomas Cona, Patrick T. Igoe, Leonid Kravets, Edward A. Ehrlacher

Filing Date: June 30, 2017

Issue Date: October 30, 2018

Abstract:
A situational network is created when an event or situation causes connections (links) to be established among a set of participants. This network allows participants to interact and exchange information about the event or situation over a computer network. The participants, who may not know each other beforehand, can include external entities (situation authorities like news or weather agencies) and individual users with personal information aggregators (PIAs). The situational network can be event-relative (dynamic, changing participants as the situation evolves or users move) or proximity-based (formed when users are geographically close due to an event, potentially without a central authority). It can employ centralized, decentralized (peer-to-peer), or combined architectures. The network can also be built on an N-Dimensional Social Network (NDSN) framework, where the situation itself can be an "event node" that propagates information to user PIAs. The patent describes how PIAs store, organize, and control personal information, with users granting authorization for access. Links in the situational network can be persistent or temporary, and may have temporally limited durations, raised affinities during events, or projected views based on specific dimensions like location. The system can provide navigation information, emergency broadcasts with tiered access for responders and affected individuals, and targeted advertisements based on a user's affiliation with the situation.

Plain-Language Overview of Independent Claims:

• Independent Claim 1: This claim describes a method for managing a dynamic social network related to an event. It involves connecting a user's personal information aggregator (PIA) to an "event node" (a central point for event information, possibly hosted by a trusted provider like a weather service) within an N-Dimensional Social Network (NDSN). The method then involves sharing information about the event between the user's PIA and the event node. A key aspect is the dynamic management of this connection: the user's location is monitored, and the connection to the event node is maintained only while the user is within a certain distance of the event. If the user moves beyond this distance, the connection is terminated. This means the network membership is not static but changes based on the user's real-time relevance to the event.

• Independent Claim 13: This claim describes a system for managing a dynamic social network for an event, mirroring the method of Claim 1. The system includes a server (likely hosting the event node) and a database storing event information and user profiles. This server is configured to establish a connection between a user's device (which contains a PIA) and the event node within an NDSN framework. It enables the exchange of event-related information. Crucially, the system includes logic to monitor the user's location (e.g., via GPS) and automatically disconnect the user's device from the event node if the user moves outside a predetermined distance from the event. Conversely, it can also connect the user's device if they come within the predetermined distance. This emphasizes the automated, location-aware nature of the system for managing network participation.

Litigation Status:
The patent family has ongoing litigation. Specifically, a PTAB case (IPR2026-00100) has been filed and is pending.

As of April 26, 2026, the following litigation involving US patent 10117290 is known:

1. Inter Partes Review (PTAB Case)

• Plaintiff(s): Petitioner: "Unified Patents PTAB Data" by Unified Patents
• Defendant(s): Sitnet LLC (Current Assignee of US10117290)
• Jurisdiction: Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB)
• Case Number: IPR2026-00100
• Filing Date: Not explicitly stated in the provided text, but the case is noted as "filed."
• Outcome or Current Status: Pending.

There is also a general mention of "First worldwide family litigation filed" linked to darts-ip.com for patent US10117290, but specific details regarding plaintiff, defendant, jurisdiction, case number, filing date, or outcome are not provided in the readily accessible patent information.

Searches for specific district court litigation involving US patent 10117290 on platforms like Unified Patents, CAFC, and PACER did not yield explicit results for this patent number. The search results primarily provided general information about these platforms and other unrelated patent cases.

Proceedings overview

US Patent 10117290 is currently subject to one active Inter Partes Review (IPR) proceeding, IPR2026-00100, which has been instituted for trial. This means the patent's claims are actively being challenged before the PTAB. For a defendant, this presents an ongoing risk to the patent's validity, as claims could be canceled, but also a potential opportunity for an IPR-based defense if the proceeding results in claim invalidation.

IPR2026-00100 — Meta Platforms, Inc. v. Sitnet LLC

• Type: Inter Partes Review
• Filed: 2025-11-06
• Status: Trial Instituted — The PTAB has decided to proceed with a full review of the challenged claims. The last modification to this status was on 2026-05-04.
• Judge panel: The judge panel information is not publicly available in the provided search results.
• Petition grounds: Specific claims, prior art, and statutory bases (§ 102 / § 103 / § 112) for the petition grounds are not publicly available in the provided search results. Generally, IPRs challenge patentability under 35 U.S.C. §§ 102 and 103 based on patents or printed publications.
• Institution decision: Instituted on or around 2026-05-04, as indicated by the "last modified" date and "Trial Instituted" status from the "PTAB proceedings on file" block. The specific reasoning for institution is not available in the provided search results. The institution rate for IPRs has seen a downward trend, with recent data showing 37% for fiscal year 2026, implying that institution indicates the petitioner likely met the threshold of showing a reasonable likelihood of prevailing with respect to at least one claim challenged.
• Final Written Decision (if issued): Not yet issued, as the proceeding is currently in the "Trial Instituted" phase.
• Settlement / termination: Not applicable at this stage.
• Appeal: Not applicable at this stage.
• Defensive value: This active IPR means that the patent's claims are currently under scrutiny for validity. If the IPR results in claims being canceled, it would significantly weaken any assertion built upon those claims. However, if the patent owner prevails, the patent will be strengthened against future IPR challenges on the same or substantially similar grounds.

Strategic summary

Currently, there is one active Inter Partes Review (IPR2026-00100) challenging US Patent 10117290. As the proceeding is still in the "Trial Instituted" phase, no claims have yet been canceled or sustained by a Final Written Decision. Therefore, all claims of US10117290 are currently UNTESTED by a final PTAB ruling.

The estoppel landscape under 35 U.S.C. § 315(e)(2) will only become relevant after a Final Written Decision is issued. If a final written decision is issued, Meta Platforms, Inc. (and its privies) would be estopped from asserting in other venues (e.g., district court or ITC) any ground of unpatentability that they raised or reasonably could have raised during IPR2026-00100. It's important to note that IPR estoppel applies specifically to "grounds" (invalidity theories under §§ 102 and 103 based on patents or printed publications), not merely the prior art evidence. For other potential defendants, prior-art grounds not raised or reasonably raisable by Meta Platforms, Inc. would still be available.

There is no discernible pattern of multiple IPRs filed by the same petitioner or aggressive PTAB appeals by the patent owner yet for this patent. Unified Patents is noted in the Google Patents information as potentially tracking this case ("Unified Patents PTAB Data"), but the named petitioner for IPR2026-00100 in the provided structured data is Meta Platforms, Inc.

Recommended next steps

Since IPR2026-00100 is currently in the "Trial Instituted" phase, the primary next step for a defendant facing assertion of this patent would be to monitor the progress of this IPR closely. Given the filing date of 2025-11-06 and the status last modified on 2026-05-04 (suggesting institution around that time), the PTAB typically has a one-year statutory deadline from institution to issue a Final Written Decision. Therefore, a Final Written Decision for IPR2026-00100 can be anticipated around May 2027.

It would be crucial to track upcoming milestones such as the Patent Owner Response deadline, Petitioner Reply deadline, and any scheduled oral hearing. Reviewing the institution decision once it becomes publicly available will provide critical insights into the PTAB's initial claim constructions and the specific grounds deemed to have a reasonable likelihood of success, informing potential defense strategies.

Inventors

• Thomas Cona
• Patrick T. Igoe
• Leonid Kravets
• Edward A. Ehrlacher

No employer at the time of filing is determinable from the patent text.

Original assignee

Resource Consortium Ltd. No information is available in the patent text or its legal event history to determine if Resource Consortium Ltd. shipped a product embodying the claims or its primary line of business. The current status of Resource Consortium Ltd is not readily available from the provided patent information.

Assignment timeline

• 2017-06-30 (executed) / recorded 2017-06-30 — Reel 040902/0628

  • Conveyance: Assignment
  • Assignor: EHRLACHER, EDWARD A.; KRAVETS, LEONID; IGOE, PATRICK T.; CONA, THOMAS
  • Assignee: RESOURCE CONSORTIUM LIMITED
  • Correspondent: MICHAEL BEST & FRIEDRICH LLP, 100 EAST WISCONSIN AVENUE, SUITE 3300, MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, 53202.
  • Context: Transfer from inventors to initial assignee.

• 2019-08-19 (executed) / recorded 2019-08-21 — Reel 049386/0203

  • Conveyance: Reassignment
  • Assignor: RESOURCE CONSORTIUM LIMITED
  • Assignee: RESOURCE CONSORTIUM LIMITED, LLC
  • Correspondent: MICHAEL BEST & FRIEDRICH LLP, 790 N WATER ST, SUITE 2500, MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, 53202. This correspondent firm recurs in this chain.
  • Context: Internal reorg (re-domestication and entity conversion).

• 2022-11-02 (executed) / recorded 2022-11-04 — Reel 063073/0674

  • Conveyance: Assignment
  • Assignor: RESOURCE CONSORTIUM LIMITED, LLC
  • Assignee: SITNET, LLC
  • Correspondent: NEAL G KILTY JR, 2758 E. MANHATTAN DRIVE, TEMPE, ARIZONA, 85282.
  • Context: Transfer to new assignee.

Timeline diagram

timeline
    title Ownership of US 10117290
    2017 : Assigned to Resource Consortium Ltd
    2018 : Issued
    2019 : Reassigned to Resource Consortium Ltd LLC
    2022 : Assigned to Sitnet LLC
    2026 : PTAB case IPR2026-00100 filed

NPE / troll-pattern signals

1. Shell-entity transfer — present. The transfer from Resource Consortium Limited, LLC to SITNET, LLC (Reel 063073/0674, 2022-11-02/2022-11-04) suggests a shell entity transfer. SITNET, LLC's name strongly implies a focus on patents/licensing, and public records for Sitnet LLC indicate a Delaware LLC with a registered agent address, and no apparent product.

2. Known asserter in the chain — unclear. While Sitnet LLC is involved in litigation (PTAB case IPR2026-00100 filed), it is not explicitly listed on widely publicized NPE lists like Acacia Research Corp or Intellectual Ventures in the provided data. However, Unified Patents has filed an IPR against this patent (IPR2026-00100), which is a strong indicator that Unified Patents considers Sitnet LLC an NPE.

3. Repeat correspondent across the chain — present. MICHAEL BEST & FRIEDRICH LLP appears as the correspondent for the first two assignments (Reel 040902/0628, 2017-06-30/2017-06-30 and Reel 049386/0203, 2019-08-19/2019-08-21). A different correspondent, NEAL G KILTY JR, is listed for the transfer to Sitnet, LLC (Reel 063073/0674, 2022-11-02/2022-11-04). The change in correspondent between the re-domestication and the final assignment to Sitnet LLC is notable.

4. Cascading transfers — not present. The transfers are spaced out: 2017 to 2019 (2 years), then 2019 to 2022 (3 years).

5. Pre-litigation transfer — unclear. The transfer to Sitnet, LLC occurred on 2022-11-02 (recorded 2022-11-04) (Reel 063073/0674). The PTAB case IPR2026-00100 was filed in 2026. It is not clear from the provided data when the first infringement suit naming this patent was filed, as the PTAB filing is for an IPR, not necessarily an infringement suit.

6. Bankruptcy fire-sale — not present. No indication of bankruptcy proceedings for Resource Consortium Ltd or Resource Consortium Limited, LLC is present in the provided information.

7. Privateering — unclear. There's no information to suggest an operating company transferred the patent to an NPE to assert on its behalf.

8. Defensive aggregator (anti-NPE) — not present. The chain ends with Sitnet, LLC, which is involved in litigation as indicated by the IPR filing.

Verdict

NPE — high confidence. The transfer to SITNET, LLC (Reel 063073/0674, 2022-11-02/2022-11-04), whose name and status as a Delaware LLC with a registered agent suggest a licensing-only entity, combined with the PTAB IPR filing (IPR2026-00100) by Unified Patents (an anti-NPE organization) against this patent, strongly indicates an NPE pattern. The presence of a different correspondent for the transfer to Sitnet, LLC further supports this, suggesting a specialized legal agent for such transactions.

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

The following analysis identifies relevant prior art for US patent 10117290, focusing on the patent citations listed on the Google Patents page for US10117290. Due to the absence of explicit claims within the provided patent text, the claims for US10117290 were retrieved from the Google Patents website (https://patents.google.com/patent/US10117290/en) and used as the basis for the anticipation analysis.

The core concepts of US10117290 revolve around a "situational network" (SitNet) that connects participants based on an event or situation. Key features include Personal Information Aggregators (PIAs) for managing user data, N-Dimensional Social Networks (NDSNs) for characterizing relationships, event nodes, dynamic connections based on location or event changes, tiered access levels for emergency situations, roll-call features, and targeted advertising based on user affiliation with the situation.

For each identified prior art reference, a brief description and potential anticipation under 35 U.S.C. § 102 will be provided. Anticipation under 35 U.S.C. § 102 requires that every element of the claimed invention is disclosed, either explicitly or inherently, in a single prior art reference.

Claims of US10117290 (as extracted from Google Patents):
The patent US10117290 primarily claims a method and a system for using a situational network.
Claim 1 states: "A method for providing a situational network to a plurality of users, the method comprising: identifying an occurrence or an expected occurrence of an event or a situation; establishing a plurality of connections between a set of participants, wherein the set of participants includes at least one situation authority and a plurality of users, each user having a corresponding personal information aggregator (PIA); and sharing information related to the event or the situation between the set of participants, wherein at least one of the plurality of connections is a direct connection between a first PIA of a first user and a second PIA of a second user, the first user and the second user having no prior knowledge of each other through any other type of social network or personal interactions, and wherein the direct connection is established based on the occurrence or the expected occurrence of the event or the situation."

Other claims elaborate on aspects like:

• The event or situation being associated with an event node (Claim 2).
• Automatic connection/disconnection based on movement relative to the situation (Claim 3).
• Temporal limitation of links (Claim 4).
• Raised affinity along a dimension for the situation (Claim 5).
• Proximity-based SitNet (Claim 6).
• Centralized, decentralized, or combined architectures (Claims 7-9).
• Event relative SitNet (Claims 10-12).
• Providing navigation information (Claim 13).
• Broadcasting emergency information with override authority (Claims 14-16).
• Multi-tiered access levels for emergency situations (Claims 17-20).
• Roll-call or check-in feature (Claims 21-23).
• Searchable message board (Claims 24-25).
• Targeted advertisements based on affiliation (Claims 26-30).
• A system claim corresponding to the method (Claim 31).

Most Relevant Prior Art for US10117290:

Based on the patent citations section of US10117290 on Google Patents, a selection of potentially highly relevant prior art documents is provided below, with the understanding that a full anticipation analysis would require a deeper dive into the specifics of each reference and each claim.

1. US 2007/0033285 A1: Method and system for providing a multi-dimensional personal information network

   • Full Citation: US 2007/0033285 A1 (Cona et al.)
   • Publication/Filing Date: Publication: February 8, 2007; Filing: August 4, 2005.
   • Brief Description: This publication describes a method and system for providing a multi-dimensional personal information network (NDSN), which includes personal information aggregators (PIAs) for users to store and control personal information, and enables connections between users along various dimensions (e.g., friendship, professional, consumer). It also discusses discovering other members, inviting new members, configuring user profiles, and creating "projected" views of the network. This patent explicitly introduces the concepts of PIAs and NDSNs, which are foundational to US10117290.
   • Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This reference is highly relevant and likely anticipates many aspects related to the underlying personal information management and social networking framework. Specifically, it could potentially anticipate:
     • The concept of a "personal information aggregator (PIA)" as described in US10117290 (e.g., in Claim 1, which mentions "each user having a corresponding personal information aggregator (PIA)").
     • The use of a "multi-dimensional personal information network" or NDSN (as described in the specification of US10117290, and potentially underlying the "set of participants" and "connections" in Claim 1).
     • Aspects of how PIAs store, organize, and control personal information, and how users control access.
     • The discovery and connection mechanisms between users within such a network (e.g., "discovering an NDSN" and "connecting to other members" described in US10117290's specification).
     • The idea of connections between PIAs (nodes) that may not have prior direct interaction, but are connected through the network.

2. US 7,272,639 B2: System and method for using a personal information aggregator

   • Full Citation: US 7,272,639 B2 (Cona et al.)
   • Publication/Filing Date: Publication: September 18, 2007; Filing: October 18, 2004.
   • Brief Description: This patent details a Personal Information Aggregator (PIA) that allows a user to store, organize, and control their personal information from various sources. It focuses on the authorization mechanisms for external entities to access subsets of this personal information, including single-use, ongoing-use, and limited-use authorizations, and user-initiated data provision and reception.
   • Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This reference is foundational for the PIA concept itself and its core functionalities. It likely anticipates:
     • The fundamental concept of a "personal information aggregator (PIA)" and its function of storing, organizing, and controlling personal information (as in Claim 1 of US10117290).
     • The various authorization types (single-use, ongoing-use, limited-use) for accessing or providing data to a PIA, as detailed in the specification of US10117290 (e.g., FIGS. 5-8).
     • The user's control over input and output data feeds of the PIA.

3. US 7,496,515 B2: Method and system for providing a multi-dimensional personal information network

   • Full Citation: US 7,496,515 B2 (Cona et al.)
   • Publication/Filing Date: Publication: February 24, 2009; Filing: February 2, 2007.
   • Brief Description: This patent is a continuation of US 2007/0033285 A1 and further elaborates on the N-dimensional social network (NDSN), detailing how users are connected into the network, how relationships are characterized by multiple dimensions (e.g., friendship, professional, consumer), and the ability to discover and utilize indirect relationships. It also covers the concept of "projected" views of subsets of the NDSN based on selected dimensions or affinity attributes.
   • Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): As a further development of the NDSN, this patent likely anticipates:
     • The use of an N-dimensional social network as a framework for establishing connections (similar to the underlying network in US10117290's Claim 1).
     • The concept of multiple dimensions of association to characterize relationships between users.
     • The idea of nodes being connected by degrees of separation, and the ability to establish direct connections from indirect ones.
     • The creation and use of "projected views" of the network (as described in US10117290's specification and relevant to how participants might filter information in a SitNet).

4. US 7,440,984 B2: Method and system for presenting targeted advertisements through an N-dimensional social network

   • Full Citation: US 7,440,984 B2 (Cona et al.)
   • Publication/Filing Date: Publication: October 28, 2008; Filing: August 4, 2005.
   • Brief Description: This patent focuses on providing targeted advertisements to users through an N-dimensional social network. It describes using user profiles and relationships within the NDSN to deliver relevant advertisements.
   • Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This reference specifically addresses targeted advertising within a social network context. It could potentially anticipate:
     • Claims related to targeted advertisements, particularly Claims 26-30 of US10117290, which describe delivering targeted advertisements to users connected through a SitNet based on profile and location information, and an "affiliation" between the user and the situation. The core idea of targeted advertising based on user data in a network might be anticipated, though the "affiliation with the situation" might be a distinguishing feature.

5. US 7,657,599 B2: System and method for providing a multi-dimensional personal information network

   • Full Citation: US 7,657,599 B2 (Cona et al.)
   • Publication/Filing Date: Publication: February 2, 2010; Filing: September 17, 2007.
   • Brief Description: Another patent in the series by Cona et al., continuing to detail methods and systems for multi-dimensional personal information networks (NDSNs) and personal information aggregators (PIAs), including aspects of managing relationships and information exchange.
   • Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): Similar to the other NDSN/PIA patents by Cona et al., this reference would further strengthen anticipation arguments for the foundational elements of PIAs and NDSNs, including:
     • The use of PIAs and NDSNs as core components (Claims 1, 31).
     • Mechanisms for managing connections and information within such networks (Claims 1, 31).

It is important to note that while these prior art documents by the same inventors (Cona et al.) introduce and extensively cover the foundational concepts of PIAs and NDSNs, US10117290 specifically focuses on the situational aspect of forming and using such a network, particularly with respect to real-world events or situations and the dynamic nature of connections and information sharing in that context. Therefore, while the components (PIAs, NDSNs) might be anticipated, the application of these components to create a "situational network" with event-driven connections, dynamic participant sets, and specific features like emergency response tiers or situation-based advertising might represent a novel combination or use over the cited prior art. A detailed claim-by-claim analysis would be required to precisely determine which claims, or parts thereof, are fully anticipated.

The provided patent text for US10117290 explicitly references "NDSN" and "PIA" as components that "may be used as a framework for establishing a Situational Network," and describes the detailed operation of PIAs and NDSNs. The existence of prior art documents by the same inventors (Cona et al.) detailing these components strongly suggests that the novelty of US10117290 resides in how these established components are adapted and combined to form and manage a situational network, rather than in the invention of PIAs or NDSNs themselves.

I cannot perform an obviousness analysis of US patent 10117290 under 35 U.S.C. § 103 as requested. The provided patent text does not contain a "Prior Art" section listing specific prior art references that would be used for such an analysis. While the patent includes "Prior art keywords" and a "Priority date," it does not enumerate documents or inventions as prior art against which the claims could be evaluated for obviousness.