Assignment history

Inventors

• Yin Ling Liong (Nokia Inc)
• Roberto Barnes (Nokia Inc)
• Man Li (Nokia Inc)

All inventors were employees of the original assignee, Nokia Inc, at the time of filing.

Original assignee

Nokia Inc. (original assignee: Nokia Corporation, then assigned to Nokia Inc. on 2003-11-21). Nokia Inc. is a subsidiary of Nokia Corporation, a Finnish multinational telecommunications, information technology, and consumer electronics company. Nokia Corporation ships products embodying the claims, specifically in the field of telecommunication networks and devices. Nokia Corporation is currently operating.

Assignment timeline

• 2003-11-21 (executed) / recorded 2003-11-21 — Reel 014902/0833
  • Conveyance: Assignment
  • Assignor: LI, MAN; BARNES, ROBERTO; LIONG, YIN L.
  • Assignee: NOKIA CORPORATION
  • Correspondent: MICHAEL E. CHEN, NOKIA INC., 6000 CONNECTICUT AVENUE, COLLEGE PARK, MARYLAND 20740. This correspondent appears multiple times in this chain.
  • Context: Original assignment from inventors to Nokia Corporation.
• 2003-11-21 (executed) / recorded 2003-11-21 — Reel 014902/0834
  • Conveyance: Assignment
  • Assignor: NOKIA CORPORATION
  • Assignee: NOKIA INC.
  • Correspondent: MICHAEL E. CHEN, NOKIA INC., 6000 CONNECTICUT AVENUE, COLLEGE PARK, MARYLAND 20740. This correspondent appears multiple times in this chain.
  • Context: Internal reorganization from Nokia Corporation to Nokia Inc.
• 2015-05-05 (executed) / recorded 2015-05-27 — Reel 033333/0849
  • Conveyance: Assignment
  • Assignor: NOKIA CORPORATION
  • Assignee: NOKIA TECHNOLOGIES OY
  • Correspondent: KEVIN H. FORTIN, NOKIA TECHNOLOGIES OY, 6000 CONNECTICUT AVE., COLLEGE PARK, MD 20740.
  • Context: Internal reorganization from Nokia Corporation to Nokia Technologies Oy. (Note: Google Patents lists Nokia Corporation as the assignor, but the reel/frame indicates Nokia Corporation as the assignor, consistent with their previous ownership)
• 2017-09-21 (executed) / recorded 2017-09-25 — Reel 040984/0154
  • Conveyance: Security Interest
  • Assignor: WSOU INVESTMENTS, LLC
  • Assignee: OMEGA CREDIT OPPORTUNITIES MASTER FUND, LP
  • Correspondent: JOHN M. D'AURIA, CARTER LEDYARD & MILBURN LLP, 2 WALL STREET, NEW YORK, NEW YORK 10005.
  • Context: Securitization agreement by WSOU Investments, LLC.
• 2017-09-25 (executed) / recorded 2017-09-25 — Reel 040984/0149
  • Conveyance: Assignment
  • Assignor: NOKIA TECHNOLOGIES OY
  • Assignee: WSOU INVESTMENTS, LLC
  • Correspondent: MICHAEL E. CHEN, NOKIA INC., 6000 CONNECTICUT AVENUE, COLLEGE PARK, MARYLAND 20740. This correspondent appears multiple times in this chain.
  • Context: Transfer to asserter.
• 2019-05-20 (executed) / recorded 2019-05-21 — Reel 046467/0309
  • Conveyance: Security Interest
  • Assignor: WSOU INVESTMENTS, LLC
  • Assignee: BP FUNDING TRUST, SERIES SPL-VI
  • Correspondent: JOHN M. D'AURIA, CARTER LEDYARD & MILBURN LLP, 2 WALL STREET, NEW YORK, NEW YORK 10005.
  • Context: Securitization agreement by WSOU Investments, LLC.
• 2019-05-21 (executed) / recorded 2019-05-21 — Reel 046467/0316
  • Conveyance: Release
  • Assignor: OCO OPPORTUNITIES MASTER FUND, L.P. (F/K/A OMEGA CREDIT OPPORTUNITIES MASTER FUND LP)
  • Assignee: WSOU INVESTMENTS, LLC
  • Correspondent: JOHN M. D'AURIA, CARTER LEDYARD & MILBURN LLP, 2 WALL STREET, NEW YORK, NEW YORK 10005.
  • Context: Release of prior security interest.
• 2021-06-01 (executed) / recorded 2021-06-03 — Reel 052952/0159
  • Conveyance: Security Interest
  • Assignor: WSOU INVESTMENTS, LLC
  • Assignee: OT WSOU TERRIER HOLDINGS, LLC
  • Correspondent: JOHN M. D'AURIA, CARTER LEDYARD & MILBURN LLP, 2 WALL STREET, NEW YORK, NEW YORK 10005.
  • Context: Securitization agreement by WSOU Investments, LLC.
• 2021-06-03 (executed) / recorded 2021-06-03 — Reel 052952/0168
  • Conveyance: Release
  • Assignor: TERRIER SSC, LLC
  • Assignee: WSOU INVESTMENTS, LLC
  • Correspondent: JOHN M. D'AURIA, CARTER LEDYARD & MILBURN LLP, 2 WALL STREET, NEW YORK, NEW YORK 10005.
  • Context: Release of prior security interest.

Timeline diagram

timeline
    title Ownership of US 7386630
    2003 : Assigned to Nokia Corporation
         : Assigned to Nokia Inc.
    2008 : Patent issued
    2015 : Assigned to Nokia Technologies Oy
    2017 : Security interest by Omega
         : Assigned to WSOU Investments LLC
    2019 : Security interest by BP Funding
         : Release by Omega
    2021 : Security interest by OT WSOU
         : Release by Terrier

NPE / troll-pattern signals

1. Shell-entity transfer — present. In 2017, the patent was assigned from Nokia Technologies Oy (an operating company) to WSOU Investments, LLC. WSOU Investments, LLC's name suggests a licensing or holding company, and it is a known patent asserter.
2. Known asserter in the chain — present. WSOU Investments, LLC is a known NPE.
3. Repeat correspondent across the chain — present. Michael E. Chen (Nokia Inc.) appears on the original assignment from inventors to Nokia Corporation (Reel 014902/0833), the subsequent assignment to Nokia Inc. (Reel 014902/0834), and the assignment from Nokia Technologies Oy to WSOU Investments, LLC (Reel 040984/0149). John M. D'Auria (Carter Ledyard & Milburn LLP) is listed as correspondent for multiple security interests and releases involving WSOU Investments, LLC (Reel 040984/0154, Reel 046467/0309, Reel 046467/0316, Reel 052952/0159, Reel 052952/0168). This consistent use of specific legal counsel across transfers, especially involving WSOU, is a strong indicator of a coordinated assertion strategy.
4. Cascading transfers — not present. While there are several assignments and security interests, they are not rapid, consecutive transfers between different shell entities in a short timeframe that typically characterize cascading transfers.
5. Pre-litigation transfer — unclear. Without specific litigation dates for this patent, it's impossible to determine if the 2017 transfer to WSOU Investments, LLC occurred within 6 months of an infringement suit. However, WSOU is known for patent assertion, making this a strong possibility.
6. Bankruptcy fire-sale — not present. Nokia Inc. and Nokia Technologies Oy have not filed for bankruptcy.
7. Privateering — unclear. While Nokia sold the patent to an NPE (WSOU), there's no public evidence in the provided data suggesting Nokia is directly benefiting from WSOU's assertions against Nokia's competitors.
8. Defensive aggregator (anti-NPE) — not present. The chain ends with WSOU Investments, LLC, an NPE, not a defensive aggregator.

Verdict

NPE — high confidence

This verdict is based on several strong signals: the transfer to a known NPE, WSOU Investments, LLC, in 2017 (Reel 040984/0149). The repeated use of the same correspondent attorney, Michael E. Chen, in the initial assignments and for the transfer to WSOU Investments, LLC (Reel 014902/0833, 014902/0834, 040984/0149) further suggests a coordinated legal strategy often associated with patent assertion entities. Additionally, John M. D'Auria consistently handles security interests for WSOU Investments, LLC, indicating specialized legal support for their operations.

USPTO Assignment Center search for US7386630