Assignment history

Inventors

• Larry Baldwin (Employer at time of filing: Voicebox Technologies, Inc.)
• Tom Freeman (Employer at time of filing: Voicebox Technologies, Inc.)
• Michael Tjalve (Employer at time of filing: Voicebox Technologies, Inc.)
• Blane Ebersold (Employer at time of filing: Voicebox Technologies, Inc.)
• Chris Weider (Employer at time of filing: Voicebox Technologies, Inc.)

Original assignee

The original assignee named on the issued patent is VB Assets LLC. Based on available information, VB Assets LLC does not appear to ship products embodying the claims. It appears to be a holding company for intellectual property. Its current status is active.

Assignment timeline

• 2019-05-20 (executed) / recorded 2019-05-20 — Reel 049386/0993

  • Conveyance: Assignment of Assignors Interest
  • Assignor: BALDWIN, LARRY; EBERSOLD, BLANE; FREEMAN, TOM; TJALVE, MICHAEL; WEIDER, CHRIS
  • Assignee: VOICEBOX TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
  • Correspondent: KORY D. CHRISTENSEN, STOEL RIVES LLP, 600 S.W. FOURTH AVENUE, SUITE 1600, PORTLAND, OREGON 97201.
  • Context: Transfer of inventor rights to initial corporate assignee.

• 2019-05-20 (executed) / recorded 2019-05-20 — Reel 049386/0993

  • Conveyance: Merger
  • Assignor: VOICEBOX TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
  • Assignee: VB ASSETS LLC
  • Correspondent: KORY D. CHRISTENSEN, STOEL RIVES LLP, 600 S.W. FOURTH AVENUE, SUITE 1600, PORTLAND, OREGON 97201. This correspondent recurs in this chain.
  • Context: Corporate restructuring/merger leading to the patent being assigned to VB Assets LLC.

• 2019-05-20 (executed) / recorded 2019-05-20 — Reel 049386/0993

  • Conveyance: NUNC PRO TUNC ASSIGNMENT
  • Assignor: VOICEBOX TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
  • Assignee: VB ASSETS LLC
  • Correspondent: KORY D. CHRISTENSEN, STOEL RIVES LLP, 600 S.W. FOURTH AVENUE, SUITE 1600, PORTLAND, OREGON 97201. This correspondent recurs in this chain.
  • Context: Clarifying assignment of patent to VB Assets LLC, likely to correct or confirm prior transfers.

• 2025-04-08 (executed) / recorded 2025-04-10 — Reel 060010/0178

  • Conveyance: SECURITY INTEREST
  • Assignor: VB ASSETS, LLC
  • Assignee: CONTINGENCY CAPITAL FUND A LP
  • Correspondent: GIBSON, DUNN & CRUTCHER LLP, 1881 PAGE MILL ROAD, PALO ALTO, CA 94304.
  • Context: Grant of a security interest in the patent, typically in connection with financing or a loan.

Timeline diagram

timeline
    title Ownership of US 10755699
    2019 : Inventors assigned to Voicebox Tech Inc
         : Voicebox Tech Corp merged to VB Assets LLC
         : Voicebox Tech Corp assigned to VB Assets LLC
    2020 : Issued to VB Assets LLC
    2025 : VB Assets LLC granted security interest to Contingency Capital Fund A LP

NPE / troll-pattern signals

1. Shell-entity transfer — present. VB Assets LLC, the original assignee, has a name suffix "Assets" and does not appear to ship products. The transfer from "VOICEBOX TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION" (which was likely an operating entity) to "VB ASSETS LLC" suggests a move to a licensing-focused entity [cite: 049386/0993].
2. Known asserter in the chain — unclear. While VB Assets LLC is likely a licensing entity, it is not listed as a high-frequency NPE on common public directories. However, there are multiple litigation cases associated with this patent, as noted in the Google Patents legal status section, which implies assertion. The grant of a security interest to CONTINGENCY CAPITAL FUND A LP may also be a signal, as such funds often specialize in patent litigation financing, but this does not definitively classify them as a known asserter in public databases [cite: 060010/0178].
3. Repeat correspondent across the chain — present. KORY D. CHRISTENSEN of STOEL RIVES LLP is listed as the correspondent for all three assignments recorded on 2019-05-20 (Reel 049386/0993). This indicates a consistent legal representative managing the transfers.
4. Cascading transfers — present. There are three distinct assignments recorded on the same day (2019-05-20) involving the inventors, Voicebox Technologies, Inc., Voicebox Technologies Corporation, and VB Assets LLC. This rapid succession of transfers on the same date suggests a coordinated restructuring or fire-sale, particularly given the move to an "Assets" entity [cite: 049386/0993].
5. Pre-litigation transfer — unclear. The filing date of the patent (2019-05-20) and issuance date (2020-08-25) precede the listed litigation cases (2024 and 2025). The assignments related to the formation of VB Assets LLC also occurred in 2019, well before the 2024/2025 litigation. The security interest assignment on 2025-04-08 / recorded 2025-04-10 [cite: 060010/0178] is within six months of at least one PTAB case filed in 2025 (IPR2025-01379 and IPR2025-00870) and a US case filed in Delaware District Court (1:24-cv-01279, which was presumably filed in late 2024 or early 2025, but the exact filing date is not given in the Google Patents summary). This could indicate a pre-litigation transfer or financing arrangement in anticipation of or concurrent with litigation.
6. Bankruptcy fire-sale — not present. No indication of bankruptcy proceedings for Voicebox Technologies or VB Assets LLC.
7. Privateering — unclear. While Voicebox Technologies Corporation appears to have been an operating company, the transfer to VB Assets LLC (a likely licensing entity) could be a privateering arrangement. However, there is no explicit public information confirming this arrangement.
8. Defensive aggregator (anti-NPE) — not present. The chain does not end at a known defensive aggregator.

Verdict

NPE — high confidence. This verdict is supported by several strong signals. The cascading transfers on 2019-05-20 involving a shift from an operating company (Voicebox Technologies Corporation) to an entity with "Assets" in its name (VB Assets LLC) [cite: 049386/0993] strongly suggest the creation of a licensing-focused entity. The recurring correspondent attorney (Kory D. Christensen) across these initial transfers further points to a coordinated strategy. Additionally, the subsequent grant of a security interest to Contingency Capital Fund A LP on 2025-04-08 [cite: 060010/0178], potentially in close proximity to new litigation, indicates a financing model often associated with patent assertion.

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