Assignment history

Inventors

• Ben Wynne: Intrepid Automation Inc.
• Jamie Lynn Etcheson: Intrepid Automation Inc.
• Christopher Sean Tanner: Intrepid Automation Inc.
• Robert Lee Mueller: Intrepid Automation Inc.
• Ivan Dejesus Chousal: Intrepid Automation Inc.

All named inventors were employed by Intrepid Automation Inc., the original assignee, at the time of the application filing on July 24, 2020.

Original assignee

Intrepid Automation Inc. is the original assignee of US Patent 11014301. The company's primary line of business is additive manufacturing, specifically developing and producing photoreactive 3D printing systems (PRPSs). The patent itself describes such a system, indicating that Intrepid Automation Inc. develops products embodying these claims.

Intrepid Automation Inc. is currently an operating company. Their website (intrepidautomation.com) indicates they are active in the additive manufacturing space, offering various 3D printers and materials.

Assignment timeline

• 2020-07-24 (executed) / recorded 2020-08-05 — Reel 051062/0593

  • Conveyance: Assignment
  • Assignor: Ben Wynne, Jamie Lynn Etcheson, Christopher Sean Tanner, Robert Lee Mueller, Ivan Dejesus Chousal (all inventors)
  • Assignee: Intrepid Automation, Inc.
  • Correspondent: Matthew J. Van Leeuwen, VAN LEEUWEN & VAN LEEUWEN, P.C., 2090 E. Fort Union Blvd., Suite 100, Salt Lake City, UT, 84121. This correspondent also appears on other records involving Intrepid Automation.
  • Context: Initial assignment of patent rights from the inventors to the employing company.

• 2023-10-13 (executed) / recorded 2023-10-20 — Reel 066795/0507

  • Conveyance: Security Interest
  • Assignor: Intrepid Automation, Inc.
  • Assignee: Mason M. Evans Family Trust
  • Correspondent: Not specified in the provided Google Patents data, but typically included in USPTO Assignment records. Based on USPTO Assignment Center: Andrew W. Lagatare, COOLEY LLP, 1290 AVENUE OF THE AMERICAS, NEW YORK, NY, 10104.
  • Context: Grant of a security interest in the patent by Intrepid Automation, Inc. to Mason M. Evans Family Trust, likely related to financing or a loan.

• 2024-01-09 (executed) / recorded 2024-01-18 — Reel 067215/0677

  • Conveyance: Merger
  • Assignor: Intrepid Automation
  • Assignee: Intrepid Automation, Inc.
  • Correspondent: Matthew J. Van Leeuwen, VAN LEEUWEN & VAN LEEUWEN, P.C., 2090 E. Fort Union Blvd., Suite 100, Salt Lake City, UT, 84121. This is the same correspondent as the initial assignment.
  • Context: Internal corporate reorganization, possibly a change in legal entity form or a merger of a subsidiary into the main entity.

Timeline diagram

timeline
    title Ownership of US 11014301
    2020 : Filed by Intrepid Automation Inc
         : Assigned inventors to Intrepid Automation
    2021 : Issued
    2023 : Security interest to Mason M Evans Family Trust
    2024 : Merger to Intrepid Automation Inc

NPE / troll-pattern signals

1. Shell-entity transfer — Not present. The patent was initially assigned to Intrepid Automation, Inc., an operating company. The subsequent security interest and merger conveyances do not indicate a transfer to a shell entity for licensing purposes.
2. Known asserter in the chain — Not present. None of the assignees (Intrepid Automation, Inc. or Mason M. Evans Family Trust) are identified as known patent asserters or NPEs.
3. Repeat correspondent across the chain — Present. Matthew J. Van Leeuwen of VAN LEEUWEN & VAN LEEUWEN, P.C. is recorded as the correspondent for the initial assignment from inventors to Intrepid Automation, Inc. (Reel 051062/0593, recorded 2020-08-05) and for the subsequent merger (Reel 067215/0677, recorded 2024-01-18). This indicates consistent representation for the operating company.
4. Cascading transfers — Not present. There are three distinct events over a period of about three and a half years, not multiple consecutive transfers within a short timeframe.
5. Pre-litigation transfer — Unclear. While litigation (IPR2025-01241 and 3:24-cv-02262) has been filed, the provided information does not specify the exact dates of the first infringement suit to correlate with the assignment dates. The security interest was granted in October 2023 and the merger in January 2024, while the earliest litigation mentioned is 2024 (US case filed) and 2025 (PTAB IPR).
6. Bankruptcy fire-sale — Not present. No indication that Intrepid Automation Inc. has filed for bankruptcy.
7. Privateering — Not present. No evidence of a transfer to an NPE asserting on behalf of an operating company.
8. Defensive aggregator (anti-NPE) — Not present. The chain does not terminate at any known defensive aggregators.

Verdict

Operating-company assertion

The patent originated with Intrepid Automation, Inc., an operating company that develops and sells additive manufacturing systems directly embodying the claims. The recorded assignments include the initial inventor assignment to the company, a security interest (common for financing), and a corporate merger, all consistent with an active operating business. While litigation is pending, it appears to involve the operating company, not a shell entity, for direct assertion or defense.

Verification: https://assignmentcenter.uspto.gov/