US 12438978

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US Patent 12,438,978 — Summary

Bibliographic Data (as verified)

Continuity (per the front matter): This patent is a continuation of Ser. No. 18/984,041 (filed Dec. 17, 2024), itself a continuation of Ser. No. 18/896,197 (filed Sep. 25, 2024), which is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 18/483,670 (filed Oct. 10, 2023), a continuation of Ser. No. 18/193,163 (filed Mar. 30, 2023), a continuation of Ser. No. 17/279,188 (filed Mar. 24, 2021; U.S. National Stage of PCT/US19/52847, filed Sep. 25, 2019), claiming benefit of provisional 62/737,315 (Sep. 27, 2018). The Google Patents timeline also lists a later family member, application 19/324,477 → US 2026/0012531 A1 (dated 2025-09-10).

Sources: https://patents.google.com/patent/US12438978/en ; corroborating family/description pages for the pre-grant publication at https://patents.justia.com/patent/20250274544 and https://www.patents-review.com/a/20250274544-systems-methods-resuming-online-abandoned-journeys.html ; assignee/portfolio listing at https://www.ipqwery.com/ipowner/en/owner/ip/[2495953](/patent/2495953)-iqx-corp.html

Abstract (verbatim, as published)

"Systems and methods are described for receiving a request to provide content to at least one authorized recipient; generating a customized message comprising at least one action associated with the content; causing transmission of the customized message to a mobile computing device associated with the at least one authorized recipient, requesting authorization data corresponding to the at least one authorized recipient; responsive to receiving the requested authorization data: verifying that the authorization data correlates to an identity of the at least one authorized recipient or an identity of the mobile computing device; determining a classification of the at least one authorized recipient; and generating a Rich Communication Service (RCS) message comprising the content; and scheduling, using a machine learning model and based on the determined classification, delivery of the RCS message to the mobile computing device."

Note the label/reality mismatch worth flagging: the title emphasizes resuming online abandoned journeys, but the abstract and independent claims are drafted more broadly around RCS messaging, silent-network authentication, and ML-based send-time/classification. The abandonment-resumption subject matter is carried mainly in the specification (Figs. 15–18) and in dependent claims.

Plain-Language Overview of the Independent Claims

The patent recites three independent claims — a method claim, a system claim, and a computer-readable storage medium claim. All three share the same core workflow; the differences are in claim type and in the vocabulary used for the end user ("authorized recipient," "service subscriber," or "authorized recipient or subscriber") and for the actionable element ("action" in the method/system claims vs. "link" in the medium claim).

Independent Claim 1 — Computer-implemented method (core workflow):

1. Receive a request to provide content to at least one authorized recipient.
2. Generate a customized message that includes at least one action associated with that content (e.g., a link/button).
3. Transmit the customized message to a mobile computing device belonging to the authorized recipient.
4. After the user selects the action, the system requests authorization data for that recipient.
5. If authorization data is received, the system (a) verifies that the data correlates to the recipient's identity or the mobile device's identity, (b) determines a classification of the recipient based on that identity, and (c) generates an RCS message containing the content.
6. Schedules delivery of the RCS message using a machine learning model and based on the determined classification.

In plain terms: a marketing/transaction message with a clickable action is sent by text; the click triggers an identity check; the verified user is sorted into a tier; and an AI model decides when to push the follow-up rich (RCS) message to that tier.

Independent System Claim — "Automated messaging subscription and distribution system":
A processor + memory system performing the same steps, but reciting "service subscriber" instead of "authorized recipient," requesting "subscription data" upon action selection, and generating the RCS message "based on the determined classification."

Independent Storage-Medium Claim:
A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions to perform the same steps, but with "at least one link associated with the content" (rather than "action") and with the user termed "authorized recipient or subscriber."

Dependent claims add (summarized):

• Actually delivering the RCS message per the schedule.
• Content as a carousel of selectable options — perform a secure transaction, schedule an appointment, or resume an abandoned user journey.
• Content rendered within a browser on the mobile device.
• Send/receive (real-time typing) indicators in the mobile UI.
• Sender verification of the RCS message, with an SMS warning delivered if the sender is not authorized.
• Actions offering: perform a transaction, select a suggested response, return to a prior browsing session, or return to a prior application session.

Specification Highlights Supporting the Claims

• Architecture: an Automated Messaging Distribution Array (AMDA) with an ML/AI decision cluster (1000a) and an AMDA subscriber vault (1000b) that sorts recipients into tier 1 buyers, tier 2 link clickers, and tier 3 bulk-send recipients, routed to a just-in-time messaging array (1000c) or bulk array (1000d) and an automated scheduler/distribution hub (1000e) supporting SMS/MMS, RCS, and OTT channels.
• Security: a Silent Network Authentication Protocol (SNAP) layer (1100) that silently verifies network/device credentials (SIM/carrier identifiers) plus optional biometric authentication; a "hot cookie" bound to the mobile device gates access to the customized page and transaction flow.
• Abandonment taxonomy (Figs. 15–16): session, browser, search, form, onboarding/signup, wish list, checkout, and cart abandonment; each type is recorded and the ML/AI cluster selects a follow-on message/link that returns the user to the abandoned access point.

Litigation / Docket Findings

• I found no Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (CAFC) 2026 docket involving US 12,438,978. I cannot confirm any CAFC appeal for this specific patent.
• The Google Patents family record carries a Darts-IP flag indicating the family " has litigation" (family ID 94175196): https://patents.darts-ip.com/?family=94175196
• The identified U.S. case is IQX Corp. v. Intuit Inc., No. 2:26-cv-00351 (E.D. Tex., Marshall Division), filed April 30, 2026, Judge Rodney Gilstrap, Magistrate Roy S. Payne, Nature of Suit 830 (35 U.S.C. § 271 patent infringement), accused product identified as Intuit MailChimp text-messaging marketing functionality.
  • Sources: https://gaeflexstaging-dot-docketupdate.appspot.com/cases/Texas_Eastern_District_Court/2--26-cv-00351/IQX_Corp._v._Intuit_Inc/ ; https://companyprofiles.justia.com/company/intuit/dockets/case ; https://cdn.pacermonitor.com/public/case/64428468/IQX_Corp_v_Intuit_Inc
  • A third-party complaint analysis of that case discusses asserted U.S. Patent No. 12,368,799 ("Automated silent network authentication protocol") and a "'924 Patent" (consistent with US 11,876,924, "Secure transactions using customized webpages," granted 2024-01-16). It did not identify US 12,438,978 as one of the asserted patents. Analysis link: https://ai-lab-cl-prod.azurewebsites.net/case/dct/txed/2:26-cv-00351/doc/analysis/1

Confidence and Uncertainty Notes

• High confidence: patent number, title, inventors, assignee, application number, filing date, issue date, priority chain, abstract text, and the substance of the independent claims — all from the patent's own front matter and specification as published.
• Medium confidence: the precise number of claims and the exact claim numbering of the independent claims. The text available to me reproduces the claim language in the Summary sections but does not show a numbered claim set, so I have described the three independent claims by type rather than by claim number.
• Uncertainty — no correction made, per instruction: the application serial is presented as "US19/192,732" and the follow-on family member as "US19/324,477." These are reported literally.
• Uncertainty: Whether US 12,438,978 is asserted in the IQX v. Intuit litigation. The publicly indexed complaint analysis references the '799 and '924 patents; I could not confirm '978's inclusion.
• Not found/not verified: any CAFC (Federal Circuit) 2026 appellate docket, PTAB/IPR proceeding, or USPTO PatentCenter record specifically for 12,438,978 beyond the Google Patents and family sources cited. I did not independently retrieve the USPTO PatentCenter "Bibliographic Data" page for this patent, so the grant date and status are as reported by Google Patents rather than directly confirmed at USPTO.