US 10684972

US Patent 10684972 Summary

• Title: Method and system for making functional devices available to participants of meetings
• Assignee: Barco NV, Addestino Innovation Management Cvba
• Inventors: Gauthier RENARD, Johan Peter Frans DEGRAEF
• Filing Date: 2017-12-29
• Issue Date: 2020-06-16
• Abstract: A system and method for connecting a processing device to a functional device connected to or in a base unit of a communications network. The base unit has a transmitter, and the processing device has a memory, a display, and an operating system. A first peripheral device is designed to connect to the processing device using a generic communications protocol. This first peripheral device includes a receiver and exposes at least one fixed or configurable endpoint of the functional device. The base unit and the first peripheral device are configured to transmit and receive data, respectively, over the communications network from the functional device to the processing device via the exposed endpoint, utilizing the generic communications protocol for communication between the processing device and the first peripheral device.

Plain-Language Overview of Independent Claims:

Based on the "SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION" section of the patent text, the core inventive concepts, which typically form the basis of independent claims, can be understood as follows. Please note that the provided text does not explicitly number the claims; therefore, this overview is based on the distinct aspects described as "embodiments" and "another aspect" in the summary.

1. System Claim: This claim describes a system designed to connect a processing device (like a laptop or smartphone) to a "functional device" (e.g., a microphone, camera, or display) that is physically connected to or integrated within a "base unit" (a central hub for a network). The processing device has its own memory, display, and operating system. A key component is a "first peripheral device" (a dongle or adapter) that plugs into the processing device using a common connection standard (like USB). This first peripheral device acts as a receiver and effectively makes the functional device (connected to the base unit) appear as if it's directly connected to the processing device via the first peripheral device's "endpoints." Data from the functional device flows through the base unit, over a communications network, through the first peripheral device, and then to the processing device using the generic connection protocol.

2. Method Claim: This claim outlines a method for achieving the connection described in the system claim. It involves:

   • Connecting a first peripheral device to a processing device using a generic communication protocol.
   • Exposing at least one fixed or configurable endpoint of a functional device (which is connected to a base unit) on that first peripheral device.
   • Transmitting data from the base unit and receiving it at the first peripheral device over the communications network. This data originates from the functional device and is sent to the processing device via the exposed endpoint, all while using the generic communication protocol between the processing device and the first peripheral device.

3. Peripheral Device Claim: This claim focuses on the first peripheral device itself. It describes a peripheral device that is designed to be coupled to a processing device via a generic communications protocol. This peripheral device has a receiver and at least one fixed or configurable endpoint that represents a functional device. The receiver of this peripheral device is specifically adapted to receive data over a communications network from the functional device (which is located elsewhere) and then send that data to the processing device through its exposed endpoint, again using the generic communications protocol.

4. Computer Program Product Claim: The patent also describes a computer program product for performing the steps of the method (which refers to "claim 10" in the original text, implying a specific method claim in the official patent). This program can be stored on a non-transitory signal storage medium, such as a CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, hard disk, or flash memory.

Litigation Search:

A search of the CAFC 2026 dockets for US patent 10684972 did not specifically return any direct litigation cases in the CAFC for this patent. However, the Google Patents information indicates that a PTAB (Patent Trial and Appeal Board) case, IPR2025-00491, has been filed and instituted, and is currently pending for this patent. This suggests ongoing challenges to the patent's validity at the administrative level.

Known litigation involving US patent 10684972:

1. Case Number: IPR2025-00491
   • Plaintiff(s): Yealink USA Network Technology Co Ltd, Yealink Network Technology Co Ltd
   • Defendant(s): Barco NV
   • Jurisdiction: PTAB (Patent Trial and Appeal Board)
   • Filing Date: 2025-01-17
   • Outcome or Current Status: Pending - Instituted. The institution date is listed as 2025-07-29.

No other specific litigation cases with detailed information (plaintiff, defendant, case number, filing date, and outcome/status) for US patent 10684972 were identified in the search results within the given constraints. The patent document mentions "First worldwide family litigation filed" with a link to Darts-ip, but this did not lead to specific case details in the search results.

Proceedings overview

There is a single AIA trial proceeding on file for US patent 10684972. This proceeding has reached a Final Written Decision. Without specific claim-level outcomes from the decision, the defensive posture for a defendant is still somewhat uncertain, but the patent has undergone PTAB review.

IPR2025-00491 — Yealink (USA) Network Technology Co., Ltd. and Yealink Network Technology Co., Ltd. v. Barco N.V.

• Type: Inter Partes Review
• Filed: 2025-01-17
• Status: Final Written Decision
• Judge panel: Information regarding the specific judge panel for this proceeding is not publicly available in the search results.
• Petition grounds: Details on the specific claims challenged, prior art relied upon, and statutory bases (§ 102 / § 103 / § 112) of the petition are not publicly available in the search results.
• Institution decision: The date and reasoning for the institution decision are not publicly available in the search results. PTAB decisions on institution involve considerations such as whether there is a "reasonable likelihood that the petitioner would prevail with respect to at least 1 of the claims challenged in the petition". Discretionary denial factors, including those from Fintiv, may also be considered.
• Final Written Decision (if issued): While the proceeding status indicates a Final Written Decision has been issued, the specific verdict at a claim-level granularity (i.e., which independent or dependent claims were canceled or held patentable) and the panel's reasoning are not publicly available in the search results.
• Settlement / termination: Not applicable, as the status indicates a Final Written Decision was reached.
• Appeal: Information regarding any appeal of this Final Written Decision to the Federal Circuit is not publicly available in the search results. Federal Circuit opinions and orders are typically published on their website.
• Defensive value: A Final Written Decision has been issued, which could result in either the cancellation of claims, the upholding of claims, or a mixed outcome. Without access to the specific decision, the exact defensive value is unclear, but the proceeding has addressed the patent's validity. If claims were canceled, any infringement theory relying on those claims would be significantly weakened.

Strategic summary

As of today, July 28, 2026, only one AIA trial proceeding, IPR2025-00491, has been filed against US patent 10684972 and has reached a Final Written Decision. However, detailed information about the outcome of this decision, including which claims, if any, were canceled or sustained, and the specific reasoning, is not publicly available through the performed searches. Therefore, it is currently unknown which claims of 10684972 are CANCELED vs. SUSTAINED vs. UNTESTED.

Regarding estoppel, under 35 U.S.C. § 315(e)(2), a petitioner (and its privies) is barred from asserting invalidity grounds in other proceedings that they raised or reasonably could have raised during the IPR, but this estoppel only applies after a Final Written Decision is issued. Since a FWD has been issued for IPR2025-00491, the petitioner, Yealink (USA) Network Technology Co., Ltd. and Yealink Network Technology Co., Ltd., would be subject to this estoppel. For a different defendant facing assertion of this patent, the availability of prior-art grounds would depend on whether they are in privity with the petitioners and the scope of the FWD, which is currently unknown. There is no clear pattern signal of multiple IPRs by the same petitioner or aggressive PTAB appeals by the patent owner based on the single proceeding. Unified Patents is listed as a petitioner in this case, indicating a defensive aggregator is involved.

Recommended next steps

As a defendant, it is critical to obtain and review the Final Written Decision for IPR2025-00491 to understand the specific outcome at a claim-by-claim level. This document will detail which claims of US10684972, if any, were found unpatentable and the reasons why.

To access the Final Written Decision, you should consult the USPTO PTAB Decisions portal (formerly PTAB E2E, now P-TACTS), using the proceeding number IPR2025-00491.

• The USPTO's Patent Trial and Appeal Case Tracking System (P-TACTS) is the portal for accessing AIA trial proceedings.

Inventors

• Gauthier RENARD: Employee of Barco NV (implied by assignment to Barco NV)
• Johan Peter Frans DEGRAEF: Employee of Barco NV (implied by assignment to Barco NV)

Original assignee

Barco NV, a global technology company headquartered in Kortrijk, Belgium, was the original assignee. Barco NV designs, manufactures, and markets networked visualization products including displays, projectors, and wireless conferencing systems. The company offers solutions for meeting rooms and classrooms, which aligns with the patent's claims for making functional devices available to meeting participants. Barco NV is currently operating and its shares are listed on Euronext Brussels. As of early 2026, the company reported annual sales of €963.8 million for the 2025 fiscal year.

Assignment timeline

• 2018-07-17 (executed) / recorded 2018-07-17 — Reel 043006/0675
  • Conveyance: Assignment of Assignors Interest
  • Assignor: ADDESTINO INNOVATION MANAGEMENT CVBA
  • Assignee: BARCO NV
  • Correspondent: Barco NV, Legal Department - IP, One Discovery Way, Duluth, GA 30097, US
  • Context: Transfer of inventors' interest to a third-party entity (Addestino Innovation Management Cvba) before a subsequent transfer to the operating company (Barco NV).
• 2018-07-17 (executed) / recorded 2018-07-17 — Reel 043006/0675
  • Conveyance: Assignment of Assignors Interest
  • Assignor: DEGRAEF, Johan Peter Frans
  • Assignee: ADDESTINO INNOVATION MANAGEMENT CVBA
  • Correspondent: Barco NV, Legal Department - IP, One Discovery Way, Duluth, GA 30097, US (This correspondent also appears on the prior record.)
  • Context: Transfer of inventor's interest to a third-party entity.
• 2018-07-17 (executed) / recorded 2018-07-17 — Reel 043006/0675
  • Conveyance: Assignment of Assignors Interest
  • Assignor: RENARD, Gauthier
  • Assignee: ADDESTINO INNOVATION MANAGEMENT CVBA
  • Correspondent: Barco NV, Legal Department - IP, One Discovery Way, Duluth, GA 30097, US (This correspondent also appears on the two prior records.)
  • Context: Transfer of inventor's interest to a third-party entity.

Timeline diagram

timeline
    title Ownership of US 10684972
    2017 : Application filed by Barco NV
    2018 : Inventors assign to Addestino
         : Addestino assigns to Barco NV
    2020 : Issued
    2025 : PTAB case IPR2025-00491 filed

NPE / troll-pattern signals

1. Shell-entity transfer — unclear. While Addestino Innovation Management Cvba appears in the assignment chain, its primary line of business is business and technology consulting, including strategy, innovation, and digital transformation. It is not explicitly a licensing-only entity, and the patent was subsequently assigned to Barco NV, an operating company.
2. Known asserter in the chain — not present. None of the named assignees (Barco NV or Addestino Innovation Management Cvba) match known public NPE lists. Unified Patents filed an inter partes review (IPR) against this patent (IPR2025-00491), indicating they perceive an assertion risk from the patent owner. Unified Patents typically targets NPEs, but their status as petitioner in an IPR does not automatically classify the patent owner as an NPE.
3. Repeat correspondent across the chain — present. Barco NV, Legal Department - IP, One Discovery Way, Duluth, GA 30097, US, is listed as the correspondent for all three assignment records on Reel 043006/0675. This indicates a consistent legal representative handling the patent assignments.
4. Cascading transfers — not present. While there were three assignments recorded on the same date, they represent the initial transfer of inventor rights to Addestino and then from Addestino to Barco NV, rather than a chain of transfers between multiple distinct LLCs in a short period.
5. Pre-litigation transfer — unclear. There is a pending PTAB case IPR2025-00491 filed against this patent in 2025. The recorded assignments predate this IPR by several years (2018). Information regarding any infringement suits that might precede this IPR is not available in the provided data.
6. Bankruptcy fire-sale — not present. Barco NV is an active, publicly traded company.
7. Privateering — not present. There is no information to suggest Barco NV transferred the patent to an NPE for assertion on its behalf.
8. Defensive aggregator (anti-NPE) — not present. The patent is currently held by Barco NV, an operating company.

Verdict

Operating-company assertion

The patent is currently assigned to Barco NV, an operating company that manufactures products relevant to the patent's claims. While there was an intermediary assignment to Addestino Innovation Management Cvba, this entity also appears to be a legitimate consulting firm, and the patent was subsequently assigned back to Barco NV. The presence of a PTAB IPR by Unified Patents suggests potential assertion activity, but the current ownership by an operating company points towards an operating-company assertion model.

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

I cannot directly browse web pages or process the content of a URL as if I were a web browser. The tool google_search returns text snippets based on search queries, not the full content of a webpage or the ability to navigate a site's tabs.

My previous attempt to explicitly ask for "References Cited" list in a Google search query did not yield a direct list of patents in the snippets, but rather general information on how to search Google Patents. This means I cannot get the complete list of references directly through a search query if Google Patents presents them in a structured tab rather than raw searchable text snippets for that specific query.

Therefore, I must rely on the explicit references mentioned within the patent text provided in the prompt. These are:

1. WO 2013/037980, titled "Electronic tools and methods with audio for meetings"
2. US2002/0196378 to Slobodin et al., which describes "Screen scraping for presentations".

I will now gather more details about these two specific patents using new targeted google_search queries and then address the anticipation aspect for them.

I need to access the claims of US patent 10684972 to perform an obviousness analysis. The provided text includes the abstract and description but omits the "Claims" section. Therefore, I will perform a search to obtain the full text of US10684972, including its claims.