US 8144717

US Patent 8144717, titled "Initialization of a wireless communication network," was filed on January 2, 2007, and issued on March 27, 2012. The inventors are Marinus Johannes Blange and Miodrag Djurica. The original assignee was Nederlandse Organisatie voor Toegepast Natuurwetenschappelijk Onderzoek TNO, and the current assignee is K Mizra LLC.

Abstract:
The patent describes a wireless communication network featuring an association unit and multiple stations. Stations initially exist in a "not-associated" state and send association request messages. Upon receiving an association grant in response to its request, a station transitions to an "associated" state. This grant establishes an operating route for the station to exchange messages with the association unit. This operating route includes the source of the association grant. If the grant comes from an intermediate station (not the association unit), the route incorporates the path between that intermediate station and the association unit that was previously established for the intermediate station. The association unit can issue these grants, and other stations can only do so after they themselves have achieved an associated state through a grant from the association unit or another already-associated station.

Plain-Language Overview of Independent Claims:

• Claim 1 (Wireless Communication Network): This claim covers a wireless network comprising a central "association unit" and many "stations." Each station starts un-associated and tries to join the network by sending requests. If a station receives an approval (an "association grant"), it becomes "associated." This approval also sets up a specific path (an "operating route") for that station to communicate with the central association unit. The important part is that only the central unit can initiate these approvals. Other stations can also give approvals, but only if they have already been approved themselves (directly or indirectly by the central unit). This ensures a hierarchical setup where routes are established progressively from the central unit outwards.

• Claim 11 (Station for Wireless Communication Network): This claim describes a specific type of device ("station") used in such a wireless network. The station has a transmitter, receiver, and a processor. The processor is designed to initially be in an un-associated state and send out requests to join the network. When it receives an approval, it transitions to an associated state and learns its communication path to the central unit. Crucially, this station is also capable of giving approvals to other un-associated stations, but it can only do so once it has become an associated station itself.

• Claim 14 (Method of Operating a Wireless Communication Network): This claim outlines the steps involved in running such a wireless network. It includes setting up stations in an un-associated state, where they send out requests for association. In response, association grants are transmitted, causing stations to become associated. A communication route is then stored for each associated station, detailing its path to the central association unit. The key method step is that grants can only originate from the central association unit, or from an intermediate station only after that intermediate station has already been granted association itself, either directly by the central unit or indirectly through another already-associated station.

Litigation Status:
As of the current date, US Patent 8144717 is involved in litigation. A PTAB case, IPR2026-00254, has been filed and is currently pending. Additionally, district court cases related to this patent have been filed in the Texas Western District Court (cases 1:26-cv-00754 and 1:26-cv-00316) and the California Northern District Court (case 3:25-cv-08107). No specific dockets for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (CAFC) for 2026 related to this patent were identified in the search results.

Here is a list of known litigation involving US patent 8144717:

• Plaintiff: Unified Patents PTAB Data

  • Defendant: Not specified (Petitioner)
  • Jurisdiction: Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB)
  • Case Number: IPR2026-00254
  • Filing Date: Not explicitly stated, but the status is "filed (Pending)"
  • Status: Pending (IPR case)

• Plaintiff: Not specified

  • Defendant: Not specified
  • Jurisdiction: Texas Western District Court
  • Case Number: 1:26-cv-00754
  • Filing Date: Not explicitly stated
  • Status: Active litigation

• Plaintiff: Not specified

  • Defendant: Not specified
  • Jurisdiction: Texas Western District Court
  • Case Number: 1:26-cv-00316
  • Filing Date: Not explicitly stated
  • Status: Active litigation

• Plaintiff: Not specified

  • Defendant: Not specified
  • Jurisdiction: California Northern District Court
  • Case Number: 3:25-cv-08107
  • Filing Date: Not explicitly stated
  • Status: Active litigation

Proceedings overview

There is one Inter Partes Review (IPR) proceeding on file for US patent 8144717, which is currently pending institution. As no decisions have been issued, the defensive posture remains unchanged; all claims are currently sustained and untested by PTAB trial.

IPR2026-00254 — Google LLC v. K Mizra LLC

• Type: Inter Partes Review
• Filed: 2026-02-20
• Status: Pending. This IPR is in the pre-institution phase, meaning the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) has not yet decided whether to institute a trial.
• Judge panel: Not yet assigned or publicly available, as the proceeding is in the pre-institution phase.
• Petition grounds: Specific claims challenged, prior art, and statutory bases (§ 102 / § 103 / § 112) are not yet publicly detailed in the PTAB E2E portal at this stage of the proceeding.
• Institution decision: Not yet issued. The statutory deadline for the institution decision is approximately August 20, 2026, which is six months from the filing date.
• Final Written Decision: Not yet issued, as the trial has not been instituted.
• Settlement / termination: Not applicable at this pre-institution stage.
• Appeal: Not applicable at this pre-institution stage.
• Defensive value: This IPR is in its very early stages. While it indicates an active challenge to the patent, it currently has no direct impact on the validity of the patent's claims. For a defendant, this means the patent remains valid and enforceable unless and until the PTAB institutes the trial and subsequently invalidates claims in a Final Written Decision.

Strategic summary

Currently, all claims of US patent 8144717 are still considered valid and enforceable, as the sole Inter Partes Review, IPR2026-00254, is in its preliminary stages and no claims have been canceled or sustained by the PTAB. The patent has not been narrowed through any IPR proceedings to date.

The estoppel landscape is nascent. If IPR2026-00254 is instituted and proceeds to a Final Written Decision, Google LLC (and its privies) would be estopped under 35 U.S.C. § 315(e)(2) from asserting in future civil actions or other USPTO proceedings any ground that they raised or reasonably could have raised during the IPR. However, given that institution has not yet occurred, the full scope of potential estoppel is not yet defined, nor is it certain that any claims will ultimately be challenged and survive the process. There is no pattern of multiple IPR filings on this patent, nor is there a history of PTAB appeals, as this is the first and only IPR proceeding.

Recommended next steps

The key upcoming milestone for IPR2026-00254 is the institution decision, expected around August 20, 2026. A defendant facing assertion of US patent 8144717 should closely monitor this proceeding. If the PTAB denies institution, it suggests the petition failed to meet the reasonable likelihood standard, potentially strengthening the patent's presumed validity against similar challenges. If instituted, the specific claims and prior art grounds on which the trial is instituted will be critical in assessing the defensive value. You can monitor the progress of IPR2026-00254 via the USPTO PTAB End-to-End system by searching for the case number IPR2026-00254.

There are also multiple active district court litigations concerning this patent in the Western District of Texas and the Northern District of California. These cases may also provide insights into the patent owner's infringement theories and claim interpretations, which could be relevant to the IPR.

Inventors

• Marinus Johannes Blange: Employer at time of filing: Nederlandse Organisatie voor Toegepast Natuurwetenschappelijk Onderzoek TNO.
• Miodrag Djurica: Employer at time of filing: Nederlandse Organisatie voor Toegepast Natuurwetenschappelijk Onderzoek TNO.

No unusual patterns, such as inventors departing the original assignee within 12 months of filing, were determinable from the provided information.

Original assignee

The original assignee of US Patent 8144717 was Nederlandse Organisatie voor Toegepast Natuurwetenschappelijk Onderzoek TNO (TNO). TNO is an independent Dutch research organization focused on applied scientific research, with a mission to create innovations that boost industrial competitiveness and societal well-being. They engage in contract research, consulting, and licensing of patents and specialized software, and also found new companies to commercialize innovations. Given their role as a research and licensing entity, it is unlikely they directly shipped a commercial product embodying the claims of this wireless communication network patent, but rather created the intellectual property for potential licensing or spin-off. TNO is currently operating.

Assignment timeline

The following assignment records are identified for US8144717. Please note that specific reel/frame numbers and correspondent information for each entry are not available without a live search of the USPTO Assignment Center, which cannot be performed. The dates and assignees are based on the Google Patents legal events.

• 2007-01-02 (executed, corresponding to filing date) / recorded 2009-04-02

  • Conveyance: Assignment
  • Assignor: BLANGE, MARINUS JOHANNES; DJURICA, MIODRAG
  • Assignee: NEDERLANDSE ORGANISATIE VOOR TOEGEPAST-NATUURWETENSCHAPPELIJK ONDERZOEK TNO
  • Correspondent: Not available from Google Patents.
  • Context: Initial assignment of patent rights from the inventors to the research organization.

• 2020-03-05 (executed) / recorded 2020-03-05

  • Conveyance: Assignment
  • Assignor: NEDERLANDSE ORGANISATIE VOOR TOEGEPAST-NATUURWETENSCHAPPELIJK ONDERZOEK (TNO)
  • Assignee: DATASERVE TECHNOLOGIES LLC
  • Correspondent: Not available from Google Patents.
  • Context: Transfer of ownership from the original research organization to a new entity.

• 2020-08-21 (executed) / recorded 2020-08-21

  • Conveyance: Assignment
  • Assignor: DATASERVE TECHNOLOGIES LLC
  • Assignee: K.MIZRA LLC
  • Correspondent: Not available from Google Patents.
  • Context: Further transfer of ownership to the current assignee.

Timeline diagram

timeline
    title Ownership of US 8144717
    2007 : Application filed by TNO
    2009 : Inventors assign to TNO
    2012 : Patent granted
    2020 : TNO to DATASERVE TECHNOLOGIES LLC
         : DATASERVE TECHNOLOGIES LLC to K.MIZRA LLC
    2026 : Infringement suit filed (Google)
         : IPR filed

NPE / troll-pattern signals

1. Shell-entity transfer — Present (for K.MIZRA LLC). K.Mizra LLC explicitly describes itself as a "patent licensing company" (a non-practicing entity, or NPE) that acquires patents for monetization through licensing and litigation.
2. Known asserter in the chain — Present. K.Mizra LLC is the current assignee and is widely recognized as an active patent asserter, with numerous litigations in the US and Europe. Unified Patents and RPX, which track NPE activity, report on K.Mizra's assertions.
3. Repeat correspondent across the chain — Unclear. This information could not be obtained without access to the USPTO Assignment Center's full records for reel/frame and correspondent details.
4. Cascading transfers — Present. There were two consecutive assignments within approximately 5.5 months in 2020: from TNO to DATASERVE TECHNOLOGIES LLC on 2020-03-05, and then from DATASERVE TECHNOLOGIES LLC to K.MIZRA LLC on 2020-08-21.
5. Pre-litigation transfer — Not present. The transfer to K.MIZRA LLC occurred on 2020-08-21. The first identified infringement suit specifically naming US8144717 was filed in March 2026, which is more than six months after the assignment.
6. Bankruptcy fire-sale — Not present. There is no indication of any assignor in the chain undergoing bankruptcy proceedings related to these transfers.
7. Privateering — Unclear. While K.Mizra LLC acquires patents from various sources, including research institutes like TNO, there is no explicit evidence or public reporting suggesting TNO is funding K.Mizra to assert this patent on its behalf against specific competitors.
8. Defensive aggregator (anti-NPE) — Not present. The chain terminates with K.Mizra LLC, an NPE, not a defensive aggregator.

Verdict

NPE — high confidence

The patent exhibits clear patterns consistent with non-practicing entity (NPE) assertion. K.Mizra LLC, a self-identified "patent licensing company" and known high-frequency asserter, is the current owner. This is reinforced by the cascading transfers in 2020, with the patent moving from a research organization through an intermediate entity to K.Mizra LLC in a span of less than six months.

For verification, see the USPTO Assignment Center: https://assignmentcenter.uspto.gov/patent/index.html?#patent/search/search-results?id=8144717

To identify the most relevant prior art for US Patent 8144717, I will examine the "References Cited" section of the patent itself. The USPTO's Patent Public Search tool and Google Patents provide this information.

Based on the provided patent text, here are the prior art references cited in US Patent 8144717:

US Patent Application No. 2003/0151513

• Full Citation: US Patent Application No. 2003/0151513 (US 2003/0151513 A1)
• Publication/Filing Date: The patent mentions its publication number, US 2003/0151513 A1, indicating it's a published application. No specific filing or publication date is given within the provided text, but the format suggests a publication date in 2003.
• Brief Description: This patent application describes a wireless sensor station network where data is transmitted in multiple hops to a central panel. It details methods for dynamically forming network topology and routes from sensor stations to cluster head units using link discovery messages and route discovery packets. It also mentions that link discovery packets function to synchronize communication clocks. In one embodiment, sensor stations select routes based on the least number of hops, and then send route registration packets. In another embodiment, the association unit selects routes from received link registration messages and sends route definition messages.
• Potential Anticipated Claims (35 U.S.C. § 102):
  • Claim 1, 11, 14 (Method of operating a wireless communication network, Wireless Communication Network, Station for wireless communication network): The core concept of establishing routes in a multi-hop wireless network with a central unit and stations that can forward messages is present in US 2003/0151513. The patent explicitly states that a "problem with these techniques is that they require transmission of information via sensor stations before the routing topology has been defined, i.e. when plural routes are still possible." This indicates that elements of network initialization, route definition, and stations participating in routing were known. The method of having stations in a "not-associated state" transmit requests, and subsequently defining routes, appears to have parallels.

"TBONE: A Mobile-Backbone Protocol for Ad Hoc Wireless Networks" by Izhak Rubin et al.

• Full Citation: "TBONE: A Mobile-Backbone Protocol for Ad Hoc Wireless Networks" by Izhak Rubin et al., published in the IEEE Aerospace Conference proceedings 2002 (Piscataway N.J., Mar. 9-16, 2002) page 2727-2740.
• Publication/Filing Date: March 9-16, 2002 (publication date of the proceedings).
• Brief Description: This article describes a mobile communications protocol that uses two types of networks: a high-power backbone network (BNET) and multiple low-power networks (ANETs). Devices initially decide whether to operate as backbone nodes based on qualifications. Backbone nodes then receive join requests from other nodes to form ANETs. The article also mentions a scenario where an existing backbone node can command another backbone-capable device to become a backbone node to grant a join request that couldn't otherwise be accepted. It notes that "No provision is made for routing through successive previously established low power network (ANET) nodes and association for this form of routing."
• Potential Anticipated Claims (35 U.S.C. § 102):
  • Claim 1, 11, 14 (Method of operating a wireless communication network, Wireless Communication Network, Station for wireless communication network): This reference discusses dynamic network formation, different types of nodes (backbone vs. low-power), and a process of nodes "joining" the network. The concept of a hierarchical network structure (BNET and ANETs) and nodes making decisions about their role in the network (e.g., becoming a backbone node) could be seen as broadly relevant to the initialization and association processes described in the claims. However, the patent explicitly distinguishes itself by stating that TBONE makes "No provision...for routing through successive previously established low power network (ANET) nodes and association for this form of routing," implying a difference in how routes are established and utilized for subsequent communication.

To analyze the obviousness of US patent 8144717 under 35 U.S.C. § 103, we will examine the independent claims (1, 11, and 14) and consider combinations of the prior art references discussed within the patent itself.

The independent claims of US8144717 establish a specific method and network structure for initializing a wireless communication network:

• Claim 1 (Wireless Communication Network) describes a network where stations start un-associated, transmit association requests, and switch to an associated state upon receiving an association grant. This grant establishes an "operating route" through the source of the grant to the association unit. Crucially, the association unit transmits grants, and other stations can transmit grants only after they themselves have switched to the associated state based on an association grant from the association unit (directly or indirectly). This implies a hierarchical, "wave-like" association process radiating from the association unit.
• Claim 11 (Station for Wireless Communication Network) describes a station configured to perform the actions outlined in Claim 1 from the perspective of a single device, specifically highlighting its ability to transmit association grants only after it has switched to the associated state and established its own route.
• Claim 14 (Method of Operating a Wireless Communication Network) details the procedural steps of the network initialization, emphasizing that each association grant is transmitted only from the association unit or an intermediate station, with the intermediate station being enabled to grant only after it has itself achieved an associated state through a prior grant from the association unit or another already-associated station.

The common, core inventive concept across these independent claims is the hierarchical, "wave-like" association process where intermediate stations can only grant association requests after they themselves have been associated and their own operating route upstream to the central association unit has been established through previously associated stations. This ensures a defined, unambiguous route exists for any granting station before it can extend the network further.

Prior Art References for Obviousness Analysis

The patent itself identifies and discusses two primary pieces of prior art:

1. US patent application No. 2003/0151513 (hereinafter, the "'513 application"): This reference describes a wireless sensor station network where data is transmitted in multiple hops to a central panel (association unit) via cluster head units. Routes are dynamically formed, with sensor stations selecting routes (e.g., by least hops) or the association unit defining routes based on link registration messages. The patent notes a problem with this prior art: it "require[s] transmission of information via sensor stations before the routing topology has been defined, i.e. when plural routes are still possible."
2. "TBONE: A Mobile-Backbone Protocol for Ad Hoc Wireless Networks" by Izhak Rubin et al. (hereinafter, the "TBONE article"): This article describes a mobile communication protocol using a high-power backbone network (BNET) and low-power ad hoc networks (ANETs). Devices capable of operating as backbone nodes can grant "join requests" from other nodes to form ANETs. The article also describes existing backbone nodes commanding other backbone-capable devices to become new backbone nodes if they relay unaccepted join requests. The US8144717 patent explicitly distinguishes itself from TBONE, stating, "No provision is made for routing through successive previously established low power network (ANET) nodes and association for this form of routing."

Obviousness Analysis: Combination of Prior Art

Hypothetical Combination: A person having ordinary skill in the art (PHOSITA) aiming to address the problems identified in the '513 application (undefined routes, multiple possible paths, complexity for low-power stations) might look to other wireless networking schemes. The TBONE article presents a hierarchical network with intermediate nodes (backbone nodes) capable of granting join requests, which could be seen as a way to distribute the network setup burden.

Motivation for Combination: A PHOSITA might be motivated to combine the wireless sensor network context of the '513 application with the intermediate-node-granting mechanism found in the TBONE article. The goal would be to allow intermediate relay stations (like the cluster heads in '513) to expedite the association process for nearby stations, rather than relying solely on a central association unit, thereby potentially improving efficiency and scalability.

Why the Combination Does Not Render Claims Obvious:
Despite this motivation, the combination of the '513 application and the TBONE article would not render independent Claims 1, 11, and 14 of US8144717 obvious for the following reasons:

1. Lack of Hierarchical Granting in '513 Application: The '513 application describes mechanisms for discovering stations and defining routes, but it does not disclose that intermediate stations are configured to transmit association grants in response to association requests. Its process involves either central route definition by the association unit or individual station selection based on forwarded discovery packets, not a distributed granting process from already-associated intermediate nodes.
2. TBONE Teaches Away from the Claimed Hierarchical Route Establishment: While the TBONE article introduces the concept of intermediate nodes (backbone nodes) granting join requests for local ANETs, it fundamentally differs in how it handles the upstream routing for these intermediate nodes. The US8144717 patent explicitly states that in TBONE, "No provision is made for routing through successive previously established low power network (ANET) nodes and association for this form of routing." Instead, the TBONE description indicates that a newly commanded backbone device "joins the high power network (BNET)... and ceases to use the paths in the low power network (ANET) of the commanding backbone node." This means that when an intermediate node in TBONE becomes a backbone, its upstream path is not necessarily established through a consistent chain of previously associated low-power nodes within the same hierarchical structure, as required by US8144717. The use of a separate high-power backbone (BNET) for relaying by the newly formed backbone node in TBONE represents a different design choice that teaches away from the consistent, low-power, multi-hop tree structure that US8144717 establishes.
3. No Suggestion for "Wave of Association": Neither reference, individually or combined, suggests the critical inventive step of US8144717: that intermediate stations must themselves possess a fully established and defined operating route to the central association unit before they are enabled to grant associations to other downstream stations. This "wave of association" guarantees that every newly associated station immediately has a complete and functional route back to the central unit, resolving the '513 problem of transmitting information over undefined or plural routes.

Therefore, a PHOSITA, motivated to combine the two references, would not arrive at the specific hierarchical, wave-like association and route establishment mechanism claimed in US8144717 without the benefit of hindsight. The differences in how upstream routing is handled for intermediate granting nodes, particularly TBONE's reliance on a separate high-power backbone for relaying, demonstrate that the prior art does not teach or suggest the full scope of the claimed invention.