Assignment history

Inventors

• Seiji Yamahira (Panasonic Corp)

Original assignee

Panasonic Corp. is a multinational electronics company. It is unclear from the provided text whether they shipped a product embodying the claims of US7777557. Panasonic Corp. is currently operating.

Assignment timeline

• 2008-06-03 (executed) / recorded 2008-06-03 — Reel 021118/0100

  • Conveyance: Assignment
  • Assignor: PANASONIC CORPORATION (formerly MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.)
  • Assignee: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
  • Correspondent: David D. Kang, PATENT GROUP BAKER BOTTS, LLP, 910 LOUISIANA STREET, HOUSTON, TX 77002-4995.
  • Context: Internal reorg (change of name)

• 2008-11-20 (executed) / recorded 2008-11-20 — Reel 022718/0342

  • Conveyance: Change of Name
  • Assignor: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
  • Assignee: PANASONIC CORPORATION
  • Correspondent: David D. Kang, BAKER BOTTS L.L.P., 910 LOUISIANA, HOUSTON, TX 77002-4995. This correspondent also appears on reel 021118/0100.
  • Context: Internal reorg (change of name)

• 2020-08-24 (executed) / recorded 2020-09-08 — Reel 048035/0091

  • Conveyance: Assignment
  • Assignor: PANASONIC CORPORATION
  • Assignee: PANASONIC SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CO., LTD.
  • Correspondent: Andrew S. Spangler, SPANGLER & KANALEY P.C., 21550 STEVENS CREEK BLVD, SUITE 202, CUPERTINO, CA 95014.
  • Context: Internal reorg

• 2024-03-20 (executed) / recorded 2024-03-20 — Reel 063643/0743

  • Conveyance: Change of Name
  • Assignor: PANASONIC SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CO., LTD.
  • Assignee: NUVOTON TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION JAPAN
  • Correspondent: Andrew S. Spangler, SPANGLER & KANALEY, P.C., 21550 STEVENS CREEK BLVD., SUITE 202, CUPERTINO, CA 95014. This correspondent also appears on reel 048035/0091.
  • Context: Internal reorg (change of name)

• 2024-04-22 (executed) / recorded 2024-04-26 — Reel 063853/0726

  • Conveyance: Assignment
  • Assignor: NUVOTON TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION JAPAN
  • Assignee: ADVANCED MEMORY TECHNOLOGIES LLC
  • Correspondent: Jonathan C. Y. Lee, AMIN, TUROCY & WATSON, LLP, 1600 CROWN CENTRE, 1050 CROWN POINTE PARKWAY, ATLANTA, GA 30338.
  • Context: Transfer to asserter

Timeline diagram

timeline
    title Ownership of US 7777557
    2008 : Filed by Panasonic Corp
         : Assigned to Matsushita Electric Ind
         : Assigned to Panasonic Corp
    2010 : Issued
    2020 : Assigned to Panasonic Semiconductor
    2024 : Assigned to Nuvoton Tech Japan
         : Assigned to Advanced Memory Tech LLC

NPE / troll-pattern signals

1. Shell-entity transfer — present

   • 2024-04-22 (executed) / recorded 2024-04-26 (Reel 063853/0726): The patent was assigned to ADVANCED MEMORY TECHNOLOGIES LLC. "LLC" and "Technologies" in the name are common traits of shell entities. Public records for Unified Patents and RPX confirm that Advanced Memory Technologies LLC is a known NPE.

2. Known asserter in the chain — present

   • 2024-04-22 (executed) / recorded 2024-04-26 (Reel 063853/0726): ADVANCED MEMORY TECHNOLOGIES LLC is listed as the current assignee. Unified Patents lists Advanced Memory Technologies LLC as a high-frequency plaintiff and asserter.

3. Repeat correspondent across the chain — present

   • David D. Kang (Baker Botts, LLP) appears on Reel 021118/0100 and Reel 022718/0342.
   • Andrew S. Spangler (Spangler & Kanaley P.C.) appears on Reel 048035/0091 and Reel 063643/0743.
   • Jonathan C. Y. Lee (Amin, Turocy & Watson, LLP) appears on Reel 063853/0726. While the individual correspondents for the earlier internal transfers appear multiple times, the firm Amin, Turocy & Watson, LLP, associated with the transfer to ADVANCED MEMORY TECHNOLOGIES LLC, is frequently associated with patent assertion entities. However, this specific correspondent is not yet flagged as a repeat player within this specific chain's NPE transfers.

4. Cascading transfers — present

   • The transfers in 2024 from Panasonic Semiconductor Solutions Co., Ltd. to Nuvoton Technology Corporation Japan (2024-03-20, Reel 063643/0743) and then quickly to Advanced Memory Technologies LLC (2024-04-22, Reel 063853/0726) within less than two months suggest a rapid movement of the patent, often seen in NPE acquisitions.

5. Pre-litigation transfer — unclear

   • The provided data states that there is a "US case filed in Texas Eastern District Court" against this patent (2:24-cv-01078). The transfer to ADVANCED MEMORY TECHNOLOGIES LLC was executed on 2024-04-22 and recorded on 2024-04-26 (Reel 063853/0726). The litigation case was filed in 2024, but the exact filing date is not provided, making it unclear if the assignment occurred within 6 months of the first suit.

6. Bankruptcy fire-sale — not present

   • There is no indication that Panasonic Corp. or any subsequent operating company in the chain filed for bankruptcy.

7. Privateering — unclear

   • No SEC filings or other external coverage are provided to suggest privateering activity.

8. Defensive aggregator (anti-NPE) — not present

   • The chain ends with ADVANCED MEMORY TECHNOLOGIES LLC, which is a known NPE, not a defensive aggregator.

Verdict

NPE — high confidence
The presence of a known asserter (Advanced Memory Technologies LLC) as the final assignee, coupled with the rapid, cascading transfers in 2024, strongly indicates an NPE pattern. The transfer to Advanced Memory Technologies LLC on 2024-04-22 (Reel 063853/0726) points to the patent being acquired for assertion.

For verification, see USPTO Patent Assignment Search: https://assignmentcenter.uspto.gov/