Assignment history

Inventors

• Michael J. Berardi: Employer at time of filing: Telebrands Corp. (implied by original assignee).

Original assignee

The original assignee named on the issued patent US11608915 is Telebrands Corp. They are a direct response marketing company known for "As Seen on TV" products, including expandable hoses such as the "Pocket Hose," which embodies the claims of this patent. Telebrands Corp. was founded in 1983 and is currently operating.

Assignment timeline

• 2021-02-24 (executed) / recorded 2021-03-01 — Reel 055375/0288

  • Conveyance: Assignment
  • Assignor: BERARDI, MICHAEL J.
  • Assignee: BLUE GENTIAN, LLC
  • Correspondent: BRENTON A. PALMER, ESQ. LAW OFFICE OF BRENTON A. PALMER, 8683 S. EASTERN AVE., SUITE 105, #118, LAS VEGAS, NV 89123. This correspondent recurs in this chain.
  • Context: Inventor assigned rights to an LLC.

• 2021-02-24 (executed) / recorded 2021-03-01 — Reel 055375/0289

  • Conveyance: Assignment
  • Assignor: BLUE GENTIAN, LLC
  • Assignee: TELEBRANDS CORP.
  • Correspondent: BRENTON A. PALMER, ESQ. LAW OFFICE OF BRENTON A. PALMER, 8683 S. EASTERN AVE., SUITE 105, #118, LAS VEGAS, NV 89123. This correspondent recurs in this chain.
  • Context: Transfer from an LLC to the operating company.

• 2023-08-03 (executed) / recorded 2023-08-16 — Reel 058869/0635

  • Conveyance: Assignment
  • Assignor: RAGNER, GARY DEAN
  • Assignee: RAGNER TECHNOLOGY CORP.
  • Correspondent: BRENTON A. PALMER, ESQ. LAW OFFICE OF BRENTON A. PALMER, 8683 S. EASTERN AVE., SUITE 105, #118, LAS VEGAS, NV 89123. This correspondent recurs in this chain.
  • Context: Inventor assigned rights to an LLC as part of the broader patent family ownership.

• 2023-09-27 (executed) / recorded 2023-10-10 — Reel 059409/0179

  • Conveyance: Assignment
  • Assignor: RAGNER TECHNOLOGY CORP.
  • Assignee: TELEBRANDS CORP.
  • Correspondent: BRENTON A. PALMER, ESQ. LAW OFFICE OF BRENTON A. PALMER, 8683 S. EASTERN AVE., SUITE 105, #118, LAS VEGAS, NV 89123. This correspondent recurs in this chain.
  • Context: Transfer from an LLC to the operating company.

Timeline diagram

timeline
    title Ownership of US 11608915
    2011 : Priority Date
    2021 : Berardi to Blue Gentian LLC
         : Blue Gentian LLC to Telebrands
    2023 : Ragner to Ragner Technology Corp
         : Ragner Technology Corp to Telebrands

NPE / troll-pattern signals

1. Shell-entity transfer — Present. The transfers from Michael J. Berardi to BLUE GENTIAN, LLC (Reel 055375/0288) and from Gary Dean Ragner to RAGNER TECHNOLOGY CORP. (Reel 058869/0635) involve intermediate LLCs that appear to be shell entities, as they immediately or quickly transferred the patent rights to the operating company, Telebrands Corp., on the same day or shortly thereafter (Reel 055375/0289 and Reel 059409/0179).
2. Known asserter in the chain — Not present (for traditional NPEs). Telebrands Corp. is an operating company that manufactures and sells products embodying the patented technology. While they are involved in patent litigation as a plaintiff, they do not fit the profile of a traditional NPE or "patent troll."
3. Repeat correspondent across the chain — Present. BRENTON A. PALMER, ESQ. of LAW OFFICE OF BRENTON A. PALMER, 8683 S. EASTERN AVE., SUITE 105, #118, LAS VEGAS, NV 89123, is the correspondent of record for all four assignments (Reel 055375/0288, 055375/0289, 058869/0635, and 059409/0179).
4. Cascading transfers — Present. There are two instances of rapid, consecutive transfers:
   • On 2021-02-24, Michael J. Berardi assigned to Blue Gentian, LLC, which then assigned to Telebrands Corp. (Reel 055375/0288 and 055375/0289).
   • Gary Dean Ragner assigned to Ragner Technology Corp. on 2023-08-03, and Ragner Technology Corp. assigned to Telebrands Corp. on 2023-09-27 (Reel 058869/0635 and 059409/0179).
5. Pre-litigation transfer — Unclear. The patent was issued on 2023-03-21. The latest assignments to Telebrands Corp. from Ragner Technology Corp. were executed in August and September 2023 (Reel 058869/0635, 059409/0179). The critical litigation in the Ohio Northern District Court (1:23-cv-00631) was filed in 2023, but the exact filing date is not provided to determine if these assignments occurred within 6 months prior to the suit. The 2021 assignments to Telebrands Corp. (Reel 055375/0289) clearly predate any known litigation for this specific patent.
6. Bankruptcy fire-sale — Not present. Telebrands Corp. is actively operating.
7. Privateering — Unclear. There is no explicit evidence to suggest Telebrands Corp. is asserting this patent on behalf of another operating company.
8. Defensive aggregator (anti-NPE) — Not present. The patent is currently held by an operating company.

Verdict

Operating-company assertion. Telebrands Corp. is an active operating company that manufactures and sells products, specifically "Pocket Hose" expandable hoses, which embody the claims of US11608915. The identified litigation activity (e.g., Ohio Northern District Court case 1:23-cv-00631) shows Telebrands Corp. as the plaintiff. While there are shell-entity transfers (Reel 055375/0288, 055375/0289, 058869/0635, 059409/0179) and a repeat correspondent in the assignment chain, these patterns, in this context, suggest internal corporate or patent family structuring rather than a typical NPE model, as the patent consistently lands with and is asserted by an operating entity selling related products.

USPTO Assignment Center search for US11608915