Assignment history

Inventors

• Jared Oehring (US Well Services LLC)
• Brandon Hinderliter (US Well Services LLC)
• Lon Robinson (US Well Services LLC)
• Alexander James Christinzio (US Well Services LLC)

Original assignee

The original assignee, US Well Services LLC, is an operating company in the hydraulic fracturing industry. They provide electric fracturing pumps and related services. Their current status is active.

Assignment timeline

• 2021-05-17 (executed) / recorded 2021-05-17 — Reel 059173/0748
  • Conveyance: Assignment
  • Assignor: CHRISTINZIO, Alexander James; ROBINSON, LON; OEHRING, JARED; HINDERLITER, BRANDON
  • Assignee: U.S. Well Services, LLC
  • Correspondent: MCDONALD, WILLIAM K.; CONLEY ROSE, P.C.
  • Context: Original assignment from inventors to operating company
• 2021-06-30 (executed) / recorded 2021-07-06 — Reel 059345/0547
  • Conveyance: Security Interest
  • Assignor: U.S. Well Services, LLC
  • Assignee: WILMINGTON SAVINGS FUND SOCIETY, FSB
  • Correspondent: BRUNSWICK, Seth; KATTEN MUCHIN ROSENMAN LLP
  • Context: Securitization
• 2022-11-02 (executed) / recorded 2022-11-09 — Reel 061614/0594
  • Conveyance: Security Interest
  • Assignor: U.S. Well Services, LLC
  • Assignee: PIPER SANDLER FINANCE LLC
  • Correspondent: KAUFMAN, KEVIN B; KATTEN MUCHIN ROSENMAN LLP. This correspondent appeared previously in this chain.
  • Context: Securitization
• 2022-12-16 (executed) / recorded 2022-12-22 — Reel 061803/0651
  • Conveyance: Security Interest
  • Assignor: U.S. WELL SERVICE HOLDINGS, LLC; U.S. Well Services, LLC; USWS FLEET 10, LLC; USWS FLEET 11, LLC; USWS HOLDINGS LLC
  • Assignee: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
  • Correspondent: KAUFMAN, KEVIN B; KATTEN MUCHIN ROSENMAN LLP. This correspondent appeared previously in this chain.
  • Context: Securitization
• 2023-12-21 (executed) / recorded 2023-12-28 — Reel 063687/0348
  • Conveyance: Release
  • Assignor: WILMINGTON SAVINGS FUND SOCIETY, FSB, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
  • Assignee: U.S. Well Services, LLC
  • Correspondent: BRUNSWICK, Seth; KATTEN MUCHIN ROSENMAN LLP. This correspondent appeared previously in this chain.
  • Context: Release of security interest
• 2024-01-03 (executed) / recorded 2024-01-09 — Reel 063738/0925
  • Conveyance: Security Agreement
  • Assignor: BEST PUMP AND FLOW, LLC; FTS INTERNATIONAL SERVICES, LLC; PROFRAC SERVICES, LLC; U.S. WELL SERVICES HOLDINGS, LLC; U.S. Well Services, LLC
  • Assignee: U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
  • Correspondent: KAUFMAN, KEVIN B; KATTEN MUCHIN ROSENMAN LLP. This correspondent appeared previously in this chain.
  • Context: Securitization

Timeline diagram

timeline
    title Ownership of US 11668420
    2021 : Inventors assigned to US Well Services LLC
         : Security interest to Wilmington Savings
    2022 : Security interest to Piper Sandler
         : Security interest to JPMorgan Chase
    2023 : Wilmington Savings releases interest
    2024 : Security interest to US Bank Trust Co

NPE / troll-pattern signals

1. Shell-entity transfer — not present. The patent has remained with the original operating company, US Well Services LLC, or has been part of security agreements related to their operations.
2. Known asserter in the chain — not present. U.S. Well Services, LLC is an operating company, and the other entities in the chain are financial institutions involved in security agreements.
3. Repeat correspondent across the chain — present. Kevin B. Kaufman of Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP appears as the correspondent for multiple security interest recordings (Reel 061614/0594, Reel 061803/0651, and Reel 063738/0925). Seth Brunswick of Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP also appears twice (Reel 059345/0547 and Reel 063687/0348).
4. Cascading transfers — not present. While there are multiple security interest recordings within a short timeframe, these are not transfers of ownership but rather financial agreements.
5. Pre-litigation transfer — unclear. The first infringement suit was filed in 2025 (case 2:25-cv-00522-JRG-RSP). The last recorded assignment was a security agreement in January 2024 (Reel 063738/0925), which is more than 6 months prior to the June 2025 filing. However, the exact date of the first infringement suit being filed is not definitively established as June 2025 for this patent specifically, but rather a proposed docket control order was filed in June 2025.
6. Bankruptcy fire-sale — not present. There is no indication of U.S. Well Services, LLC undergoing bankruptcy proceedings leading to a patent sale.
7. Privateering — not present. The patent remains with the operating company.
8. Defensive aggregator (anti-NPE) — not present. The chain does not end at a defensive aggregator.

Verdict

Operating-company assertion The patent remains under the ownership of U.S. Well Services, LLC, an operating company that manufactures and provides hydraulic fracturing systems. The litigation activity is by the operating company against alleged competitors, which is typical for operating company assertions. The recorded assignments primarily reflect security interests with financial institutions rather than transfers to shell entities for licensing purposes.

USPTO Assignment Center search page: https://assignmentcenter.uspto.gov/