Assignment history

Inventors

The named inventor for US Patent 11316964 is Garin Toren. At the time of filing, Garin Toren was the assignor of his interest in the patent application to Messageloud LLC. It can be inferred that Garin Toren was the founder or an employee of Messageloud Inc. or Messageloud LLC, given the subsequent assignments.

Original assignee

The entity named on the issued patent as the original assignee is Messageloud Inc.. The patent describes a "messageLOUD®" application, indicating that Messageloud Inc. (or its related entities) ships a product embodying the claims. Their primary line of business, as described in the patent, is providing a method and system for delivering text messages, emails, and messenger application messages to users engaged in activities like driving, exercising, or working, primarily through voice announcements and limited gesture controls. As of today's date (2026-05-23), Messageloud Inc. appears to be an active operating company, as indicated by the "Active" legal status of the patent and ongoing litigation involving the company as a party.

Assignment timeline

• 2022-02-09 (executed) / recorded 2022-02-15 — Reel 059955/0827

  • Conveyance: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST
  • Assignor: TOREN, GARIN
  • Assignee: MESSAGELOUD LLC
  • Correspondent: MICHAEL CHEN, LAW OFFICE OF MICHAEL CHEN, 1770 TECHNOLOGY DRIVE, SUITE 470, SAN JOSE, CA 95110. This correspondent also appears on the subsequent assignment for this patent.
  • Context: Internal transfer of inventor's rights to an LLC.

• 2022-02-15 (executed) / recorded 2022-02-18 — Reel 060017/0951

  • Conveyance: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST
  • Assignor: MESSAGELOUD LLC
  • Assignee: MESSAGELOUD INC.
  • Correspondent: MICHAEL CHEN, LAW OFFICE OF MICHAEL CHEN, 1770 TECHNOLOGY DRIVE, SUITE 470, SAN JOSE, CA 95110. This correspondent also appeared on the preceding assignment for this patent.
  • Context: Internal reorganization or transfer between related corporate entities.

Timeline diagram

timeline
    title Ownership of US 11316964
    2021 : Application filed by Messageloud Inc
    2022 : Inventor assigned to Messageloud LLC
         : Messageloud LLC assigned to Messageloud Inc
         : Patent Issued
    2025 : IPR filed
         : DC suits filed TX W TX E
    2026 : IPR terminated

NPE / troll-pattern signals

1. Shell-entity transfer — Not present. The transfers are between an individual inventor, an LLC, and an Inc. entity, all bearing the "Messageloud" name, suggesting a continuity of ownership within a single operating business. The patent also explicitly describes a "messageLOUD®" application, indicating a product in commerce.

2. Known asserter in the chain — Not present. Neither Messageloud LLC nor Messageloud Inc. are identified as known NPEs in standard databases.

3. Repeat correspondent across the chain — Present. MICHAEL CHEN, LAW OFFICE OF MICHAEL CHEN (1770 TECHNOLOGY DRIVE, SUITE 470, SAN JOSE, CA 95110) appears as the correspondent for both recorded assignments (Reel 059955/0827 and Reel 060017/0951).

4. Cascading transfers — Present. There are two consecutive assignments (2022-02-09 and 2022-02-15 execution dates) within a short period (less than 24 months), involving entities with similar names (Messageloud LLC and Messageloud Inc.) and the same correspondent attorney.

5. Pre-litigation transfer — Unclear. The assignments occurred in February 2022, while district court litigation and the IPR were filed in 2025. This timeframe (more than two years between assignment and litigation) is not indicative of a pre-litigation transfer to enable assertion.

6. Bankruptcy fire-sale — Not present. There is no indication that the original assignee, Messageloud Inc., has filed for bankruptcy.

7. Privateering — Not present. There is no evidence from the assignment records or the patent text to suggest privateering.

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

Verdict

Operating-company assertion.
While there are signals like a repeat correspondent and cascading transfers (Reel 059955/0827 and Reel 060017/0951), these transfers occurred between closely named entities (Messageloud LLC and Messageloud Inc.) and the inventor, suggesting internal corporate structuring rather than a transfer to a shell entity. Messageloud Inc. is described in the patent as developing and operating the "messageLOUD®" application, indicating they are an operating company. The active litigation further supports assertion by the operating company.

For verification, refer to the USPTO Patent Assignment Search results for US11316964 at https://assignmentcenter.uspto.gov/patent-search-results?patentNumber=11316964.