Assignment history

Inventors

• Theodore S. Rappaport: At the time of filing in 2010, Dr. Rappaport was a prominent academic and entrepreneur in the field of wireless communications. He founded the wireless research centers at both Virginia Tech (MPRG) and the University of Texas at Austin (WNCG), and in 2012 he founded NYU WIRELESS at New York University. He also founded two companies that were sold to publicly traded firms: TSR Technologies, Inc. and Wireless Valley Communications, Inc. There are no unusual patterns of departure; Dr. Rappaport has remained deeply involved with the patent since its filing.

Original assignee

The patent was originally assigned to the inventor, Theodore S. Rappaport, as an individual. He is a practicing engineer, academic, and entrepreneur who has developed and commercialized technology in the wireless space. Immediately upon filing, the patent was assigned to Telisite Corp., a company founded by Dr. Rappaport.

Assignment timeline

• 2010-06-14 (executed) / recorded 2010-06-25 — Reel 024621/0323

  • Conveyance: Assignment
  • Assignor: THEODORE S RAPPAPORT
  • Assignee: TELISITE CORP.
  • Correspondent: ROBERT J. GORMAN, JR.; GORMAN & WILLIAMS; 200 ST. PAUL PLACE, SUITE 2220; BALTIMORE, MD 21202
  • Context: Transfer from the inventor to his operating company at the time of filing.

• 2014-04-09 (executed) / recorded 2014-04-09 — Reel 032483/0209

  • Conveyance: Assignment
  • Assignor: TELISITE CORPORATION
  • Assignee: THEODORE S. RAPPAPORT
  • Correspondent: THEODORE S. RAPPAPORT; 2715 BRAMBLETON AVE SW; ROANOKE, VA 24015
  • Context: The patent was transferred back from the corporation to the inventor personally.

• 2024-12-31 (executed) / recorded 2025-01-08 — Reel 076041/0890

  • Conveyance: Assignment
  • Assignor: THEODORE S. RAPPAPORT
  • Assignee: MASSIVELY BROADBAND LLC
  • Correspondent: J. Michael Martinez de Andino; CHERNOFF VILHAUER LLP; 111 SW COLUMBIA STREET, SUITE 725; PORTLAND, OR 97201
  • Context: Transfer from the inventor to a Texas LLC created for licensing and assertion purposes, shortly before litigation was initiated.

Timeline diagram

timeline
    title Ownership of US 8725700
    2010 : Filed by Theodore Rappaport
         : Assigned to Telisite Corp
    2014 : Issued
         : Assigned back to T Rappaport
    2024 : Assigned to Massively Broadband LLC
    2025 : First infringement suit filed

NPE / troll-pattern signals

1. Shell-entity transfer — present. The patent was transferred from the inventor to Massively Broadband LLC (Reel 076041/0890). This entity does not appear to have products in commerce and, based on its litigation activity, was established for the purpose of monetizing a patent portfolio.

2. Known asserter in the chain — present. Massively Broadband LLC is the current assignee (Reel 076041/0890) and plaintiff in Massively Broadband LLC v. Samsung (2:25-cv-00608, E.D. Tex.). It is identified as a Non-Practicing Entity by industry trackers such as Unified Patents.

3. Repeat correspondent across the chain — not present. Each of the three assignments was handled by a different correspondent.

4. Cascading transfers — not present. The transfers are separated by many years and do not show a rapid chain of movement through shell entities.

5. Pre-litigation transfer — present. The assignment to Massively Broadband LLC was executed on December 31, 2024 (Reel 076041/0890). The first infringement suit naming this patent was filed on June 6, 2025, approximately five months later. This timing is a strong indicator that the transfer was made to prepare for assertion.

6. Bankruptcy fire-sale — not present.

7. Privateering — not present. The assertion is being conducted by an entity controlled by the original inventor, not by a third-party NPE acting on behalf of an operating company.

8. Defensive aggregator (anti-NPE) — not present.

Verdict

• NPE — high confidence

This verdict is based on multiple strong signals. The patent was transferred to Massively Broadband LLC, a known assertion entity with no evident products, in a transaction recorded on Reel 076041/0890. This transfer was executed on December 31, 2024, just five months before the LLC filed an infringement suit against Samsung, indicating a clear pre-litigation transfer to an entity created for monetization.

A full record of these assignments can be viewed at the USPTO Patent Assignment Search page for US 8,725,700.