US 7173177

US Patent 7173177, titled "User interface for simultaneous management of owned and unowned inventory," was filed on October 29, 2003, and issued on February 6, 2007. The original assignee was Blue Dolphin Solutions LLC, and the current assignee is Cedar Lane Technologies Inc. The inventors are Eric J. Gould, Nick West, Donald McCaskill, Alice Cark, and Paulus Trisnadi.

Abstract:
The patent describes a user-configurable computer interface for managing inventory. This interface presents a list of items, organized according to the user's preferences, which includes both items the user owns and those they do not. It provides a way to sample and purchase the un-owned items directly from the list. The invention can be applied to managing entertainment playlists (like music or video), vehicle maintenance, and various goods such as groceries, toys, or books.

Independent Claim Overview:

There is one independent claim in US Patent 7173177:

• Claim 1 (Plain-language overview): This claim covers a computer-readable medium (like a hard drive or flash drive) that stores instructions. When a computer executes these instructions, it performs the following steps:
  1. Receives and stores a playlist that has been sent over a network, where this playlist contains one or more items.
  2. Creates a user interface (a visual display for the user).
  3. Shows the items from the received playlist on this user interface.
  4. Determines for each item in the playlist whether the user currently owns it or not.
  5. Displays an indication on the user interface showing whether each item is owned or un-owned by the user.

USPTO and CAFC 2026 Dockets:
As of April 26, 2026, a search for US Patent 7173177 reveals it has an "Expired - Lifetime" legal status, with an adjusted expiration date of November 18, 2020.

The patent family has been involved in multiple litigation cases across various US District Courts (Texas Eastern, Texas Northern, Texas Western, Delaware, New York Southern, Illinois Northern, Colorado), and also a PTAB case (IPR2020-00006). These cases date from 2019 and 2020. Given the patent's expiration in 2020, there are no ongoing CAFC 2026 dockets for this specific patent that would impact its enforceability.

It is important to note that while the patent has expired, past litigation records are still relevant for historical analysis. No active CAFC dockets for 2026 directly concerning the validity or infringement of the now-expired US7173177 were found.US Patent 7173177, titled "User interface for simultaneous management of owned and unowned inventory," was filed on October 29, 2003, and issued on February 6, 2007. The original assignee was Blue Dolphin Solutions LLC, and the current assignee is Cedar Lane Technologies Inc. The inventors are Eric J. Gould, Nick West, Donald McCaskill, Alice Cark, and Paulus Trisnadi.

Abstract:
The patent describes a user-configurable computer interface for managing inventory. The interface presents a list of items, organized according to the user's preferences, which includes both items the user owns and those they do not. It provides a way to sample and purchase the un-owned items directly from the list. The invention can be applied to managing entertainment playlists (like music or video), vehicle maintenance, and various goods such as groceries, toys, or books.

Independent Claim Overview:

There is one independent claim in US Patent 7173177:

• Claim 1 (Plain-language overview): This claim covers a computer-readable medium (like a hard drive or flash drive) that stores instructions. When a computer executes these instructions, it performs the following steps:
  1. Receives and stores a playlist that has been sent over a network, where this playlist contains one or more items.
  2. Creates a user interface (a visual display for the user).
  3. Shows the items from the received playlist on this user interface.
  4. Determines for each item in the playlist whether the user currently owns it or not.
  5. Displays an indication on the user interface showing whether each item is owned or un-owned by the user.

USPTO and CAFC 2026 Dockets:
As of April 26, 2026, US Patent 7173177 has an "Expired - Lifetime" legal status, with an adjusted expiration date of November 18, 2020.

The patent family has been involved in several litigation cases in various US District Courts (Texas Eastern, Texas Northern, Texas Western, Delaware, New York Southern, Illinois Northern, Colorado) and a PTAB case (IPR2020-00006). These cases were filed between 2019 and 2020. Given that the patent expired in November 2020, there are no active CAFC 2026 dockets directly concerning the validity or infringement of this specific patent.

US Patent 7173177 has been involved in several litigation proceedings. The known cases, primarily identified through Unified Patents, are detailed below. For many of the District Court cases, the specific plaintiff(s) and defendant(s) are not explicitly stated in the provided snippets, but the current assignee of the patent is Cedar Lane Technologies Inc.. Similarly, filing dates are often inferred from the case numbers.

Here is a list of known litigation involving US patent 7173177:

• US case filed in Texas Eastern District Court

  • Jurisdiction: Texas Eastern District Court
  • Case Number: 2:19-cv-00368
  • Filing Date: Circa 2019 (inferred from case number)
  • Plaintiff(s): Not explicitly stated (likely Cedar Lane Technologies Inc. as current assignee)
  • Defendant(s): Not explicitly stated
  • Outcome/Current Status: Litigation (Critical)

• US case filed in Texas Northern District Court

  • Jurisdiction: Texas Northern District Court
  • Case Number: 3:20-cv-01103
  • Filing Date: Circa 2020 (inferred from case number)
  • Plaintiff(s): Not explicitly stated (likely Cedar Lane Technologies Inc.)
  • Defendant(s): Not explicitly stated
  • Outcome/Current Status: Litigation

• PTAB case IPR2020-00006 filed (Final Written Decision)

  • Jurisdiction: Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB)
  • Case Number: IPR2020-00006
  • Filing Date: Circa 2020 (inferred from case number)
  • Plaintiff(s)/Petitioner: Not explicitly stated (Unified Patents is often a petitioner in IPRs)
  • Defendant(s)/Patent Owner: Not explicitly stated (likely Cedar Lane Technologies Inc.)
  • Outcome/Current Status: Final Written Decision

• US case filed in Texas Western District Court

  • Jurisdiction: Texas Western District Court
  • Case Number: 6:20-cv-00988
  • Filing Date: Circa 2020 (inferred from case number)
  • Plaintiff(s): Not explicitly stated (likely Cedar Lane Technologies Inc.)
  • Defendant(s): Not explicitly stated
  • Outcome/Current Status: Litigation

• US case filed in Texas Western District Court

  • Jurisdiction: Texas Western District Court
  • Case Number: 6:20-cv-00949
  • Filing Date: Circa 2020 (inferred from case number)
  • Plaintiff(s): Not explicitly stated (likely Cedar Lane Technologies Inc.)
  • Defendant(s): Not explicitly stated
  • Outcome/Current Status: Litigation

• US case filed in Texas Western District Court

  • Jurisdiction: Texas Western District Court
  • Case Number: 6:20-cv-00947
  • Filing Date: Circa 2020 (inferred from case number)
  • Plaintiff(s): Not explicitly stated (likely Cedar Lane Technologies Inc.)
  • Defendant(s): Not explicitly stated
  • Outcome/Current Status: Litigation

• US case filed in Texas Western District Court

  • Jurisdiction: Texas Western District Court
  • Case Number: 1:20-cv-00501
  • Filing Date: Circa 2020 (inferred from case number)
  • Plaintiff(s): Not explicitly stated (likely Cedar Lane Technologies Inc.)
  • Defendant(s): Not explicitly stated
  • Outcome/Current Status: Litigation

• US case filed in Delaware District Court

  • Jurisdiction: Delaware District Court
  • Case Number: 1:19-cv-00373
  • Filing Date: Circa 2019 (inferred from case number)
  • Plaintiff(s): Not explicitly stated (likely Cedar Lane Technologies Inc.)
  • Defendant(s): Not explicitly stated
  • Outcome/Current Status: Litigation

• US case filed in New York Southern District Court

  • Jurisdiction: New York Southern District Court
  • Case Number: 1:20-cv-03635
  • Filing Date: Circa 2020 (inferred from case number)
  • Plaintiff(s): Not explicitly stated (likely Cedar Lane Technologies Inc.)
  • Defendant(s): Not explicitly stated
  • Outcome/Current Status: Litigation

• US case filed in New York Southern District Court

  • Jurisdiction: New York Southern District Court
  • Case Number: 1:20-cv-03159
  • Filing Date: Circa 2020 (inferred from case number)
  • Plaintiff(s): Not explicitly stated (likely Cedar Lane Technologies Inc.)
  • Defendant(s): Not explicitly stated
  • Outcome/Current Status: Litigation

• US case filed in Illinois Northern District Court

  • Jurisdiction: Illinois Northern District Court
  • Case Number: 1:20-cv-06021
  • Filing Date: Circa 2020 (inferred from case number)
  • Plaintiff(s): Not explicitly stated (likely Cedar Lane Technologies Inc.)
  • Defendant(s): Not explicitly stated
  • Outcome/Current Status: Litigation

• US case filed in Delaware District Court

  • Jurisdiction: Delaware District Court
  • Case Number: 1:20-cv-01370
  • Filing Date: Circa 2020 (inferred from case number)
  • Plaintiff(s): Not explicitly stated (likely Cedar Lane Technologies Inc.)
  • Defendant(s): Not explicitly stated
  • Outcome/Current Status: Litigation

• US case filed in Delaware District Court

  • Jurisdiction: Delaware District Court
  • Case Number: 1:20-cv-00473
  • Filing Date: Circa 2020 (inferred from case number)
  • Plaintiff(s): Not explicitly stated (likely Cedar Lane Technologies Inc.)
  • Defendant(s): Not explicitly stated
  • Outcome/Current Status: Litigation

• First worldwide family litigation filed

  • Jurisdiction: Not explicitly stated (indicated as "worldwide family")
  • Case Number: Not explicitly stated
  • Filing Date: Not explicitly stated
  • Plaintiff(s): Not explicitly stated
  • Defendant(s): Not explicitly stated
  • Outcome/Current Status: Litigation

• US case filed in Colorado District Court

  • Jurisdiction: Colorado District Court
  • Case Number: 1:20-cv-03037
  • Filing Date: Circa 2020 (inferred from case number)
  • Plaintiff(s): Not explicitly stated (likely Cedar Lane Technologies Inc.)
  • Defendant(s): Not explicitly stated
  • Outcome/Current Status: Litigation

Proceedings overview

Despite the Google Patents page for US7173177B1 indicating "PTAB case IPR2020-00006 filed (Final Written Decision)", detailed information about this specific Inter Partes Review proceeding pertaining to US patent 7173177, including the petitioner, patent owner, specific claims challenged, institution decision, or final written decision, could not be confidently sourced from publicly available web search results as of 2026-05-29. Therefore, based on the available information, there is no detailed PTAB activity on file for US7173177 that can be confidently reported at a claim-specific level.

Strategic summary

Given the absence of detailed information regarding IPR2020-00006 for US7173177 from public search results, it is not possible to provide a cross-proceeding picture of canceled versus sustained or untested claims. The estoppel landscape under § 315(e)(2) cannot be assessed without knowing the petitioner, the challenged claims, and the grounds raised in any proceeding that resulted in a final written decision. Similarly, no pattern signals can be identified regarding petitioner behavior, patent owner appeals, or involvement of defensive aggregators.

Recommended next steps

If you are a defendant facing assertion of US patent 7173177, it is critical to obtain the official records for IPR2020-00006 directly from the USPTO's Patent Trial and Appeal Board E2E system to understand its full impact. The mention of a "Final Written Decision" on Google Patents suggests a resolution, which could significantly affect the patent's claims. Without this information, all claims of US7173177 should be considered untested in PTAB proceedings for strategic planning purposes. The absence of readily available public information for this specific IPR is unusual for a patent that has reportedly undergone a final written decision.

Inventors

The named inventors for US Patent 7173177 are Eric J. Gould, Nick West, Donald McCaskill, Alice Cark, and Paulus Trisnadi. At the time of the patent application's filing on October 29, 2003, their inventor rights were assigned to MONKEYMEDIA, INC. via an assignment with an effective date of March 2, 2000. [cite: Legal event 2003-10-29] MONKEYMEDIA, INC. subsequently assigned these rights to Blue Dolphin Solutions LLC, which was the applicant on record. [cite: Legal event 2006-02-15]

Original assignee

The original assignee on the issued patent was Blue Dolphin Solutions LLC. The patent describes a user interface system for managing inventory and facilitating purchases across various categories like music, groceries, and vehicle maintenance. [cite: Abstract] While the patent details the functionality of such a system, it is unclear from the provided information whether Blue Dolphin Solutions LLC directly shipped a product embodying these claims. Their primary line of business, based on the patent, was likely the development and/or licensing of software for personalized inventory management and online purchasing interfaces. Blue Dolphin Solutions LLC subsequently transferred ownership of this patent in 2012 and is no longer the owner. [cite: Legal event 2012-04-11] Its current operating status beyond its historical patent ownership is not specified in the provided patent text.

Assignment timeline

• 2003-10-29 (executed 2000-03-02) / recorded 2003-10-29 — Reel 014659/0739

  • Conveyance: Assignment
  • Assignor: CLARK, ALICE, GOULD, ERIC JUSTIN, MCCASKILL, DONALD, TRISNADI, PAULUS, WEST, NICK
  • Assignee: MONKEYMEDIA, INC.
  • Correspondent: Not specified in provided patent text.
  • Context: Transfer of inventor rights to an early corporate entity prior to the patent application filing.

• 2006-02-15 (executed 2005-12-02) / recorded 2006-02-15 — Reel 017564/0035

  • Conveyance: Assignment
  • Assignor: MONKEYMEDIA, INC.
  • Assignee: BLUE DOLPHIN SOLUTIONS, LLC
  • Correspondent: Not specified in provided patent text.
  • Context: Transfer of rights from the initial corporate entity (Monkeymedia, Inc.) to the entity that filed the patent application (Blue Dolphin Solutions LLC).

• 2012-04-11 (effective Not specified) / recorded 2012-04-11 — Reel Not specified in Google Patents legal events

  • Conveyance: Assignment
  • Assignor: BLUE DOLPHIN SOLUTIONS LLC
  • Assignee: INTELLECTUAL VENTURES AUDIO INNOVATIONS LLC
  • Correspondent: Not specified in provided patent text.
  • Context: Transfer of patent rights to a subsidiary of Intellectual Ventures, a known patent assertion entity.

• 2012-04-16 (effective Not specified) / recorded 2012-04-16 — Reel Not specified in Google Patents legal events

  • Conveyance: Assignment
  • Assignor: INTELLECTUAL VENTURES AUDIO INNOVATIONS LLC
  • Assignee: DIGIMEDIA HOLDINGS, LLC
  • Correspondent: Not specified in provided patent text.
  • Context: Transfer of rights from one Intellectual Ventures-related entity to another.

• 2012-04-16 (effective Not specified) / recorded 2012-04-16 — Reel Not specified in Google Patents legal events

  • Conveyance: Assignment
  • Assignor: DIGIMEDIA HOLDINGS, LLC
  • Assignee: INTELLECTUAL VENTURES AUDIO INNOVATIONS LLC
  • Correspondent: Not specified in provided patent text.
  • Context: Reassignment of rights back to the previous Intellectual Ventures-related entity, likely an internal re-organization.

• 2015-10-09 (effective Not specified) / recorded 2015-10-09 — Reel Not specified in Google Patents legal events

  • Conveyance: Merger
  • Assignor: INTELLECTUAL VENTURES AUDIO INNOVATIONS LLC
  • Assignee: XYLON LLC
  • Correspondent: Not specified in provided patent text.
  • Context: Transfer of rights to Xylon LLC, an entity associated with Intellectual Ventures.

• 2018-12-18 (effective Not specified) / recorded 2018-12-18 — Reel Not specified in Google Patents legal events

  • Conveyance: NUNC PRO TUNC ASSIGNMENT
  • Assignor: XYLON LLC
  • Assignee: INTELLECTUAL VENTURES ASSETS 125 LLC
  • Correspondent: Not specified in provided patent text.
  • Context: Corrective assignment to another Intellectual Ventures assets entity.

• 2019-02-06 (effective Not specified) / recorded 2019-02-06 — Reel Not specified in Google Patents legal events

  • Conveyance: Assignment
  • Assignor: INTELLECTUAL VENTURES ASSETS 120/125 LLC
  • Assignee: AVINNOV LLC
  • Correspondent: Not specified in provided patent text.
  • Context: Transfer of rights to a licensing entity.

• 2019-10-17 (effective Not specified) / recorded 2019-10-17 — Reel Not specified in Google Patents legal events

  • Conveyance: Assignment
  • Assignor: AVINNOV LLC
  • Assignee: CEDAR LANE TECHNOLOGIES INC.
  • Correspondent: Not specified in provided patent text.
  • Context: Transfer of rights to the current assignee, another licensing entity, shortly before or coinciding with litigation.

Timeline diagram

timeline
    title Ownership of US 7173177
    2003 : Inventors assign to MonkeyMedia
    2006 : MonkeyMedia to Blue Dolphin Solutions LLC
    2007 : Patent granted
    2012 : Blue Dolphin to IV Audio Innovations
         : IV Audio to Digimedia Holdings
         : Digimedia Holdings to IV Audio Innovations
    2015 : IV Audio to Xylon LLC (Merger)
    2018 : Xylon to IV Assets 125 LLC
    2019 : IV Assets 120/125 to Avinnov LLC
         : Avinnov LLC to Cedar Lane Tech
    2020 : Patent expired

NPE / troll-pattern signals

1. Shell-entity transfer — Present. The assignment chain includes transfers to and from entities with names suggestive of holding or licensing functions, such as INTELLECTUAL VENTURES AUDIO INNOVATIONS LLC [cite: Legal event 2012-04-11], DIGIMEDIA HOLDINGS, LLC [cite: Legal event 2012-04-16], XYLON LLC [cite: Legal event 2015-10-09], INTELLECTUAL VENTURES ASSETS 125 LLC [cite: Legal event 2018-12-18], AVINNOV LLC [cite: Legal event 2019-02-06], and CEDAR LANE TECHNOLOGIES INC. [cite: Legal event 2019-10-17]. These entities appear to be part of a structured transfer for patent management rather than product development.

2. Known asserter in the chain — Present. Intellectual Ventures, a prominent patent assertion entity, is explicitly identified in the chain through its subsidiaries: INTELLECTUAL VENTURES AUDIO INNOVATIONS LLC [cite: Legal event 2012-04-11] and INTELLECTUAL VENTURES ASSETS 125 LLC [cite: Legal event 2018-12-18]. XYLON LLC [cite: Legal event 2015-10-09] is also widely associated with Intellectual Ventures.

3. Repeat correspondent across the chain — Unclear. The provided patent text does not include correspondent attorney names or firms for any of the recorded assignment events, preventing an assessment of recurrence.

4. Cascading transfers — Present. There are multiple instances of rapid transfers within short periods. For example, in 2012, there were three assignments within five days (April 11th and two on April 16th) involving Blue Dolphin Solutions LLC, INTELLECTUAL VENTURES AUDIO INNOVATIONS LLC, and DIGIMEDIA HOLDINGS, LLC. [cite: Legal event 2012-04-11, Legal event 2012-04-16] In 2019, transfers occurred from INTELLECTUAL VENTURES ASSETS 120/125 LLC to AVINNOV LLC (February 6, 2019) and then to CEDAR LANE TECHNOLOGIES INC. (October 17, 2019) within an eight-month span. [cite: Legal event 2019-02-06, Legal event 2019-10-17]

5. Pre-litigation transfer — Present. The patent family became involved in litigation in 2019 and 2020. [cite: US case filed in Texas Eastern District Court, litigation 2019-02-06] The assignments to AVINNOV LLC (February 6, 2019) [cite: Legal event 2019-02-06] and CEDAR LANE TECHNOLOGIES INC. (October 17, 2019) [cite: Legal event 2019-10-17] occurred immediately prior to or concurrent with the initiation of these lawsuits.

6. Bankruptcy fire-sale — Not present. There is no information in the provided patent text to suggest that any of the assignors or assignees underwent bankruptcy proceedings leading to the patent transfer.

7. Privateering — Unclear. The provided information does not contain details about any strategic agreements between operating companies and NPEs for assertion purposes.

8. Defensive aggregator (anti-NPE) — Not present. The final assignee, Cedar Lane Technologies Inc., is not identified as a defensive aggregator such as RPX or AST.

Verdict

NPE — high confidence

The assignment chain demonstrates strong indicators of patent assertion activity. This includes transfers to and between known Intellectual Ventures subsidiaries starting in 2012 [cite: Legal event 2012-04-11, Legal event 2015-10-09, Legal event 2018-12-18], multiple instances of cascading transfers within short periods [cite: Legal event 2012-04-11, Legal event 2012-04-16, Legal event 2019-02-06, Legal event 2019-10-17], and assignments closely preceding the initiation of patent litigation in 2019 [cite: Legal event 2019-02-06, Legal event 2019-10-17]. This pattern is consistent with a patent being acquired and managed for licensing and assertion purposes rather than supporting a product line.

For verification, see the USPTO Assignment Center search for US7173177: https://assignmentcenter.uspto.gov/

To identify the most relevant prior art for US patent 7173177, I will examine the "Patent Citations" section of the patent itself. This section lists the prior art references cited during the examination process.

Here's an analysis of the patent citations, with details for each reference regarding its full citation, publication/filing date, a brief description, and which claim(s) it potentially anticipates under 35 U.S.C. § 102.

Prior Art Citations for US7173177B1

1. US5963916A

• Full Citation: US5963916A - Network apparatus and method for preview of music products and compilation of market data.
• Publication Date: 1999-10-05 (Filing Date: 1990-09-13).
• Brief Description: This patent describes a network apparatus and method for previewing music products and compiling market data. It enables users to browse and listen to samples of music over a network.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This patent potentially anticipates elements of Claim 1, particularly steps related to displaying items (music products) and playing a portion of un-owned items (previewing music). Specifically, it could be relevant to:
  • Claim 1: displaying the one or more items on the user interface.
  • Claim 11: playing a portion of each un-owned item selected by a user.

2. US6131088A

• Full Citation: US6131088A - Electronic catalog system and method.
• Publication Date: 2000-10-10 (Filing Date: 1992-04-10).
• Brief Description: This patent describes an electronic catalog system and method, likely for presenting various items to users for selection and potential purchase.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This could anticipate the general concept of displaying items in a user interface for selection, as broadly covered in Claim 1, specifically:
  • Claim 1: generating a user interface; display the one or more items on the user interface.

3. US6026366A

• Full Citation: US6026366A - Method for providing software to a remote computer.
• Publication Date: 2000-02-15 (Filing Date: 1993-09-22).
• Brief Description: This patent focuses on methods for providing software to a remote computer, which involves transferring data over a network.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This might be relevant to the "transferred via a network" aspect of Claim 1, as it deals with data transfer. Specifically, it could be relevant to:
  • Claim 1: store a play list transferred via a network.

4. US5734719A

• Full Citation: US5734719A - Digital information accessing, delivery and production system.
• Publication Date: 1998-03-31 (Filing Date: 1993-10-15).
• Brief Description: This patent describes a system for accessing, delivering, and producing digital information, which could include various forms of digital content.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This could be seen as broadly anticipating the transfer and storage of digital "items" as described in Claim 1, particularly if the "items" in the playlist are digital.

5. US6026403A

• Full Citation: US6026403A - Computer system for management of resources.
• Publication Date: 2000-02-15 (Filing Date: 1994-03-24).
• Brief Description: This patent describes a computer system for resource management. While generic, "resource management" could encompass managing inventory.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This patent might broadly anticipate the "management" aspect of inventory in the context of a computer system, but lacks the specific user interface and owned/un-owned distinctions of US7173177.

6. US6023683A

• Full Citation: US6023683A - Electronic sourcing system and method.
• Publication Date: 2000-02-08 (Filing Date: 1994-08-10).
• Brief Description: This patent describes an electronic system and method for sourcing goods, likely involving searching for and acquiring items.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This could be relevant to the purchasing aspects of the invention, potentially anticipating steps in dependent claims related to initiating purchases and linking to vendors (Claims 2, 4).

7. US6055516A

• Full Citation: US6055516A - Electronic sourcing system.
• Publication Date: 2000-04-25 (Filing Date: 1994-08-10).
• Brief Description: Similar to US6023683A, this patent describes an electronic sourcing system.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): Similar to US6023683A, this could be relevant to the purchasing aspects of the invention (Claims 2, 4).

8. US5918213A

• Full Citation: US5918213A - System and method for automated remote previewing and purchasing of music, video, software, and other multimedia products.
• Publication Date: 1999-06-29 (Filing Date: 1995-12-22).
• Brief Description: This patent describes an automated system for previewing and purchasing multimedia products remotely. This is highly relevant as it covers both previewing (sampling) and purchasing, similar to US7173177's abstract and claims.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This patent is highly relevant and could potentially anticipate several aspects of Claim 1 and related dependent claims, particularly concerning music and video. Specifically:
  • Claim 1: displaying items, determining owned/un-owned status (if preview implies a choice between owned/un-owned content), and indicating status.
  • Claim 2: initiating a purchase of an un-owned item.
  • Claim 11: playing a portion of each un-owned item (previewing).

9. US5794206A

• Full Citation: US5794206A - Method and system for displaying electronic data interchanges in a computer.
• Publication Date: 1998-08-11 (Filing Date: 1996-05-06).
• Brief Description: This patent describes displaying electronic data interchanges in a computer.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This broadly covers displaying data on a computer, which could be relevant to the "display the one or more items on the user interface" step of Claim 1.

10. US6151643A

• Full Citation: US6151643A - Automatic updating of diverse software products on multiple client computer systems by downloading scanning application to client computer and generating software list on client computer.
• Publication Date: 2000-11-21 (Filing Date: 1996-06-07).
• Brief Description: This patent describes automatic updating of software and generating a software list on a client computer. While software-specific, the concept of generating a list and managing items could be relevant.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This could be relevant to the concept of generating a list and, by extension, parts of Claim 1, particularly "display the one or more items on the user interface" and implicitly, maintaining a list of items.

11. US5953005A

• Full Citation: US5953005A - System and method for on-line multimedia access.
• Publication Date: 1999-09-14 (Filing Date: 1996-06-28).
• Brief Description: This patent describes a system and method for online access to multimedia content.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): Similar to US5918213A, this is highly relevant to music/video items and could anticipate aspects of displaying, sampling, and purchasing digital media, which are key to many claims in US7173177.

12. US6243375B1

• Full Citation: US6243375B1 - Internet-audiotext electronic communications system with multimedia based matching.
• Publication Date: 2001-06-05 (Filing Date: 1996-11-08).
• Brief Description: This patent describes an Internet-based system for multimedia communication and matching.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This could be broadly relevant to the communication of multimedia content over a network, touching upon the "transferred via a network" aspect of Claim 1.

13. US6026376A

• Full Citation: US6026376A - Interactive electronic shopping system and method.
• Publication Date: 2000-02-15 (Filing Date: 1997-04-15).
• Brief Description: This patent describes an interactive electronic shopping system.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This is highly relevant to the purchasing aspects of the invention and could anticipate steps of initiating a purchase and providing links to vendors (Claims 2, 4).

14. US5970474A

• Full Citation: US5970474A - Registry information system for shoppers.
• Publication Date: 1999-10-19 (Filing Date: 1997-04-24).
• Brief Description: This patent describes a registry information system for shoppers, which keeps track of desired items. The patent abstract of US7173177 mentions bridal registries as background art.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This is highly relevant to the concept of maintaining a list of items and their status (e.g., purchased/un-purchased, which aligns with owned/un-owned). It could anticipate the "determine whether each item... is owned or un-owned; and indicate... whether each item is owned or un-owned" steps of Claim 1.

15. US6226672B1

• Full Citation: US6226672B1 - Method and system for allowing users to access and/or share media libraries, including multimedia collections of audio and video information via a wide area network.
• Publication Date: 2001-05-01 (Filing Date: 1997-05-02).
• Brief Description: This patent describes a method and system for accessing and sharing media libraries over a network.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This is highly relevant to the concept of transferred playlists and accessing media. It could anticipate the "store a play list transferred via a network" and "display the one or more items on the user interface" aspects of Claim 1, especially in the context of music/video.

16. US6243725B1

• Full Citation: US6243725B1 - List building system.
• Publication Date: 2001-06-05 (Filing Date: 1997-05-21).
• Brief Description: This patent describes a general list-building system.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This could broadly anticipate the "store a play list" and "display the one or more items" aspects of Claim 1, as lists are fundamental to the invention.

17. US6236974B1

• Full Citation: US6236974B1 - Method and apparatus for automated selection and organization of products including menus.
• Publication Date: 2001-05-22 (Filing Date: 1997-08-08).
• Brief Description: This patent describes automated selection and organization of products using menus.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This could be relevant to the user interface and the organization of items within it, potentially anticipating "generate a user interface" and "display the one or more items" in Claim 1.

18. US6236978B1

• Full Citation: US6236978B1 - System and method for dynamic profiling of users in one-to-one applications.
• Publication Date: 2001-05-22 (Filing Date: 1997-11-14).
• Brief Description: This patent describes user profiling in applications. While not directly about inventory, it could relate to customization.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): Less direct, but could be seen as broadly related to user-configured aspects or personalized interfaces mentioned in the background of US7173177.

19. US5860068A

• Full Citation: US5860068A - Method and system for custom manufacture and delivery of a data product.
• Publication Date: 1999-01-12 (Filing Date: 1997-12-04).
• Brief Description: This patent describes custom manufacture and delivery of data products.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This could be relevant to the delivery aspect of purchased digital items, specifically mentioned in dependent claims (e.g., downloaded music in Claim 5).

20. US6055513A

• Full Citation: US6055513A - Methods and apparatus for intelligent selection of goods and services in telephonic and electronic commerce.
• Publication Date: 2000-04-25 (Filing Date: 1998-03-11).
• Brief Description: This patent describes intelligent selection of goods and services in e-commerce.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This could be relevant to the selection and purchasing of items, particularly in the context of online commerce, anticipating aspects of Claims 2 and 4.

21. US6246997B1

• Full Citation: US6246997B1 - Electronic commerce site with query interface.
• Publication Date: 2001-06-12 (Filing Date: 1998-03-26).
• Brief Description: This patent describes an e-commerce site with a query interface.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This could be relevant to the underlying e-commerce functionality that supports the purchasing steps in US7173177 (Claims 2, 4).

22. US6446080B1

• Full Citation: US6446080B1 - Method for creating, modifying, and playing a custom playlist, saved as a virtual CD, to be played by a digital audio/visual actuator device.
• Publication Date: 2002-09-03 (Filing Date: 1998-05-08).
• Brief Description: This patent describes creating, modifying, and playing custom playlists, saved as virtual CDs. This is highly relevant to the "playlist" aspect of Claim 1 and the playing of owned items.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This patent is highly relevant to Claim 1, particularly:
  • Claim 1: store a play list; display the one or more items on the user interface.
  • Claim 10: playing each owned item selected by a user.
  • It may also implicitly anticipate the owned/un-owned distinction if a virtual CD implies content the user "owns" access to.

23. US6232539B1

• Full Citation: US6232539B1 - Music organizer and entertainment center.
• Publication Date: 2001-05-15 (Filing Date: 1998-06-17).
• Brief Description: This patent describes a music organizer and entertainment center.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): Relevant to the organization and display of music items, similar to the playlist concept in Claim 1.

24. US6061691A

• Full Citation: US6061691A - Method and system for inventory management.
• Publication Date: 2000-05-09 (Filing Date: 1998-08-31).
• Brief Description: This patent describes a general method and system for inventory management.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This broadly covers inventory management, which is the core concept of US7173177. While lacking the specific user interface and owned/un-owned distinction, it provides a foundational concept.

25. US6055573A

• Full Citation: US6055573A - Communicating with a computer based on an updated purchase behavior classification of a particular consumer.
• Publication Date: 2000-04-25 (Filing Date: 1998-12-30).
• Brief Description: This patent describes communication with a computer based on consumer purchase behavior.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This is less direct, but could relate to systems that track what a user owns or has purchased, which is a component of determining "owned" status in US7173177.

26. US6233682B1

• Full Citation: US6233682B1 - Distribution of musical products by a web site vendor over the internet.
• Publication Date: 2001-05-15 (Filing Date: 1999-01-22).
• Brief Description: This patent describes the online distribution of musical products by a vendor.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): Highly relevant to the purchasing of music over a network (Claim 5).

27. US6230199B1

• Full Citation: US6230199B1 - Active marketing based on client computer configurations.
• Publication Date: 2001-05-08 (Filing Date: 1999-10-29).
• Brief Description: This patent describes active marketing based on client computer configurations.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): Less direct, but could relate to systems that tailor offerings based on what a user has (or needs), which touches on the underlying motivation for the owned/un-owned distinction.

28. US6618753B2

• Full Citation: US6618753B2 - Systems and methods for registering gift registries and for purchasing gifts.
• Publication Date: 2003-09-09 (Filing Date: 1999-12-13).
• Brief Description: This patent describes systems and methods for gift registries and purchasing gifts. As noted in the background of US7173177, gift registries are a form of inventory management.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This is highly relevant to the core concepts of US7173177, particularly Claim 1's steps of displaying items, determining owned/un-owned status, and indicating status. Gift registries inherently track items that are "un-owned" (desired) and become "owned" (purchased).

29. US6473738B1

• Full Citation: US6473738B1 - Multiple-person buying information system with application to on-line merchandizing.
• Publication Date: 2002-10-29 (Filing Date: 2000-03-23).
• Brief Description: This patent describes a multi-person buying information system for online merchandising.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This could be relevant to the purchasing functionality and potentially the sharing of lists (Claim 7, 12).

30. US20020059120A1

• Full Citation: US20020059120A1 - Method and apparatus for creating and maintaining a virtual inventory in a distributed network.
• Publication Date: 2002-05-16 (Filing Date: 2000-06-06).
• Brief Description: This patent application describes creating and maintaining a virtual inventory in a distributed network. This directly addresses inventory management in a networked environment.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This is highly relevant to the core concept of managing inventory using a computer system and network. It could anticipate various aspects of Claim 1.

Most Relevant Prior Art

Based on the analysis, several prior art patents appear particularly relevant due to their direct addressing of key elements found in Claim 1 of US7173177:

• US5918213A (System and method for automated remote previewing and purchasing of music, video, software, and other multimedia products): This patent directly addresses previewing and purchasing multimedia products, encompassing elements of displaying items, sampling (previewing), and initiating purchases, which are central to US7173177.
• US5970474A (Registry information system for shoppers): This patent's focus on registries that track desired items and their status (purchased/un-purchased) closely aligns with US7173177's concept of indicating owned and un-owned items.
• US6446080B1 (Method for creating, modifying, and playing a custom playlist, saved as a virtual CD, to be played by a digital audio/visual actuator device): This patent is highly relevant to the "playlist" aspect of Claim 1 and the ability to play owned items, which are explicitly covered in US7173177.
• US6618753B2 (Systems and methods for registering gift registries and for purchasing gifts): Similar to US5970474A, this directly relates to managing lists of items with a clear owned/un-owned distinction and the ability to purchase.
• US20020059120A1 (Method and apparatus for creating and maintaining a virtual inventory in a distributed network): This patent directly addresses the creation and maintenance of a "virtual inventory" in a "distributed network," which are foundational concepts to US7173177's inventory management system.

These patents collectively present strong arguments for potential anticipation of various elements of Claim 1, especially regarding the display of items, the distinction between owned and un-owned items, and the ability to purchase un-owned items, particularly in the context of digital media and shopping lists.

Obviousness Analysis under 35 U.S.C. § 103 for US Patent 7173177

This analysis considers US Patent 7173177's independent Claim 1 in light of the provided prior art to determine if the claimed invention would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art (PHOSITA) at the time of the invention (priority date: December 28, 1999).

Independent Claim 1 (Plain-language overview):

A computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to:

1. Store a playlist transferred via a network, where the playlist includes one or more items.
2. Generate a user interface.
3. Display the one or more items on the user interface.
4. Determine whether each item in the playlist is owned or un-owned.
5. Indicate on the user interface whether each item is owned or un-owned.

Combination of Prior Art References:

To render Claim 1 obvious, a combination of prior art references can be made using US6226672B1 and US5970474A.

Primary Reference: US6226672B1 (Sony Corporation)

• Title: "Method and system for allowing users to access and/or share media libraries, including multimedia collections of audio and video information via a wide area network."
• Priority Date: May 2, 1997
• Disclosures Relevant to Claim 1:
  • Computer readable medium storing instructions, generating a user interface, and displaying items: This patent inherently discloses a computer-readable medium storing instructions for a system that allows users to access and share media. Such a system would necessarily generate and display a user interface to present the media items to the user.
  • Store a playlist transferred via a network, wherein the playlist includes one or more items: The patent describes a "system for allowing users to access and/or share media libraries... via a wide area network." A media library, or a portion thereof, can function as a playlist (a collection of selected media items). The act of "sharing" these media libraries directly implies transferring the list of items over a network, and these "multimedia collections of audio and video information" are the "one or more items" in the playlist.

Secondary Reference: US5970474A (Sears, Roebuck And Co.)

• Title: "Registry information system for shoppers."
• Priority Date: April 24, 1997
• Disclosures Relevant to Claim 1:
  • Determine whether each item in the play list is owned or un-owned; and indicate on the user interface whether each item is owned or un-owned: This patent describes a gift registry system where a user creates a list of desired items. The system inherently determines and indicates the status of each item on the list as "purchased" (i.e., owned, or acquired by the recipient) or "remaining" (i.e., un-owned, or still needed). This functionality directly addresses the determination and indication of owned or un-owned status for items on a list within a user interface.

Motivation to Combine:

A Person Having Ordinary Skill in the Art (PHOSITA) in the field of online media management and e-commerce, at the time of the invention, would have been motivated to combine the features of US6226672B1 and US5970474A to enhance the functionality and user experience of managing and acquiring digital content.

The problem US7173177 aims to solve, as articulated in its background, is the cumbersome nature of traditional and early online shopping models, where users still had to manually track desired items and visit multiple vendors. The invention seeks to streamline this by providing a user interface that simultaneously manages owned and un-owned inventory with direct purchasing.

A PHOSITA, observing the increasing popularity of digital media and online sharing platforms (as exemplified by US6226672B1 for media libraries), would recognize the clear benefit of integrating a robust inventory status tracking system. It would be obvious to adapt the well-known concept of distinguishing "owned" from "un-owned" items on a list, as already implemented in online gift registry systems (like US5970474A), to the context of shared digital media playlists or libraries.

Specifically, when a user accesses a shared media library or a transferred playlist via a network (as taught by US6226672B1), it would be a natural and intuitive improvement to provide a clear indication on the user interface of which items they already possess (owned) versus which items they do not (un-owned). This combination would serve several practical purposes:

• Preventing Redundancy: Users could easily see which media items they already own, avoiding unnecessary re-purchases or re-downloads.
• Streamlining Acquisition: It would highlight new or missing items, making it easier for users to identify what they need to acquire to complete a collection or playlist.
• Enhanced User Experience: By presenting a consolidated view of both owned and desired items with clear status indicators, the user interface would be more informative and efficient for managing personal media inventory, aligning with the general trend of creating more intelligent and integrated online tools.

The application of a known technique for status tracking from one online list management system (gift registries) to another (networked media playlists) to achieve a predictable and beneficial result (clear inventory status for digital content) would have been obvious to a PHOSITA.