Assignment history

Inventors

• Juhyung Son: Affiliation at time of filing is listed as SK Telecom Co., Ltd.
• Jinsam Kwak: Affiliation at time of filing is listed as SK Telecom Co., Ltd.
• Geonjung Ko: Affiliation at time of filing is listed as SK Telecom Co., Ltd.
• Woojin Ahn: Affiliation at time of filing is listed as Wilus Institute of Standards and Technology Inc.

The inventors are a mix of employees from the two original co-assignees, which is a common arrangement in collaborative research and development projects. There are no immediate red flags based on their employment history.

Original Assignee

The patent was originally assigned to two entities:

1. SK Telecom Co., Ltd.: A major South Korean wireless telecommunications operator. SK Telecom is a large, publicly traded operating company that develops and deploys telecommunications services. They are not primarily a patent assertion entity, although like many large technology companies, they actively manage and monetize their patent portfolio.
2. Wilus Institute of Standards and Technology Inc.: A research and development company based in South Korea, specializing in wireless communication technologies and standards, particularly in the Wi-Fi space. While engaged in R&D, Wilus is also known for its patent licensing and assertion activities.

Assignment Timeline

• 2018-06-19 (executed) / 2018-06-22 (recorded) — Reel 045152/0138

  • Conveyance: Assignment of Assignors' Interest
  • Assignor: Juhyung Son, Jinsam Kwak, Geonjung Ko, Woojin Ahn (the inventors)
  • Assignee: SK Telecom Co., Ltd. and Wilus Institute of Standards and Technology Inc.
  • Correspondent: Jae Y. Park, Kile Park Reed & Houtteman PLLC, 1101 30th Street, NW, Suite 500, Washington, DC 20007
  • Context: This is the initial assignment from the inventors to their respective employers/partner organizations at the time the patent application was filed.

• 2024-06-12 (executed) / 2024-06-20 (recorded) — Reel 064372/0695

  • Conveyance: Assignment of Assignors' Interest
  • Assignor: SK Telecom Co., Ltd.
  • Assignee: Wilus Institute of Standards and Technology Inc.
  • Correspondent: Dae-Yeon Cho, BAE, KIM & LEE IP, 133, Teheran-ro, Gangnam-gu, Seoul 06133, Republic of Korea
  • Context: SK Telecom, the operating company, transferred its entire stake in the patent to its R&D and licensing partner, Wilus. This consolidation of ownership into the hands of a known patent asserter is a strong indicator of future monetization or enforcement activity.

Timeline Diagram

timeline
    title Ownership of US 10687281
    2018 : Inventors assign to SK Telecom and Wilus
    2020 : Patent issued
    2024 : SK Telecom assigns its interest to Wilus

NPE / Troll-Pattern Signals

1. Shell-entity transfer: Not Present. While Wilus Institute of Standards and Technology is a patent-centric entity, it is also a known R&D organization, not a "shell" company with no technical substance. However, the transfer from an operating company (SK Telecom) to a non-practicing entity (Wilus) is a significant step towards assertion.

2. Known asserter in the chain: Present. Wilus, Inc. (the parent or a closely related entity to Wilus Institute of Standards and Technology Inc.) is recognized as a patent assertion entity. Unified Patents, for example, lists Wilus as a frequent plaintiff in patent litigation in the wireless technology sector. This is a strong signal.

3. Repeat correspondent across the chain: Not Present. The two recorded assignments use different legal representatives.

4. Cascading transfers: Not Present. There are only two assignments, with a significant time gap between them.

5. Pre-litigation transfer: Present. The transfer of full ownership to Wilus on June 12, 2024, is very recent. Given today's date of May 14, 2026, and the known assertion activities of Wilus, it is highly probable that this transfer was made in preparation for a licensing or litigation campaign that has either already begun or is imminent. This is a strong signal.

6. Bankruptcy fire-sale: Not Present. SK Telecom is a financially healthy, major corporation.

7. Privateering: Unclear. This assignment could be interpreted as a form of privateering, where SK Telecom offloads the patent to a specialized firm (Wilus) to enforce it against competitors, thereby avoiding direct involvement in litigation. However, without more direct evidence of a partnership or revenue-sharing agreement for enforcement, this remains speculative.

8. Defensive aggregator (anti-NPE): Not Present. The patent has not been acquired by any known defensive organization.

Verdict

NPE — high confidence

The transfer of the patent from a major operating company, SK Telecom, to Wilus Institute of Standards and Technology Inc., an entity with a known history of patent assertion, is a strong indicator. This, combined with the timing of the transfer, suggests a clear intent to monetize the patent through licensing and, if necessary, litigation, rather than for practicing the invention in a product. The chain of title can be verified at the USPTO Patent Assignment Search page.