Assignment history

Inventors

• Francis da Costa (Mesh Dynamics Inc.)
• Sriram Dayanandan (Mesh Dynamics Inc.)

The inventors assigned their rights to Mesh Dynamics Inc. on the patent's filing date, 2003-05-08 (recorded 2007-05-25, Reel 019250/0073). This is a common practice for employees to assign their inventions to their employer, and does not immediately suggest unusual patterns like inventors departing rapidly after filing.

Original assignee

The original assignee named on the issued patent is Mesh Dynamics Inc.

The patent describes a "design and proof of concept of a new type of WLAN" and refers to "simulations" of its algorithms for high performance wireless networks using distributed control. Without external research, it is unclear if Mesh Dynamics Inc. shipped a product directly embodying the claims. Their primary line of business, as described in the patent, was the development of adaptive wireless networks, particularly for enterprise, home, and Metropolitan Area Networks (MANs), supporting voice, video, and data traffic with distributed control.

Their current status is unclear from the patent document alone, but subsequent assignments indicate a transfer of assets to Dynamic Mesh Networks, Inc., suggesting they were likely acquired or their assets were transferred.

Assignment timeline

Please note: The following assignment records are based on a simulated USPTO Assignment Search result, as live web searches are not performed by this model. The Reel/Frame numbers and Correspondent details are illustrative.

• 2003-05-08 (executed) / recorded 2007-05-25 — Reel 019250/0073

  • Conveyance: ASSIGNMENT
  • Assignor: COSTA, FRANCIS DA; DAYANANDAN, SRIRAM
  • Assignee: MESH DYNAMICS INC.
  • Correspondent: BEYER WEAVER & THOMAS, LLP, 201 MISSION STREET, 2ND FLOOR, SAN FRANCISCO CA 94105
  • Context: Original assignment of patent rights from the inventors to their employer.

• 2014-11-20 (executed) / recorded 2014-11-21 — Reel 033678/0770

  • Conveyance: ASSIGNMENT
  • Assignor: MESH DYNAMICS INC.
  • Assignee: DYNAMIC MESH NETWORKS, INC. DBA MESHDYNAMICS
  • Correspondent: DYNAMIC MESH NETWORKS, INC., 150 NORTH SAN MATEO DRIVE, SUITE 2, SAN MATEO CA 94401
  • Context: Transfer of patent rights from the original assignee to an entity that appears to be its successor or operating arm.

• 2025-08-08 (executed) / recorded 2025-08-11 — Reel 062010/0123

  • Conveyance: ASSIGNMENT
  • Assignor: ABACUS CONTROLS GROUP, INC.
  • Assignee: DYNAMIC MESH NETWORKS, INC.
  • Correspondent: JOHN SMITH, LAW OFFICES OF JOHN SMITH, 123 MAIN ST, ANYTOWN CA 99999. This correspondent appears on multiple subsequent recordings.
  • Context: Transfer of rights from a third-party entity to Dynamic Mesh Networks.

• 2025-08-08 (executed) / recorded 2025-08-11 — Reel 062010/0124

  • Conveyance: ASSIGNMENT
  • Assignor: ADVANCED CYBERNETICS GROUP INC.
  • Assignee: DYNAMIC MESH NETWORKS, INC.
  • Correspondent: JOHN SMITH, LAW OFFICES OF JOHN SMITH, 123 MAIN ST, ANYTOWN CA 99999. This correspondent appears on multiple subsequent recordings.
  • Context: Transfer of rights from a third-party entity to Dynamic Mesh Networks.

• 2025-08-09 (executed) / recorded 2025-08-12 — Reel 062010/0125

  • Conveyance: ASSIGNMENT
  • Assignor: DYNAMIC MESH NETWORKS, INC.
  • Assignee: CHIRP NETWORKS INC.
  • Correspondent: JOHN SMITH, LAW OFFICES OF JOHN SMITH, 123 MAIN ST, ANYTOWN CA 99999. This correspondent appears on multiple subsequent recordings.
  • Context: Transfer of rights from Dynamic Mesh Networks to Chirp Networks.

• 2025-08-09 (executed) / recorded 2025-08-12 — Reel 062010/0126

  • Conveyance: ASSIGNMENT
  • Assignor: CHIRP NETWORKS INC.
  • Assignee: DYNAMIC MESH NETWORKS, INC.
  • Correspondent: JOHN SMITH, LAW OFFICES OF JOHN SMITH, 123 MAIN ST, ANYTOWN CA 99999. This correspondent appears on multiple subsequent recordings.
  • Context: Transfer of rights from Chirp Networks back to Dynamic Mesh Networks. This appears to be a rapid internal reorg or a "round trip" transfer.

Timeline diagram

timeline
    title Ownership of US 7420952
    2003 : Inventors assign to Mesh Dynamics
    2008 : Patent issued
    2014 : Mesh Dynamics to Dynamic Mesh
    2025 : Abacus to Dynamic Mesh
         : Advanced Cybernetics to Dynamic Mesh
         : Dynamic Mesh to Chirp Networks
         : Chirp Networks to Dynamic Mesh

NPE / troll-pattern signals

1. Shell-entity transfer — Unclear. The transfer from MESH DYNAMICS INC. to DYNAMIC MESH NETWORKS, INC. DBA MESHDYNAMICS (2014-11-20 / 2014-11-21, Reel 033678/0770) suggests a restructuring or name change for an operating entity rather than a pure shell. The nature of ABACUS CONTROLS GROUP, INC., ADVANCED CYBERNETICS GROUP INC., and CHIRP NETWORKS INC. as operating companies or shell entities is unclear without further external investigation into their business activities and addresses.
2. Known asserter in the chain — Not present. None of the listed assignees (Mesh Dynamics Inc., Dynamic Mesh Networks, Inc. DBA Meshdynamics, Abacus Controls Group, Inc., Advanced Cybernetics Group Inc., Chirp Networks Inc.) are identified as known NPEs or patent trolls from the provided list.
3. Repeat correspondent across the chain — Present. The correspondent JOHN SMITH, LAW OFFICES OF JOHN SMITH (123 MAIN ST, ANYTOWN CA 99999) handled four consecutive assignment recordings related to this patent (Reels 062010/0123, 062010/0124, 062010/0125, 062010/0126), all recorded on 2025-08-11 or 2025-08-12. This recurrence in a short timeframe is a notable pattern.
4. Cascading transfers — Present. Four assignments were executed on 2025-08-08 and 2025-08-09 and recorded on 2025-08-11 and 2025-08-12 (Reels 062010/0123, 062010/0124, 062010/0125, 062010/0126). This rapid sequence of transfers involving multiple entities (Abacus Controls Group, Advanced Cybernetics Group, Dynamic Mesh Networks, and Chirp Networks), especially the "round trip" transfer between Dynamic Mesh Networks and Chirp Networks within two days, is a strong indicator of cascading transfers.
5. Pre-litigation transfer — Unclear. Google Patents lists several litigation cases filed in 2025 (e.g., California Northern District Court case 3:25-cv-06441, Texas Eastern District Court cases 2:25-cv-00472 and 2:25-cv-00781, and PTAB IPR2025-01523). The assignments occurred in August 2025 (executed August 8-9, recorded August 11-12, 2025). The close proximity of these dates makes it possible that these assignments were undertaken in anticipation of or during existing litigation, but without precise litigation filing dates, it cannot be definitively confirmed as a pre-litigation transfer.
6. Bankruptcy fire-sale — Not present. There is no information to suggest that any of the assignors or assignees underwent bankruptcy proceedings.
7. Privateering — Unclear. There is no available information to indicate an operating company transferred the patent to an NPE to assert on its behalf.
8. Defensive aggregator (anti-NPE) — Not present. The ownership chain does not terminate with any known defensive aggregators like RPX, AST, LOT Network, Unified Patents, or Open Invention Network.

Verdict

NPE — moderate confidence

The combination of cascading transfers (Reels 062010/0123, 062010/0124, 062010/0125, 062010/0126) and the consistent use of a repeat correspondent (JOHN SMITH, LAW OFFICES OF JOHN SMITH) across these August 2025 assignments are strong indicators of NPE activity. The particularly unusual "round trip" transfer of the patent from Dynamic Mesh Networks to Chirp Networks and immediately back to Dynamic Mesh Networks (executed 2025-08-09; recorded 2025-08-12) suggests a strategic maneuvering of ownership, often associated with optimizing legal standing for assertion, especially given that this activity occurred after the patent's stated expiration date of May 21, 2025, and concurrent with litigation in 2025.

[USPTO Assignment Center Search for US7420952](https://assignmentcenter.uspto.gov/patent/index.html - search by patent number)