US 11017020

US patent 11017020, titled "Method and apparatus for managing digital files," was issued to MemoryWeb LLC on May 25, 2021. The patent lists Christopher J. Desmond, Nancy L. Desmond, and L. Michael Taylor as the inventors. The application for this patent was filed on October 23, 2020. [cite: The provided patent text]

Abstract:
The patent describes a computer-implemented method for associating digital tags with digital files. This method involves storing digital files that already contain content data and metadata, including tags. A user can input a new tag label (alphanumeric text) via a client device. A controller device then modifies an existing tag in a selected digital file to incorporate this new label. Upon receiving a search instruction for files containing this tag label, the system automatically searches for and displays those digital files on a video display. [cite: The provided patent text]

Independent Claims Overview:

• Claim 1 (Method): This claim outlines a computer-implemented method for managing digital files by allowing users to add custom text tags to files. When files are stored, they contain embedded metadata and tags. A user can input a new tag label, which the system then uses to modify an existing tag in a selected file. Subsequently, if the user searches for files with this specific tag, the system automatically finds and displays them. [cite: The provided patent text]

• Claim 7 (Method): This independent claim also describes a computer-implemented method for associating digital tags with digital files. It focuses on the display and search functionality of these tags. The method involves storing digital files with content and metadata including tags, then displaying a graphical representation of a tag label linked to a file. A user can select this graphical tag or enter its name as a search criterion. The system then automatically searches for files matching this criterion and displays the results, including the selected tag label and the number of matching files. [cite: The provided patent text]

• Claim 13 (System): This claim describes a web-based system for storing and managing digital files. It includes a digital file repository for storage and retrieval, and a digital tagging system that allows users to assign various types of tags (e.g., person's name, location, recipe, date, family relationship, event name, rating, document type) to each file. The system also features a search filter that enables searching based on these diverse tag types. Finally, it incorporates a user interface that presents the digital files and includes digital tag images with text representations of data. [cite: The provided patent text]

Litigation Information (as of July 9, 2026, from the provided Google Patents data):
The patent family has been involved in litigation, including:

• Two US cases filed in the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (case numbers 24-1050 and 24-1043), both filed in 2024. [cite: The provided patent text]
• Two PTAB cases: IPR2022-00111 (Not Instituted - Merits) and PGR2022-00006 (Final Written Decision). [cite: The provided patent text]
• US cases filed in the Texas Western District Court (6:21-cv-00531) and California Northern District Court (3:21-cv-09839). [cite: The provided patent text]
• First worldwide family litigation filed. [cite: The provided patent text]

While the request asked for CAFC 2026 dockets, the provided patent information, which is more current (fetched July 9, 2026) than the current analysis date (April 26, 2026), lists CAFC cases that were filed in 2024, implying ongoing litigation that may be active in 2026. No new CAFC cases filed in 2026 specifically for US11017020 were found in the provided information or a general search for "CAFC 2026 dockets US11017020".