Assignment history

Inventors

• Risto TUOMINEN: CEO and founder of Imbera Electronics Oy at the time of filing.

Original assignee

The original assignee was Imbera Electronics Oy, a pioneering Finnish company specializing in advanced embedded electronics packaging technology and manufacturing solutions. Their primary line of business was developing and providing embedded technology that allows for smaller, more efficient electronic devices, used in products like smartphones, tablets, avionics, and power distribution systems. Imbera Electronics Oy shipped products embodying the claims, specifically their Integrated Module Board (IMB) solution.

Imbera Electronics Oy was acquired by GE Healthcare Finland Oy, in partnership with GE Idea Works, on September 27, 2013, for its technology and intellectual property. Therefore, it is no longer an independent operating entity.

Assignment timeline

• 2020-01-22 (executed) / recorded 2020-01-28 — Reel 052445/0969

  • Conveyance: Assignment of Assignor's Interest
  • Assignor: TUOMINEN, RISTO
  • Assignee: GE EMBEDDED ELECTRONICS OY
  • Correspondent: ROTHWELL, FIGG, ERNST & MANBECK, P.C. (Washington, DC)
  • Context: Confirmatory assignment from the inventor to the GE subsidiary that acquired the original assignee's assets.

• 2020-02-18 (executed) / recorded 2020-02-21 — Reel 052570/0675

  • Conveyance: Assignment of Assignor's Interest
  • Assignor: GE EMBEDDED ELECTRONICS OY
  • Assignee: IMBERATEK, LLC
  • Correspondent: ROTHWELL, FIGG, ERNST & MANBECK, P.C. (Washington, DC). This correspondent recurs in this chain.
  • Context: Transfer from a GE subsidiary to an entity commonly associated with patent assertion.

• 2020-06-05 (executed) / recorded 2020-06-05 — Reel 053077/0371

  • Conveyance: PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT
  • Assignor: ACACIA RESEARCH GROUP LLC, AMERICAN VEHICULAR SCIENCES LLC, BONUTTI SKELETAL INNOVATIONS LLC, CELLULAR COMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT LLC, INNOVATIVE DISPLAY TECHNOLOGIES LLC, LIFEPORT SCIENCES LLC, LIMESTONE MEMORY SYSTEMS LLC, MERTON ACQUISITION HOLDCO LLC, MOBILE ENHANCEMENT SOLUTIONS LLC, MONARCH NETWORKING SOLUTIONS LLC, NEXUS DISPLAY TECHNOLOGIES LLC, PARTHENON UNIFIED MEMORY ARCHITECTURE LLC, R2 SOLUTIONS LLC, SAINT LAWRENCE COMMUNICATIONS LLC, STINGRAY IP SOLUTIONS LLC, SUPER INTERCONNECT TECHNOLOGIES LLC, TELECONFERENCE SYSTEMS LLC, UNIFICATION TECHNOLOGIES LLC
  • Assignee: STARBOARD VALUE INTERMEDIATE FUND LP, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
  • Correspondent: BLANK ROME LLP (New York, NY). This correspondent recurs in this chain.
  • Context: Securitization involving a broad portfolio of patents, including this one, granted to a collateral agent by entities associated with Acacia Research.

• 2020-07-08 (executed) / recorded 2020-07-08 — Reel 053154/0254

  • Conveyance: RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS
  • Assignor: STARBOARD VALUE INTERMEDIATE FUND LP
  • Assignee: SAINT LAWRENCE COMMUNICATIONS LLC, SUPER INTERCONNECT TECHNOLOGIES LLC, LIMESTONE MEMORY SYSTEMS LLC, BONUTTI SKELETAL INNOVATIONS LLC, CELLULAR COMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT LLC, NEXUS DISPLAY TECHNOLOGIES LLC, LIFEPORT SCIENCES LLC, AMERICAN VEHICULAR SCIENCES LLC, MOBILE ENHANCEMENT SOLUTIONS LLC, MONARCH NETWORKING SOLUTIONS LLC, STINGRAY IP SOLUTIONS LLC, R2 SOLUTIONS LLC, PARTHENON UNIFIED MEMORY ARCHITECTURE LLC, ACACIA RESEARCH GROUP LLC, TELECONFERENCE SYSTEMS LLC, UNIFICATION TECHNOLOGIES LLC
  • Correspondent: BLANK ROME LLP (New York, NY). This correspondent recurs in this chain.
  • Context: Release of the previously granted security interest.

• 2020-10-20 (executed) / recorded 2020-10-22 — Reel 053654/0254

  • Conveyance: STATEMENT REGARDING SECURITY INTEREST INCORRECTLY RECORDED AGAINST PATENTS
  • Assignor: ACACIA RESEARCH GROUP LLC, R2 SOLUTIONS LLC
  • Assignee: IMBERATEK, LLC
  • Correspondent: BLANK ROME LLP (New York, NY). This correspondent recurs in this chain.
  • Context: Correction stating that a security interest was incorrectly recorded and confirming Imberatek, LLC as the intended assignee.

• 2020-12-30 (executed) / recorded 2021-01-07 — Reel 053916/0471

  • Conveyance: CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE ASSIGNEE NAME PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 053654 FRAME 0254. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST GRANTED PURSUANT TO THE PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT PREVIOUSLY RECORDED.
  • Assignor: STARBOARD VALUE INTERMEDIATE FUND LP
  • Assignee: R2 SOLUTIONS LLC
  • Correspondent: BLANK ROME LLP (New York, NY). This correspondent recurs in this chain.
  • Context: Corrective assignment confirming release of security interest and indicating R2 Solutions LLC was the intended assignee for a prior record.

• 2021-03-29 (executed) / recorded 2021-04-01 — Reel 054238/0023

  • Conveyance: CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE THE ASSIGNOR NAME PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 052853 FRAME: 0153. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT.
  • Assignor: R2 SOLUTIONS LLC
  • Assignee: STARBOARD VALUE INTERMEDIATE FUND LP, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
  • Correspondent: BLANK ROME LLP (New York, NY). This correspondent recurs in this chain.
  • Context: Corrective assignment clarifying an assignor name and confirming an assignment to Starboard Value as collateral agent.

Timeline diagram

timeline
    title Ownership of US 8368201
    2011 : Filed by Imbera Electronics Oy
    2013 : Issued
    2020 : Inventor assigned to GE Embedded
         : GE Embedded to Imberatek LLC
         : Patent security agreement
         : Security interest released
         : Security interest correction
    2021 : Corrective assignment
         : R2 Solutions to Starboard Value

NPE / troll-pattern signals

1. Shell-entity transfer — Present. The patent was transferred from GE EMBEDDED ELECTRONICS OY to IMBERATEK, LLC on 2020-02-18 / recorded 2020-02-21 (Reel 052570/0675). Imberatek, LLC's name and its association with known NPEs (Acacia Research Group LLC and R2 Solutions LLC, as seen in Reel 053077/0371, 053154/0254, 053654/0254) are strong indicators of a shell entity.
2. Known asserter in the chain — Present. ACACIA RESEARCH GROUP LLC is explicitly named as an assignor (Reel 053077/0371, Reel 053654/0254) and assignee (Reel 053154/0254) in the patent's assignment history. Acacia Research Corp is a prominent, well-known Non-Practicing Entity. R2 SOLUTIONS LLC, another entity appearing in the chain (Reel 053077/0371, 053154/0254, 053654/0254, 053916/0471, 054238/0023), is also associated with patent assertion.
3. Repeat correspondent across the chain — Present. BLANK ROME LLP (New York, NY) served as the correspondent for five consecutive complex security and corrective assignments between 2020-06-05 (Reel 053077/0371) and 2021-03-29 (Reel 054238/0023). ROTHWELL, FIGG, ERNST & MANBECK, P.C. also appears as correspondent for the first two recorded assignments (Reel 052445/0969 and Reel 052570/0675).
4. Cascading transfers — Present. A series of highly complex security agreements, releases, and corrective assignments (Reel 053077/0371, 053154/0254, 053654/0254, 053916/0471, 054238/0023) occurred rapidly between June 2020 and April 2021, involving numerous NPE-affiliated entities and a collateral agent, demonstrating a complex and rapid shuffling of interests.
5. Pre-litigation transfer — Present. The transfer to Imberatek, LLC (Reel 052570/0675) occurred in February 2020, and the series of security/corrective assignments concluded in April 2021. The first recorded district court litigation case (2:22-cv-00233 in Texas Eastern District Court) was filed in 2022. The PTAB IPR2022-01597 was also filed in 2022. This demonstrates that the patent was transferred into the NPE ecosystem prior to the commencement of litigation.
6. Bankruptcy fire-sale — Not present. The patent originated from an operating company (Imbera Electronics Oy) that was acquired by GE, not one that underwent bankruptcy.
7. Privateering — Unclear. While GE divested the patent to an NPE-affiliated entity, there is no direct evidence to suggest GE is using Imberatek, LLC or other NPEs for covert assertion on its behalf against competitors.
8. Defensive aggregator (anti-NPE) — Not present. The chain clearly involves entities associated with patent assertion, with Starboard Value Intermediate Fund LP acting as a collateral agent for a portfolio involving known NPEs, rather than a defensive aggregator.

Verdict

NPE — high confidence

The extensive assignment history clearly indicates a transfer from an operating company (GE Embedded Electronics Oy) to a shell entity (Imberatek, LLC) in February 2020 (Reel 052570/0675). This shell entity is part of a broader network involving a well-known NPE, Acacia Research Group LLC, as evidenced by the security agreements and corrective assignments (e.g., Reel 053077/0371, Reel 053154/0254). The presence of multiple NPE-affiliated entities, cascading transfers, and a repeat correspondent (Blank Rome LLP) further solidify this conclusion. The subsequent litigation activities in 2022-2025 follow this transfer into the NPE ecosystem.

Verification: USPTO Assignment Center Search for US8368201