Assignment history

Inventors

• Alireza Tarighat-Mehrabani (WiLinx Corp)
• Rahim Bagheri (WiLinx Corp)
• Alireza Mehrnia (WiLinx Corp)
• Mahmoud Darvishzadeh (WiLinx Corp)

All inventors were employed by the original assignee, WiLinx Corp, at the time of filing.

Original assignee

WiLinx Corp.

Based on the available information, it is unclear whether WiLinx Corp. shipped a product embodying the claims of US7924802. The patent describes "Wireless communication systems and methods," suggesting a focus on core technology for wireless devices. WiLinx Corp's primary line of business was likely in wireless communication technology. The current status of WiLinx Corp is unclear from the patent document itself, but the assignment record shows subsequent transfers of ownership.

Assignment timeline

• 2008-01-23 (executed) / recorded 2008-01-23 — Reel 020614/0056

  • Conveyance: Assignment
  • Assignor: Bagheri, Rahim; Tarighat-Mehrabani, Alireza; Darvishzadeh, Mahmoud; Mehrnia, Alireza
  • Assignee: WILINX CORPORATION
  • Correspondent: BLAKELY, SOKOLOFF, TAYLOR & ZAFMAN LLP, 12400 WILSHIRE BOULEVARD, SEVENTH FLOOR, LOS ANGELES, CA, 90025.
  • Context: Original assignment from inventors to company.

• 2012-03-14 (executed) / recorded 2012-03-14 — Reel 027814/0839

  • Conveyance: Assignment
  • Assignor: WILINX CORP.
  • Assignee: WILINX CORPORATION
  • Correspondent: BLAKELY, SOKOLOFF, TAYLOR & ZAFMAN LLP, 12400 WILSHIRE BOULEVARD, SEVENTH FLOOR, LOS ANGELES, CA, 90025. This correspondent also appears on the 2008-01-23 assignment.
  • Context: Internal corporate reorganization or clarification of ownership within WiLinx Corporation.

• 2012-03-14 (executed) / recorded 2012-03-14 — Reel 027814/0842

  • Conveyance: Assignment
  • Assignor: Darvishzadeh, Mahmoud; Tarighat-Mehrabani, Alireza; Mehrnia, Alireza; Bagheri, Rahim
  • Assignee: WILINX CORPORATION
  • Correspondent: BLAKELY, SOKOLOFF, TAYLOR & ZAFMAN LLP, 12400 WILSHIRE BOULEVARD, SEVENTH FLOOR, LOS ANGELES, CA, 90025. This correspondent also appears on the 2008-01-23 and 2012-03-14 assignments.
  • Context: Further internal corporate reorganization or clarification of ownership, likely from individual inventors to the corporation.

• 2018-12-04 (executed) / recorded 2018-12-04 — Reel 045980/0173

  • Conveyance: Assignment
  • Assignor: WILINX CORPORATION
  • Assignee: NAVAND TECH CO
  • Correspondent: BLAKELY, SOKOLOFF, TAYLOR & ZAFMAN LLP, 12400 WILSHIRE BOULEVARD, SEVENTH FLOOR, LOS ANGELES, CA, 90025. This correspondent also appears on the 2008-01-23, 2012-03-14, and 2012-03-14 assignments.
  • Context: Transfer of patent ownership.

• 2023-06-16 (executed) / recorded 2023-06-16 — Reel 059918/0174

  • Conveyance: Assignment
  • Assignor: NAVAND TECH. CO.
  • Assignee: COBBLESTONE WIRELESS, LLC
  • Correspondent: Steven C. Becker, LERNER, DAVID, LITTENBERG, KRUMHOLZ & MENTLIK, LLP, 600 SOUTH AVENUE WEST, WESTFIELD, NJ, 07090.
  • Context: Transfer of patent ownership.

Timeline diagram

timeline
    title Ownership of US 7924802
    2008 : Filed; Inventors to WiLinx Corp
    2011 : Issued
    2012 : WiLinx Corp reorg 1
         : WiLinx Corp reorg 2
    2018 : Assigned to Navand Tech Co
    2023 : Assigned to Cobblestone Wireless LLC

NPE / troll-pattern signals

1. Shell-entity transfer — present. The transfer from Navand Tech Co. to Cobblestone Wireless, LLC (reel 059918/0174, 2023-06-16) is a strong indicator. Cobblestone Wireless, LLC appears to be a licensing-only entity, and public information indicates it is involved in patent litigation, a common characteristic of NPEs.
2. Known asserter in the chain — present. Cobblestone Wireless LLC is listed as the current assignee and has filed patent litigation, which is consistent with NPE behavior. Unified Patents lists Cobblestone Wireless LLC as a litigant in various cases (e.g., 2:23-cv-00457, 7:24-cv-00232, 2:23-cv-00380, 2:23-cv-00285, 2:23-cv-00455, 2:23-cv-00454, 2:23-cv-00381, 2:23-cv-00382, 1:24-cv-08726).
3. Repeat correspondent across the chain — present. The firm BLAKELY, SOKOLOFF, TAYLOR & ZAFMAN LLP, specifically with the correspondent address provided, handled the initial assignments from the inventors to WILINX CORPORATION (reel 020614/0056) and the subsequent internal reorg assignments (reel 027814/0839, reel 027814/0842), as well as the assignment to NAVAND TECH CO (reel 045980/0173). This indicates a consistent legal representation through a significant portion of the patent's ownership history, including transfers to a subsequent assignee that is not the original inventor-employer.
4. Cascading transfers — not present. There are significant gaps (multiple years) between the transfers, rather than a rapid succession of assignments.
5. Pre-litigation transfer — present. The assignment to Cobblestone Wireless, LLC was recorded on 2023-06-16 (reel 059918/0174). Google Patents shows litigation cases filed in the Eastern District of Texas, such as 2:23-cv-00457 filed on 2023-09-08, and 2:23-cv-00380 filed on 2023-08-01, both within 6 months of the assignment. This strongly suggests the transfer was made in anticipation of litigation.
6. Bankruptcy fire-sale — unclear. There is no direct evidence in the assignment records or patent information indicating a bankruptcy filing by WiLinx Corp or Navand Tech Co.
7. Privateering — unclear. While the pattern suggests NPE activity, there's no explicit SEC filing or public reporting that identifies an operating company sponsoring Cobblestone Wireless LLC's assertion efforts.
8. Defensive aggregator (anti-NPE) — not present. The chain ends with Cobblestone Wireless, LLC, which is identified as an asserter, not a defensive aggregator.

Verdict

NPE — high confidence. The presence of a known asserter (Cobblestone Wireless, LLC) as the current assignee, the pre-litigation transfer timed shortly before initial lawsuits, and the shell-entity nature of the final assignee, strongly indicate NPE activity. The consistent correspondent in the earlier chain also suggests a managed portfolio lifecycle.

USPTO Assignment Center search: https://assignmentcenter.uspto.gov/