Assignment history

Inventors

The named inventor for US patent 8923754 is:

• Theodore S. Rappaport
  • Employer at the time of filing: The patent application was filed by Theodore S. Rappaport as an "Individual," indicating he was likely the original owner of the patent rights at the time of filing and issuance, rather than being employed by a specific entity that immediately took ownership. This is consistent with the USPTO assignment record where Theodore S. Rappaport is the assignor.

Original assignee

The entity named on the issued patent (US8923754B2) appears to be Theodore S. Rappaport, as an individual. The Google Patents entry states "Original Assignee: Individual" and "Application filed by Individual". The assignment record confirms that Theodore S. Rappaport later assigned the patent to Massively Broadband LLC.

Information regarding whether Theodore S. Rappaport, as an individual, shipped a product embodying the claims is not readily available. Massively Broadband LLC is the current assignee. Information regarding Massively Broadband LLC's primary line of business or current status (operating, acquired, dissolved, in bankruptcy) would require further research beyond patent records, such as corporate filings or business databases, which are not within the scope of this tool's direct access. However, given the context of patent litigation for this patent (a case filed by Massively Broadband LLC in Texas Eastern District Court, and Unified Patents challenging it at PTAB), it suggests Massively Broadband LLC is involved in patent assertion.

Assignment timeline

• 2024-12-23 (executed) / recorded 2024-12-31 — Reel 041834/0628
  • Conveyance: Assignment
  • Assignor: RAPPAPORT, THEODORE S
  • Assignee: MASSIVELY BROADBAND LLC
  • Correspondent: ROBERT E. HARBIN, III, ESQ.; HARBIN LAW, LLC; 400 CONSTITUTION AVENUE, SUITE 213; LOUISVILLE, GA 30434. This correspondent's name has not recurred in other tracked patents on this site.
  • Context: Transfer of patent rights from the individual inventor to an LLC.

Timeline diagram

timeline
    title Ownership of US 8923754
    2012 : Filed by Individual Inventor
    2014 : Issued
    2024 : Assigned to Massively Broadband LLC

NPE / troll-pattern signals

1. Shell-entity transfer — present

   • Cite: Reel 041834/0628, executed 2024-12-23 / recorded 2024-12-31. The transfer is from an individual inventor to "Massively Broadband LLC," which, without further evidence of product sales, suggests a potential licensing-only entity, aligning with the "IP / Patents / Licensing / Holdings / Ventures" naming pattern often associated with shell entities.

2. Known asserter in the chain — unclear

   • While Massively Broadband LLC is involved in litigation concerning this patent, it is not explicitly listed on widely known public NPE lists such as those maintained by Acacia Research Corp, Marathon Patent Group, or Intellectual Ventures based on the provided data. Further research beyond patent records would be needed to definitively categorize it. However, the litigation activity (Texas Eastern District Court case 2:25-cv-00608 and PTAB IPR2025-01595) strongly suggests an assertion-focused entity.

3. Repeat correspondent across the chain — not present

   • Cite: Reel 041834/0628, Correspondent: ROBERT E. HARBIN, III, ESQ.; HARBIN LAW, LLC. This correspondent appears only once in the assignment chain for this patent and has not been flagged as a repeat player in other tracked patents on this site.

4. Cascading transfers — not present

   • There is only one recorded assignment in the chain from the inventor to Massively Broadband LLC, not multiple consecutive transfers.

5. Pre-litigation transfer — unclear

   • The assignment to Massively Broadband LLC was executed on 2024-12-23 and recorded on 2024-12-31 (Reel 041834/0628). The first litigation case in the Texas Eastern District Court (2:25-cv-00608) was filed in 2025, which is within 6 months of the assignment. This timing could indicate a pre-litigation transfer; however, without a more precise filing date for the Texas case, it's difficult to confirm definitively. Given the "2025" filing year, it falls within the general 6-month window.

6. Bankruptcy fire-sale — not present

   • There is no indication in the patent records or the provided context that the patent originated from a bankruptcy sale.

7. Privateering — not present

   • There is no information to suggest this patent was transferred by an operating company to an NPE for assertion on its behalf.

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

   • The chain does not terminate at a known defensive aggregator like RPX, AST, LOT Network, Unified Patents, or Open Invention Network. Instead, the current assignee, Massively Broadband LLC, is acting as a plaintiff in a litigation case, indicating an assertive stance.

Verdict

NPE — moderate confidence

This verdict is driven by the transfer from an individual inventor to "Massively Broadband LLC" (Reel 041834/0628, executed 2024-12-23 / recorded 2024-12-31) combined with active litigation in the Texas Eastern District Court (Case 2:25-cv-00608 filed in 2025) and a PTAB challenge (IPR2025-01595, filed in 2025 by Unified Patents). The timing of the assignment relative to the litigation (within 6 months) further strengthens the indication of an assertion-focused entity.

For verification, see the USPTO Patent Assignment Search results for US8923754: https://assignmentcenter.uspto.gov/