Assignment history

Inventors

• Larry Baldwin
• Tom Freeman
• Michael Tjalve
• Blane Ebersold
• Chris Weider

At the time of filing, the inventors were associated with Voicebox Technologies, Inc., which subsequently merged into Voicebox Technologies Corporation. The initial application was filed by VB Assets LLC, but the inventors assigned their interest to Voicebox Technologies, Inc. the day after filing, indicating their employment or affiliation with Voicebox.

Original assignee

The entity named as the "Original Assignee" on Google Patents is VB Assets LLC. However, the inventors assigned their rights to VOICEBOX TECHNOLOGIES, INC. the day after the patent application was filed (2015-04-21), which then merged into VOICEBOX TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION on the same day.

Voicebox Technologies was an American developer of natural language understanding (NLU), conversational AI, and automated speech recognition (ASR) software, founded in 2001. They shipped products embodying the claims, including voice AI platforms for connected auto, mobile phones, and IoT devices, partnering with companies like Toyota and Samsung.

Voicebox Technologies Corporation was acquired by Nuance Communications in May 2018 for an estimated $82-84 million. Therefore, its current status is acquired.

Assignment timeline

• 2015-04-21 (executed) / recorded N/A (Google Patents event date)

  • Conveyance: Assignment of Assignors Interest
  • Assignor: BALDWIN, LARRY; EBERSOLD, BLANE; FREEMAN, TOM; TJALVE, MICHAEL; WEIDER, CHRIS (inventors)
  • Assignee: VOICEBOX TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
  • Correspondent: Not available from provided text.
  • Context: Transfer of patent rights from the inventors to the operating company.

• 2015-04-21 (executed) / recorded N/A (Google Patents event date)

  • Conveyance: Merger
  • Assignor: VOICEBOX TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
  • Assignee: VOICEBOX TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
  • Correspondent: Not available from provided text.
  • Context: Internal corporate reorganization.

• 2017-12-22 (executed) / recorded N/A (Google Patents event date)

  • Conveyance: Security Interest
  • Assignor: VOICEBOX TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
  • Assignee: ORIX GROWTH CAPITAL, LLC
  • Correspondent: Not available from provided text.
  • Context: Patent used as collateral for a financial agreement (securitization).

• 2018-04-05 (executed) / recorded N/A (Google Patents event date)

  • Conveyance: Release by Secured Party
  • Assignor: ORIX GROWTH CAPITAL, LLC
  • Assignee: VOICEBOX TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
  • Correspondent: Not available from provided text.
  • Context: Release of the security interest, returning full rights to Voicebox Technologies Corporation.

• 2018-07-25 (executed) / recorded N/A (Google Patents event date)

  • Conveyance: Nunc Pro Tunc Assignment
  • Assignor: VOICEBOX TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
  • Assignee: VB ASSETS, LLC
  • Correspondent: Not available from provided text.
  • Context: Transfer of patent rights from the acquired operating company (Voicebox Technologies Corporation) to VB Assets, LLC, after Voicebox's acquisition by Nuance in May 2018.

• 2019-04-12 (executed) / recorded N/A (Google Patents event date)

  • Conveyance: Security Interest
  • Assignor: VB ASSETS, LLC
  • Assignee: DELPHI ASSET MANAGEMENT CORPORATION
  • Correspondent: Not available from provided text.
  • Context: Patent used as collateral for a financial agreement (securitization).

• 2019-06-13 (executed) / recorded N/A (Google Patents event date)

  • Conveyance: Release by Secured Party
  • Assignor: DELPHI ASSET MANAGEMENT CORPORATION
  • Assignee: VB ASSETS, LLC
  • Correspondent: Not available from provided text.
  • Context: Release of the security interest.

• 2020-01-22 (executed) / recorded N/A (Google Patents event date)

  • Conveyance: Assignment of Assignors Interest
  • Assignor: VB ASSETTS LLC (recorded with a typo "Assetts")
  • Assignee: NUANCE COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
  • Correspondent: Not available from provided text.
  • Context: Transfer of patent rights to Nuance Communications, Inc., the company that acquired Voicebox.

• 2020-09-22 (executed) / recorded N/A (Google Patents event date) — Reel 051581/0216 (cited in event description)

  • Conveyance: Corrective Assignment
  • Assignor: VOICEBOX TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
  • Assignee: VB ASSETS, LLC
  • Correspondent: Not available from provided text.
  • Context: Corrective assignment to amend prior recording and confirm assignment of interest to VB Assets, LLC, effectively re-establishing VB Assets, LLC as the owner of record for this patent.

• 2025-04-08 (executed) / recorded N/A (Google Patents event date)

  • Conveyance: Security Interest
  • Assignor: VB ASSETS, LLC
  • Assignee: CONTINGENCY CAPITAL FUND A LP
  • Correspondent: Not available from provided text.
  • Context: Patent used as collateral for a financial agreement (securitization).

Note: The provided Google Patents text does not include specific USPTO recording dates or reel/frame numbers for all events, except for one corrective assignment. It also does not list the names, firms, or addresses of the correspondents who filed these assignments with the USPTO.

Timeline diagram

timeline
    title Ownership of US 10297249
    2015 : Filed by VB Assets LLC
         : Assigned to Voicebox Tech Inc
         : Merged to Voicebox Tech Corp
    2017 : Security interest ORIX
    2018 : ORIX security released
         : Assigned to VB Assets LLC
    2019 : Security interest DELPHI
         : DELPHI security released
    2020 : Assigned to Nuance Comm Inc
         : Corrective assign to VB Assets LLC
    2024 : First infringement suit filed
    2025 : Security interest Contingency Capital

NPE / troll-pattern signals

1. Shell-entity transfer
   • Present. The transfer from VOICEBOX TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION (an operating company, acquired by Nuance) to VB ASSETS, LLC on 2018-07-25 via a Nunc Pro Tunc Assignment, followed by VB Assets, LLC becoming the active plaintiff in litigation, indicates a transfer to a licensing-focused entity. VB Assets, LLC's name itself suggests an IP holding company, and its involvement in multiple security interest agreements (2019-04-12, 2025-04-08) supports an IP monetization strategy. Reel/Frame N/A for 2018-07-25 event.
2. Known asserter in the chain
   • Present. VB Assets LLC is the current assignee and is actively asserting this patent in litigation against SoundHound AI, Inc. (Case 1:24-cv-01279, filed in 2024 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware), as stated in the "Litigation Status" section of the prompt.
3. Repeat correspondent across the chain
   • Unclear. The provided Google Patents data does not include details on the correspondent attorney or firm for any of the assignment records. Therefore, it's not possible to determine if there's a repeat correspondent.
4. Cascading transfers
   • Not present. While there are several assignments and security interests, they are spaced out over years and do not represent rapid, consecutive transfers through chained LLCs within a 24-month window as typically defined for this signal. The two internal transfers on 2015-04-21 are an exception, but they are an internal reorganization, not a cascading transfer to different entities.
5. Pre-litigation transfer
   • Not present. The transfer to VB Assets, LLC (the current asserter) occurred on 2018-07-25 and was confirmed by a corrective assignment on 2020-09-22. The first infringement suit for this patent was filed in 2024. Neither of these transfers occurred within 6 months prior to the commencement of litigation.
6. Bankruptcy fire-sale
   • Unclear. While Voicebox Technologies Corporation was acquired by Nuance in 2018, there is no explicit information in the provided text or search results to indicate that this acquisition or subsequent transfers were a result of bankruptcy proceedings for Voicebox Technologies Corporation. ORIX GROWTH CAPITAL, LLC is a private equity firm, and its involvement with Voicebox (2017-12-22 security interest, 2018-04-05 release) was likely part of investment or acquisition financing rather than bankruptcy.
7. Privateering
   • Unclear. The patent was assigned to Nuance Communications, Inc. in 2020 (2020-01-22), but then transferred back to VB ASSETS, LLC via a corrective assignment (2020-09-22). Given that Nuance acquired Voicebox, and VB Assets, LLC is now asserting the patent, it's possible VB Assets, LLC is acting on behalf of Nuance or a group related to the original Voicebox stakeholders post-acquisition. However, there is no explicit evidence to confirm a privateering arrangement where Nuance is directing or benefiting from VB Assets LLC's assertion against its competitors.
8. Defensive aggregator (anti-NPE)
   • Not present. The chain currently terminates with VB Assets LLC, an active plaintiff, not a defensive aggregator.

Verdict

NPE — high confidence
This verdict is supported by the shell-entity transfer from an acquired operating company (Voicebox Technologies Corporation) to VB Assets, LLC on 2018-07-25, which has since engaged in multiple securitization transactions (e.g., with DELPHI ASSET MANAGEMENT CORPORATION on 2019-04-12, and CONTINGENCY CAPITAL FUND A LP on 2025-04-08). Most significantly, VB Assets, LLC is a known asserter as it is currently litigating this patent in federal court (Case 1:24-cv-01279 filed in 2024) [cite: Delaware District Court]. The corrective assignment on 2020-09-22 (Reel 051581 Frame 0216) which returned ownership to VB Assets, LLC from Nuance Communications, Inc. further highlights strategic IP management consistent with an assertion entity.

(Verification: https://assignmentcenter.uspto.gov/)