US 6266674

Patent Summary: US 6,266,674

Date of Analysis: April 26, 2026

This report provides a summary of United States Patent 6,266,674, including its prosecution history, claims, and legal status.

Title: Random access information retrieval utilizing user-defined labels

Assignee: The patent was originally assigned to the inventor, Donald J. Hejna, Jr. Later records indicate an assignment to EDEKKA LLC.

Inventor: Donald J. Hejna, Jr.

Filing Date: March 16, 1992

Issue Date: July 24, 2001

Abstract:
The patent describes a method and apparatus for storing and retrieving information, such as audio, text, or facsimile data. The core of the invention is a system where a user can define labels for specific pieces of information and then organize these labels into a hierarchical data structure. This user-defined structure allows for quick, random access to the stored information. The system is designed to be customizable by the user, who can create, delete, and reorder labels within the hierarchy to facilitate efficient information retrieval. The patent suggests the use of a keypad for navigating this structure and managing the information.

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Overview of Independent Claims

The patent contains several independent claims, which are the broadest definitions of the invention. Below is a plain-language summary of each.

Independent Claim 1:
This claim describes a method for a user to store information. The user inputs information, designates some of it as "data," and a portion of it as a "label." They then navigate a data structure and place the label at a specific location within it, linking the label to the corresponding data.

Independent Claim 18:
This claim outlines an apparatus for storing information. The device includes a way to receive user input to define both information and labels, a data structure, a method for the user to navigate this structure, and a way to store the labels within the structure, linked to the corresponding information.

Independent Claim 35:
This claim details a method for retrieving stored information. A user navigates a data structure containing labels, selects a specific label, and in response, the system retrieves and presents the information associated with that label.

Independent Claim 45:
This claim describes an apparatus for retrieving information. The device contains a data structure with stored labels, a mechanism for a user to traverse this structure and select a label, and a component that, upon selection of a label, provides the associated information to the user.

Litigation and Legal Status

A search of federal court dockets reveals no pending or recent litigation before the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (CAFC) in 2026 for this patent.

However, historical court records indicate that US Patent 6,266,674 was the subject of extensive litigation in the past. Notably, in a 2015 case, eDekka LLC v. 3Balls.com Inc., in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, the patent was declared invalid. The court ruled that the claims were directed to an abstract idea and therefore not patentable subject matter under 35 U.S.C. § 101. This invalidation has likely rendered the patent unenforceable.

Disclaimer: This summary is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. The legal status of a patent can change, and for authoritative information, official records from the USPTO and relevant court dockets should be consulted.