Assignment history

Inventors

The named inventors for US patent 7685393 are Peter Gillingham and Robert McKenzie. At the time of filing, both inventors were associated with Mosaid Technologies Inc., the original assignee, as indicated by the initial assignment record.

Original assignee

The original assignee named on the issued patent is Mosaid Technologies Inc. Mosaid Technologies Inc. primarily operated as a semiconductor intellectual property (IP) licensing company, specializing in DRAM memory design and patent monetization. They were not typically a product-shipping entity for technologies like those described in this patent, but rather asserted and licensed their IP portfolio. The company later rebranded as Conversant Intellectual Property Management Inc. and subsequently reverted to Mosaid Technologies Incorporated. As of today's date, the patent is listed as "Active" and the current assignee is Mosaid Technologies Inc., indicating it is an operating entity for IP licensing and assertion.

Assignment timeline

The following is a chronological list of recorded assignments and related events for US patent 7685393, derived from the patent's legal events history:

• 2006-09-07 (executed) / recorded 2006-09-07 - Reel N/A

  • Conveyance: Assignment
  • Assignor: MCKENZIE, ROBERT, GILLINGHAM, PETER
  • Assignee: MOSAID TECHNOLOGIES INCORPORATED
  • Correspondent: N/A (not provided in source)
  • Context: Original assignment from inventors to the company.

• 2008-07-17 (executed) / recorded 2008-07-17 - Reel N/A

  • Conveyance: Assignment
  • Assignor: GILLINGHAM, PETER, MR.
  • Assignee: MOSAID TECHNOLOGIES INCORPORATED
  • Correspondent: N/A (not provided in source)
  • Context: Subsequent assignment from one inventor, potentially clarifying or completing prior rights.

• 2012-01-10 (executed) / recorded 2012-01-10 - Reel N/A

  • Conveyance: U.S. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT (FOR NON-U.S. GRANTORS) - SHORT FORM
  • Assignor: 658276 N.B. LTD., 658868 N.B. INC., MOSAID TECHNOLOGIES INCORPORATED
  • Assignee: ROYAL BANK OF CANADA
  • Correspondent: N/A (not provided in source)
  • Context: Grant of a security interest for financing.

• 2014-03-13 (executed) / recorded 2014-03-13 - Reel N/A

  • Conveyance: Change of Name
  • Assignor: MOSAID TECHNOLOGIES INCORPORATED
  • Assignee: CONVERSANT INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT INC.
  • Correspondent: N/A (not provided in source)
  • Context: Corporate rebranding and name change of the patent owner.

• 2014-08-07 (executed) / recorded 2014-08-07 - Reel N/A

  • Conveyance: RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST
  • Assignor: ROYAL BANK OF CANADA
  • Assignee: CONVERSANT IP N.B. 868 INC., CONVERSANT INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT INC., CONVERSANT IP N.B. 276 INC.
  • Correspondent: N/A (not provided in source)
  • Context: Release of previously granted security interest by the bank.

• 2014-09-03 (executed) / recorded 2014-09-03 - Reel N/A

  • Conveyance: CHANGE OF ADDRESS
  • Assignor: CONVERSANT INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT INC.
  • Assignee: CONVERSANT INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT INC.
  • Correspondent: N/A (not provided in source)
  • Context: Administrative change of address for the patent owner.

• 2014-09-09 (executed) / recorded 2014-09-09 - Reel N/A

  • Conveyance: U.S. PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT (FOR NON-U.S. GRANTORS)
  • Assignor: CONVERSANT INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT INC.
  • Assignee: ROYAL BANK OF CANADA, AS LENDER, CPPIB CREDIT INVESTMENTS INC., AS LENDER
  • Correspondent: N/A (not provided in source)
  • Context: Grant of new security interests to lenders for financing.

• 2018-08-22 (executed) / recorded 2018-08-22 - Reel N/A

  • Conveyance: AMENDED AND RESTATED U.S. PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT (FOR NON-U.S. GRANTORS)
  • Assignor: CONVERSANT INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT INC.
  • Assignee: CPPIB CREDIT INVESTMENTS, INC.
  • Correspondent: N/A (not provided in source)
  • Context: Update to existing security agreement.

• 2018-10-12 (executed) / recorded 2018-10-12 - Reel N/A

  • Conveyance: RELEASE OF U.S. PATENT AGREEMENT (FOR NON-U.S. GRANTORS)
  • Assignor: ROYAL BANK OF CANADA, AS LENDER
  • Assignee: CONVERSANT INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT INC.
  • Correspondent: N/A (not provided in source)
  • Context: Release of security interest by one of the lenders.

• 2020-11-03 (executed) / recorded 2020-11-03 - Reel N/A

  • Conveyance: RELEASE BY SECURED PARTY (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS)
  • Assignor: CPPIB CREDIT INVESTMENTS INC.
  • Assignee: CONVERSANT INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT INC.
  • Correspondent: N/A (not provided in source)
  • Context: Release of security interest by the secured party.

• 2021-10-19 (executed) / recorded 2021-10-19 - Reel N/A

  • Conveyance: CHANGE OF NAME (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS)
  • Assignor: CONVERSANT INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY INC.
  • Assignee: MOSAID TECHNOLOGIES INCORPORATED
  • Correspondent: N/A (not provided in source)
  • Context: Corporate rebranding and name change back to Mosaid.

• 2023-08-28 (executed) / recorded 2023-08-28 - Reel 057857/0193

  • Conveyance: CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE CONVEYING PARTY'S NAME PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 057857 FRAME: 0193. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE CHANGE OF NAME.
  • Assignor: CONVERSANT INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT INC.
  • Assignee: MOSAID TECHNOLOGIES INCORPORATED
  • Correspondent: N/A (not provided in source)
  • Context: Corrective assignment to rectify a previous name change record.

Timeline diagram

timeline
    title Ownership of US 7685393
    2006 : Inventors assign to Mosaid
    2008 : Inventor assigns to Mosaid
    2010 : Patent Issued
    2012 : Security Agreement to RBC
    2014 : Mosaid changes name to Conversant
         : RBC releases security interest
         : Conversant changes address
         : New Security Agreement to RBC CPPIB
    2018 : Amended Security Agreement to CPPIB
         : RBC releases security interest
    2020 : CPPIB releases security interest
    2021 : Conversant changes name to Mosaid
    2023 : Corrective assignment
    2025 : First infringement suit filed

NPE / troll-pattern signals

1. Shell-entity transfer — Present. The original assignee, Mosaid Technologies Inc., is a known patent licensing and assertion entity. The patent also transferred through a name change to Conversant Intellectual Property Management Inc., which is also a known patent assertion entity. These entities are primarily engaged in patent monetization rather than product development and sales related to the claims.
2. Known asserter in the chain — Present. Mosaid Technologies Inc. and Conversant Intellectual Property Management Inc. are explicitly recognized as known patent assertion entities (NPEs) or frequently-identified plaintiffs in patent litigation. They appear as assignees throughout the patent's ownership history (e.g., Mosaid 2006-09-07, Conversant 2014-03-13, Mosaid 2021-10-19).
3. Repeat correspondent across the chain — Unclear. The provided source data from Google Patents does not include correspondent attorney names or firms for most of the assignment records, making it impossible to determine if the same correspondent recurs. One entry (2023-08-28, Reel 057857/0193) provides a reel/frame but no correspondent details.
4. Cascading transfers — Present. There are several rapid successions of events, particularly between 2012 and 2014, including security agreements, releases, and name/address changes (e.g., 2012-01-10, 2014-03-13, 2014-08-07, 2014-09-03, 2014-09-09). This indicates active financial management and restructuring common in patent monetization strategies.
5. Pre-litigation transfer — Not present. The patent was issued in March 2010, and the earliest recorded litigation (Texas Western District Court case 1:25-cv-00436) was filed in 2025. There were no transfers of ownership to a new asserting entity within six months prior to the 2025 litigation; the entity (Mosaid/Conversant) had owned the patent since its inception.
6. Bankruptcy fire-sale — Not present. There is no indication in the provided records that Mosaid Technologies Inc. or Conversant Intellectual Property Management Inc. underwent bankruptcy proceedings that led to the sale of this patent.
7. Privateering — Unclear. While Mosaid/Conversant's general business model often involves acquiring patents from operating companies for assertion, the initial assignment for this patent is directly from the inventors. Therefore, this specific chain does not provide direct evidence of a privateering arrangement for this patent.
8. Defensive aggregator (anti-NPE) — Not present. The ownership chain ends with Mosaid Technologies Incorporated, which is a known NPE, not a defensive aggregator.

Verdict

NPE — high confidence

The patent exhibits strong signals of NPE ownership and assertion patterns. Mosaid Technologies Inc. and its rebranded entity, Conversant Intellectual Property Management Inc., are well-known patent assertion entities. The series of name changes and multiple security agreements/releases for financing (e.g., from 2012-01-10 to 2014-09-09) are typical activities for organizations focused on patent monetization. The ongoing litigation (1:25-cv-00436) further supports the assertion pattern.

Verification link to USPTO Assignment Center search page for US7685393: https://assignmentcenter.uspto.gov/patents/7685393