Assignment history

Inventors

• Adrian Sfarti (Employer at time of filing: Individual)

Unusual patterns: The inventor, Adrian Sfarti, was listed as "Individual" at the time of filing. Later assignments show him as an assignor, suggesting he held the patent initially before transferring it.

Original assignee

The original assignee, as indicated by the filing of the patent, appears to be Adrian Sfarti, an individual. The patent was subsequently assigned to various entities. It is unclear from the provided text whether Adrian Sfarti shipped a product embodying the claims directly. His primary line of business at the time of filing as an "Individual" is not specified.

Assignment timeline

• 2016-06-22 (executed) / recorded 2017-12-01 — Reel 044279/0457

  • Conveyance: Assignment of Assignors Interest
  • Assignor: SFARTI, ADRIAN
  • Assignee: SURFACE 3D LLC, CALIFORNIA
  • Correspondent: Not specified in the provided text.
  • Context: Transfer from individual inventor to an LLC.

• 2016-06-22 (executed) / recorded 2017-12-01 — Reel 044279/0505

  • Conveyance: Assignment of Assignors Interest
  • Assignor: SFARTI, ADRIAN
  • Assignee: SURFACE3D LLC, CALIFORNIA
  • Correspondent: Not specified in the provided text.
  • Context: Transfer from individual inventor to an LLC. (This appears to be a duplicate record or a transfer to a similarly named entity).

• 2016-08-01 (executed) / recorded 2017-12-01 — Reel 044649/0087

  • Conveyance: Change of Name
  • Assignor: SURFACE3D LLC
  • Assignee: 3D SURFACES, LLC, CALIFORNIA
  • Correspondent: Not specified in the provided text.
  • Context: Name change for an assignee entity.

• 2020-09-17 (executed) / recorded 2021-09-20 — Reel 057535/0603

  • Conveyance: Security Interest
  • Assignor: 3D SURFACES, LLC
  • Assignee: LIT-US CHISUM 21-A, LLC, NEW YORK
  • Correspondent: Not specified in the provided text.
  • Context: Grant of security interest, often a precursor to or part of a financing arrangement.

• 2020-05-19 (executed) / recorded 2022-08-29 — Reel 060931/0530

  • Conveyance: Security Interest
  • Assignor: SFARTI, ADRIAN; 3D SURFACES, LLC
  • Assignee: ALLIACENSE LIMITED, LLC, CALIFORNIA
  • Correspondent: Not specified in the provided text.
  • Context: Grant of security interest, with both the individual inventor and 3D Surfaces, LLC as assignors.

Timeline diagram

timeline
    title Ownership of US 7245299
    2007 : Patent granted to Adrian Sfarti
    2016 : Assigned to Surface 3D LLC
    2016 : Assigned to SURFACE3D LLC
    2016 : Name changed to 3D Surfaces LLC
    2020 : Security interest to LIT-US CHISUM 21-A LLC
    2020 : Security interest to ALLIACENSE LIMITED LLC

NPE / troll-pattern signals

1. Shell-entity transfer — present.

   • 2016-06-22 (executed) / recorded 2017-12-01 — Reel 044279/0457 and 044279/0505: Patent transferred from individual inventor Adrian Sfarti to "SURFACE 3D LLC" and "SURFACE3D LLC." The names "SURFACE 3D LLC" and "3D SURFACES, LLC" (following a name change on reel 044649/0087) suggest entities focused on intellectual property or licensing rather than product development. Without further information, it's difficult to definitively state their product-shipping status, but the name strongly implies a non-operating entity.
   • 2020-09-17 (executed) / recorded 2021-09-20 — Reel 057535/0603: A security interest was granted to "LIT-US CHISUM 21-A, LLC". The "LIT-US" portion of the name suggests a litigation or licensing focus.
   • 2020-05-19 (executed) / recorded 2022-08-29 — Reel 060931/0530: A security interest was granted to "ALLIACENSE LIMITED, LLC". "ALLIACENSE" suggests a focus on licensing.

2. Known asserter in the chain — unclear. While the assignee names (e.g., LIT-US CHISUM 21-A, LLC, ALLIACENSE LIMITED, LLC) suggest licensing or assertion, without direct confirmation against RPX/Unified Patents/public NPE lists for these specific entities, a definitive "present" cannot be made. The provided information does not include such cross-referencing.

3. Repeat correspondent across the chain — unclear. The provided text does not specify the correspondent for any of the recorded assignments. Therefore, it's not possible to determine if the same attorney or firm handled multiple recordings.

4. Cascading transfers — not present. While there are multiple transfers and security interests, they are spaced over several years rather than in rapid succession within a 24-month period, and the information on shared correspondent addresses or principals is missing.

5. Pre-litigation transfer — unclear. The information provided does not include details about any infringement lawsuits filed, so it is not possible to determine if any assignments occurred within 6 months prior to litigation. However, the Google Patents page mentions litigation, indicating that assertions have occurred, and multiple PTAB cases and a US case were filed in 2022 and 2023.

6. Bankruptcy fire-sale — not present. There is no indication in the provided text that the original assignee or any subsequent assignor filed for Chapter 7 or 11 bankruptcy.

7. Privateering — unclear. There is no information in the provided text to suggest that an operating company transferred the patent to an NPE to assert on its behalf against competitors.

8. Defensive aggregator (anti-NPE) — not present. The chain does not terminate at any known defensive aggregators like RPX, AST, LOT Network, Unified Patents, or Open Invention Network.

Verdict

NPE — moderate confidence.
The presence of multiple entities with names suggestive of licensing or litigation ("SURFACE 3D LLC", "LIT-US CHISUM 21-A, LLC", "ALLIACENSE LIMITED, LLC") taking ownership or security interests in the patent points towards an NPE pattern. The patent originated from an individual inventor and was subsequently transferred to LLCs. The mentioned litigation and PTAB cases on the Google Patents page further support this inference, even if the precise timing of transfers against litigation cannot be fully assessed from the provided text.

USPTO Assignment Center search: https://assignmentcenter.uspto.gov/