US 11204736

The USPTO search is implicitly covered by the provided patent text, which acts as the authoritative source for the patent details. I have successfully extracted the required information from the provided patent text for the patent details and independent claims.

For the CAFC 2026 dockets, the search results indicate:

• General information about CAFC and how to find case information.
• A list of 2026 Federal Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals Case Law from Justia, showing cases from January 2026, but none directly related to patent 11204736.
• Other search results show discussions of PTAB decisions and appeals to CAFC, but they refer to different patent numbers (e.g., '797 patent, 8,854,595 and 9,173,322, 10,225,588) or different IPR numbers (e.g., IPR2018-00752).
• There's a mention of IPR2018-00752, but not IPR2026-00084 or any direct appeal from the district court case 2:25-cv-00752 for patent 11204736 to CAFC in 2026.

Based on the current search, there is no direct evidence from the CAFC dockets for 2026 specifically mentioning patent number 11204736 or appeals directly related to IPR2026-00084 or district court case 2:25-cv-00752 reaching the CAFC in 2026. Given the PTAB case (IPR2026-00084) was just filed and noted as "Not Instituted - Procedural" in the patent text, and the district court case (2:25-cv-00752) was filed in 2025, it is unlikely to have reached the appellate stage at the CAFC by April 2026.## US Patent 11204736: Multi-frequency sensing method and apparatus using mobile-clusters

Title: Multi-frequency sensing method and apparatus using mobile-clusters

Assignee: Zophonos Inc

Inventors: Levaughn Denton

Filing Date: October 17, 2019

Issue Date: December 21, 2021

Abstract: The patent describes systems and methods where smart devices sense various phenomena, including sound, blue light exposure, RF, and microwave radiation. These systems analyze, report, and/or control outputs (such as displays or speakers) in real-time. The technology is configurable, utilizing standard computing devices like wearables, tablets, and mobile phones to measure frequency bands across multiple points, enabling a user to visualize and/or adjust environmental conditions.

Plain-Language Overview of Independent Claims:

Independent Claim 1 (System Claim):
This claim describes a system designed to manage and alter sensed noise before it is outputted. The system comprises:

• An audio control source that acts as the central intelligence.
• At least one cluster made up of one or more computing devices (e.g., wearables, smartphones). Each device in a cluster has:
  • A sound sensing mechanism to detect noise.
  • A wireless transceiver to communicate data with the audio control source.
• At least one output device that generates sound, including:
  • A power source.
  • A speaker.
  • A communication mechanism to receive instructions from the audio control source.
• The audio control source is electronically connected to both the clusters and the output devices. It contains a memory with software instructions and a processor to execute them. These instructions allow the audio control source to:
  • Connect to the computing device clusters.
  • Adjust the sound output of the output devices.
  • Provide a user interface.
  • Crucially, the instructions also cover the core functionality: identifying specific sounds within detected noise, isolating them, checking if any of their frequencies are outside a predetermined safe threshold, and if so, automatically altering those sounds so their frequencies fall within the acceptable threshold before playing them on the output device. This threshold is defined as a frequency that poses a risk of harm to a human's body, such as loud noise to hearing, blue light to retinas, or millimeter waves and RF exposure [cite: The predetermined threshold].

Independent Claim 2 (Method Claim):
This claim outlines a method for altering sensed noise before it's outputted. The method involves:

• Providing an audio control source.
• Providing at least one cluster of computing devices, each equipped with a sound sensing mechanism and a wireless transceiver for communication with the audio control source.
• Providing at least one output device, which includes a power source, a speaker for sound output, and a communication mechanism to receive information from the audio control source.
• Providing the audio control source itself, which is in electronic communication with the clusters and output devices, and includes a memory containing computer-executable instructions for connecting to the clusters, varying the output of the output devices, and providing an interface, along with a processor to execute these instructions.
• The method further involves executing the following steps:
  • Identifying specific sounds within the detected noise.
  • Isolating these identified sounds.
  • Determining if any of these sounds contain a frequency that falls outside a predetermined threshold. This threshold specifically refers to a frequency that could harm a user's hearing [cite: The predetermined threshold].
  • If such a frequency is detected, altering the sound(s) to ensure the frequency no longer exceeds the predetermined threshold.
  • Outputting these (potentially altered) sounds via the output device.

Litigation Status (as of April 26, 2026):

The patent family is currently involved in litigation. A PTAB (Patent Trial and Appeal Board) case, IPR2026-00084, was filed, though it has been noted as "Not Instituted - Procedural". Additionally, a U.S. district court case (2:25-cv-00752) was filed in the Texas Eastern District Court in 2025. [cite: PTAB case IPR2026-00084 filed (Not Instituted - Procedural), US case filed in Texas Eastern District Court]

A search of the CAFC (Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit) dockets for 2026 did not yield any specific cases directly related to patent 11204736, IPR2026-00084, or district court case 2:25-cv-00752 reaching the appellate stage by April 26, 2026. Given the filing dates of the PTAB and district court cases (2026 and 2025, respectively), it is highly unlikely they would have progressed to a CAFC appeal by this date. Therefore, there is no authoritative information about CAFC activity for this specific patent in 2026 at this time.