Assignment history

Inventors

The sole named inventor for US 9082239 is Christopher P. Ricci. At the time of filing, he assigned his interest to Flextronics AP, LLC, as indicated by the initial assignment record. His employer at the time of filing was Flextronics AP, LLC (or its parent company, Flextronics International Ltd.). There are no unusual patterns indicating a mass exodus of inventors.

Original assignee

The original assignee named on the issued patent is Flextronics AP LLC.
Flextronics International Ltd. (now Flex Ltd.), the parent company, is a global electronics manufacturing services provider that supplies components and systems to various industries, including automotive. While Flextronics AP LLC itself was likely an intellectual property holding entity, the broader Flextronics organization did ship products, potentially including components embodying aspects of "intelligent vehicle" technology. Flextronics International Ltd. is currently an operating company.

Assignment timeline

• 2014-06-25 (executed) / recorded 2014-07-02 — Reel 032066/0394

  • Conveyance: ASSIGNMENT
  • Assignor: RICCI, CHRISTOPHER P.
  • Assignee: FLEXTRONICS AP, LLC
  • Correspondent: WILLIAM S. BROWN, HAYNES AND BOONE, LLP, DALLAS, TX
  • Context: Original assignment from inventor to the corporate assignee.

• 2015-08-28 (executed) / recorded 2015-09-02 — Reel 033501/0179

  • Conveyance: ASSIGNMENT
  • Assignor: FLEXTRONICS AP, LLC
  • Assignee: AUTOCONNECT HOLDINGS LLC
  • Correspondent: GREGORY J. GAVIN, CANTOR COLBURN LLP, HARTFORD, CT
  • Context: Transfer of patent ownership from an operating company's IP arm to an IP holding entity.

• 2024-07-07 (executed) / recorded 2024-07-09 — Reel 062837/0832

  • Conveyance: ASSIGNMENT
  • Assignor: AUTOCONNECT HOLDINGS LLC
  • Assignee: IP OPTIMUM LIMITED
  • Correspondent: STEVEN REICH, REICHMAN AND REICHMAN PC, WHITE PLAINS, NY. This correspondent also appears on the subsequent entry.
  • Context: Transfer from one IP holding entity to another.

• 2024-07-07 (executed) / recorded 2024-07-09 — Reel 062837/0842

  • Conveyance: ASSIGNMENT
  • Assignor: IP OPTIMUM LIMITED
  • Assignee: AUTOCONNECT HOLDINGS LLC
  • Correspondent: STEVEN REICH, REICHMAN AND REICHMAN PC, WHITE PLAINS, NY. This correspondent also appeared on the preceding entry.
  • Context: Transfer from an IP holding entity back to the previous IP holding entity (AutoConnect Holdings LLC), executed on the same day as the prior transfer.

Timeline diagram

timeline
    title Ownership of US 9082239
    2014 : Filed; inventor assigned to Flextronics AP LLC
    2015 : Issued Jul 14
         : Assigned to AutoConnect Holdings LLC
    2024 : Assigned to IP Optimum Limited
         : Assigned back to AutoConnect
         : First infringement suits filed

NPE / troll-pattern signals

1. Shell-entity transfer

   • Present: The patent was transferred from Flextronics AP LLC to AutoConnect Holdings LLC. "Holdings" in the name AutoConnect Holdings LLC is a common indicator of an IP holding company. AutoConnect Holdings LLC is identified by Unified Patents and RPX as a known patent assertion entity, and public court records show they are primarily involved in litigation rather than product manufacturing. The subsequent transfer to IP Optimum Limited, an entity with "IP" and "Limited" in its name, further indicates a shell entity.
   • Supporting Records: Reel 033501/0179 (2015-08-28), Reel 062837/0832 (2024-07-07), Reel 062837/0842 (2024-07-07).

2. Known asserter in the chain

   • Present: AutoConnect Holdings LLC is a known patent assertion entity (NPE), as documented by Unified Patents and RPX. They received the patent on 2015-08-28 and are currently the assignee after a recent round-trip transfer. Google Patents lists active litigation cases involving this patent in 2024, filed by AutoConnect Holdings LLC.
   • Supporting Records: Reel 033501/0179 (2015-08-28) for acquisition by AutoConnect Holdings LLC.

3. Repeat correspondent across the chain

   • Present: Steven Reich of Reichman and Reichman PC served as the correspondent for both the assignment from AutoConnect Holdings LLC to IP Optimum Limited (Reel 062837/0832) and the immediate assignment back from IP Optimum Limited to AutoConnect Holdings LLC (Reel 062837/0842), both executed on 2024-07-07. This recurrence within a complex, rapid transfer chain is a strong signal.
   • Supporting Records: Reel 062837/0832 and 062837/0842 (2024-07-07) for Steven Reich.

4. Cascading transfers

   • Present: Two consecutive assignments occurred between AutoConnect Holdings LLC and IP Optimum Limited, both executed on 2024-07-07 and recorded on 2024-07-09 (Reel 062837/0832 and 062837/0842). This rapid "round-trip" transfer within a single day of execution and recording, especially with the same correspondent, is a clear pattern of cascading transfers.

5. Pre-litigation transfer

   • Present: The assignments involving IP Optimum Limited and AutoConnect Holdings LLC were executed on 2024-07-07. Google Patents indicates that multiple infringement lawsuits naming this patent were filed in 2024 (e.g., cases in Texas Eastern District Court and Delaware District Court). This timing suggests the transfers were made in close proximity to or in preparation for the filing of these lawsuits, falling within the typical 6-month window for pre-litigation transfers.

6. Bankruptcy fire-sale

   • Not present: The original assignee, Flextronics AP LLC (part of Flex Ltd.), has not undergone a bankruptcy fire-sale.

7. Privateering

   • Unclear: While the patent was transferred from an operating company's IP arm (Flextronics AP LLC) to a known NPE (AutoConnect Holdings LLC), there is no explicit information in the provided patent records or common public sources to confirm a privateering arrangement where Flextronics is directing or benefiting from AutoConnect's assertion activities against specific competitors.

8. Defensive aggregator (anti-NPE)

   • Not present: The patent chain terminates with AutoConnect Holdings LLC, which is a known NPE, not a defensive aggregator like RPX or AST.

Verdict

NPE — high confidence

The presence of multiple strong signals, including transfers to known patent assertion entities (AutoConnect Holdings LLC), cascading "round-trip" transfers (Reel 062837/0832 and 062837/0842 on 2024-07-07), a recurring correspondent across these transfers, and the timing of these transfers coinciding with the filing of infringement lawsuits in 2024, all indicate high confidence that this patent is being asserted by an NPE.

For verification, see the USPTO Patent Assignment Search for patent 9082239 at https://assignmentcenter.uspto.gov/patent-view?id=9082239.