Assignment history

Inventors

• Edward Chang. Employer at time of filing: Hewlett Packard Development Co LP.

Original assignee

Hewlett Packard Development Co LP was the original assignee. Hewlett-Packard (HP) is a multinational information technology company that designs, develops, and sells computing hardware, software, and related services. It shipped numerous products embodying various technologies, including those that might incorporate multiplexing circuits. Hewlett-Packard has since split into HP Inc. and Hewlett Packard Enterprise, but Hewlett Packard Development Co LP continues as an entity for managing intellectual property. The company is currently operating.

Assignment timeline

• 2003-07-31 (executed) / recorded 2003-09-29 — Reel 014014/0089

  • Conveyance: Assignment
  • Assignor: CHANG, EDWARD
  • Assignee: HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L.P.
  • Correspondent: Not specified in the provided patent text.
  • Context: Internal transfer from inventor to employer.

• 2014-11-03 (executed) / recorded 2014-12-10 — Reel 034591/0627

  • Conveyance: Assignment
  • Assignor: HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L.P.
  • Assignee: CONVERSANT INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT INC.
  • Correspondent: Not specified in the provided patent text.
  • Context: Transfer from an operating company to an intellectual property management firm.

• 2018-07-31 (executed) / recorded 2018-08-22 — Reel 046900/0136

  • Conveyance: Amended and Restated U.S. Patent Security Agreement
  • Assignor: CONVERSANT INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT INC.
  • Assignee: CPPIB CREDIT INVESTMENTS, INC.
  • Correspondent: Not specified in the provided patent text.
  • Context: Securitization of the patent as collateral for a loan.

• 2020-10-28 (executed) / recorded 2020-11-11 — Reel 054385/0435

  • Conveyance: Release By Secured Party
  • Assignor: CPPIB CREDIT INVESTMENTS INC.
  • Assignee: CONVERSANT INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT INC.
  • Correspondent: Not specified in the provided patent text.
  • Context: Release of the security interest, returning full ownership to Conversant.

• 2021-04-01 (executed) / recorded 2021-11-03 — Reel 058796/0422

  • Conveyance: Change of Name
  • Assignor: CONVERSANT INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY INC.
  • Assignee: MOSAID TECHNOLOGIES INCORPORATED
  • Correspondent: Not specified in the provided patent text.
  • Context: Change of assignee's legal name.

• 2021-04-01 (executed) / recorded 2023-08-24 — Reel 064707/0053

  • Conveyance: Corrective Assignment to Correct the Conveying Party's Name
  • Assignor: CONVERSANT INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT INC.
  • Assignee: MOSAID TECHNOLOGIES INCORPORATED
  • Correspondent: Not specified in the provided patent text.
  • Context: Corrective recording to clarify the previous change of name.

Timeline diagram

timeline
    title Ownership of US 7349448
    2003 : Filed by Hewlett Packard
    2008 : Patent granted
    2014 : Assigned to Conversant IP Mgt Inc
    2018 : Security agreement to CPPIB
    2020 : Security interest released
    2021 : Conversant name changed to Mosaid
    2023 : Corrective assignment
    2025 : Litigation filed in Texas

NPE / troll-pattern signals

1. Shell-entity transfer — present. The patent was transferred from Hewlett-Packard Development Co LP, an operating company, to Conversant Intellectual Property Management Inc. [cite: Current Assignee, Original Assignee] The assignee's name, "Intellectual Property Management Inc.," strongly suggests a licensing-focused entity rather than a product-shipping company. [cite: Reel 034591/0627]
2. Known asserter in the chain — present. Conversant Intellectual Property Management Inc. and MOSAID TECHNOLOGIES INCORPORATED (the current assignee) are both identified as known Non-Practicing Entities (NPEs) or patent aggregators in the provided list. [cite: Current Assignee]
3. Repeat correspondent across the chain — unclear. The provided patent text does not list correspondent attorney or firm information for any of the recorded assignments.
4. Cascading transfers — not present. While there are multiple recordings (assignment, security agreement, release, name change, corrective assignment), they do not represent rapid, consecutive transfers between different shell LLCs to obscure ownership or enable quick assertion.
5. Pre-litigation transfer — not present. The earliest litigation event noted is a US case filed in 2025. [cite: Family has litigation] The primary transfer to an NPE (Conversant) occurred with a recorded date of 2014-12-10, [cite: Reel 034591/0627] which is more than six months before the 2025 litigation filing. The name change to Mosaid was recorded in 2021, also well before the 2025 litigation. [cite: Reel 058796/0422]
6. Bankruptcy fire-sale — not present. There is no indication in the legal events or other patent information that the original assignee or any subsequent owner filed for bankruptcy and sold this patent as part of those proceedings.
7. Privateering — unclear. The provided information does not contain details about any agreements between Hewlett-Packard and Conversant/Mosaid that would indicate privateering. This typically requires external documentation such as SEC filings.
8. Defensive aggregator (anti-NPE) — not present. The current owner, Mosaid Technologies Inc., is a known NPE, not a defensive aggregator. [cite: Current Assignee]

Verdict

NPE — high confidence

This patent exhibits strong NPE patterns. It was transferred from an operating company, Hewlett-Packard Development Co LP, to Conversant Intellectual Property Management Inc., an entity whose name indicates a focus on intellectual property management, and which is a known NPE. [cite: Current Assignee, Reel 034591/0627] The current owner, Mosaid Technologies Inc. (formerly Conversant), is also a recognized NPE, and the patent is currently involved in litigation. [cite: Current Assignee, Family has litigation]

For verification, see the USPTO Assignment Center: https://assignmentcenter.uspto.gov/ (search by patent number US7349448).