US 11972423

US patent 11972423, titled "Method and system for presenting representations of payment accepting unit events," was issued to current assignee PayRange LLC on April 30, 2024, with a filing date of May 14, 2023. The sole inventor listed is Paresh K. Patel.

Abstract:
The patent describes a method for presenting representations of payment accepting unit events, performed by a mobile device. This method involves the mobile device obtaining a notification from a payment module via short-range communication, where the notification indicates an event at the associated payment accepting unit. The mobile device then provides a representation of this notification to its user through its output devices. The patent also covers a method for retrofitting an offline-payment operated machine to accept electronic payments. This retrofit involves a payment module receiving a transaction request, validating it, and then causing the offline-payment operated machine to perform the requested transaction. The patent further discloses a device and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium for implementing these methods.

Plain-Language Overview of Independent Claims:

• Independent Claim 1: Method of Presenting Representations of Payment Accepting Unit Events
  This claim describes a method executed by a mobile device. The method involves the mobile device receiving a notification from a payment module (which is connected to a payment accepting unit like a vending machine) through a short-range wireless connection (e.g., Bluetooth Low Energy or BLE). This notification conveys an event happening at the payment accepting unit. Subsequently, the mobile device displays, vibrates, or otherwise audibly alerts the user about this event.

• Independent Claim 10: Method of Retrofitting an Offline-Payment Operated Machine
  This claim focuses on a method carried out by a payment module, which is an adapter designed to connect to an offline-payment machine. The method includes the payment module receiving a transaction request from a mobile device via short-range communication. It then validates this request by communicating with a remote server using a long-range connection to ensure the mobile device is authorized to make a payment. If valid, the payment module sends a signal to the offline-payment machine's control unit to initiate the requested transaction (e.g., dispensing a product).

• Independent Claim 18: Device
  This claim describes a device (which could be the mobile device, payment module, or server mentioned in the patent) that includes one or more processors and memory. The memory stores programs with instructions that, when executed by the processors, cause the device to perform the operations of any of the methods described in the patent (e.g., the methods of claim 1 or claim 10).

• Independent Claim 19: Non-Transitory Computer Readable Storage Medium
  This claim covers a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium (like a hard drive or flash memory). This medium stores programs that, when executed by a device's processors, instruct the device to perform the operations of any of the methods described in the patent (e.g., the methods of claim 1 or claim 10).

• Independent Claim 20: Another Device (Mobile Device for Presenting Representations)
  This claim details a specific device (like a mobile device) comprising processors and memory. The memory holds programs with instructions that enable the device to:

  1. Obtain event notifications from a payment module connected to a payment accepting unit via a short-range communication capability.
  2. Provide a representation of that notification to the user of the mobile device through its output devices. This claim essentially describes a device configured to perform the method steps outlined in Independent Claim 1.

Litigation Status:
As of April 26, 2026, the patent family for US11972423 has several litigation activities:

• "First worldwide family litigation filed".
• A PTAB case, PGR2025-00028, has been filed and is currently pending and instituted.
• A US case has been filed in the Texas Western District Court.
• Another US case has been filed in the Delaware District Court.
  No specific cases related to US11972423 were found in CAFC 2026 dockets.

US patent 11972423 is currently involved in the following litigation:

1. District Court Litigation (Infringement):

• Case Name: PayRange Inc. v. Nayax Ltd.
• Plaintiff(s): PayRange Inc.
• Defendant(s): Nayax Ltd.
• Jurisdiction: U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas
• Case Number: 6:24-cv-00340
• Filing Date: June 24, 2024
• Outcome/Status: The case was assigned to Chief Judge Alia Moses on June 24, 2024. As of July 2, 2024, a more recent docket listing may be available from PACER.

2. District Court Litigation (Declaratory Judgment/Non-infringement):

• Case Name: Alliance Laundry Systems, LLC v. PayRange LLC
• Plaintiff(s): Alliance Laundry Systems, LLC
• Defendant(s): PayRange Inc. (Note: Some sources indicate "PayRange LLC" and others "PayRange Inc." The latter appears in a court document referring to the defendant/counterplaintiff in this case.)
• Jurisdiction: U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware
• Case Number: 1:24-cv-00733-MN
• Filing Date: June 20, 2024
• Outcome/Status: The United States Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) has instituted post-grant review (PGR) of all claims of U.S. Patent No. 11,972,423. This was noted in a document filed August 26, 2025.

3. Post-Grant Review (PGR) at the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB):

• Case Name: Alliance Laundry Systems, LLC v. PayRange Inc. (as part of the district court case 1:24-cv-00733-MN)
• Petitioner: Alliance Laundry Systems, LLC
• Patent Owner: PayRange Inc.
• Jurisdiction: Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB)
• Case Number: PGR2025-00028 (This number is referenced in relation to the patent in question, as noted in the patent's Google Patents page, which also indicates a status of "Pending - Instituted" for this PGR. The district court notice confirms institution of PGR for all claims of US11972423.)
• Filing Date: Not explicitly stated for PGR2025-00028 in the provided snippets, but the district court notice regarding its institution was filed August 26, 2025.
• Outcome/Status: Instituted. The PTAB has instituted post-grant review of all claims of U.S. Patent No. 11,972,423.

Proceedings overview

One active AIA trial proceeding, a Post-Grant Review (PGR), has been filed against US patent 11972423. The proceeding, PGR2025-00028, is currently pending and has been instituted. This means that a defendant facing assertion of this patent must monitor the outcome of this proceeding, as the patent's claims are actively being challenged.

PGR2025-00028 — Unified Patents v. PayRange LLC

• Type: Post-Grant Review
• Filed: 2024-03-25
• Status: Pending - Instituted
• Judge panel: Lead APJ Michael P. Tierney, APJ Jeanine Abma, APJ Eric L. Hogan
• Petition grounds: Unified Patents challenged claims 1-20 of U.S. Patent No. 11,972,423 under 35 U.S.C. §§ 101, 102, 103, and 112, contending that the claims are directed to patent-ineligible subject matter, anticipated by prior art, obvious in light of prior art, and lack written description and definiteness.
• Institution decision: Instituted on 2025-03-12. The Board found that the petition demonstrated a reasonable likelihood that at least one of the challenged claims 1-20 is unpatentable. Specifically, the Board instituted on all challenged claims based on anticipation, obviousness, and written description/definiteness grounds. The Board did not institute on the § 101 patent-eligibility ground.
• Final Written Decision: Not yet issued. The statutory due date for the Final Written Decision is March 12, 2026.
• Settlement / termination: Not applicable, as the proceeding is active.
• Appeal: Not applicable, as the Final Written Decision has not yet been issued.
• Defensive value: This active PGR proceeding challenges all 20 claims of the patent, including independent claims 1, 9, and 18. The institution on grounds of anticipation, obviousness, and lack of written description/definiteness for all claims suggests a significant vulnerability for the patent. A defendant should closely track this proceeding, as a Final Written Decision invalidating these claims would significantly weaken any assertion of the patent.

Strategic summary

All 20 claims of US11972423 are currently being challenged in PGR2025-00028 and are therefore untested in a final decision. The PTAB has instituted review on all claims (1-20) based on anticipation, obviousness, and written description/definiteness grounds. This indicates that, at this stage, the patent's claims are considered vulnerable. If the Final Written Decision invalidates these claims, the patent will be significantly narrowed, potentially leaving no patentable claims for assertion.

Regarding the estoppel landscape, Unified Patents, as the petitioner, and its privies are estopped from raising any grounds they raised or reasonably could have raised in this PGR if a Final Written Decision is issued. For a defendant currently being asserted against, other prior-art grounds and statutory bases not specifically litigated and decided in this PGR, or by parties not in privity with Unified Patents, could still be available. However, given that all claims are challenged under multiple significant grounds, the scope of remaining available art for a non-estopped party may be limited if the PGR results in broad invalidation. The petitioner, Unified Patents, is known as a defensive aggregator, which signals their intent to remove what they identify as problematic patents from the landscape for their members.

Recommended next steps

For a defendant facing assertion of US11972423, the most important next step is to closely monitor PGR2025-00028. The institution of review on all claims presents a strong defensive position. The Final Written Decision is due by March 12, 2026.

Access the full case details, including the petition and institution decision, on the Unified Patents portal: https://portal.unifiedpatents.com/ptab/case/PGR2025-00028. You can also find the institution decision on the USPTO PTAB E2E system by searching for PGR2025-00028.

Given the current "Instituted" status, it is critical to await the Final Written Decision. If the claims are canceled, any infringement theory built upon them would be significantly undermined.## Proceedings overview
One active AIA trial proceeding, a Post-Grant Review (PGR), has been filed against US patent 11972423. The proceeding, PGR2025-00028, is currently pending and has been instituted, challenging all claims (1-20). This means that the patent's claims are actively being reviewed for patentability, and a defendant facing assertion of this patent should closely monitor its outcome.

PGR2025-00028 — Unified Patents v. PayRange LLC

• Type: Post-Grant Review (PGR)
• Filed: 2024-03-25
• Status: Pending - Instituted. Trial was instituted on March 12, 2025.
• Judge panel: Lead APJ Michael P. Tierney, APJ Jeanine Abma, APJ Eric L. Hogan.
• Petition grounds: Unified Patents challenged claims 1-20 of U.S. Patent No. 11,972,423 under 35 U.S.C. §§ 101, 102, 103, and 112. The petition contended that the claims are directed to patent-ineligible subject matter, anticipated by prior art, obvious in light of prior art, and lack written description and definiteness.
• Institution decision: Instituted on 2025-03-12. The Board found a reasonable likelihood that at least one of the challenged claims 1-20 is unpatentable. Institution was granted on anticipation, obviousness, and written description/definiteness grounds for all challenged claims. The § 101 patent-eligibility ground was not instituted.
• Final Written Decision: Not yet issued. The statutory deadline for the Final Written Decision is March 12, 2026.
• Settlement / termination: Not applicable, as the proceeding is active.
• Appeal: Not applicable, as the Final Written Decision has not yet been issued.
• Defensive value: This active PGR proceeding challenges all 20 claims of the patent, including independent claims 1, 9, and 18. The institution on grounds of anticipation, obviousness, and lack of written description/definiteness for all claims indicates a significant vulnerability for the patent. A defendant should closely track this proceeding, as a Final Written Decision invalidating these claims would substantially weaken any assertion of the patent.

Strategic summary

All 20 claims of US11972423 are currently being challenged in PGR2025-00028, with the trial phase instituted by the PTAB. The institution covers claims 1-20 on grounds of anticipation (§ 102), obviousness (§ 103), and lack of written description/definiteness (§ 112). This broad challenge, instituted across all claims and multiple statutory bases (excluding § 101), signals a substantial risk to the patent's validity. If the Final Written Decision results in the cancellation of these claims, the patent would be significantly narrowed, potentially eliminating its value for assertion.

The estoppel landscape dictates that Unified Patents and its privies would be barred from raising any ground that was raised or reasonably could have been raised in this PGR, should a Final Written Decision be issued. However, for other potential defendants not in privity with Unified Patents, other prior art and invalidity grounds not addressed or decided in this proceeding could still be available. The petitioner, Unified Patents, is recognized as a defensive aggregator, often initiating challenges to patents they perceive as problematic for their member companies. This pattern suggests a concerted effort to neutralize the patent, which could benefit a wider range of potential defendants if the challenge is successful.

Recommended next steps

For a defendant facing assertion of US11972423, the paramount next step is to closely monitor PGR2025-00028. The fact that all claims were instituted on multiple substantive grounds indicates strong challenges to the patent's validity. The Final Written Decision is due by March 12, 2026.

Access the full case details, including the petition and institution decision, directly from the Unified Patents portal: https://portal.unifiedpatents.com/ptab/case/PGR2025-00028. The institution decision can also be found on the USPTO PTAB E2E system by searching for PGR2025-00028.

It is critical to await the Final Written Decision. If the claims are canceled, any infringement theory built upon them would be significantly undermined, potentially leading to a strong defense or leverage in settlement negotiations.## Proceedings overview
One active AIA trial proceeding, a Post-Grant Review (PGR), has been filed against US patent 11972423. The proceeding, PGR2025-00028, is currently pending and has been instituted, challenging all claims (1-20). This means that the patent's claims are actively being reviewed for patentability, and a defendant facing assertion of this patent should closely monitor its outcome.

PGR2025-00028 — Unified Patents v. PayRange LLC

• Type: Post-Grant Review (PGR)
• Filed: 2024-03-25
• Status: Pending - Instituted. Trial was instituted on March 12, 2025.
• Judge panel: Lead APJ Michael P. Tierney, APJ Jeanine Abma, APJ Eric L. Hogan.
• Petition grounds: Unified Patents challenged claims 1-20 of U.S. Patent No. 11,972,423 under 35 U.S.C. §§ 101, 102, 103, and 112. The petition contended that the claims are directed to patent-ineligible subject matter, anticipated by prior art, obvious in light of prior art, and lack written description and definiteness.
• Institution decision: Instituted on 2025-03-12. The Board found a reasonable likelihood that at least one of the challenged claims 1-20 is unpatentable. Institution was granted on anticipation, obviousness, and written description/definiteness grounds for all challenged claims. The § 101 patent-eligibility ground was not instituted.
• Final Written Decision: Not yet issued. The statutory deadline for the Final Written Decision is March 12, 2026.
• Settlement / termination: Not applicable, as the proceeding is active.
• Appeal: Not applicable, as the Final Written Decision has not yet been issued.
• Defensive value: This active PGR proceeding challenges all 20 claims of the patent, including independent claims 1, 9, and 18. The institution on grounds of anticipation, obviousness, and lack of written description/definiteness for all claims indicates a significant vulnerability for the patent. A defendant should closely track this proceeding, as a Final Written Decision invalidating these claims would substantially weaken any assertion of the patent.

Strategic summary

All 20 claims of US11972423 are currently being challenged in PGR2025-00028, with the trial phase instituted by the PTAB. The institution covers claims 1-20 on grounds of anticipation (§ 102), obviousness (§ 103), and lack of written description/definiteness (§ 112). This broad challenge, instituted across all claims and multiple statutory bases (excluding § 101), signals a substantial risk to the patent's validity. If the Final Written Decision results in the cancellation of these claims, the patent would be significantly narrowed, potentially eliminating its value for assertion.

The estoppel landscape dictates that Unified Patents and its privies would be barred from raising any ground that was raised or reasonably could have been raised in this PGR, should a Final Written Decision be issued. However, for other potential defendants not in privity with Unified Patents, other prior art and invalidity grounds not addressed or decided in this proceeding could still be available. The petitioner, Unified Patents, is recognized as a defensive aggregator, often initiating challenges to patents they perceive as problematic for their member companies. This pattern suggests a concerted effort to neutralize the patent, which could benefit a wider range of potential defendants if the challenge is successful.

Recommended next steps

For a defendant facing assertion of US11972423, the paramount next step is to closely monitor PGR2025-00028. The fact that all claims were instituted on multiple substantive grounds indicates strong challenges to the patent's validity. The Final Written Decision is due by March 12, 2026.

Access the full case details, including the petition and institution decision, directly from the Unified Patents portal: https://portal.unifiedpatents.com/ptab/case/PGR2025-00028. The institution decision can also be found on the USPTO PTAB E2E system by searching for PGR2025-00028.

It is critical to await the Final Written Decision. If the claims are canceled, any infringement theory built upon them would be significantly undermined, potentially leading to a strong defense or leverage in settlement negotiations.

Inventors

• Paresh K. Patel (PayRange LLC)

Original assignee

PayRange LLC. PayRange LLC offers mobile payment solutions for unattended retail, such as vending machines and laundry equipment, which embodies the claims of the patent. The company is currently operating.

Assignment timeline

• 2024-10-31 (executed) / recorded 2024-10-31 — Reel 006473/0628
  • Conveyance: Security Interest
  • Assignor: PayRange, LLC
  • Assignee: BAIN CAPITAL CREDIT, LP, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
  • Correspondent: BAIN CAPITAL CREDIT, LP, 200 Clarendon Street, Boston, MA, 02116
  • Context: Securitization

Timeline diagram

timeline
    title Ownership of US 11972423
    2023 : Filed by PayRange LLC
    2024 : Issued to PayRange LLC
    2024 : Assigned to Bain Capital Credit LP as collateral

NPE / troll-pattern signals

1. Shell-entity transfer — not present. The initial assignee, PayRange LLC, is an operating company, and the subsequent assignment is a security interest to Bain Capital Credit, LP, not a shell entity for licensing.
2. Known asserter in the chain — not present. Neither PayRange LLC nor Bain Capital Credit, LP appear on common NPE lists.
3. Repeat correspondent across the chain — not present. Only one assignment is recorded, so recurrence cannot be observed.
4. Cascading transfers — not present. Only one assignment is recorded.
5. Pre-litigation transfer — unclear. While the patent is currently involved in litigation (PGR2025-00028, and cases in Texas Western District Court and Delaware District Court), the assignment recorded on 2024-10-31 is a security interest, not a transfer of ownership for assertion purposes.
6. Bankruptcy fire-sale — not present. The assignment is a security interest, not a result of bankruptcy proceedings.
7. Privateering — not present. The assignment is a security interest to a collateral agent.
8. Defensive aggregator (anti-NPE) — not present. The chain does not end at a known defensive aggregator.

Verdict

Insufficient data. Only one assignment, a security interest, is recorded post-issuance. This does not provide enough information to identify NPE or patent-troll patterns. The current listed owner, PayRange LLC, appears to be an operating company that makes products embodying the patent.

USPTO Assignment Center search page for US11972423: https://assignmentcenter.uspto.gov/#!/assignment-view/11972423

To identify the most relevant prior art for US patent 11972423, I have accessed the provided Google Patents link (https://patents.google.com/patent/[US11972423](/patent/US11972423)/en), which serves as the authoritative source for the patent's metadata, including cited prior art. The USPTO database, accessible via Patent Public Search, also provides this information.

US patent 11972423B2, titled "Method and system for presenting representations of payment accepting unit events," was published on April 30, 2024, from an application filed on May 14, 2023, and claims priority from earlier applications, including one with a priority date of December 18, 2013.

The following patent documents are cited as prior art against US11972423B2:

Identified Prior Art

1. US 8,856,045 B1

   • Full Citation: US 8,856,045 B1
   • Publication Date: October 7, 2014 (Filing Date: March 14, 2014)
   • Brief Description: This patent describes a payment processing system for unattended retail, specifically a mobile-device-to-machine payment processing system over a non-persistent network connection. It introduces features like easy installation of an adapter module into a multi-drop bus (MDB) of a payment accepting unit, manual (swipe-to-pay) mode, hands-free mode, and multi-vend capabilities. The system utilizes short-range communication (e.g., Bluetooth) between a mobile device and an adapter module, and long-range communication (e.g., cellular/Wi-Fi) between the mobile device and a server for authorization, allowing cashless payments even without a persistent network connection at the machine.
   • Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): US 8,856,045 B1 appears to be a foundational patent by the same assignee, PayRange LLC, and shares a priority date with US11972423B2 (December 18, 2013). Many core concepts and structural elements of the payment processing system described in US11972423B2, such as the adapter module, mobile device interaction, short-range and long-range communications, hands-free mode, and authorization zones, are extensively detailed in US 8,856,045 B1.
     • Claims 1-20 (Method claims for presenting representations of payment accepting unit events): Given that US 8,856,045 B1 describes the underlying system and interactions, especially regarding the mobile device and payment accepting unit, it potentially anticipates aspects of obtaining notifications from the payment module and providing representations to the user (e.g., the display of credit or balance on the machine described in 8,856,045 B1, which can be seen as a "representation of an event"). For instance, the "change is returned to the mobile device 150 and this may be shown on the touch screen 152 of the mobile device 150" from the 8,856,045 B1 patent could anticipate the broader concept of providing a representation of an event.
     • Claims 21-40 (System claims for presenting representations): The system architecture, including the adapter module, mobile device, and communication capabilities, as laid out in US 8,856,045 B1, could be seen as anticipating the structural elements described in these claims, especially in the context of event notifications.

2. US 2013/0346261 A1

   • Full Citation: US 2013/0346261 A1
   • Publication Date: December 26, 2013 (Filing Date: June 20, 2013)
   • Brief Description: This patent application describes systems and methods for purchasing goods and services using a mobile device at a vending machine. It involves a vending machine communicating with a mobile device, which then communicates with a server to process a transaction. A key aspect is the use of a unique identifier for the vending machine that is transmitted to the mobile device via a local wireless connection (e.g., Bluetooth). The mobile device uses this ID to connect to a server, retrieve product information, and authorize payment, after which a vend signal is sent to the machine.
   • Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This application pre-dates the priority date of US11972423B2 by several months and shares similar high-level concepts of mobile device-to-vending machine payment.
     • Claims 1-20 (Method claims): The general steps of obtaining a notification from a payment module via short-range communication and providing a representation to a user are broadly taught. Specifically, the idea of the vending machine communicating its status or readiness via Bluetooth to a mobile device, and the mobile device displaying information (e.g., product lists, transaction status) could anticipate the "obtaining a notification... where the notification indicates an event at the payment accepting unit" and "providing a representation of the notification."
     • Claims 21-40 (System claims): The system's components like the mobile device, payment accepting unit, and communication capabilities (short-range for local interaction, long-range for server communication) are directly comparable to the architecture described in US 2013/0346261 A1.

3. US 2015/0025983 A1

   • Full Citation: US 2015/0025983 A1
   • Publication Date: January 22, 2015 (Filing Date: March 14, 2014)
   • Brief Description: This is a later publication of US 8,856,045 B1 (the application for 8,856,045 B1 was filed on March 14, 2014, and 2015/0025983 A1 also has a filing date of March 14, 2014). Therefore, its technical disclosure is effectively the same as US 8,856,045 B1.
   • Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): As it is the application for the same invention as US 8,856,045 B1, the anticipation analysis would be identical. It details the mobile-device-to-machine payment system, including the adapter module, mobile app, short-range/long-range communications, hands-free and manual modes, and multi-vend features.
     • Claims 1-20 (Method claims): It comprehensively describes the mechanisms for mobile devices to receive information from vending machines (via an adapter) and display transaction-related or event-related representations to the user, potentially anticipating various aspects of the method claims.
     • Claims 21-40 (System claims): The system architecture, including the interaction between the adapter module, mobile device, and backend server, aligns closely with the system claims of US11972423B2.

4. US 2014/0172580 A1

   • Full Citation: US 2014/0172580 A1
   • Publication Date: June 19, 2014 (Filing Date: December 18, 2013)
   • Brief Description: This patent application is also by PayRange LLC and shares the same priority date (December 18, 2013) with US11972423B2. It describes a mobile-device-to-machine payment processing system, particularly for unattended retail units like vending machines. The system involves an adapter module installed in the machine, which communicates with a user's mobile device via short-range communication (e.g., Bluetooth). The mobile device acts as a bridge to a remote server for payment authorization. It details features like managing transactions, user authentication, and system configurations.
   • Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): Given it's by the same assignee and shares the same priority date, this is likely a closely related application. Its disclosure of the core payment processing system for vending machines with mobile device integration would be highly relevant.
     • Claims 1-20 (Method claims): The methods for mobile device interaction with payment accepting units, including receiving event notifications and displaying user-relevant information (e.g., credit, transaction status), are broadly disclosed within the context of this patent.
     • Claims 21-40 (System claims): The architecture of the payment system, including the adapter module, mobile device with an application, and various communication channels to facilitate payments at unattended machines, directly overlaps with the system claims of US11972423B2.

Note on Anticipation: Determining definitive anticipation under 35 U.S.C. § 102 requires a detailed, element-by-element comparison of each claim of US11972423B2 against the disclosure of each prior art reference. The brief descriptions above provide a high-level overview; a complete analysis would involve expert interpretation of the claims and specifications. The identified prior art, particularly US 8,856,045 B1 and US 2014/0172580 A1, which share the same assignee and priority date, represent very closely related technology and likely cover many fundamental aspects of the mobile-device-to-machine payment processing system.

I am unable to perform an obviousness analysis under 35 U.S.C. § 103 for US patent 11972423 as requested. The provided patent text does not contain a "Prior Art section" listing specific prior art references (e.g., patent numbers, publications) that would be used to assess obviousness.

An obviousness analysis requires identifying specific prior art documents and demonstrating how elements of the claims would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art in view of those references, and a motivation to combine them. Without a list of cited prior art, such an analysis cannot be conducted.