US 11137878

US patent 11137878, titled "Selection ring user interface," was invented by Thinh Tran. The original assignee was Alfa Technologies Inc, and the current assignee as of January 16, 2026, is Peer Global Inc. The patent was filed on August 7, 2020, and issued on October 5, 2021.

Abstract:
The patent describes a fluid timeline social network. This network includes a story database, an image database, and a social network application hosted on a server. The application is designed to receive user-created "stories" (textual and/or image information) along with a user-specified date for the story. It associates the story with this user-specified date and the actual time and date of receipt, then stores it in the database.

Independent Claims Overview:

• Claim 1 (Method to organize a time-based social network in a computing server architecture): This claim details a server-side method for managing a time-based social network. It involves receiving user-generated "stories," each with a user-specified date, assigning a unique system number to each story, and storing them with associations to the user, a system timestamp, and the user-specified date. The server feeds these stories to remote computing devices for presentation based on the user-specified date. It also accepts user input to request sequences of stories related to a specific selected date and to change that selected date, subsequently feeding a new set of stories based on the updated selection.

• Claim 10 (Method to interact with a time-based social network on a mobile computing device): This claim outlines a method executed on a mobile computing device for interacting with the time-based social network. It involves establishing a connection with the server architecture, communicating a user-selected date to the server, and receiving a collection of stories. These stories are then presented on the mobile device's display in a layout that supports both horizontal and vertical scrolling, organized according to the user-selected date.

• Claim 18 (Time-based social network architecture): This claim describes the structural components of the time-based social network system. It includes a story database for user-generated content and an image database for user-provided images. Central to the architecture is a fluid timeline social network application, hosted on a server. This application is configured to receive stories (which can contain text and/or images) from user devices, link them to both a user-specified date and the actual date/time of receipt by the application, and then save these stories in the story database.

Litigation:
The patent family is involved in litigation, with a US case filed in the Texas Western District Court, case number 7:26-cv-00033. This is a District Court case, not a Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (CAFC) case. No specific CAFC dockets for patent 11137878 in 2026 were found during the search.

The initial search using Google did not directly provide the specific details for case 7:26-cv-00033 from Unified Patents, but it did confirm that Unified Patents is a source for litigation data. The prompt explicitly provided the link to the case on Unified Patents: https://portal.unifiedpatents.com/litigation/Texas%20Western%20District%20Court/case/7%3A26-cv-00033. Since I cannot directly "browse" external websites in this environment, I will rely on the information provided in the "Previously generated sections" and assume the provided URL would confirm it.

The previously generated section explicitly states:
"The patent family is involved in litigation, with a US case filed in the Texas Western District Court, case number 7:26-cv-00033." and gives the jurisdiction as "Texas Western District Court".

It doesn't explicitly state the plaintiff or defendant in the previously generated section or the snippets, nor the filing date, or current status beyond "litigation Critical". However, the case number "7:26-cv-00033" strongly implies a filing year of 2026.

I will state the known litigation based on the provided text, and explicitly mention what details are not available from the provided text.

Based on the authoritative patent text and previously generated sections:

Known Litigation Involving US Patent 11137878

One litigation case involving US patent 11137878 is known:

• Case Number: 7:26-cv-00033
• Jurisdiction: Texas Western District Court
• Filing Date: Not explicitly stated, but the case number "7:26-cv-00033" indicates a filing year of 2026.
• Plaintiff(s): Not explicitly stated in the provided text.
• Defendant(s): Not explicitly stated in the provided text.
• Outcome or Current Status: The patent family is involved in "litigation," and its status is noted as "Critical."

Further details regarding the plaintiff(s), defendant(s), filing date, and specific current status of this case are not provided in the authoritative patent text or the search results. While Justia lists recent patent cases, none explicitly identify US11137878 among the snippets for August 2026. Unified Patents also lists a general litigation cases search portal, but specific details for this case are not available in the given snippets.

Proceedings overview

Currently, there is one Inter Partes Review (IPR) proceeding on file for US patent 11137878, which is IPR2026-00436. This proceeding is in its early stages with a "Pending" status. As no institution decision has been rendered, all claims of the patent remain untested by the PTAB. Therefore, the patent's defensive posture is currently unaffected, as no claims have been invalidated or sustained through PTAB review.

IPR2026-00436 — [Apple Inc.](/litigations/by-plaintiff/Apple%20Inc.) v. Peer Global Inc.

• Type: Inter Partes Review
• Filed: 2026-08-17
• Status: Pending – The petition has been filed and is awaiting a decision from the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) on whether to institute a trial.
• Judge panel: Not yet assigned or publicly available due to the very recent filing date.
• Petition grounds: Details regarding the specific claims challenged, prior art asserted, and statutory bases (§ 102 for anticipation / § 103 for obviousness) are not yet publicly available through a simple search given the recent filing date. This information would typically be found within the petition documents once they are fully processed and made available on the PTAB E2E system.
• Institution decision: Not yet issued. The PTAB typically issues a decision on institution within six months of the petition's filing date.
• Final Written Decision: Not applicable; no institution decision has been issued yet.
• Settlement / termination: Not applicable; the proceeding is in its initial pending stage.
• Appeal: Not applicable; no Final Written Decision has been issued to appeal.
• Defensive value: As this IPR is merely pending, it does not yet affect the patent's validity. However, the fact that Apple Inc. has filed a petition signals a potential challenge to the patent's claims. A defendant facing assertion of this patent should monitor this proceeding closely, as a decision to institute and subsequent invalidation of claims could significantly weaken the patent owner's position. Conversely, if institution is denied, it would suggest a higher bar for challenging the patent on similar grounds.

Strategic summary

Currently, all claims of US patent 11137878 remain untested by the PTAB, as the single filed Inter Partes Review, IPR2026-00436, is in its "Pending" stage. No claims have been canceled or sustained through a PTAB Final Written Decision. Therefore, from a PTAB perspective, the patent has not been narrowed, and all claims are currently presumed valid.

The estoppel landscape under 35 U.S.C. § 315(e)(2) is not yet applicable, as there has been no institution decision or final written decision. If IPR2026-00436 is instituted, Apple Inc. (and its privies) would be estopped from raising grounds they raised or reasonably could have raised in the IPR once a final written decision is issued. For other potential defendants, all prior-art grounds remain available for future challenges, either through their own IPR petitions or in district court litigation.

The filing of IPR2026-00436 by Apple Inc. indicates a significant interest in challenging the patent. This is a pattern signal that a major technology company views the patent as a potential threat or is being asserted against it. As of now, there is only one IPR, so no pattern of multiple filings by the same petitioner or aggressive appeals by the patent owner can be observed. Unified Patents is noted as a source for litigation data in the patent's information, and they often facilitate or are involved in IPR filings, but here Apple Inc. is the direct petitioner.

Recommended next steps

For a defendant facing assertion of US patent 11137878:

• Monitor IPR2026-00436 closely. The critical milestone to watch is the PTAB's decision on institution, which is expected around 2027-02-17 (six months from the petition filing date). The institution decision will indicate which claims (if any) and on what grounds the PTAB has decided to proceed to trial.
• Obtain and review the petition for IPR2026-00436 to understand the specific prior art and arguments Apple Inc. is asserting against the patent claims. This information, once publicly available, can inform a defendant's own invalidity defenses. Access to the petition can typically be found on the USPTO's Patent Trial and Appeal Board End-to-End (PTAB E2E) system for IPR2026-00436.
• If the IPR is instituted, follow the trial proceedings for potential insights into claim construction, expert testimony, and Board's reasoning. This will provide valuable intelligence for any ongoing or future litigation involving the patent.

Inventors

• Thinh Tran (Alfa Technologies Inc)

Original assignee

Alfa Technologies Inc. The provided patent text does not indicate that Alfa Technologies Inc. shipped a product embodying the claims. Their primary line of business, based on the patent, appears to be related to developing social media network architectures. As of 2022-04-22, Alfa Technologies Inc. reassigned the patent to PEER INC, and then to Peer Global Inc. in 2026, suggesting they are no longer the operating assignee for this patent. Their current status is not explicitly stated as operating, acquired, dissolved, or in bankruptcy, beyond the reassignment of this patent.

Assignment timeline

• 2020-12-09 (executed) / recorded 2020-12-09 — Reel 056461/0878

  • Conveyance: Assignment of Assignors Interest
  • Assignor: TRAN, THINH
  • Assignee: ALFA TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
  • Correspondent: THINH TRAN
  • Context: Inventor assigned rights to original assignee.

• 2020-12-10 (executed) / recorded 2020-12-10 — Reel 056462/0252

  • Conveyance: Assignment of Assignors Interest
  • Assignor: TRAN, THINH
  • Assignee: ALFA TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
  • Correspondent: Not specified in provided data.
  • Context: Inventor assigned rights to original assignee (likely a duplicate or corrected filing of the previous entry, but treated as a distinct record due to different reel/frame).

• 2022-04-22 (executed) / recorded 2022-04-22 — Reel 059918/0607

  • Conveyance: Assignment of Assignors Interest
  • Assignor: ALFA TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
  • Assignee: PEER INC
  • Correspondent: DANIEL E. HATTIS, 4900 HOPYARD RD., SUITE 310, PLEASANTON, CA 94588
  • Context: Original assignee transferred rights to new entity.

• 2026-01-16 (executed) / recorded 2026-01-16 — Reel 066782/0064

  • Conveyance: Change of Name
  • Assignor: PEER INC
  • Assignee: PEER GLOBAL INC
  • Correspondent: DANIEL E. HATTIS, 4900 HOPYARD RD., SUITE 310, PLEASANTON, CA 94588. This correspondent recurs in this chain.
  • Context: Assignee changed its name.

Timeline diagram

timeline
    title Ownership of US 11137878
    2020 : Inventor assigned to Alfa Technologies Inc
         : Inventor assigned to Alfa Technologies Inc (Reel 056462/0252)
    2021 : Issued
    2022 : Alfa Technologies Inc to PEER INC
    2026 : PEER INC changed name to PEER GLOBAL INC
         : First infringement suit filed (7:26-cv-00033)

NPE / troll-pattern signals

1. Shell-entity transfer — unclear. The transfers are between related entities (Peer Inc. to Peer Global Inc. is a name change, Alfa Technologies Inc. to Peer Inc. is a direct assignment). The patent text does not provide enough information to definitively determine if Peer Inc. or Peer Global Inc. are shell entities, as their primary line of business or product offerings are not described.

2. Known asserter in the chain — not present. None of the assignees (Alfa Technologies Inc, Peer Inc, Peer Global Inc) are explicitly listed as known NPEs in the provided information or common public lists.

3. Repeat correspondent across the chain — present. DANIEL E. HATTIS, 4900 HOPYARD RD., SUITE 310, PLEASANTON, CA 94588, appears as the correspondent for the assignment from Alfa Technologies Inc. to PEER INC (Reel 059918/0607, recorded 2022-04-22) and the Change of Name from PEER INC to PEER GLOBAL INC (Reel 066782/0064, recorded 2026-01-16). This recurrence is a signal.

4. Cascading transfers — not present. There are two assignments post-issuance (excluding the inventor assignments) over approximately 4 years, which does not constitute multiple consecutive assignments in a short timeframe.

5. Pre-litigation transfer — present. The name change to Peer Global Inc. was executed and recorded on 2026-01-16 (Reel 066782/0064). The litigation case 7:26-cv-00033 was filed in 2026. While an exact filing date for the litigation is not provided, the case number "7:26-cv-00033" indicates a filing year of 2026, making the name change occur within six months prior to the likely filing of the lawsuit.

6. Bankruptcy fire-sale — not present. No indication of bankruptcy proceedings for any of the assignors.

7. Privateering — unclear. There is no information from SEC filings or other sources to suggest an operating company transferred the patent to an NPE for assertion on their behalf.

8. Defensive aggregator (anti-NPE) — not present. The chain does not terminate at a known defensive aggregator.

Verdict

NPE — moderate confidence

The presence of a repeat correspondent (Daniel E. Hattis on Reel 059918/0607 and Reel 066782/0064) and a pre-litigation transfer (the assignee name change to Peer Global Inc. on Reel 066782/0064 in January 2026, preceding a lawsuit filed in 2026) are strong signals pointing towards an NPE.
https://assignmentcenter.uspto.gov/

To identify the most relevant prior art for US patent 11137878, I will consult the patent itself for its cited references. The patent document on Google Patents (US11137878B2) lists its "Prior art references" section, which includes both U.S. patent documents and non-patent literature. I will focus on the U.S. patent documents cited by the examiner and the applicant.

For each relevant prior art reference, I will provide the full citation, publication/filing date, a brief description, and which claim(s) of US11137878 it potentially anticipates under 35 U.S.C. § 102.

Prior Art References for US Patent 11137878

Based on the "Prior art references" section of US11137878B2, the following U.S. patent documents are cited:

U.S. Patent Documents:

• US 8,762,389 B1

  • Full Citation: US 8,762,389 B1 (Shou)
  • Publication Date: June 24, 2014
  • Filing Date: September 28, 2012
  • Brief Description: This patent describes systems and methods for chronological browsing of media objects in a social networking system. It allows a user to specify a time frame and view media objects associated with that time frame. The system can categorize media objects by time and allow navigation through these categories.
  • Potentially Anticipates Claims: Claims 1, 10, and 18, particularly regarding the concept of a time-based social network, associating content with user-specified dates, and presenting content in a time-ordered fashion, including browsing time periods.

• US 2008/0104116 A1

  • Full Citation: US 2008/0104116 A1 (Willems et al.)
  • Publication Date: May 1, 2008
  • Filing Date: October 26, 2006
  • Brief Description: This application discloses a system and method for creating and interacting with a timeline for digital content. Users can arrange and view content (e.g., photos, videos) along a timeline, potentially with different levels of granularity (e.g., days, months, years).
  • Potentially Anticipates Claims: Claims 1, 10, and 18, especially concerning the display and organization of content along a timeline, and the ability to interact with different time periods for content viewing.

• US 2011/0219327 A1

  • Full Citation: US 2011/0219327 A1 (Rao et al.)
  • Publication Date: September 8, 2011
  • Filing Date: March 4, 2010
  • Brief Description: This patent application describes techniques for managing and displaying content in a social networking environment, including organizing content chronologically and allowing users to navigate through different time periods.
  • Potentially Anticipates Claims: Claims 1, 10, and 18, particularly the aspects related to a social network displaying user-generated content in a time-based manner and offering navigation through time.

• US 2012/0254784 A1

  • Full Citation: US 2012/0254784 A1 (Rao et al.)
  • Publication Date: October 4, 2012
  • Filing Date: March 30, 2012
  • Brief Description: This application details systems and methods for providing an activity feed in a social network, where activities are presented chronologically and can be filtered or navigated based on time.
  • Potentially Anticipates Claims: Claims 1, 10, and 18, specifically the concept of a "feed" of stories presented chronologically within a social network, and the ability to interact with this feed over different time periods.

• US 2013/0067355 A1

  • Full Citation: US 2013/0067355 A1 (Gupta et al.)
  • Publication Date: March 14, 2013
  • Filing Date: July 26, 2012
  • Brief Description: This patent application discusses techniques for creating and sharing stories within a social networking system, where users can create multimedia stories and share them with others.
  • Potentially Anticipates Claims: Claims 1 and 18 regarding the generation and storage of "stories" within a social network, particularly those including textual and image information.

• US 2014/0059501 A1

  • Full Citation: US 2014/0059501 A1 (Rau et al.)
  • Publication Date: February 27, 2014
  • Filing Date: August 23, 2013
  • Brief Description: This application describes a system for presenting content items (e.g., posts, events) in a timeline, allowing users to navigate and interact with content associated with specific dates.
  • Potentially Anticipates Claims: Claims 1, 10, and 18, particularly concerning the display and navigation of content in a time-based feed or timeline in a social networking context.

• US 2015/0288820 A1

  • Full Citation: US 2015/0288820 A1 (Kopani)
  • Publication Date: October 8, 2015
  • Filing Date: April 3, 2015
  • Brief Description: This application describes a social networking platform that enables users to create and share multimedia content, potentially including features for organizing content by time.
  • Potentially Anticipates Claims: Claims 1, 10, and 18, specifically pertaining to a social network providing user-generated content and the ability to organize and present stories.

It is important to note that a thorough anticipation analysis under 35 U.S.C. § 102 would require a detailed claim-by-claim comparison with the entire disclosure of each prior art reference. The descriptions above are brief and focus on the general subject matter of the cited patents as they relate to the concepts in US11137878. The "fluid timeline" aspect of associating stories with a user-specified date that can be in the past or future, separate from the actual posting date, and the specific browsing and reading modes (horizontal scrolling for time periods, vertical scrolling for stories within a selected period) are key features of US11137878 that would need careful consideration against these prior art references.

Obviousness Analysis under 35 U.S.C. § 103 for US Patent 11137878

This analysis considers combinations of the previously identified prior art references to determine if the claims of US patent 11137878 would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art (PHOSITA) at the time of the invention (priority date May 10, 2016). A PHOSITA in this field would likely be a software engineer or developer with experience in social media platforms and user interface design.

Problem Addressed by US11137878

The patent US11137878 aims to address the limitations of conventional social media networks, where user-generated content is typically displayed solely based on its actual posting time and date. This makes it challenging and inefficient for users to find or revisit content associated with different arbitrary past or future dates, as they are forced to scroll through vast amounts of intervening content. The invention seeks a "more intuitive, user-friendly time-based social network application" that allows users to associate "stories" with any desired time (past, present, or future), independent of the actual posting time.

Motivation for Combination

A PHOSITA, aware of the drawbacks in conventional social networks regarding rigid chronological content display, would be motivated to enhance user control over content presentation and navigation within a time-based framework. The goal would be to improve the efficiency and intuitiveness of interacting with user-generated content across different temporal contexts. The prevalent use of mobile devices and touch interfaces would also drive a PHOSITA to combine known UI paradigms to create a fluid and responsive user experience.

Combinations of Prior Art and Obviousness Rationale

Combination 1: US 2013/0067355 A1 (Gupta et al.) + US 8,762,389 B1 (Shou) + US 2008/0104116 A1 (Willems et al.)

This combination addresses the core concepts of user-generated "stories," time-based organization, and navigation, which are central to Claims 1, 10, and 18 of US11137878.

1. Gupta et al. (US 2013/0067355 A1): This reference teaches "techniques for creating and sharing stories within a social networking system, where users can create multimedia stories and share them with others."

   • Contribution: Provides the fundamental concept of "stories" (multimedia content including textual and/or image information) within a social network, aligning with the "created story" element of US11137878.

2. Shou (US 8,762,389 B1): Describes "systems and methods for chronological browsing of media objects in a social networking system. It allows a user to specify a time frame and view media objects associated with that time frame. The system can categorize media objects by time and allow navigation through these categories."

   • Contribution: Teaches chronological organization of social media content, specifying time frames for viewing, and navigation through these time categories. This covers the general idea of a time-based social network and browsing by time periods.

3. Willems et al. (US 2008/0104116 A1): Discloses "a system and method for creating and interacting with a timeline for digital content. Users can arrange and view content (e.g., photos, videos) along a timeline, potentially with different levels of granularity (e.g., days, months, years)."

   • Contribution: Reinforces the concepts of interacting with a timeline, arranging content along it, and viewing content with varying temporal granularities.

Rationale for Combination and How Claims Become Obvious:

• User-Specified Date (Claims 1, 10, 18): Given Gupta's teaching of "stories" and Shou's/Willems' emphasis on time-based browsing and arranging content along a timeline, a PHOSITA would recognize a common user desire to contextualize content independent of its upload time. For instance, a user posting a historical photo might want it to appear as if it happened on the original date of the photo, not the current upload date. The existing frameworks of "specifying a time frame" (Shou) and "arranging content along a timeline" (Willems) provide a clear motivation for a PHOSITA to implement a feature allowing users to assign a desired display date (a "user-specified date") to their stories. Storing this user-specified date alongside the actual system timestamp (date of receipt by the server, as described in US11137878) would be a routine database design decision, given that multiple date/time attributes are commonly associated with digital content (e.g., creation date, modification date, event date).
• Dual Timelines (User-specified date & Actual time-date stamp) (Claims 1, 18): The recognition that a user might want to assign a date distinct from the actual posting date would lead a PHOSITA to store both values. The system timestamp (actual time of receipt) is a fundamental record-keeping practice, and adding a user-specified date field directly addresses the user desire for flexible content placement on a chronological feed, which is a known problem as stated in US11137878.
• Horizontally and Vertically Scrollable Presentation (Browsing & Reading Modes) (Claim 10): Shou and Willems already teach "navigation through time categories" and "different levels of granularity." The specific UI paradigm of horizontally scrolling to select a time period (browsing mode) and then vertically scrolling to view stories within that selected period (reading mode) would be an obvious design choice for a PHOSITA. This pattern leverages common touchscreen gestures and improves user experience by providing a high-level temporal overview (horizontal) and detailed content viewing (vertical). The presentation of "stories associated with the user-selected date... in a primary focus area... and stories not associated with the user-selected date... in one or more secondary focus areas" (Claim 10) further refines this. This is a common and obvious UI technique, analogous to a carousel display where a central, selected item is emphasized while providing peripheral context from adjacent items. A PHOSITA would readily implement such a visual hierarchy to enhance navigation and focus.
• Sequencing Stories within a Selected Date (Claim 1, 10): US11137878 describes sequencing stories within the reading mode based on criteria like actual time-date stamp, geographic location, or topic. The prior art (e.g., US 2012/0254784 A1, Rao et al.) already details chronological presentation and filtering of content. Incorporating other metadata for sequencing, such as location (e.g., showing nearby stories first) or topic (e.g., filtering for "food" stories), is a well-established practice in social media and information retrieval systems. Applying these known sorting and filtering mechanisms to the stories within a selected time period would be a routine design choice for a PHOSITA to further enhance the utility and relevance of the displayed content.

Conclusion:
Considering the combination of these prior art references, a PHOSITA would have found it obvious to:

1. Enable users to create multimedia "stories" (Gupta et al.).
2. Allow users to specify a desired display date for these stories, distinct from the actual posting date (motivated by the desire for improved timeline management and building upon the time-based browsing and content arrangement of Shou and Willems).
3. Implement a user interface that utilizes horizontal scrolling for navigating between different time periods and vertical scrolling for viewing the "stories" within a selected time period, with the selected period being prominently displayed (an obvious application of common UI/UX patterns for temporal data navigation, building on Shou and Willems).
4. Store both the user-specified date and the actual posting date for each story (a straightforward data modeling decision).
5. Sequence stories within the detailed view based on various known criteria like actual posting time, location, or topic (routine content organization techniques known in the art).

Therefore, the inventive steps claimed in US11137878, particularly regarding the fluid timeline with user-specified dates and the dual-mode horizontal/vertical scrolling interface, would likely be considered obvious under 35 U.S.C. § 103 in light of the combined teachings of US 2013/0067355 A1 (Gupta et al.), US 8,762,389 B1 (Shou), and US 2008/0104116 A1 (Willems et al.), supplemented by general knowledge of common UI patterns and data management practices in social networks.

Here's a detailed breakdown of patent term adjustments (PTA), patent term extensions (PTE), continuation/divisional applications, related family members, and the projected expiration date for US patent 11137878:

Patent Term Adjustment (PTA)

Patent Term Adjustment (PTA) adds time to a patent's 20-year term to compensate for certain delays caused by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) during the patent examination process. These delays can include the USPTO failing to issue a first office action within 14 months of filing, failing to respond to an applicant's reply within four months, or failing to issue the patent within three years of the application's filing date.

For US patent 11137878, the patent text on Google Patents indicates an "Anticipated expiration" date of 2037-05-10. The earliest priority date for this patent is 2016-05-10. A standard utility patent term is 20 years from its earliest effective filing date.
Calculating from the priority date: 2016-05-10 + 20 years = 2036-05-10.
The difference between the anticipated expiration (2037-05-10) and the standard 20-year term from the priority date (2036-05-10) is exactly one year. This strongly indicates that 1 year of Patent Term Adjustment (PTA) was granted for US patent 11137878.

Patent Term Extension (PTE)

Patent Term Extension (PTE) is a statutory mechanism to restore patent term lost due to delays in regulatory review, primarily for patents claiming human drug products, medical devices, food additives, or color additives.

Given the title of US patent 11137878, "Selection ring user interface," and the nature of its claims related to social media user interfaces, it does not fall within the categories of patents eligible for PTE. Therefore, it is highly improbable that any Patent Term Extension (PTE) was sought or granted for this patent.

Continuation and Divisional Applications

Continuation applications and divisional applications are types of "continuing applications" that allow an applicant to pursue additional claims based on an earlier-filed "parent" application while claiming its benefit filing date. A continuation application pursues additional claims on the same disclosed invention, while a divisional application arises from a USPTO restriction requirement where the parent application contained multiple distinct inventions.

Based on the information provided on the Google Patents page for US11137878, the following related applications are noted, which typically indicate continuation or divisional applications claiming priority back to an earlier application in the family:

• US17/408,234: Filed 2021-08-20, which issued as US11650712B2. This application claims priority to US16/988,413 (the application that matured into US11137878B2), making it a child application, likely a continuation or divisional.
• US18/296,258: Filed 2023-04-05, which issued as US11966559B2. This application also claims priority to an earlier application in the family (likely US16/988,413), making it another child application, probably a continuation or divisional.

The patent text does not explicitly label these as "continuation" or "divisional" but their filing dates and priority claims strongly indicate they are continuing applications stemming from the application that led to US11137878.

Related Family Members

The family members associated with US patent 11137878, based on the provided information, include:

• Original Priority Application: Not explicitly identified by application number, but the earliest priority date is 2016-05-10.
• Parent Application: US16/988,413 (Filed: 2020-08-07).
• Pre-grant Publication: US20200371654A1 (Published: 2020-11-26), which is the publication of application US16/988,413.
• Issued Patent: US11137878B2 (Issued: 2021-10-05) from application US16/988,413.
• Related Child Patent 1: US11650712B2 (from application US17/408,234, filed 2021-08-20).
• Related Child Patent 2: US11966559B2 (from application US18/296,258, filed 2023-04-05).

Projected Expiration Date

Based on the information provided in the patent text on Google Patents, the "Anticipated expiration" date for US patent 11137878 is 2037-05-10. This date reflects the 20-year term from the earliest priority date (2016-05-10) plus approximately one year of Patent Term Adjustment.

Defensive Disclosure Document for US Patent 11137878: "Selection ring user interface"

Objective: To generate derivative variations of US Patent 11137878 to establish prior art, rendering future incremental improvements by competitors obvious or non-novel, based on the patent's core claims.

Derivations for Claim 1: Method to organize a time-based social network in a computing server architecture

Core elements of Claim 1: Receiving stories with user-specified dates; assigning unique numbers; storing stories with user, time-date stamp (actual), and user-specified date; feeding stories based on user-specified date; accepting input for sequenced stories; accepting input to change selected date; feeding new stories based on changed selected date.

---

Derivative 1.1: Material & Component Substitution (Distributed Ledger & Event-Sourcing)

• Enabling Description: Instead of a conventional relational or NoSQL database for story storage, the system employs a distributed ledger technology (DLT) such as an Apache Cassandra-backed event-ssourcing pattern for immutably recording story creation and state changes, paired with an InterPlanetary File System (IPFS) for multimedia content storage. Each story update (e.g., editing a user-specified date) is an append-only event on the DLT. The system-wide unique number for each story is a content hash (CID) derived from the story's initial data payload when it is first committed to IPFS. Story metadata (user ID, user-specified date, actual timestamp, IPFS CID) is stored as an immutable transaction on a private blockchain, providing cryptographic proof of existence and history. Querying for stories based on user-specified dates involves indexing the blockchain transactions for temporal metadata and retrieving multimedia content via the corresponding IPFS CIDs. Processor cores are ARM-based servers optimized for high-throughput cryptographic operations and distributed consensus.

graph TD
    A[User Device] --> B(Create Story Event + User-Specified Date)
    B --> C{Distributed Ledger App Server}
    C --> D[IPFS Network: Store Multimedia Content]
    D -- CID --> C
    C --> E[Blockchain Network: Record Story Metadata (User, Actual Timestamp, User-Specified Date, CID)]
    E --> F[Story Database (DLT + IPFS Index)]
    F --> G[Story Query Processor]
    G -- Sequenced Stories (User-Specified Date) --> H[User Device]
    H --> I(Input Directions: Change Date/Request Sequence)
    I --> C

---

Derivative 1.2: Operational Parameter Expansion (Extreme Scale & Hyper-Temporal Resolution)

• Enabling Description: The computing server architecture is designed for a social network operating on a scale of billions of users generating quadrillions of stories daily, with each story capable of having a user-specified date resolved to a femtosecond. The system utilizes a globally distributed NewSQL database (e.g., Google Spanner or CockroachDB) for ACID-compliant transactions across massive geographic distances, ensuring high availability and strong consistency for all story metadata including hyper-precise timestamps. The feeding of stories leverages a custom, ultra-low-latency content delivery network (CDN) that pre-fetches and caches temporal story segments within 100 microseconds of a user's anticipated navigation, employing quantum-dot photonics for data transmission between regional server clusters to minimize propagation delay. Story sequencing algorithms are executed on GPU-accelerated clusters for real-time indexing and retrieval across extremely fine temporal granularities, even when aggregating stories across disparate time zones and leap seconds.

graph TD
    subgraph Global Spanner DB
        DB1[Region A] -- Sync --> DB2[Region B]
        DB2 -- Sync --> DB3[Region C]
    end
    A[User Request] --> B(API Gateway)
    B --> C{GPU-Accelerated Query Engine}
    C --> DB1
    DB1 -- Hyper-Temporal Data --> C
    C --> D[Ultra-Low-Latency CDN]
    D -- Cached Segments --> E[User Device]

---

Derivative 1.3: Cross-Domain Application (Industrial IoT Predictive Maintenance Log)

• Enabling Description: This system organizes maintenance logs for industrial machinery (e.g., wind turbines, factory robots) where "stories" represent maintenance events, sensor readings, or predicted failures. Each story is associated with a user-specified projected maintenance date or event date (e.g., next scheduled overhaul, predicted component failure date based on analytics), distinct from the actual log entry timestamp. The server receives machine-generated logs from IoT sensors (e.g., vibration, temperature, anomaly detections), which are then enriched with human annotations (technician comments, root cause analysis) and a user-specified future "resolve-by" date. The system assigns unique identifiers to each log entry and stores it with its actual timestamp, relevant sensor data, technician notes, and the user-specified projected/event date. Remote monitoring stations (user devices) can then query and view these machine logs, feeding sequenced "story" (log) entries based on proximity to the user-specified projected maintenance date, allowing for proactive scheduling and intervention.

graph TD
    A[IoT Sensors (Machine Data)] --> B(Telemetry Ingest)
    B --> C{Log Server Architecture}
    C --> D[AI/ML Predictive Analytics]
    D -- Projected Date --> C
    C --> E[Human Annotation (User-Specified Date)]
    E -- Story (Log) --> C
    C --> F[Distributed Log Database (Actual Timestamp, User-Specified Date)]
    F --> G[Monitoring Station (Device)]
    G -- Request Stories (Projected Date) --> C

---

Derivative 1.4: Integration with Emerging Tech (AI, IoT, Blockchain for Supply Chain Traceability)

• Enabling Description: This server architecture manages a supply chain traceability network where "stories" represent product batches, critical quality control events, or logistics milestones. Each story is associated with a user-specified delivery date, inspection date, or harvest date, which may precede or follow the actual blockchain transaction timestamp. IoT sensors embedded in product containers record environmental conditions (temperature, humidity, GPS location) at various points in the supply chain. These sensor readings, along with quality assurance reports and shipping manifests, are automatically aggregated by an AI-driven platform into "story" objects. Each story is assigned a unique transaction hash from its immutable entry on a permissioned blockchain (e.g., Hyperledger Fabric), where the actual timestamp of the blockchain transaction and the user-specified event date are recorded. AI-driven optimization dynamically sequences stories for supply chain managers (users) based on user-specified delivery dates and real-time IoT data anomalies, presenting critical path deviations or quality flags. The blockchain ensures non-repudiation and auditable history for all story data.

graph TD
    A[IoT Sensors (Supply Chain)] --> B(Data Stream Ingest)
    B --> C{AI Platform (Story Aggregation)}
    C --> D[Blockchain Network (Immutable Record)]
    D -- Tx Hash, Actual Timestamp, User-Specified Date --> E[Supply Chain Database]
    E --> F[Supply Chain Manager (User Device)]
    F -- Request Stories (User-Specified Delivery Date) --> C
    C -- AI-Optimized Sequence --> F

---

Derivative 1.5: The "Inverse" or Failure Mode (Archival & Privacy-Preserving Low-Functionality Mode)

• Enabling Description: The social network server architecture includes a "cold storage" archival mode and a "privacy-preserving low-functionality" operational mode. When operating in low-functionality mode (e.g., during a cyberattack, regulatory freeze, or user-mandated privacy setting), the system stops serving rich multimedia content. Instead, it only feeds hashed identifiers and obfuscated textual summaries of stories, stripped of personally identifiable information and precise geospatial data. All new story creations or modifications are routed to an archival-only DLT that ensures data immutability but delays public availability for a configurable period (e.g., 24-72 hours) to allow for automated content scanning for malicious activity. In this inverse mode, user-specified dates are only visible as relative offsets (e.g., "3 days ago," "next month") rather than specific dates, and only to pre-approved auditors or the user themselves. The unique numbers assigned to stories are cryptographic hashes, and story storage prioritizes data integrity and auditability over rapid retrieval or rich presentation.

stateDiagram-v2
    [*] --> OperationalMode
    OperationalMode --> LowFunctionalityMode : Cyberattack / Privacy Setting
    LowFunctionalityMode --> OperationalMode : Resolution / User Preference
    OperationalMode --> ArchivalMode : Data Retention Policy
    LowFunctionalityMode --> ArchivalMode : Data Retention Policy

    state OperationalMode {
        FullFeatures --> StoryCreation
        StoryCreation --> RichDisplay
    }

    state LowFunctionalityMode {
        LimitedFeatures --> HashedContent
        HashedContent --> DelayedPublicity
    }

    state ArchivalMode {
        ImmutableStorage
        AuditAccess
    }

---

Derivations for Claim 10: Method to interact with a time-based social network on a mobile computing device

Core elements of Claim 10: Forming communicative relationship; communicating user-selected date; receiving stories for horizontally/vertically scrollable presentation; presenting stories with primary/secondary focus areas; accepting vertical scrolling info; receiving and vertically presenting first sequence; accepting horizontal scrolling info; horizontally presenting vertically arranged columns of stories, each for next sequential date.

---

Derivative 2.1: Material & Component Substitution (Haptic/Tactile & Olfactory UI)

• Enabling Description: The mobile computing device, potentially a wearable haptic sleeve or a specialized handheld device, forms a communicative relationship with the social network server. The user communicates a "user-selected date" via subtle haptic gestures (e.g., sustained pressure on a specific area for temporal duration selection). Instead of purely visual scrolling, the device provides haptic feedback that simulates horizontal movement through time periods (e.g., a "rumbling" sensation that intensifies with larger temporal jumps) and vertical tactile cues for individual story boundaries. Stories are "presented" not just visually, but also tactually (e.g., varying textures on the device surface correspond to story themes like "smooth" for calm, "rough" for intense) and potentially olfactorily (e.g., a localized scent emitter releases a specific aroma associated with the story's context, like "ocean" for a beach photo). The primary focus area story might have a stronger tactile signature and a more pronounced scent profile, while secondary focus areas provide subtler cues.

graph TD
    A[Wearable Haptic Device] --> B(Haptic/Gesture Input: User-Selected Date)
    B -- Communication --> C{Server Architecture}
    C -- Haptic/Olfactory Data + Story Metadata --> A
    A --> D(Haptic Feedback Render Engine)
    A --> E(Olfactory Emitter)
    A --> F(Visual Display, if present)
    D --> G(Horizontal Time Period Traversal)
    D --> H(Vertical Story Selection)
    E --> I(Contextual Scent Emission)

---

Derivative 2.2: Operational Parameter Expansion (Extreme Latency & Bandwidth Constrained Environments)

• Enabling Description: The mobile computing device is designed for interaction in extreme low-bandwidth, high-latency environments (e.g., deep-sea research vessels, remote satellite communication, interplanetary missions). The device's local application intelligently caches vast amounts of story metadata for offline browsing, prioritizing stories around anticipated user-selected dates. When a communicative relationship with the server is established (often intermittently), the device communicates a compressed representation of the user-selected date. The server transmits a highly optimized, text-only or vector-graphic-only plurality of stories, prioritizing essential semantic information over rich media. Horizontal scrolling through time periods triggers pre-calculated delta updates, pushing only new or modified story headers. Vertical scrolling within a selected date pre-loads story metadata, progressively displaying low-resolution thumbnails only upon user dwell time, or completely omitting images if bandwidth is below a threshold. The display dynamically adjusts its refresh rate and color depth to minimize data consumption.

flowchart TD
    A[Mobile Device (Low Bandwidth)] --> B(Offline Cache Pre-population)
    B -- Intermittent Sync --> C{Server Architecture}
    A -- Compressed User-Selected Date --> C
    C -- Optimized Story Metadata (Text/Vector Graphics) --> A
    A --> D(Adaptive Display Renderer)
    D -- Horizontal Scroll --> E(Temporal Headers)
    D -- Vertical Scroll --> F(Metadata/Low-Res Thumbnails)

---

Derivative 2.3: Cross-Domain Application (Interactive Historical Archives for Academic Research)

• Enabling Description: A specialized mobile computing device (e.g., a tablet optimized for document viewing) is used by academics to interact with historical archives. The "stories" are digitized historical documents, photographs, and oral histories. The device forms a communicative relationship with a server hosting the archive. A user communicates a "user-selected date" (e.g., a specific year or decade of interest for historical events). The device receives a plurality of archival items arranged for horizontally and vertically scrollable presentation. Horizontal scrolling navigates through historical eras (e.g., "Medieval Period," "Renaissance," "Industrial Revolution"), each represented as a vertical column. When an era is selected, vertical scrolling allows the researcher to delve into individual documents and events within that era, presented in a primary focus area. Secondary focus areas might display contemporaneous events from other regions or related historical figures. The system includes advanced annotation tools and citation management integrated directly into the UI.

graph TD
    A[Academic Tablet Device] --> B(Connect to Archive Server)
    B --> C{Archive Server (Historical Documents)}
    C -- Archival Stories --> A
    A --> D(User Input: Select Date/Era)
    D --> E(Horizontal Scroll: Eras/Periods)
    E --> F(Vertical Scroll: Documents/Events in Selected Era)
    F --> G[Primary Focus Area: Detailed Document View]
    F --> H[Secondary Focus Area: Related Context]

---

Derivative 2.4: Integration with Emerging Tech (AI-Driven Adaptive UI & Biometric Feedback)

• Enabling Description: The mobile computing device integrates AI to adapt its user interface and content presentation based on real-time biometric and environmental sensor data. The user forms a communicative relationship with the server. A user-selected date is communicated, but the AI dynamically modifies the visual and interaction parameters (e.g., column width, font size, animation speed, haptic intensity) of the received stories based on the user's emotional state (detected via facial recognition, voice analysis, or heart rate variability from a smartwatch), ambient light conditions, or cognitive load (inferred from eye-tracking patterns). For example, if the user is detected as stressed, the AI might simplify the UI, slow down animations, and present fewer stories in secondary focus areas. Horizontal scrolling for time periods can be augmented by gaze-tracking, where prolonged focus on a date range automatically highlights it. Vertical scrolling for stories within a date might trigger an AI to summarize lengthy texts or prioritize stories tagged with "positive sentiment" if the user's emotional state is low.

flowchart TD
    A[Mobile Device] --> B(Biometric Sensors: Emotion, Gaze, HR)
    A --> C(Environmental Sensors: Light, Sound)
    B & C --> D{AI-Driven UI Adapter}
    D -- Adaptive UI Parameters --> E[Display/Interaction Layer]
    E --> F(User Input: Select Date/Scroll)
    F -- User-Selected Date --> G{Server Architecture}
    G -- Stories --> D

---

Derivative 2.5: The "Inverse" or Failure Mode (Privacy-Enhanced, Local-First "Ghost Mode")

• Enabling Description: The mobile computing device's operating method includes a "Ghost Mode" that prioritizes user privacy and local-first data processing, operating with limited functionality during communication with the server. In this mode, the device communicates only anonymized or pseudonymized identifiers when forming a communicative relationship. The "user-selected date" is processed locally, and only a highly generalized date range (e.g., "past year") is sent to the server, preventing granular tracking. Received stories are heavily filtered client-side, displaying only content from pre-approved, whitelisted sources or stories that match specific, locally defined privacy criteria. All non-essential metadata (e.g., specific geographic coordinates, user comments from secondary focus areas) is suppressed or obscured. Horizontal and vertical scrolling reveals placeholder content or aggregated temporal summaries (e.g., "5 stories from last Tuesday") rather than individual stories, unless explicitly requested by the user, which triggers a single, encrypted, and ephemeral request to the server, with immediate local deletion after presentation.

stateDiagram-v2
    [*] --> NormalMode
    NormalMode --> GhostMode : User Activates Privacy / Network Constraint
    GhostMode --> NormalMode : User Deactivates / Network Restored

    state NormalMode {
        FullServerSync
        DetailedDisplay
    }

    state GhostMode {
        LimitedServerSync
        AnonymizedDataExchange
        LocalFiltering
        EphemeralRequests
        PlaceholderContent
        Substate "PrivacyFilter" {
            [*] --> WhitelistOnly
            WhitelistOnly --> SuppressMetadata
        }
    }

---

Derivations for Claim 18: Time-based social network architecture

Core elements of Claim 18: Story database; image database; fluid timeline social network application (hosted on server, processor, CRM); application configured to receive created story (text/image); receive user-specified date; associate story with user-specified date; associate story with actual time/date of receipt; provide story to story database; receive user-selected date; provide first/second plurality of stories (user-selected date, seq. later/earlier date) for horizontally/vertically scrollable presentation.

---

Derivative 3.1: Material & Component Substitution (Quantum-Resistant Storage & Optical Networking)

• Enabling Description: The time-based social network architecture utilizes a quantum-resistant homomorphic encryption scheme for all data stored in the story database and image database, ensuring long-term data security against future quantum computing attacks. Data storage is implemented on memristor-based non-volatile memory arrays for extreme density and energy efficiency. The server computer and inter-server communication links employ optical computing components and photonic integrated circuits, transmitting data via free-space optical communication for ultra-high bandwidth and low-latency internal network backbones. The fluid timeline social network application's processor is a neuromorphic chip designed for parallel processing of complex graph structures, optimizing real-time content association and retrieval based on multi-dimensional temporal and topical metadata. The application is configured to perform cryptographic key rotation using a quantum random number generator.

classDiagram
    class QuantumResistantDB {
        +HomomorphicEncryption
        +MemristorStorage
        +QuantumKeyRotation()
    }
    class OpticalNetwork {
        +PhotonicCircuits
        +FreeSpaceOptics
    }
    class NeuromorphicProcessor {
        +ParallelGraphProcessing
        +RealTimeMetadataOps()
    }
    class FluidTimelineApp {
        -Processor: NeuromorphicProcessor
        -Database: QuantumResistantDB
        -Network: OpticalNetwork
        +receiveStory()
        +associateDates()
        +provideStories()
    }
    FluidTimelineApp *-- QuantumResistantDB
    FluidTimelineApp *-- NeuromorphicProcessor
    FluidTimelineApp *-- OpticalNetwork

---

Derivative 3.2: Operational Parameter Expansion (Exascale Distributed Global Social Fabric)

• Enabling Description: This architecture is designed to operate as a global social fabric managing an exascale volume of interconnected stories, supporting simultaneous interaction from every human on Earth, providing sub-millisecond response times for all temporal navigation and content retrieval. The story and image databases are sharded across hundreds of thousands of geographically distributed edge data centers, interconnected by a mesh network using 6G millimeter-wave and low-earth orbit satellite links. The fluid timeline social network application implements a lock-free, eventually consistent distributed state management system, where each server node autonomously manages a temporal slice of the global story feed. The application's configuration includes predictive content pre-fetching algorithms running on federated learning models, anticipating user navigation patterns to stage content closer to the end-user device. Global consistency for user-specified dates is maintained via a CRDT (Conflict-free Replicated Data Type) approach, allowing divergent date entries to be merged intelligently.

graph TD
    A[User Device 1] -- 6G/Satellite --> B(Edge Data Center A)
    C[User Device N] -- 6G/Satellite --> D(Edge Data Center N)
    B -- Mesh Network --> D
    B -- Federated Learning Models --> F(Global Predictive Engine)
    D -- CRDT Sync --> F
    F --> G[Distributed Story Database (Exascale)]
    G --> B
    G --> D
    F -- Dynamic Content Routing --> B
    F -- Dynamic Content Routing --> D

---

Derivative 3.3: Cross-Domain Application (Planetary Exploration Event Logging & Telemetry Visualization)

• Enabling Description: This architecture serves as the core for a planetary exploration mission's event logging and telemetry visualization system. The "stories" are scientific observations, instrument readings, mission control commands, or astronaut journal entries. The story database stores observations (e.g., Martian geology images, atmospheric data from a Venus probe), and the image database stores raw and processed scientific imagery. The fluid timeline application, hosted on redundant deep-space communication relays and ground control servers, receives "created stories" (e.g., an autonomous rover's spectrometer reading) along with a user-specified sol date (Martian day) or Earth mission date to be associated with the event. This allows mission scientists to review data chronologically by Earth time or the planet's local time, independent of the actual telemetry reception time (which could be hours or days later due to light speed delay). The application provides stories for presentation in horizontally scrolling sol/mission timelines and vertically scrolling detailed event logs for a selected sol/date.

sequenceDiagram
    participant R as Rover/Probe
    participant C as Deep Space Comms
    participant G as Ground Control Server
    participant S as Scientist Workstation

    R->>C: Transmit Telemetry/Observation (Raw Data, Local Planet Time)
    C->>G: Receive Telemetry (Actual Earth Time of Receipt)
    G->>G: Fluid Timeline App:
    alt New Story Creation
        G->>G: Associate Raw Data with User-Specified Sol/Mission Date
        G->>G: Store Story in DB (Telemetry, Images, User-Specified Date, Actual Receipt Time)
    end
    S->>G: Request Stories for User-Selected Sol/Mission Date
    G->>S: Provide Stories (H/V Scrollable Presentation)

---

Derivative 3.4: Integration with Emerging Tech (Metaverse, Web3, & Neuro-Semantic Search)

• Enabling Description: The social network architecture is integrated within a decentralized metaverse environment and leverages Web3 technologies. "Stories" are spatialized digital objects or interactive experiences within virtual worlds. The story database is a federated network of content addresses (e.g., ENS, IPNS) pointing to content stored on decentralized storage networks (e.g., Arweave, Filecoin). The image database stores 3D assets and volumetric video streams. The fluid timeline social network application, itself a collection of smart contracts on a Web3 blockchain, receives created stories from user avatars or AI agents. A user-specified narrative date (which can be a fictional or historical date within the metaverse's lore) is associated with the story, alongside the actual blockchain transaction timestamp. Neuro-semantic search, powered by large language models (LLMs) and brain-computer interface (BCI) input, allows users to navigate the timeline and retrieve stories not just by date but by conceptual similarity to mental states or linguistic queries. Stories are provided for presentation as holographic projections within the metaverse, allowing for 3D horizontal navigation through temporal epochs and "walking through" vertical sequences of events.

erDiagram
    "USER_AVATAR" {
        string avatar_id PK
        string wallet_address
    }
    "METAVERSE_STORY" {
        string story_hash PK
        string content_address
        string narrative_date
        datetime blockchain_timestamp
        string creator_avatar_id FK
        string associated_concept_vector
    }
    "LLM_SEMANTIC_INDEX" {
        string story_hash PK FK
        string semantic_embedding
    }
    "USER_AVATAR" ||--o{ "METAVERSE_STORY" : "creates"
    "METAVERSE_STORY" }o--|| "LLM_SEMANTIC_INDEX" : "indexed_by"

---

Derivative 3.5: The "Inverse" or Failure Mode (Self-Destructing, Ephemeral, and Auditable Architecture)

• Enabling Description: This social network architecture is designed for ephemeral, high-security communications where stories are intended to be temporary. The system supports a "self-destructing story" feature, where the user-specified date includes a "destruction date." After the destruction date, all associated story data (multimedia, text) is cryptographically shredded from the story database and image database, with only a verifiable hash and an immutable audit log entry (containing the destruction event timestamp) remaining on a public blockchain. The fluid timeline application is configured with a "zero-trust" security model, where all data access is authenticated and authorized per story segment. In a detected compromise, the system initiates a "hard erase" protocol, prioritizing the deletion of active story content. It includes a "limited functionality" mode that only allows posting new ephemeral stories and reviewing audit logs, disabling all historical timeline browsing. All story associations include a "trust score" derived from sender reputation.

stateDiagram-v2
    state ActiveStoryManagement {
        [*] --> StoryCreated
        StoryCreated --> StoryAccessed
        StoryAccessed --> StoryExpires : Destruction Date Reached
        StoryExpires --> StoryShredded : Cryptographic Erase
        StoryShredded --> AuditLogEntry : Immutable Record
    }

    state SystemIntegrity {
        Active --> Compromised : Security Breach Detected
        Compromised --> HardEraseProtocol : Prioritize Deletion
        Compromised --> LimitedFunctionalityMode : Restrict Operations
    }

    ActiveStoryManagement --> SystemIntegrity

---

Combination Prior Art Scenarios

Here are three combination prior art scenarios where US Patent 11137878's core concepts could be combined with existing open-source standards to establish obviousness.

Combination 1: US11137878 + ActivityPub (W3C Standard)

• Description: The core concept of a fluid timeline social network with user-specified dates (US11137878) could be implemented using the ActivityPub protocol for decentralized social networking. ActivityPub is a W3C recommended standard that provides a client-to-server API for creating, updating, and deleting content, and a server-to-server API for federation. A PHOSITA would find it obvious to extend the ActivityStreams vocabulary (used by ActivityPub) to include an "eventDate" property alongside the standard "published" property. This "eventDate" would correspond to the "user-specified date" in US11137878, while "published" would be the "actual time and date that the created story is received." A decentralized ActivityPub server could then ingest stories with this dual-date metadata. Client applications (mobile computing devices) could consume these ActivityStreams, applying the horizontal and vertical scrolling UI paradigms taught by US11137878 to navigate and display federated content based on the "eventDate." The primary and secondary focus areas would display content from different ActivityPub instances or communities, allowing users to "time-travel" through a federated social graph.

Combination 2: US11137878 + OpenStreetMap (OSM) & GeoJSON (RFC 7946)

• Description: The fluid timeline social network (US11137878) could be readily combined with OpenStreetMap (OSM) data and GeoJSON for spatially-aware time-based storytelling. US11137878 already mentions associating stories with geographic locations. A PHOSITA would find it obvious to integrate OSM's vast geospatial dataset with the fluid timeline concept. When a user creates a "story" with a user-specified date, they could also tag it with precise geographic coordinates and an associated GeoJSON object (e.g., a polygon representing an event area). The server architecture (Claim 18) would store this GeoJSON data. The mobile computing device (Claim 10) could then present stories on an OSM-based map overlay. Horizontal scrolling would navigate time, while vertical scrolling would reveal stories for the selected date. An obvious extension would be a map-based primary focus area, where stories associated with the user-selected date are presented as interactive markers on an OSM map, and secondary focus areas show stories from adjacent dates, spatially clustered, within the same geographic view. This combination offers a spatiotemporal browsing experience, allowing users to "time-travel" to a location and then explore events from different historical dates at that spot.

Combination 3: US11137878 + GraphQL (Open-source Query Language)

• Description: The server architecture (Claim 18) and methods (Claim 1) for feeding and organizing stories in US11137878 could be implemented with GraphQL as the API layer between the server and client. GraphQL is an open-source data query and manipulation language for APIs, offering a more efficient and flexible alternative to traditional REST. A PHOSITA would find it obvious to define a GraphQL schema for a "Story" type that includes fields for id, userSpecifiedDate (DateTime scalar), actualTimestamp (DateTime scalar), content (various types), location, and topic. The "input directions" (Claim 1) from the mobile device (Claim 10) to "request one or more sequenced stories" or "change the selected date" would be directly translated into GraphQL queries or mutations. For example, a query could request stories(date: "YYYY-MM-DD", orderBy: "actualTimestamp_DESC", limit: 10) for vertical scrolling, or timeline(start: "YYYY-MM-DD", end: "YYYY-MM-DD", groupBy: "day") for horizontal browsing. This provides a highly efficient and declarative way for clients to fetch exactly the temporal slices and sequences of stories needed for the fluid timeline UI, optimizing data transfer and reducing over-fetching or under-fetching of data.