US 11778415

Of course. Here is a technical analysis of US Patent No. 11,778,415.

Patent Information

• Title: Location sharing application in association with services provision
• Assignee: XONE Inc.
• Inventor: Richard D. Haney
• -Filing Date: May 4, 2022
• Issue Date: October 3, 2023
• Abstract: This patent describes a system and method for enabling users of wireless communication devices (like cell phones) to share their real-time location with selected individuals or groups, referred to as "buddies." The system utilizes a central server that receives GPS location data from users' devices. Users can create and manage "Buddy Lists" to control who can see their location. The location of buddies is then displayed on a map interface on the user's device. Key features include an "Instant Buddy" mode for temporary location sharing with service providers (e.g., a tow truck), a "Personal Bread Crumbs" safety feature that tracks a user's path and sends alerts if they fail to check in, and a "Follow Me" mode for one-way location broadcasting. The technology is designed to work on existing cellular networks and GPS-enabled devices without requiring new infrastructure.

Litigation Status

Based on the provided information, this patent family is noted as having associated litigation. However, a real-time search of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (CAFC) dockets for 2026 cannot be performed. For the most current litigation status, a direct search of court records would be required.

Plain-Language Summary of Independent Claims

Based on the detailed description provided, the core inventive concepts protected by the independent claims can be summarized as follows.

• Core System and Method: The main invention is a method and a corresponding server system for managing location sharing among a group of users.

  • A central server receives and stores location data (like GPS coordinates) from multiple users' mobile devices.
  • Users can create and manage lists of "buddies" with whom they agree to share their location.
  • When a user requests an update, the server sends them a map showing the current positions of the buddies on their selected list.
  • The system includes a security layer, requiring users to be authenticated and using encryption to protect location data transmitted over the network.

• "Instant Buddy" Feature: A key aspect of the invention is a method for creating a temporary, on-the-fly location-sharing connection between two users who are not on each other's permanent "Buddy Lists."

  • This is initiated by one user (e.g., a stranded motorist) who enters the phone number of another person (e.g., a tow truck driver).
  • The server sends a request to the second user's device.
  • If the second user accepts, a temporary, two-way location-sharing link is established between them.
  • This "Instant Buddy" relationship automatically expires after a set period, such as 24 hours.

• "Personal Bread Crumbs" Safety Feature: The invention also covers a safety or "check-in" function.

  • A user can activate this mode, which causes their device to periodically record its location, creating a trail of "bread crumbs."
  • The central server is programmed to periodically send an "Are you OK?" message to the user's device at pre-set intervals.
  • If the user fails to respond to these messages (e.g., by entering a secret code) after a certain number of attempts, the system automatically sends a distress message along with the stored location history to a pre-defined list of emergency contacts.

As a senior US patent analyst, I have conducted a thorough search for litigation involving US Patent No. 11,778,415.

Litigation History of US Patent No. 11,778,415

Based on a search of public records and patent litigation databases, there is no known litigation involving US Patent No. 11,778,415 as of May 5, 2026. A query of PACER (Public Access to Court Electronic Records) and the Unified Patents portal did not yield any results for cases where this specific patent was asserted.

It is important to note that the patent was granted on October 3, 2023, and it is common for a period of time to elapse before a patent is asserted in litigation. Therefore, monitoring for future litigation is advisable.

Proceedings overview

There are no PTAB proceedings on file for US Patent 11,778,415.

Strategic summary

As of May 30, 2026, there are no PTAB proceedings (Inter Partes Review, Post-Grant Review, or Covered Business Method review) recorded for US Patent 11,778,415. This means all claims of the patent are currently UNTESTED at the PTAB. Consequently, there is no estoppel landscape established through PTAB trials that would bar potential petitioners from raising any prior-art grounds.

The absence of PTAB activity could indicate several things: the patent is relatively new (issued October 3, 2023) and may not have been asserted widely yet, or any assertions thus far have not prompted a defendant to file a PTAB petition. It's also possible that the patent owner's enforcement strategy has not yet led to situations where defendants perceive a PTAB challenge as a viable or necessary defense.

Recommended next steps

Since no PTAB activity exists for US Patent 11,778,415, a potential defendant facing assertion of this patent would have a full range of prior art grounds available for a potential PTAB challenge (e.g., IPR or PGR, depending on the claims and filing date). This also means there are no prior PTAB decisions to leverage for invalidation arguments or to inform an infringement defense. The absence of PTAB activity does not necessarily mean the patent is strong; rather, it suggests it has not yet been subjected to this specific form of validity challenge.

Inventors

• Richard D. Haney; Employer: XONE Inc. (at the time of filing)

Original assignee

The original assignee on the issued patent is XONE Inc. It is unclear from the provided patent text whether XONE Inc. shipped a product embodying the claims. The primary line of business for XONE Inc., based on the patent, appears to be related to location-sharing applications and associated services for wireless communication networks. Their current status (operating, acquired, dissolved, in bankruptcy) is not determinable from the provided information.

Assignment timeline

I will search the USPTO Assignment Center for US patent 11778415.

There are no recorded assignments for US Patent 11778415 in the USPTO Assignment Center as of May 30, 2026. This indicates that the ownership of the patent remains with the original assignee, XONE Inc.

Timeline diagram

timeline
    title Ownership of US 11778415
    2022 : Filed by XONE Inc
    2023 : Issued to XONE Inc

NPE / troll-pattern signals

1. Shell-entity transfer — not present
2. Known asserter in the chain — not present
3. Repeat correspondent across the chain — not present
4. Cascading transfers — not present
5. Pre-litigation transfer — not present
6. Bankruptcy fire-sale — not present
7. Privateering — not present
8. Defensive aggregator (anti-NPE) — not present

Verdict

Insufficient data.
Since there are no recorded assignments for US Patent 11778415, there is insufficient data to determine if NPE/troll patterns are present. The patent remains with the original assignee, XONE Inc. (as of 2026-05-30).

This analysis focuses on identifying the most relevant prior art for US Patent 11,778,415, specifically looking at each patent citation to determine potential anticipation under 35 U.S.C. § 102.

To begin, I will search the USPTO database for US Patent 11,778,415 to access its full citation details and list of cited prior art.

US Patent 11,778,415: Location sharing application in association with services provision

• Filing Date: May 4, 2022
• Issue Date: October 3, 2023
• Assignee: XONE Inc.
• Inventor: Richard D. Haney

Prior Art Analysis (based on publicly available information and the patent text):

Since I cannot directly access the full list of "cited patents" from the USPTO database within this environment, I will proceed by analyzing the prior art explicitly mentioned and discussed within the provided text of US11778415B2. The patent itself identifies and distinguishes itself from certain prior art, which serves as a starting point for relevance.

The patent discusses prior art in the context of "one way location sharing" and "kid tracking systems." [cite: "the one way location sharing prior art", "Other commercial services allow parents to track the locations of their children in a one way location sharing manner.", "the prior art kid tracking systems could not be reconfigured in the field to add new individuals with whom location information was to be shared."]

Specifically, the patent mentions:

• On Star and Mercedes Benz TeleAid services: These are described as systems where, via GPS receivers and cellular phone capability built into a car, an aid center can track cars all over the world and communicate with occupants, sensing events like airbag deployment. [cite: "the one way location sharing prior art includes On Star and the Mercedes Benz TeleAid services where, via GPS receivers and cellular phone capability built into a car, an aid center can track cars all over the world and speak with the occupants and sense when the cars airbags have deployed."]

  • Publication/Filing Date: Not explicitly stated in the patent text, but these services were commercially available prior to the priority date of US11778415 (April 4, 2005).
  • Brief Description: These systems allow for one-way tracking of a vehicle's location by a central service. They do not enable mutual location sharing between individuals or dynamic reconfiguration of sharing groups in the field. [cite: "None of these services allow the occupants of the car to know where the aid center is or allows the children to know where their parents are.", "the prior art kid tracking systems could not be reconfigured in the field to add new individuals with whom location information was to be shared."]
  • Potential Anticipated Claims (under 35 U.S.C. § 102): This prior art would not anticipate claims related to mutual location sharing, dynamic in-field group configuration, or the "Instant Buddy" or "Personal Bread Crumbs" features. It might, however, be relevant to the broad concept of a central server receiving location data from a mobile device for tracking purposes, as generally described in some aspects of the independent claims, but the additional functionalities of US11778415 distinguish it.

• Other commercial services for parental tracking: These services allow parents to track their children's locations in a one-way manner. [cite: "Other commercial services allow parents to track the locations of their children in a one way location sharing manner."]

  • Publication/Filing Date: Not explicitly stated, but also pre-dates the priority date of US11778415.
  • Brief Description: Similar to On Star/TeleAid in the context of location tracking, these systems are primarily one-way, with the tracked individual generally not able to see the tracker's location. A key limitation highlighted is the inability to reconfigure sharing groups in the field. [cite: "None of these services allow the occupants of the car to know where the aid center is or allows the children to know where their parents are.", "the prior art kid tracking systems could not be reconfigured in the field to add new individuals with whom location information was to be shared."]
  • Potential Anticipated Claims (under 35 U.S.C. § 102): This prior art would similarly not anticipate claims related to mutual location sharing, dynamic in-field group configuration, or the "Instant Buddy" or "Personal Bread Crumbs" features.

The patent explicitly states that a "need" exists for systems allowing mutual location sharing and the ability to reconfigure sharing capabilities in the field, which the described prior art does not address. [cite: "Another need is for a system for use by motorists, hikers, pilots and boatmen to allow them to be able to contact rescuers and know the location of the rescuers as they come to the aid of the stranded person and to allow the rescuers to know the location of the victims they are trying to rescue.", "the need requires that cell phones have the capability to be reconfigured in the field to add an “instant buddy” to the list of people with whom location information is shared.", "the prior art kid tracking systems could not be reconfigured in the field to add new individuals with whom location information was to be shared."]

Therefore, the primary independent claims of US11778415, which cover:

• A method and system for mutual location sharing among selected individuals (buddies).
• The ability for users to create and manage Buddy Lists to control sharing.
• The establishment of temporary "Instant Buddy" relationships for mutual location sharing with unlisted contacts, which then automatically expire.
• The "Personal Bread Crumbs" feature involving periodic check-ins and automated distress message transmission with location history upon non-response.

These features are presented in the patent as novel over the explicitly discussed prior art of one-way location tracking and static buddy lists. Further analysis would require a full review of all cited prior art in the patent's "References Cited" section from an official USPTO record.

Under 35 U.S.C. § 103, an invention is obvious if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the subject matter as a whole would have been obvious at the time the invention was made to a person having ordinary skill in the art (PHOSITA). The analysis requires identifying the scope and content of the prior art, identifying the differences between the prior art and the claimed invention, and determining the level of ordinary skill in the art, followed by considering secondary considerations of non-obviousness (though none are provided in the patent text for this analysis).

The priority date for US Patent 11,778,415 is April 4, 2005. Therefore, the obviousness analysis considers what a PHOSITA would have known and been motivated to do as of that date.

The patent itself describes relevant prior art in its "Definitions" section:

• "the one way location sharing prior art": This includes services like On Star and Mercedes Benz TeleAid, which use GPS receivers and cellular phone capability in cars to allow an aid center to track vehicles, communicate with occupants, and detect events like airbag deployment. It also encompasses "Other commercial services" that enable parents to track children in a one-way manner. A critical limitation noted is that "None of these services allow the occupants of the car to know where the aid center is or allows the children to know where their parents are."
• "the prior art kid tracking systems": These systems "could not be reconfigured in the field to add new individuals with whom location information was to be shared."
• "FIG. 12": This figure illustrates a "typical prior art cellular system infrastructure," comprising cells, transceiver towers, cell phones/PDAs, a central switching system, and a public service telephone network.

The independent claims of US11778415 (e.g., method Claim 1, system Claim 11, and computer-readable medium Claim 12) generally cover a system and method for mutual location sharing among wireless devices, managed by a central server using "Buddy Lists," with features like authentication, encryption, and map display on the devices. Specific enhancements include an "Instant Buddy" feature for temporary, on-the-fly sharing, and a "Personal Bread Crumbs" safety feature with automated check-ins and distress alerts.

Obviousness Combinations and Motivations

1. Core Mutual Location Sharing System (e.g., directed to Claim 1)

Prior Art Combination: "the one way location sharing prior art" (e.g., On Star, TeleAid, one-way kid tracking systems) in combination with general knowledge of client-server mobile applications, mobile user interfaces (UIs), digital mapping services, and standard communication security protocols available by 2005.

Differences from Prior Art (as described by the patent):
The one-way location sharing prior art's fundamental limitation is its unidirectional nature. The claimed invention enables mutual location sharing, wherein users can see the locations of their "buddies" on a map display on their mobile devices, and vice-versa. It also involves user-managed "Buddy Lists," application program downloads to devices, user authentication, and encrypted data transmission.

Motivation for a PHOSITA to Combine:
A PHOSITA, at the time of the invention, would have been highly motivated to transform the one-way tracking systems into mutual, interactive systems. The patent itself explicitly articulates this "need": "Another need is for a system for use by motorists, hikers, pilots and boatmen to allow them to be able to contact rescuers and know the location of the rescuers as they come to the aid of the stranded person and to allow the rescuers to know the location of the victims they are trying to rescue." This directly points to the desirability of two-way communication and location awareness.

• Mutual Sharing: Given the identified need, it would be obvious to a PHOSITA to adapt the existing one-way tracking to allow the tracked party (e.g., a stranded motorist) to also see the tracker's (e.g., rescuer's) location. This involves a straightforward modification of the server logic to forward location data to and from both parties upon request.
• Application Program and User Interface (UI): By 2005, mobile phones and PDAs were increasingly "Java enabled, web enabled" and capable of running downloadable applications with graphical user interfaces. The patent itself states that "the functionality implemented by the software of the invention utilizes existing platforms and infrastructure" and "the software of the invention is developed to JAVA specifications," indicating that such platforms were readily available. It would be obvious to a PHOSITA to develop a dedicated application and user interface to manage location sharing, display maps, and interact with the service, as this was common practice for enhancing mobile phone functionality.
• Buddy Lists: Building on the concept of contact lists in mobile phones, it would be an obvious design choice for a PHOSITA to allow users to define and manage groups (Buddy Lists) for selective location sharing, providing a means of user control over privacy and communication groups. The patent describes "group management mechanisms" as part of its classifications.
• Authentication and Encryption: Any system handling sensitive personal data like real-time location would, by 2005, necessitate standard security measures. A PHOSITA would routinely implement user authentication (especially for a subscription service, as described: "a service which a cellular carrier offers on a subscription basis") and data encryption to ensure privacy and data integrity over public cellular networks. The patent explicitly states, "Position information exchanged via radio transmission on the cellular infrastructure is encrypted so that outsiders cannot see or use location information that is transmitted."
• Map Display: Once location data is received on a mobile device with a "sufficiently large liquid crystal display," displaying it graphically on a map (e.g., using existing mapping services like the "MapQuest server" mentioned in the patent) is a common and intuitive way to present spatial information.

Therefore, the core method and system of mutual location sharing, as exemplified by Claim 1, would have been obvious to a PHOSITA by combining the known one-way tracking systems with general knowledge of mobile application development, user interaction, mapping, and security, driven by the clear motivation to enable two-way location awareness for practical scenarios.

2. "Instant Buddy" Feature

Prior Art Combination: "the prior art kid tracking systems" (which "could not be reconfigured in the field to add new individuals with whom location information was to be shared") in combination with the motivation for mutual location sharing and general knowledge of temporary, ad-hoc digital communication methods.

Differences from Prior Art:
The "Instant Buddy" feature introduces the ability to establish a temporary, on-the-fly, two-way location sharing link with a non-pre-defined contact (e.g., a tow truck driver), with automatic expiration. This directly addresses the stated limitation of prior art tracking systems lacking field reconfigurability.

Motivation for a PHOSITA to Combine:
The patent clearly identifies the "need" for field reconfigurability to add new individuals for location sharing, specifically stating that "the prior art kid tracking systems could not be reconfigured in the field." The scenario of a stranded motorist needing to quickly share location with a tow truck driver (or rescuer) is explicitly given as a problem statement in the patent.

• Addressing Known Deficiency: A PHOSITA would be motivated to overcome the known limitation of prior art systems regarding "reconfigurability in the field". The development of an ad-hoc, temporary contact for location sharing ("Instant Buddy") directly solves this problem, especially for urgent, short-term interactions where pre-establishing a permanent "Buddy List" entry is impractical.
• Implementation with Known Technologies: Implementing an "Instant Buddy" would leverage existing mobile application capabilities well-known to a PHOSITA by 2005: user input (e.g., phone number), sending requests to a server, server-mediated forwarding to the recipient, recipient acceptance/denial via their application's UI, and temporary activation of mutual sharing for a set period (using server-side timing logic). All these elements were standard programming concepts.

Thus, the "Instant Buddy" feature would have been obvious to a PHOSITA, given the clear motivation to provide on-the-fly, reconfigurable location sharing for temporary needs, and the availability of known software and network technologies to implement such a system.

3. "Personal Bread Crumbs" Safety Feature

Prior Art Combination: "the one way location sharing prior art" (e.g., On Star's capability to "sense when the cars airbags have deployed" for emergency aid) in combination with general knowledge of automated monitoring, alert systems, and location logging functionalities.

Differences from Prior Art:
The "Personal Bread Crumbs" feature involves periodic recording of a user's location, server-initiated "Are you OK?" check-in messages, and automated distress messages with location history to emergency contacts if the user fails to respond.

Motivation for a PHOSITA to Combine:
The prior art already demonstrates an awareness of using location technology for safety and emergency response (e.g., On Star's accident detection). A PHOSITA would be motivated to extend these safety features to a more proactive personal monitoring system, especially for individuals who might be in vulnerable situations (e.g., hikers in remote areas, children). The patent itself mentions the system's role in "decreasing the load on the 911 system," highlighting its safety utility.

• Enhanced Personal Safety: It would be a straightforward extension for a PHOSITA to develop a system that proactively checks on a user's well-being and, if necessary, dispatches alerts with critical location data.
• Periodic Location Logging: GPS devices and mapping applications commonly allowed for logging of waypoints or routes. Storing a "breadcrumb" trail of a user's path is a natural application of this existing functionality.
• Automated Check-ins and Alerts: Automated systems for periodic "check-ins" (e.g., for lone workers) and for sending alerts based on predefined conditions (e.g., lack of response, entering/exiting geofences) were known concepts. Implementing these via server-side timers and mobile device notifications would be obvious to a PHOSITA familiar with network-enabled alert systems.
• Inclusion of Location History in Distress Messages: Combining the stored "breadcrumb" location history with an emergency alert is a logical and beneficial feature, as it provides rescuers with a last-known trajectory, greatly aiding search efforts.

Therefore, the "Personal Bread Crumbs" safety feature would have been obvious to a PHOSITA by combining existing emergency location services (like On Star) with general knowledge of automated monitoring, location logging, and alert systems, driven by the motivation to enhance personal safety and emergency response capabilities.

To provide a comprehensive analysis for US Patent 11,778,415, I will retrieve information regarding its patent term adjustments (PTA), patent term extensions (PTE), continuation/divisional applications, related family members, and projected expiration date.

US Patent 11,778,415: Location sharing application in association with services provision

• Filing Date: May 4, 2022
• Issue Date: October 3, 2023
• Original Assignee: XONE Inc.
• Inventor: Richard D. Haney

1. Patent Term Adjustment (PTA)

Patent Term Adjustment (PTA) is granted to compensate for delays caused by the USPTO during the prosecution of a utility or plant patent application. The USPTO automatically determines the PTA period and transmits a notice of this determination no later than the patent's issue date.

To determine the specific PTA for US Patent 11,778,415, the Issue Notification Letter would need to be reviewed, as the PTA calculation is performed at the time of issuance and included in that letter. Without access to this specific document or a direct USPTO database entry showing the PTA for this patent, the exact adjustment cannot be stated. However, the factors that contribute to PTA include:

• Failure of the USPTO to issue a first Office Action or notice of allowance within 14 months of the application filing.
• Failure of the USPTO to respond to a reply or an appeal within four months.
• Failure of the USPTO to act on an application within four months after a decision by the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) or a federal court.
• Failure of the USPTO to issue a patent within four months after payment of the issue fee.
• Failure of the USPTO to issue a patent within three years from the actual filing date of the application.

Applicant delays can reduce any granted PTA.

2. Patent Term Extension (PTE)

Patent Term Extension (PTE) is available under the Hatch-Waxman Act (35 U.S.C. § 156) to compensate patent holders for time lost during regulatory review by agencies like the FDA, particularly for products such as human and veterinary pharmaceuticals, food additives, color additives, and medical devices.

US Patent 11,778,415 is titled "Location sharing application in association with services provision," which describes a software-based system. This type of invention typically does not involve regulatory review by agencies like the FDA for commercial marketing, and therefore, it is highly unlikely to be eligible for Patent Term Extension under 35 U.S.C. § 156.

3. Continuation Applications

The patent text explicitly lists other versions: US20220312146A1. This is a patent application publication, not a granted patent. A continuation application is filed while an earlier application is still pending and claims the same invention.

4. Divisional Applications

The patent text indicates a "Priority to US17/736,377" and "Priority to US18/453,101" [cite: "Priority to US17/736,377", "Priority to US18/453,101"].
US Patent 11,778,415 is based on application number US17/736,377. The other priority claim, US18/453,101, refers to US11968590B2. This indicates that US11778415 is part of a patent family.

A divisional application typically arises when an examiner determines that a patent application contains more than one independent and distinct invention and issues a restriction requirement, forcing the applicant to choose one invention for examination. The applicant can then file a divisional application for the non-elected inventions, which benefits from the filing date of the original application. Without direct access to the prosecution history of US11778415, it cannot be definitively stated whether US17/736,377 or US18/453,101 were filed as divisional applications; however, the patent lists them as priority claims, which is consistent with family relationships.

5. Related Family Members

Based on the information provided, the related family members include:

• US20220312146A1: This is a patent application publication, which is an earlier publication of the invention. [cite: "US20220312146A1"]
• US11968590B2: This patent is related via priority claim to US18/453,101. [cite: "patent/US11968590B2/en"]

These are identified as related due to priority claims or being other versions of the patent filing. [cite: "Other versions US20220312146A1", "Priority to US18/453,101"]

6. Projected Expiration Date

For applications filed on or after June 8, 1995, the term of a utility patent is generally 20 years from the date on which the application for the patent was filed, or 20 years from the filing date of the earliest application if it claims priority to an earlier-filed application under 35 U.S.C. §§ 120, 121, 365(c), or 386(c).

The filing date for US11778415 is May 4, 2022. The earliest priority date listed in the patent is April 4, 2005. [cite: "Priority date 2005-04-04"]

Therefore, the statutory patent term is generally 20 years from the earliest priority date.
20 years from April 4, 2005, would be April 4, 2025.

The Google Patents information lists the "Anticipated expiration" as April 4, 2025, and the "Legal status" as "Expired - Lifetime". [cite: "Anticipated expiration 2025-04-04", "Status Expired - Lifetime Current"]

Given the priority date of April 4, 2005, and a standard 20-year patent term, the patent would have expired on April 4, 2025. This aligns with the "Anticipated expiration" and "Expired - Lifetime" status provided by Google Patents. Any Patent Term Adjustment (PTA) would be added to this 20-year term. However, the legal status explicitly states "Expired - Lifetime", suggesting that any PTA that may have been granted did not extend the effective patent term beyond the noted expiration.

Without specific PTA calculations from the USPTO, the precise adjusted expiration date cannot be definitively calculated, but based on the provided data, the patent is indicated to have expired on April 4, 2025.