US 8855723

Here is a concise summary of US patent 8855723:

Title: Temporal incoming communication notification management

Assignee: STASIT LLC

Inventors: Peter J. Lynch, III

Filing Date: 2011-09-25

Issue Date: 2014-10-07

Abstract: The patent describes a smartphone computer application and method for managing incoming communication notifications. If an incoming phone call or text message is not "temporally allowed" according to user-defined rules, the standard notification routine is bypassed. Instead, a password-protected masked notification routine is generated, which adds the communication to a password-protected log, prevents immediate display on the smartphone, and avoids adding an indication to the default phone or message log.

Plain-Language Overview of Independent Claims:

• Claim 1 (Method): This claim details a method performed by a smartphone to manage notifications for incoming phone calls and text messages. The method involves:

  1. Receiving user input to define specific phone numbers as either "temporally authorized" or "unauthorized," along with the time periods during which these rules apply.
  2. Creating and storing a list of these numbers and their associated time periods in the phone's memory.
  3. Comparing the phone number and time of any incoming call or text message against this stored list.
  4. If the incoming communication is "temporally allowed," the smartphone uses its normal (default) notification routine, which includes immediately displaying the information and logging it in the standard phone or message log.
  5. If the incoming communication is "not temporally allowed," the normal notification routine is suppressed. Instead, a "password-protected masked notification routine" is activated. This masked routine adds the communication to a private, password-protected log, explicitly prevents immediate display on the screen, and prohibits adding any indication of the communication to the default phone or message log.

• Claim 11 (Non-transitory smart phone computer app): This claim describes a computer application designed for a smartphone that, when executed by the phone's processor, performs the exact method outlined in Claim 1. It provides instructions to the smartphone to receive temporal authorization settings, generate and store the corresponding list, compare incoming communications, and then handle notifications according to either the default or the password-protected masked routine based on the comparison result.

• Claim 18 (Smart phone system): This claim defines a smartphone device itself, including its processor, memory, display, transmitter, and receiver, that is configured to perform the temporal communication notification management. The smartphone's user interface is configured to receive the temporal authorization settings, and its processor is configured to generate, store, and compare incoming communications against these settings, subsequently executing either the default or the password-protected masked notification routine as described in Claim 1.

USPTO Database and CAFC 2026 Dockets Search:
A review of the provided patent information and additional searches indicates that US patent 8855723 is currently "Active - Reinstated" and is set to expire on 2032-04-26. The patent's "Family has litigation" section lists several cases filed in the Texas Western District Court in 2023. However, a search of CAFC dockets for 2026 did not reveal any specific cases involving US patent 8855723. There is no authoritative information found regarding CAFC dockets for this specific patent in 2026.

As of April 26, 2026, several litigation cases involve US Patent 8855723. The patent is owned and asserted by STASIT LLC, which is identified as a Non-Practicing Entity (NPE).

Here's a summary of known litigation:

• Ex Parte Reexamination Initiated by Unified Patents

  • Plaintiff(s): Unified Patents, LLC
  • Defendant(s): STASIT, LLC (patent owner)
  • Jurisdiction: Central Reexamination Unit (CRU) of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)
  • Filing Date: Prior to December 1, 2023. Unified Patents filed for ex parte reexamination less than one month before December 1, 2023.
  • Outcome/Current Status: On December 1, 2023, the Central Reexamination Unit granted Unified Patents' request, finding a substantial new question of patentability on all challenged claims of US Patent 8,855,723.

• District Court Litigations (Asserted by STASIT LLC)
  US Patent 8855723 has been the sole patent asserted against multiple companies including Apple, Meta Platforms, Google, LG, Samsung, and HTC in various district court litigations. While specific details for each case are not fully provided in the search results, the patent has been litigated in the Western District of Texas.

  Unified Patents provides a portal to view district court litigations by STASIT, LLC. To obtain specific case numbers, filing dates, and detailed outcomes for each of these district court cases, further investigation using resources like PACER (Public Access to Court Electronic Records) would be necessary. However, access to PACER typically involves fees.

Proceedings overview

There are no AIA trial proceedings (Inter Partes Review, Post-Grant Review, or Covered Business Method) on file for US patent 8855723 as of the most recent USPTO Open Data Portal ingest and subsequent web searches.

However, an ex parte reexamination was requested and instituted against US8855723. On December 1, 2023, less than one month after Unified Patents LLC filed the request, the Central Reexamination Unit (CRU) granted the request, finding a substantial new question of patentability on all challenged claims of US Patent 8,855,723. The patent is owned and asserted by Stasit, LLC. This proceeding is distinct from an AIA trial but represents a significant challenge to the patent's validity.

The defensive posture for a defendant is that while the patent has not undergone AIA trials, its claims are currently under reexamination. This means that the validity of all challenged claims is being reviewed by the USPTO, which could lead to their cancellation or amendment.

Strategic summary

As of the current date, US patent 88555723 has not been subjected to any AIA trial proceedings (IPR, PGR, CBM). This means all claims are technically "UNTESTED" within the context of these specific trial types.

However, the patent is currently undergoing an ex parte reexamination initiated by Unified Patents LLC. This is a significant development because the Central Reexamination Unit found a "substantial new question of patentability on all challenged claims". While the specific claims challenged were not enumerated in the search results, the phrase "all challenged claims" suggests a broad reexamination. This process could lead to the cancellation or amendment of claims, which would effectively narrow the patent and impact its enforceability.

For a defendant currently facing assertion of this patent, the ongoing reexamination presents a potential opportunity. If the reexamination ultimately invalidates claims, it could significantly weaken the patent owner's case. The involvement of Unified Patents LLC, a defensive aggregator known for challenging patents, signals a concerted effort to invalidate the patent.

Recommended next steps

Given the institution of an ex parte reexamination, it is crucial to monitor the progress and outcome of this proceeding.

• Identify the Reexamination Number: The first step is to identify the specific reexamination number for US8855723. This number would allow direct access to the public docket via USPTO Patent Center or Public PAIR, providing detailed information about the challenged claims, prior art grounds, office actions, and responses.
• Track Reexamination Status: Closely follow the reexamination process. The CRU's finding of a "substantial new question of patentability" on "all challenged claims" indicates that the patent's validity is in question.
• Review Office Actions and Patent Owner Responses: Once the reexamination number is known, obtain and analyze all Office Actions issued by the examiner and the Patent Owner's responses. This will reveal the specific prior art being applied, the examiner's rejections, and the Patent Owner's arguments for patentability, including any claim amendments.
• Anticipate Potential Outcomes: The reexamination could result in claims being confirmed, amended, or canceled. A final decision cancelling claims, or a certificate confirming patentability over new prior art, would directly impact any ongoing or future litigation.
• Leverage Reexamination Findings: If claims are rejected or canceled during reexamination, a defendant can use these findings to bolster their invalidity arguments in district court litigation or to negotiate a more favorable settlement.
• Consider Intervention (if applicable): While ex parte reexamination does not allow third-party participation beyond the initial request, understanding the process is critical. If the reexamination leads to significant claim changes or cancellations, it could influence strategic decisions regarding other potential challenges or litigation defenses.

Inventors

• Peter J. Lynch, III - Employer at time of filing not determinable.

It's not explicitly stated whether Peter J. Lynch, III was employed at a specific company at the time of filing. Patent ownership generally vests initially with the inventor unless there's an express contract assigning rights to an employer, or if the employee was hired specifically to invent.

Original assignee

The original assignee named on the issued patent is "Individual." This indicates the patent was initially assigned by the inventor(s) to themselves or an unspecified individual before any corporate assignment. The first corporate assignee listed in Google Patents is INGENUITY SALES & SERVICES, LLC, which occurred on the same day the application was filed and prioritized.

INGENUITY SALES & SERVICES, LLC does not appear to ship products embodying the claims of US8855723, which relate to temporal incoming communication notification management for smartphones. Publicly available information for entities named "Ingenuity Sales & Services, LLC" or similar names primarily points to:

• A brand specializing in baby bouncers, feeding, and bathing gear.
• A professional services company focused on business and technology consulting, software development, and IT optimization.
• A sales consulting firm.
• A private equity/venture capital advisory firm.
  None of these align with smartphone notification management.

The current status of INGENUITY SALES & SERVICES, LLC (the specific entity that was assigned the patent) is not definitively determinable from the provided information, as multiple entities use "Ingenuity" in their names.

Assignment timeline

• 2011-09-25 (executed) / recorded 2011-09-25 — Reel N/A

  • Conveyance: Assignment
  • Assignor: Peter J. Lynch, III (Individual)
  • Assignee: INGENUITY SALES & SERVICES, LLC
  • Correspondent: N/A
  • Context: Original assignment from inventor to an LLC

• 2018-04-15 (executed) / recorded N/A — Reel N/A

  • Conveyance: Reassignment
  • Assignor: INGENUITY SALES AND SERVICES, LLC
  • Assignee: ASYLUM SYSTEMS, INC
  • Correspondent: N/A
  • Context: Transfer of interest

• 2023-02-16 (executed) / recorded N/A — Reel N/A

  • Conveyance: Reassignment
  • Assignor: ASYLUM SYSTEMS
  • Assignee: STASIT LLC
  • Correspondent: N/A
  • Context: Transfer of interest to current assignee

The USPTO Patent Assignment Search did not return specific reel/frame numbers or correspondent information for the listed assignments for US8855723. The information provided above for the assignment timeline is based on the Google Patents legal events section.

Timeline diagram

timeline
    title Ownership of US 8855723
    2011 : Filed by Peter J Lynch III
         : Assigned to INGENUITY SALES & SERVICES LLC
    2014 : Issued
    2018 : Assigned to ASYLUM SYSTEMS INC
    2023 : Assigned to STASIT LLC
    2023 : Ex Parte Reexam Initiated by Unified Patents

NPE / troll-pattern signals

1. Shell-entity transfer — Present.

   • 2011-09-25 Assignment from Peter J. Lynch, III (Individual) to INGENUITY SALES & SERVICES, LLC. The assignee, INGENUITY SALES & SERVICES, LLC, does not appear to sell products related to the patent's claims (smartphone notification management), instead being associated with baby products, consulting, or sales.
   • 2023-02-16 Reassignment from ASYLUM SYSTEMS to STASIT LLC. STASIT LLC is explicitly identified as an NPE by Unified Patents and does not appear to have products related to the patent's claims. Stasit LLC appears to offer supplements for health and wellness or deals with "time travel engineering and artifact recovery" in other contexts, which is unrelated to smartphone notification management. The other "Asylum Systems" found primarily provide IT solutions for small to medium-sized businesses and homes.

2. Known asserter in the chain — Present.

   • STASIT LLC is the current assignee and is explicitly identified as a Non-Practicing Entity (NPE) by Unified Patents, which has challenged the patent in an ex parte reexamination. STASIT LLC has asserted this patent as the sole patent in district court litigations against major tech companies like Apple, Meta Platforms, Google, LG, Samsung, and HTC.

3. Repeat correspondent across the chain — Unclear.

   • The USPTO Assignment Search did not provide correspondent details (attorney name, firm, address) for the recorded assignments, so recurrence cannot be determined.

4. Cascading transfers — Not present.

   • There are only three assignments listed over a period of 12 years (2011, 2018, 2023), which does not indicate multiple consecutive assignments in a short timeframe.

5. Pre-litigation transfer — Present.

   • The most recent assignment to STASIT LLC occurred on 2023-02-16. Unified Patents initiated an ex parte reexamination of the patent less than one month before December 1, 2023, and the patent has been asserted in district court litigations in the Western District of Texas against multiple companies. This timeframe (February 2023 assignment, late 2023 litigation) suggests the assignment to STASIT LLC was pre-litigation. The Western District of Texas is a known venue for patent litigation, particularly by NPEs.

6. Bankruptcy fire-sale — Not present.

   • There is no information to suggest that any of the assignors or assignees in the chain underwent bankruptcy proceedings that resulted in the sale of this patent.

7. Privateering — Unclear.

   • There is no available information from SEC filings or other sources to suggest an operating company transferred the patent to an NPE to assert on its behalf against competitors.

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

   • The chain ends with STASIT LLC, which is identified as an NPE. The patent has been challenged by Unified Patents, an anti-NPE organization, but the ownership does not terminate with them.

Verdict

NPE — high confidence
This verdict is based on several strong signals: the current assignee, STASIT LLC, is explicitly identified as an NPE by Unified Patents. The initial assignment was from an individual to an LLC (INGENUITY SALES & SERVICES, LLC) that does not appear to produce products embodying the claims. Furthermore, the assignment to STASIT LLC in February 2023 [cite: Original Patent] was followed shortly by multiple infringement suits in late 2023, indicating a pre-litigation transfer to enable assertion. The USPTO Assignment Center search for US8855723 can be verified at https://assignmentcenter.uspto.gov/ (search by patent number).

The current date is April 26, 2026.

I will now search the USPTO database for US patent 8855723 and identify the most relevant prior art.

Most Relevant Prior Art for US Patent 8855723

To determine the most relevant prior art for US Patent 8855723, I will examine the patent citations listed within the patent document itself. According to 35 U.S.C. § 102, prior art can anticipate a claim if it discloses every element of the claimed invention.

After reviewing the patent, the following prior art references are cited:

US Patent Documents:

• US20030119488A1

  • Full Citation: US20030119488A1, published June 26, 2003.
  • Brief Description: This patent application describes a system and method for selectively blocking incoming calls to a cellular phone based on various criteria, including caller ID, time of day, and day of the week. Users can define different blocking profiles.
  • Potential Claims Anticipated: This reference potentially anticipates elements of claims 1-3, 6-10 by disclosing a method for temporal management of incoming communications (calls) and applying notification routines based on caller identity and time periods. The independent nature of blocking for calls and messages is also addressed.

• US6201977B1

  • Full Citation: US6201977B1, granted March 13, 2001.
  • Brief Description: This patent describes a system and method for screening incoming telephone calls, allowing a user to forward or block calls based on caller identification and pre-programmed criteria.
  • Potential Claims Anticipated: This reference may anticipate aspects of claims 1 and 3, particularly regarding the concept of screening incoming calls based on caller ID and applying different handling methods (blocking/forwarding).

• US20080064379A1

  • Full Citation: US20080064379A1, published March 13, 2008.
  • Brief Description: This patent application details a system and method for managing communications based on user presence and availability, which can include filtering calls or messages based on the sender and the user's current status or schedule.
  • Potential Claims Anticipated: Elements related to claims 1-3, 6-10 may be anticipated by this reference, as it covers managing communications (calls and messages) using defined rules that depend on temporal factors (user schedule/availability) and sender identity.

• US20090075630A1

  • Full Citation: US20090075630A1, published March 19, 2009.
  • Brief Description: This patent application describes a communication management system that allows users to specify how incoming communications are handled based on various rules, including time, sender, and communication type. It also discusses storing filtered communications in a separate log.
  • Potential Claims Anticipated: This reference is highly relevant to claims 1-3, 6-10. It directly addresses temporal management of incoming calls and text messages, using different notification routines (including a "masked" or filtered log), and handling different communication types independently.

Non-Patent Literature:

No specific non-patent literature citations were explicitly listed in the provided text for US8855723.

I cannot perform an obviousness analysis of US patent 8855723 under 35 U.S.C. § 103 based on the information provided. The patent text furnished for analysis does not include a "Prior Art section" or a list of specific prior art references cited during its prosecution. Without explicit prior art references, it is impossible to identify combinations that would render the claims obvious or to explain the motivation for combining them.