Extensions

In-Depth Analysis of U.S. Patent 10,468,047: Expired Due to Fee Non-Payment

Washington D.C. – April 26, 2026 – A detailed review of United States Patent 10,468,047, titled "Wireless digital audio music system," reveals that the patent is now expired due to the non-payment of required maintenance fees. The patent, which had an extensive prosecution history with a long chain of continuation applications, ultimately lapsed, cutting short its potential term.

U.S. Patent 10,468,047 was issued on November 5, 2019, to inventor C. Earl Woolfork and assigned to ONE-E-WAY Inc. The application for this patent (16/185,786) was filed on November 9, 2018.

Patent Term and Expiration

A standard U.S. patent filed after June 8, 1995, has a term of 20 years from the earliest non-provisional filing date. The earliest priority date claimed by this patent is December 21, 2001, through its relationship to a long line of preceding applications. This would have suggested a potential expiration date of December 21, 2021. However, the patent's legal status is currently "Expired - Fee Related," indicating that the patent owner did not pay the required maintenance fees to keep the patent in force.

Utility patents in the United States require the payment of maintenance fees at 3.5, 7.5, and 11.5 years after the patent's grant date. Failure to pay these fees within the specified timeframe, including a six-month grace period, results in the expiration of the patent.

Patent Term Adjustment (PTA) and Patent Term Extension (PTE)

There is no indication of any Patent Term Adjustment (PTA) or Patent Term Extension (PTE) for this patent. PTA is granted to compensate for delays by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) during the prosecution of a patent, while PTE is typically granted for patents covering products that have undergone a lengthy regulatory review process, which is not applicable in this case.

Continuation and Family History

U.S. Patent 10,468,047 is a continuation of application Ser. No. 15/003,242, filed on January 21, 2016, which is now U.S. Patent No. 10,129,627. This patent is part of an extensive family of applications that claim priority back to an original application (10/027,391) filed on December 21, 2001.

The patent family includes the following related applications and patents:

• U.S. Patent No. 10,129,627 (Parent of the patent in question)
• A long chain of preceding continuation applications.

There are no divisional applications directly associated with U.S. Patent 10,468,047.

Projected Expiration

As the patent has expired due to non-payment of maintenance fees, its projected expiration date based on the 20-year term from the earliest priority date is no longer the determining factor. The patent became unenforceable upon the expiration for failure to pay the required fees.

In summary, despite a lengthy and complex prosecution history, U.S. Patent 10,468,047 is no longer in force. Its expiration underscores the critical importance of adhering to post-grant maintenance fee requirements to preserve patent rights.