Assignment history

Inventors

• James A. Proctor, Jr. (Likely affiliated with Proxicom Wireless LLC at the time of the underlying application's priority date of 2008-09-08, given he is also the registered agent for Proxicom Wireless LLC)
• James Arthur Proctor, III (Likely affiliated with Proxicom Wireless LLC at the time of the underlying application's priority date of 2008-09-08)

No unusual patterns suggesting immediate departure of inventors were observed based on the available information.

Original assignee

The original assignee named on the issued patent US11687971 is Proxicom Wireless LLC.

Proxicom Wireless LLC previously litigated patents from this portfolio between January 2018 and June 2020 against Macy's and Target, focusing on in-store "beacon technology" systems. They described themselves as a "small father and son operation" dependent on the legal system to enforce its rights. Proxicom Wireless, LLC is registered as an active Florida Limited Liability Company. While they engaged in litigation, the information does not definitively state that they "shipped a product embodying the claims." Their primary line of business, as inferred from litigation and patent claims, appears to be related to wireless communication and beacon technology.

Assignment timeline

USPTO Assignment Search for Patent 11687971

• 2024-03-22 (executed) / recorded 2024-04-10 — Reel 055006/0674

  • Conveyance: Assignment
  • Assignor: PROXICOM WIRELESS LLC
  • Assignee: SECURE COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES LLC
  • Correspondent: GREGORY A. NELSON, NELSON BUMGARDNER CONROY P.C., P.O. BOX 1585, LONGVIEW, TX 75606. This correspondent and firm are known to represent entities involved in patent assertion.
  • Context: Transfer-to-asserter (transfer of 16 issued US patents to a Texas entity formed in January 2024, which then sued Samsung)

• 2025-06-25 (executed) / recorded 2025-07-15 — Reel 057997/0651

  • Conveyance: Assignment
  • Assignor: PROXICOM WIRELESS LLC
  • Assignee: SECURE COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES LLC
  • Correspondent: GREGORY A. NELSON, NELSON BUMGARDNER CONROY P.C., P.O. BOX 1585, LONGVIEW, TX 75606. This correspondent and firm are known to represent entities involved in patent assertion.
  • Context: Confirmatory assignment or transfer-to-asserter (this appears to be a second assignment from the same assignor to the same assignee, potentially for clarity or to include additional assets, aligning with the earlier transfer).

Timeline diagram

timeline
    title Ownership of US 11687971
    2008 : Priority date
    2022 : Application filed by Proxicom Wireless LLC
    2023 : Patent issued to Proxicom Wireless LLC
    2024 : Assigned to Secure Communication Technologies LLC
    2025 : Assigned to Secure Communication Technologies LLC

NPE / troll-pattern signals

1. Shell-entity transfer — Present.

   • The patent moved from Proxicom Wireless LLC (a "small father and son operation" that previously litigated using this portfolio) to Secure Communication Technologies LLC.
   • Secure Communication Technologies LLC is a Texas entity formed on January 12, 2024. It launched its first campaign shortly after acquiring patents in April 2024, suing Samsung for infringement. This entity appears to be a licensing-only LLC with no indication of product sales.
   • Evidence: Reel 055006/0674 (executed 2024-03-22 / recorded 2024-04-10) and Reel 057997/0651 (executed 2025-06-25 / recorded 2025-07-15).

2. Known asserter in the chain — Present.

   • Secure Communication Technologies LLC has been noted by RPX (a provider of patent risk solutions) as a new plaintiff launching its first campaign shortly after acquiring patents. This clearly identifies it as a patent asserter. The manager of Secure Communication Technologies LLC, Eric M. Albritton, is associated with forming multiple other Texas entities, a pattern often seen with NPEs.
   • Evidence: Reel 055006/0674 (executed 2024-03-22 / recorded 2024-04-10) and Reel 057997/0651 (executed 2025-06-25 / recorded 2025-07-15). Google search results confirming Secure Communication Technologies LLC's litigation activity against Samsung shortly after acquisition.

3. Repeat correspondent across the chain — Present.

   • Gregory A. Nelson of Nelson Bumgardner Conroy P.C. is listed as the correspondent for both assignments to Secure Communication Technologies LLC. This firm is known to represent entities involved in patent assertion.
   • Evidence: Reel 055006/0674 (executed 2024-03-22 / recorded 2024-04-10) and Reel 057997/0651 (executed 2025-06-25 / recorded 2025-07-15).

4. Cascading transfers — Unclear.

   • There are two transfers from Proxicom Wireless LLC to Secure Communication Technologies LLC within a relatively short period (2024-2025). However, these appear to be from the same assignor to the same assignee, rather than a chain through different LLCs. It could be seen as a form of "cascading" if the later assignment was to correct or expand the scope of the prior, but it's not the typical pattern of multiple shell LLCs.

5. Pre-litigation transfer — Present.

   • The patent was assigned to Secure Communication Technologies LLC in April 2024 (recorded 2024-04-10). Secure Communication Technologies LLC then sued Samsung, accusing infringement, in a campaign launched shortly after the April 2024 transfer.
   • Evidence: Reel 055006/0674 (executed 2024-03-22 / recorded 2024-04-10) and Google search results indicating litigation filed in 2024.

6. Bankruptcy fire-sale — Not present.

   • There is no indication of Proxicom Wireless LLC filing for bankruptcy. Proxicom Wireless, LLC is listed as "Active" with the Florida Division of Corporations.

7. Privateering — Unclear.

   • While Proxicom Wireless LLC previously litigated patents, and the current assignee, Secure Communication Technologies LLC, is an asserter, there's no explicit evidence or SEC filing indicating a privateering arrangement where Proxicom Wireless LLC (or a successor operating company) transferred to Secure Communication Technologies LLC to assert on its behalf against competitors. Proxicom Wireless LLC itself acted as an asserter.

8. Defensive aggregator (anti-NPE) — Not present.

   • The chain ends with Secure Communication Technologies LLC, which is an asserter, not a defensive aggregator.

Verdict

NPE — high confidence

This verdict is justified by multiple strong signals. The transfer from Proxicom Wireless LLC to Secure Communication Technologies LLC (Reel 055006/0674, recorded 2024-04-10; Reel 057997/0651, recorded 2025-07-15) indicates a shell-entity transfer to a known asserter (Secure Communication Technologies LLC has been identified by RPX as a new plaintiff, and its manager is associated with multiple other assertion entities). Furthermore, the assignments employed a repeat correspondent, Gregory A. Nelson, known to represent patent assertion entities, and the transfer was clearly a pre-litigation transfer, preceding a lawsuit against Samsung shortly after the April 2024 assignment.

For verification, see USPTO Assignment Center search for patent 11687971: https://assignmentcenter.uspto.gov/patent/index.html