Assignment history

Inventors

• Michael Abramson: Employer at time of filing (2017-02-10) is not determinable from the patent document.
• Erika Jakubassa: Employer at time of filing (2017-02-10) is not determinable from the patent document.
• Michael Grisham: Employer at time of filing (2017-02-10) is not determinable from the patent document.
• Geoff Atkin: Employer at time of filing (2017-02-10) is not determinable from the patent document.

The patent document states that the application was filed by Activemap LLC on 2017-02-10, and also that the inventors assigned their interest to ACTIVEMAP LLC on 2017-02-20. This suggests the inventors were likely associated with Activemap LLC at the time of filing, but direct employer information is not explicitly stated.

Original assignee

The original assignee, as listed on the issued patent US10444943B2, is Activemap LLC.

Determining if Activemap LLC shipped a product embodying the claims, their primary line of business, and their current status requires external research.

Activemap LLC was founded in the early 2000s by the inventors of the patent. Their primary line of business is patent licensing, specifically related to interactive electronic maps and foundational "store locator website functionality". The company itself does not appear to directly ship a product, but rather licenses its intellectual property. They have partnered with Vectis IP Ltd, a UK-based IP and technology licensing company, to lead a global licensing program. Activemap LLC and Activemap Europe GmbH are proudly run by the original inventors.

Activemap's technology has diverse applications including city and neighborhood maps, museums, zoos, theme parks, real estate offerings, venues, and technical diagrams. While there are references to "ActiveMap" as a field service management software, this appears to be a different entity (activemap.me) and not directly related to Activemap LLC (activemapllc.com), the patent assignee.

As of the current date, Activemap LLC appears to be an active entity, engaged in patent licensing and enforcement activities, including litigation in the Texas Eastern District Court.

Assignment timeline

No assignments for US10444943 are found on the USPTO Assignment Center (https://assignmentcenter.uspto.gov/) other than the initial assignment from the inventors to Activemap LLC. The patent itself notes an assignment to ACTIVEMAP LLC on 2017-02-20.

• 2017-02-20 (executed) / recorded 2017-02-20 (per patent details, not Assignment Center)
  • Conveyance: Assignment of Assignors Interest
  • Assignor: Michael Abramson, Erika Jakubassa, Michael Grisham, Geoff Atkin
  • Assignee: ACTIVEMAP LLC
  • Correspondent: Not specified in patent metadata for this event.
  • Context: Original assignment from inventors to the founding entity.

Since the USPTO Assignment Center search yields no additional results for patent number 10444943, this indicates that Activemap LLC remains the current assignee of record through the USPTO's assignment database.

Timeline diagram

timeline
    title Ownership of US 10444943
    2017 : Application filed by Activemap LLC
         : Inventors assigned to Activemap LLC
    2019 : Patent Issued to Activemap LLC
    2026 : US litigation filed by Activemap LLC

NPE / troll-pattern signals

1. Shell-entity transfer — Not present. There are no recorded transfers from an operating company to a licensing-only LLC in the USPTO assignment records. Activemap LLC itself appears to be a licensing entity, but it is the original assignee directly from the inventors.
2. Known asserter in the chain — Not present. Activemap LLC is not explicitly listed as a high-frequency plaintiff on public NPE lists like RPX or Unified Patents (based on available search results). However, they are actively engaged in licensing and litigation.
3. Repeat correspondent across the chain — Not present. Only the initial assignment from inventors to Activemap LLC is readily available in the patent's legal event history, which doesn't specify a correspondent. No subsequent assignments are recorded via the USPTO Assignment Center to establish a pattern.
4. Cascading transfers — Not present. No multiple consecutive assignments through chained LLCs are recorded in the USPTO assignment records.
5. Pre-litigation transfer — Not present. The patent was issued to Activemap LLC in October 2019. Litigation began in February 2026. There is no recorded assignment within 6 months of the first infringement suit.
6. Bankruptcy fire-sale — Not present. There is no indication in the patent information or general search results that Activemap LLC or its predecessors underwent bankruptcy and sold patents in proceedings.
7. Privateering — Unclear. While Activemap LLC primarily licenses its patent portfolio, there's no explicit public evidence (e.g., SEC filings from a larger operating company, or specific investigative reporting) to suggest they are asserting on behalf of an operating company against its competitors.
8. Defensive aggregator (anti-NPE) — Not present. The chain does not end at a defensive aggregator. Activemap LLC is actively asserting the patent.

Verdict

NPE — moderate confidence

Activemap LLC, the original and current assignee, was founded by the inventors with a business model focused on licensing their patent portfolio rather than direct product sales. The patent family is currently involved in multiple infringement lawsuits filed in the Texas Eastern District Court in 2026, indicating an active assertion strategy. While there are no shell-entity transfers within the assignment chain or evidence of repeat NPE correspondents, the business model and active litigation are strong indicators of a licensing-focused entity.

Verification via USPTO Assignment Center: https://assignmentcenter.uspto.gov/patent/assignment-result.html?patent_number=[10444943](/patent/10444943)