US 11029903

I'll search for US patent 11029903 in the USPTO database and check for any CAFC 2026 docket activity involving this patent number.

The initial searches returned no results. Let me try alternative queries.

I have solid USPTO/Google Patents data and litigation history. Let me do one more targeted search for any CAFC 2026 docket activity on this specific patent.

Summary: US Patent 11029903 (US11029903B2)

Bibliographic Data

Abstract (verbatim): "Output systems (e.g., television controllers, audio output devices, display devices) for accessing digital content from a service provided by one or more servers over the Internet are herein disclosed and enabled. To receive and play the digital content, the output system may obtain authentication information for accessing the service, receive a list of digital content that are available from the service for selection at the output system, receive output data from the service related to the selected digital content, and then play either audio data or video data, which is related to the received output data, at an output device coupled to the output system. The output system may further implement a discovery operation for a client device (e.g., smart phone or information pad), which is in the same network as the output system, to wirelessly discover the output system for providing output service to the client device."

The patent has 20 claims, with three independent claims: 1, 8, and 15.

Plain-Language Overview of the Independent Claims

Claim 1 — Method for outputting digital content at an output system (e.g., a controller box wired to a TV).
A method in which an output system (having processors, an IEEE 802.11-compatible wireless chip/chipset, a user interface, and a wired connection to an output device such as a television) (1) obtains authentication info for a server-based Internet service; (2) wirelessly joins a WLAN via the 802.11 chip; (3) connects over that WLAN to the servers; (4) sends a "job object" containing the authentication info to access the service; (5) accesses the service; (6) receives the user's selection of digital content; (7) sends a "digital document object" containing a pointer/reference to the selected content; (8) wirelessly receives output data (audio/video) back from the servers; (9) processes it into audio/video output data (e.g., decode, convert, scale); and (10) delivers it over the wired connection to the output device for playback. The claim further requires the output system to run a wireless discovery operation so that a separate client device (e.g., smart phone) in the same WLAN can discover the output system for output service, and to wirelessly receive audio/video content from that client device over the WLAN.

Claim 8 — A wireless output device (e.g., a smart TV, speaker, or controller box).
An apparatus claim covering a wireless output device with operating-system software (facilitating app download/installation), processors, a user interface, and 802.11-compliant wireless communication units with radio-frequency link controllers. The device: (1) couples to a WLAN; (2) connects to servers over the Internet; (3) sends a job object containing authentication, payment, and/or subscription info to access the service; (4) accesses the service; (5) obtains a list of available content for user selection; (6) receives the user's selection; (7) sends a "digital content object" with a pointer/reference to the selected content; (8) receives audio/video output data from the servers; and (9) stores/queues/spools that output data. The device must also broadcast its availability for discovery by a client device in the same WLAN and wirelessly receive audio/video content or digital documents from that client device for playback at the wireless output device.

Claim 15 — An output system (system claim).
An apparatus claim covering an output system with operating-system software, processors, a user interface, and wireless chips/chipsets (802.11-compatible). Execution of the OS causes the system to: (1) couple to a WLAN; (2) establish a wireless connection to servers over the Internet; (3) obtain identification/subscription info; (4) send a job object containing that info to access the service; (5) access the service; (6) receive the user's content selection; (7) send a "digital content object" with a pointer/reference; (8) receive audio/video output data; and (9) process it into playable audio/video output data. The OS additionally causes the system to broadcast its availability (while waiting for discovery), transmit at least one identification attribute to the discovering client device, and wirelessly receive audio/video digital content from that client device in the same WLAN for playback at the system or a connected output device.

CAFC 2026 Docket Search — Result and Uncertainty

I searched for CAFC 2026 docket activity on the literal number 11029903 and found no Federal Circuit appeal records in 2026 tied to this patent. My searches on that specific identifier returned no CAFC docket results. I cannot confirm or rule out a 2026 CAFC appeal; the publicly indexed material I found covers only district-court and PTAB matters (below). If a CAFC 2026 docket exists, it was not surfaced by my searches, and you should verify directly in PACER/CAFC CM/ECF.

Known Litigation Activity (non-CAFC, from Google Patents / Unified Patents / PatSnap)

• PGR2021-00112 (PTAB) — Post-grant review petition filed by Unified Patents; Google Patents labels the matter "Settlement."
• 6:21-cv-00680 (W.D. Tex.) — District-court case involving the patent (per Unified Patents data).
• 2:23-cv-00616 (E.D. Tex.) — Flexiworld Technologies, Inc. v. Sony Corp., filed Dec. 19, 2023, before Judge Rodney Gilstrap; US11029903B2 was one of seven asserted patents (alongside US9836259B2, US11096056B2, US9798516B2, US9042811B2, US10768871B2, US10162596B2). Dismissed with prejudice by joint stipulation under Rule 41(a)(1)(A)(ii) on May 29, 2025, each side bearing its own costs — no merits ruling on infringement or validity.
• 2:26-cv-00229 (E.D. Tex.) — A 2026 district-court filing listed on Google Patents referencing the patent (per Unified Patents data). This is a district court case, not a CAFC appeal.

Confidence note: The bibliographic data, abstract, and claim text above are drawn directly from the authoritative Google Patents record and uspto.report mirror of the USPTO grant, and are consistent across sources. The only item for which I lack authoritative confirmation is any 2026 CAFC docket activity, which my searches did not locate.