Assignment history

Inventors

• Chris Weider (VoiceBox Technologies Corp)
• Richard Kennewick (VoiceBox Technologies Corp)
• Mike Kennewick (VoiceBox Technologies Corp)
• Philippe Di Cristo (VoiceBox Technologies Corp)
• Robert A. Kennewick (VoiceBox Technologies Corp)
• Samuel Menaker (VoiceBox Technologies Corp)
• Lynn Elise Armstrong (VoiceBox Technologies Corp)

No unusual patterns observed regarding inventor departures.

Original assignee

VoiceBox Technologies Corp. was the original assignee. VoiceBox Technologies developed and licensed natural language voice recognition software for various applications, including automotive and mobile devices. They shipped products embodying the claims, specifically their natural language voice control software integrated into various systems. VoiceBox Technologies Corp. was acquired by Nuance Communications, Inc. in 2018.

Assignment timeline

• 2012-07-13 (executed) / recorded 2012-07-13 — Reel 028169/0638

  • Conveyance: Assignment
  • Assignor: ARMSTRONG, LYNN ELISE; MENAKER, SAMUEL; DI CRISTO, PHILIPPE; KENNEWICK, MIKE; KENNEWICK, RICHARD; KENNEWICK, ROBERT A.; WEIDER, CHRIS
  • Assignee: VOICEBOX TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
  • Correspondent: BLAINE R. LIFFICK, MARGER JOHNSON & MCCOLLOM, P.C., 1030 SW Morrison Street, Portland, OR 97205
  • Context: Internal reorg (assignment from inventors to company)

• 2014-04-07 (executed) / recorded 2014-04-09 — Reel 031267/0371

  • Conveyance: Merger
  • Assignor: VOICEBOX TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
  • Assignee: VOICEBOX TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
  • Correspondent: Andrew J. Scholz, Marger Johnson & Mccollom PC, 201 SW 1st Ave, Ste 2200, Portland, OR 97204
  • Context: Internal reorg (merger of VoiceBox Technologies entities). Correspondent BLAINE R. LIFFICK from Marger Johnson & McCollom P.C. previously appeared.

• 2015-01-14 (executed) / recorded 2015-01-20 — Reel 033166/0001

  • Conveyance: Assignment
  • Assignor: VOICEBOX TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
  • Assignee: NUANCE COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
  • Correspondent: John D. Chappell, Post Office Box 874, York, ME 03909
  • Context: Acquisition

• 2021-05-10 (executed) / recorded 2021-05-11 — Reel 049302/0644

  • Conveyance: Assignment
  • Assignor: NUANCE COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
  • Assignee: VOICE INVENTIONS, LLC
  • Correspondent: KEITH D. BECCI, WINSTON & STRAWN LLP, 1900 K STREET, N.W., WASHINGTON, DC 20006
  • Context: Transfer to asserter

• 2022-08-16 (executed) / recorded 2022-08-16 — Reel 052955/0798

  • Conveyance: Assignment
  • Assignor: VOICE INVENTIONS, LLC
  • Assignee: DIALECT, LLC
  • Correspondent: DANIEL E. TIEGHE, TIEGHE PATENT LAW, P.O. BOX 1184, CONWAY, AR 72033
  • Context: Transfer to asserter

Timeline diagram

timeline
    title Ownership of US 8447607
    2012 : Assigned from inventors to VoiceBox Technologies Inc
    2014 : VoiceBox Technologies Inc merged to VoiceBox Technologies Corp
    2015 : Acquired by Nuance Communications Inc
    2021 : Assigned to Voice Inventions LLC
    2022 : Assigned to Dialect LLC

NPE / troll-pattern signals

1. Shell-entity transfer — present.

   • 2021-05-10 (executed) / recorded 2021-05-11 — Reel 049302/0644: Transfer from Nuance Communications, Inc. to VOICE INVENTIONS, LLC. The name "VOICE INVENTIONS, LLC" with "LLC" and "Inventions" is highly suggestive of a licensing-only entity.
   • 2022-08-16 (executed) / recorded 2022-08-16 — Reel 052955/0798: Transfer from VOICE INVENTIONS, LLC to DIALECT, LLC. Similarly, "DIALECT, LLC" is a generic name for an entity with "LLC" suffix, suggestive of a shell entity.

2. Known asserter in the chain — present.

   • Dialect LLC is listed as the current assignee and has a history of patent litigation.

3. Repeat correspondent across the chain — unclear. While Marger Johnson & McCollom P.C. appears twice (reels 028169/0638 and 031267/0371), this was during internal reorgs of the original operating company and is not necessarily indicative of an NPE pattern. Different correspondents are seen for the transfers to Voice Inventions, LLC and Dialect, LLC.

4. Cascading transfers — present. Two consecutive assignments in a relatively short period (Voice Inventions, LLC in May 2021, and Dialect, LLC in August 2022) suggest a pattern of transfers often seen with NPEs.

5. Pre-litigation transfer — present. The patent was assigned to Dialect LLC on August 16, 2022. The earliest litigation involving Dialect LLC and this patent appears to be around February 2023, which is within 6 months of the assignment.

6. Bankruptcy fire-sale — not present. Nuance Communications, Inc., the assignor to Voice Inventions, LLC, was not in bankruptcy at the time of the transfer.

7. Privateering — unclear. While Nuance Communications, Inc. transferred the patent, public records do not definitively establish if Dialect LLC is asserting on Nuance's behalf as part of a privateering arrangement.

8. Defensive aggregator (anti-NPE) — not present. The chain does not terminate at a known defensive aggregator.

Verdict

NPE — high confidence

The assignment chain for US8447607 exhibits multiple strong signals indicative of NPE activity. Specifically, the transfer to Voice Inventions, LLC (Reel 049302/0644, recorded 2021-05-11) and subsequently to Dialect, LLC (Reel 052955/0798, recorded 2022-08-16) suggests shell-entity transfers. Furthermore, Dialect LLC is recognized as a patent asserter. The assignment to Dialect LLC occurred shortly before the commencement of litigation involving this patent, reinforcing the pre-litigation transfer pattern. The cascading transfers between these entities further supports this verdict.

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