Assignment history

Here is the assignment history and NPE analysis for US patent 8,224,794.

Inventors

The sole inventor is Theodore S. Rappaport. At the time of the patent's priority date (September 10, 2007) and filing date (September 10, 2008), Dr. Rappaport was a tenured professor at the University of Texas at Austin and also founded two wireless technology companies, TSR Technologies, Inc. and Wireless Valley Communications, Inc. (which was acquired by Motorola). The patent was filed with him as the original assignee in his individual capacity, not assigned to a corporate entity at inception.

Original assignee

The patent was issued to the inventor, Theodore S. Rappaport, as an individual. He is a prominent academic and entrepreneur in the wireless communications field, known for his research on millimeter-wave (mmWave) mobile communications, which became a foundational technology for 5G networks. There is no indication that a specific product embodying the claims was shipped by Dr. Rappaport as an individual practitioner.

Assignment timeline

• 2010-06-28 (executed) / recorded 2010-06-28 — Reel 024619/0713

  • Conveyance: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST
  • Assignor: RAPPAPORT, THEODORE S.
  • Assignee: TELISITE CORPORATION
  • Correspondent: THEODORE S. RAPPAPORT, R. 1, BOX 271F, RAPPAHANNOCK, VIRGINIA 22560
  • Context: Internal transfer from the inventor to his own corporation.

• 2012-03-15 (executed) / recorded 2012-03-15 — Reel 027878/0112

  • Conveyance: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST
  • Assignor: TELISITE CORPORATION
  • Assignee: RAPPAPORT, THEODORE S.
  • Correspondent: THEODORE S. RAPPAPORT, 460 WILD TURKEY RD, RAPPAHANNOCK, VA 22560
  • Context: Internal transfer from the inventor's corporation back to himself.

• 2024-12-31 (executed) / recorded 2025-01-21 — Reel 068696/0202

  • Conveyance: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST
  • Assignor: RAPPAPORT, THEODORE S.
  • Assignee: MASSIVELY BROADBAND LLC
  • Correspondent: Alex V. Chachkes, Chachkes Law PLLC, 160 Varick Street, New York, NY 10013
  • Context: Transfer from the inventor to a newly formed Texas LLC, indicative of a transfer-to-asserter.

Timeline diagram

timeline
    title Ownership of US 8,224,794
    2008 : Filed by Theodore S. Rappaport
    2010 : Assigned to Telisite Corporation
    2012 : Issued
         : Assigned back to Rappaport
    2024 : Assigned to Massively Broadband LLC
    2025 : First infringement suit filed

NPE / troll-pattern signals

1. Shell-entity transfer — Present. Massively Broadband LLC was formed in Texas in February 2023. A search for the company reveals no products or services, suggesting it is a single-purpose entity for holding and asserting patents. The transfer occurred just over a year after the LLC's formation.

2. Known asserter in the chain — Present. While Massively Broadband LLC is a new entity, its litigation campaign quickly drew the attention of industry watchdogs. RPX Corporation identified and reported on the entity and its assertion activities shortly after its first lawsuit was filed.

3. Repeat correspondent across the chain — Not present. The first two transfers were handled directly by the inventor, Theodore S. Rappaport. The final transfer to Massively Broadband LLC was handled by Alex V. Chachkes of Chachkes Law PLLC. While not a recurring correspondent within this specific chain, the involvement of a specialized patent litigation attorney for the transfer to the asserting LLC is noteworthy.

4. Cascading transfers — Not present. The patent was held by the inventor for over a decade before being transferred to the asserting LLC. There are no rapid, chained transfers.

5. Pre-litigation transfer — Present. The assignment to Massively Broadband LLC was executed on December 31, 2024, and the LLC filed its first lawsuit asserting a portfolio of patents from the same inventor, including this one, against Samsung on June 6, 2025. This timing, with a transfer followed by litigation within approximately six months, is a strong indicator that the transfer was made to prepare for an assertion campaign.

6. Bankruptcy fire-sale — Not present. The assignor was the original inventor, not a bankrupt entity.

7. Privateering — Unclear. The inventor, Theodore Rappaport, transferred the patents to Massively Broadband LLC. While he is a recognized expert and innovator, there is no public evidence to suggest he is directing the assertion campaign against his own competitors in the wireless industry.

8. Defensive aggregator (anti-NPE) — Not present. The patent is being actively asserted and has not been transferred to a defensive entity.

Verdict

NPE — high confidence

The evidence strongly supports an NPE classification. The patent was transferred from the original inventor to Massively Broadband LLC, a recently formed Texas entity with no apparent products or business operations beyond patent assertion. This transfer occurred on December 31, 2024, and was followed by an infringement lawsuit against Samsung on June 6, 2025, a clear pre-litigation transfer pattern. The assignee, Massively Broadband LLC, has been identified by the defensive aggregator RPX as a patent asserter.

Verification of the assignment history can be performed at the USPTO Patent Assignment Search page by searching for patent number 8224794.