Assignment history

Inventors

• Kevin C. Unbedacht (Corel Corp)
• Bruce G. Woodward (Corel Corp)
• Eric D. Johnson (Corel Corp)

Original assignee

The original assignee, Corel Corp, is a software company known for products like CorelDRAW and WordPerfect. They shipped products embodying the claims, specifically their Office suite with "Live Preview" features. Corel Corp is currently operating as Corel Software LLC.

Assignment timeline

• 2013-03-27 (executed) / recorded 2013-05-02 — Reel 029579/0063
  • Conveyance: Assignment
  • Assignor: COREL CORPORATION
  • Assignee: COREL CORPORATION
  • Correspondent: BRENT E. RATHGEBER, LAW OFFICE OF BRENT E. RATHGEBER, P.O. BOX 10707, AUSTIN, TEXAS, 78766
  • Context: Internal reorg (assignment from inventors to corporate entity)
• 2013-06-21 (executed) / recorded 2013-06-25 — Reel 029729/0329
  • Conveyance: Security Agreement
  • Assignor: COREL CORPORATION, COREL INC., COREL US HOLDINGS, LLC, WINZIP COMPUTING LLC, WINZIP COMPUTING LP, WINZIP INTERNATIONAL LLC
  • Assignee: WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
  • Correspondent: JOHN R. LEOPOLD, MCCARTHY TETRAULT LLP, BOX 48, SUITE 5300, TORONTO DOMINION BANK TOWER, TORONTO, ONTARIO, M5K 1E6, CANADA
  • Context: Securitization
• 2015-07-16 (executed) / recorded 2015-08-05 — Reel 033324/0747
  • Conveyance: Assignment
  • Assignor: COREL CORPORATION
  • Assignee: 8324450 CANADA INC.
  • Correspondent: CHLOE A. FORTE, NORTON ROSE FULBRIGHT CANADA LLP, 1 PLACE VILLE MARIE, SUITE 2500, MONTREAL, QUEBEC, H3B 1R1, CANADA
  • Context: Transfer
• 2015-07-17 (executed) / recorded 2020-04-23 — Reel 048087/0932
  • Conveyance: Change of Name
  • Assignor: 8324450 DELAWARE LLC
  • Assignee: Corel Software LLC
  • Correspondent: NICOLE M. DEBEAU, DEBEAU & KREBS, LLP, 16150 N. ARROWHEAD FOUNTAINS CTR. DR., STE 270, PEORIA, AZ, 85382
  • Context: Change of Name
• 2015-07-17 (executed) / recorded 2020-04-23 — Reel 048087/0937
  • Conveyance: Entity Domicile Change
  • Assignor: 8324450 CANADA INC.
  • Assignee: 8324450 DELAWARE LLC
  • Correspondent: NICOLE M. DEBEAU, DEBEAU & KREBS, LLP, 16150 N. ARROWHEAD FOUNTAINS CTR. DR., STE 270, PEORIA, AZ, 85382. This correspondent also appears on reel 048087/0932.
  • Context: Internal reorg

Timeline diagram

timeline
    title Ownership of US 8700996
    2013 : Assigned to COREL CORPORATION
         : Securitization by Wilmington Trust
    2015 : Assigned to 8324450 CANADA INC.
         : Change of name to Corel Software LLC
         : Entity domicile change

NPE / troll-pattern signals

1. Shell-entity transfer — present. The transfer from Corel Corporation to 8324450 CANADA INC. on 2015-07-16 (reel 033324/0747) and subsequently to 8324450 DELAWARE LLC and Corel Software LLC (reel 048087/0937, 048087/0932) shows a move from an operating company to entities with names characteristic of shell entities. While Corel Software LLC is currently the assignee and is an operating entity, the intermediate entities (8324450 CANADA INC., 8324450 DELAWARE LLC) have generic numerical names and were part of a corporate restructuring that often precedes or enables assertion.
2. Known asserter in the chain — unclear. While the patent has been asserted against Microsoft (as noted in the litigation summary), Corel Software LLC is not consistently listed as a high-frequency NPE in public databases like RPX or Unified Patents.
3. Repeat correspondent across the chain — present. Nicole M. DeBeau of DeBeau & Krebs, LLP, appears as the correspondent for both the "Change of Name" (reel 048087/0932) and "Entity Domicile Change" (reel 048087/0937) executed on 2015-07-17.
4. Cascading transfers — present. There were multiple transfers and corporate changes in a short period around 2015. Specifically, the assignment to 8324450 CANADA INC. (2015-07-16) was immediately followed by an entity domicile change to 8324450 DELAWARE LLC and then a name change to Corel Software LLC (both 2015-07-17), indicating a rapid restructuring (reel 033324/0747, 048087/0937, 048087/0932).
5. Pre-litigation transfer — present. The assignment to 8324450 CANADA INC. occurred on 2015-07-16 (reel 033324/0747), and the subsequent name change to Corel Software LLC and entity domicile change were on 2015-07-17 (reel 048087/0932, 048087/0937). The first infringement suit against Microsoft was filed on July 27, 2015, in the District of Utah, less than two weeks after the initial assignment to 8324450 CANADA INC. This close proximity suggests the chain was arranged in preparation for assertion.
6. Bankruptcy fire-sale — not present. The records do not indicate Corel Corp or its successors filed for bankruptcy.
7. Privateering — unclear. While Corel Software LLC is an operating company, the timing of the corporate restructuring and the quick assertion against a competitor (Microsoft) could suggest a privateering arrangement. However, without further public disclosures (e.g., SEC filings), it's not definitively confirmed.
8. Defensive aggregator (anti-NPE) — not present. The patent has not been assigned to a defensive aggregator.

Verdict

Operating-company assertion
The verdict is operating-company assertion, with some characteristics that mimic NPE behavior. While the patent was transferred through several shell-like entities (8324450 CANADA INC., 8324450 DELAWARE LLC) just before litigation commenced against Microsoft in 2015 (reel 033324/0747, 048087/0937, 048087/0932), the ultimate assignee, Corel Software LLC, is an operating company and the direct successor of the original assignee, Corel Corp, which ships products embodying the claims. The assertion appears to be directly from the operating company against a competitor.

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