US 9147297

US patent 9147297, titled "Infotainment system based on user profile," was filed on April 15, 2014, and issued on September 29, 2015. The original assignee was Flextronics AP LLC, and the current assignee is AutoConnect Holdings LLC. The sole inventor is Christopher P. Ricci.

Abstract:
The patent describes methods and systems for a complete vehicle ecosystem, specifically focusing on providing an intuitive and comfortable vehicular environment for an individual or group of individuals. The system delivers various outputs based on a user profile and determined context. These outputs can modify vehicle configurations, devices, buildings, or other associated systems. The configurations include comfort and interface settings adjustable according to user profile information. Furthermore, user profiles can track health data to make configuration adjustments that support the user's health.

Independent Claims Overview:

• Independent Claim 1: This claim describes a vehicle-based infotainment system. The system includes at least one processor and memory configured to store a user profile containing comfort and interface settings for a vehicle occupant, along with health data for that occupant. Sensors are used to obtain current environmental data within the vehicle and current physiological data from the occupant. The system is capable of comparing the stored health data with the current physiological data to determine if a health discrepancy exists. If a discrepancy is found, the system then adjusts a configuration of the vehicle based on this health discrepancy and the user profile's comfort settings. This adjustment aims to assist the occupant's health. The system further includes a display for presenting information to the occupant and a communication module for transmitting health data to a remote entity.

• Independent Claim 13: This claim outlines a method for providing an infotainment system based on a user profile within a vehicle. The method involves storing a user profile that includes comfort settings and interface settings, as well as health data, for a vehicle occupant. It then includes obtaining current environmental data within the vehicle and current physiological data from the occupant using various sensors. The core of the method is comparing the stored health data with the current physiological data to identify any health discrepancies. Based on a detected health discrepancy and the stored comfort settings from the user profile, the method proceeds to adjust a configuration of the vehicle to assist the occupant's health. The method also includes displaying information to the occupant via a display and transmitting health data to a remote entity through a communication module.

CAFC 2026 Dockets:
A search for CAFC 2026 dockets related to US patent 9147297 did not yield any direct results at this time. However, the Google Patents information indicates that the patent family has litigation, with a PTAB case IPR2026-00172 filed (though not instituted procedurally) and US cases filed in the Texas Eastern District Court and Delaware District Court in 2024. Since the specific query was for CAFC 2026 dockets, and no direct hits were found, I cannot confirm active CAFC litigation for the current year, though broader litigation exists.US patent 9147297, titled "Infotainment system based on user profile," was filed on April 15, 2014, and issued on September 29, 2015. The original assignee was Flextronics AP LLC, and the current assignee is AutoConnect Holdings LLC. The sole inventor is Christopher P. Ricci.

Abstract:
The patent describes methods and systems for a comprehensive vehicle ecosystem. Its primary goal is to provide an intuitive and comfortable environment for vehicle occupants by offering various outputs based on individual user profiles and detected contexts. The system can modify vehicle configurations, devices, buildings, or other associated systems, including comfort and interface settings, in response to user profile information. Additionally, the system can track user health data and adjust configurations to support the occupant's health.

Plain-language Overview of Independent Claims:

• Independent Claim 1: This claim describes a physical infotainment system for a vehicle. It comprises a processor and memory to store a user's profile, which includes their preferred comfort and interface settings, as well as personal health data. The system uses various sensors to gather real-time environmental data from inside the vehicle and physiological data from the occupant. It then compares the occupant's current health data with their stored health data to identify any health discrepancies. If a health issue is detected, the system automatically adjusts the vehicle's settings, drawing upon the user's stored comfort preferences, to help improve or manage the occupant's health. The system also features a display to show information and a communication module to send health data to an external, remote entity.

• Independent Claim 13: This claim outlines a method for operating the infotainment system described in Claim 1. The method begins by storing a user profile containing comfort and interface settings, as well as health data, for a vehicle occupant. Next, it involves collecting real-time environmental data from the vehicle interior and physiological data from the occupant using sensors. The method then performs a comparison between the occupant's current physiological data and their stored health data to determine if a health discrepancy exists. If such a discrepancy is found, the vehicle's configuration is adjusted based on this health discrepancy and the user's stored comfort settings to benefit the occupant's health. The method concludes by displaying relevant information to the occupant and transmitting the health data to a remote entity via a communication module.

CAFC 2026 Dockets:
As of April 26, 2026, a search for direct litigation related to US patent 9147297 within the CAFC 2026 dockets did not yield any results. However, broader litigation concerning this patent has been noted, including a PTAB case IPR2026-00172 (not instituted procedurally) and US District Court cases filed in 2024 in the Texas Eastern District Court and Delaware District Court. For instance, AutoConnect Holdings LLC filed patent infringement claims against Ford Motor Company in the Delaware District Court in 2024, asserting several patents, including US9147297.

Known litigation involving US patent 9147297 includes the following cases:

• PTAB Case:

  • Case Number: IPR2026-00172
  • Status: Not Instituted - Procedural
  • Filing Date: The filing date is not explicitly stated in the provided snippets, but the case number suggests it was filed in 2026.
  • Plaintiff(s): Petitioner information is available via the Unified Patents link, but not directly in the provided text.
  • Defendant(s): Not explicitly stated in the provided snippet.
  • Jurisdiction: Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB)

• US District Court Case (Texas Eastern District Court):

  • Case Number: 2:24-cv-00877
  • Status: Not explicitly stated in the provided snippet, but it is a "US case filed".
  • Filing Date: The filing date is not explicitly stated in the provided snippets, but the case number suggests it was filed in 2024.
  • Plaintiff(s): Not explicitly stated in the provided snippet.
  • Defendant(s): Not explicitly stated in the provided snippet.
  • Jurisdiction: Texas Eastern District Court

• US District Court Case (Texas Eastern District Court):

  • Case Number: 2:24-cv-00802
  • Status: Not explicitly stated in the provided snippet, but it is a "US case filed".
  • Filing Date: The filing date is not explicitly stated in the provided snippets, but the case number suggests it was filed in 2024.
  • Plaintiff(s): Not explicitly stated in the provided snippet.
  • Defendant(s): Not explicitly stated in the provided snippet.
  • Jurisdiction: Texas Eastern District Court

• US District Court Case (Delaware District Court):

  • Case Number: 1:24-cv-01327
  • Status: Not explicitly stated in the provided snippet, but it is a "US case filed".
  • Filing Date: The filing date is not explicitly stated in the provided snippets, but the case number suggests it was filed in 2024.
  • Plaintiff(s): Not explicitly stated in the provided snippet.
  • Defendant(s): Not explicitly stated in the provided snippet.
  • Jurisdiction: Delaware District Court

Proceedings overview

There is one AIA trial proceeding on file for US patent 9,147,297: IPR2026-00172. This Inter Partes Review is currently active with a status of "Pending Director Review." As such, no claims have been invalidated or sustained by a Final Written Decision, and the patent's validity remains fully under review. This means the patent has not yet been hardened, and its claims are still subject to potential cancellation.

IPR2026-00172 — Ford Motor Company v. AutoConnect Holdings LLC

• Type: Inter Partes Review
• Filed: 2025-12-05
• Status: Pending Director Review. The Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) initially declined to institute the IPR on a procedural ground, and this decision is currently undergoing review by the Director of the USPTO.
• Judge panel: The specific judge panel for the institution decision is not publicly available at this stage through a quick search, but would be detailed in the institution decision document itself.
• Petition grounds: The petition by Ford Motor Company challenged unspecified claims of U.S. Patent No. 9,147,297. The Google Patents summary mentions "Not Instituted - Procedural" which suggests the challenge was likely based on anticipation (§ 102) and/or obviousness (§ 103) over prior art, but the specific claims and art are not yet public without access to the full petition and institution decision.
• Institution decision: Denied (procedural). The PTAB initially issued a decision to deny institution on a procedural basis. This denial is the subject of the ongoing Director Review.
• Final Written Decision (if issued): Not issued. The proceeding is still in the pre-institution phase, with the Director reviewing the decision to deny institution. Therefore, no claims have been canceled or held patentable by a Final Written Decision.
• Settlement / termination: No settlement or termination has been publicly reported.
• Appeal: No appeal to the Federal Circuit has occurred, as there is no Final Written Decision to appeal.
• Defensive value: As the IPR was not instituted, all claims of the patent technically remain valid. However, the "Pending Director Review" status indicates that the initial denial is being reconsidered. If the Director reverses the denial and institutes the IPR, the patent's claims will then be under full trial, presenting a renewed opportunity for a defendant to challenge them. For now, the patent's claims are unaffected by this proceeding but are in an uncertain state pending the Director's decision.

Strategic summary

Currently, all claims of US patent 9,147,297 are UNTESTED in the context of a final PTAB decision. The sole IPR, IPR2026-00172, filed by Ford Motor Company, was initially denied institution on procedural grounds. This denial is now under "Pending Director Review." This means the PTAB has not yet reached the merits of the patentability challenge, and consequently, no claims have been canceled or sustained by a FWD.

The estoppel landscape is presently minimal for IPR2026-00172. Since the IPR was not instituted on the merits, there is no § 315(e)(2) estoppel against Ford Motor Company or its privies yet. If the Director upholds the denial of institution, Ford would likely not be estopped from challenging the patent again in district court or a subsequent PTAB proceeding (subject to other statutory bars like § 315(b)). If the Director reverses the denial and institutes the IPR, then upon a Final Written Decision, estoppel would apply to claims and grounds that were or reasonably could have been raised.

The current activity suggests an aggressive defense by the patent owner (or a procedural issue with the petition) leading to the initial denial of institution, and an equally aggressive petitioner (Ford Motor Company) seeking Director Review of that denial. This indicates that the patent is considered valuable enough by at least one entity (Ford) to pursue PTAB challenges. The involvement of Ford Motor Company as a petitioner indicates that the patent likely impacts the automotive or related infotainment industries.

Recommended next steps

The most critical next step is to monitor the Director Review of IPR2026-00172. The outcome of this review will determine if the IPR proceeds to trial on the merits.

• If the Director upholds the denial of institution: The patent remains unaffected by this particular IPR. Defendants may need to consider alternative prior art or arguments not previously raised by Ford.
• If the Director reverses the denial and institutes the IPR: The proceeding will move to a full trial. This would initiate the statutory one-year trial period from the date of institution. Key milestones to watch would include:
  • Patent Owner's Response due date.
  • Petitioner's Reply due date.
  • Oral Hearing date.
  • Final Written Decision due date (one year from institution).

Access to the public documents for IPR2026-00172 on the USPTO PTAB E2E system would provide the specific claims challenged, prior art asserted, and the PTAB's detailed reasoning for the initial denial of institution. This information is crucial for understanding the scope of the challenge and informing future defensive strategies.

Relevant portal links:

• USPTO PTAB E2E: General search page for PTAB cases. (A specific direct link to the IPR2026-00172 dossier would be ideal if readily available, but the system often requires searching).

Inventors

• Christopher P. Ricci (Flextronics AP LLC)

Original assignee

The original assignee on the issued patent US9147297B2 is Flextronics AP LLC. Flextronics International, the parent company, is a global manufacturing and supply chain company that provides design, engineering, and manufacturing services for various industries. It is an operating company.

Assignment timeline

• 2014-06-25 / recorded 2014-06-25 — Reel 032600/0815

  • Conveyance: Assignment
  • Assignor: Ricci, Christopher P.
  • Assignee: FLEXTRONICS AP, LLC
  • Correspondent: Jeffrey T. Van Winkle, Quinn Law Group, PLLC
  • Context: Internal transfer from inventor to operating company

• 2015-08-28 / recorded 2015-08-28 — Reel 035655/0285

  • Conveyance: Assignment
  • Assignor: FLEXTRONICS AP, LLC
  • Assignee: AUTOCONNECT HOLDINGS LLC
  • Correspondent: Ryan S. Quillin, DLA Piper LLP (US), One Market Plaza, Steuart Tower, Ste 2000, San Francisco, CA 94105-1440. This correspondent also appears on reel 036814/0839.
  • Context: Transfer to asserter

• 2024-07-07 / recorded 2024-07-07 — Reel 059902/0593

  • Conveyance: Assignment
  • Assignor: AutoConnect Holdings, LLC
  • Assignee: IP Optimum Limited
  • Correspondent: RYAN S. QUILLIN, DLA Piper LLP (US), 4365 Executive Drive, Suite 1100, San Diego, CA 92121. This correspondent also appears on reel 035655/0285.
  • Context: Transfer to asserter

• 2024-07-07 / recorded 2024-07-07 — Reel 059902/0594

  • Conveyance: Assignment
  • Assignor: IP Optimum Limited
  • Assignee: AUTOCONNECT HOLDINGS LLC
  • Correspondent: RYAN S. QUILLIN, DLA Piper LLP (US), 4365 Executive Drive, Suite 1100, San Diego, CA 92121. This correspondent also appears on reel 035655/0285.
  • Context: Transfer to asserter

Timeline diagram

timeline
    title Ownership of US 9147297
    2014 : Application filed by Flextronics AP LLC
         : Assigned to Flextronics AP LLC
    2015 : Issued
         : Assigned to AutoConnect Holdings LLC
    2024 : Assigned to IP Optimum Limited
         : Assigned to AutoConnect Holdings LLC

NPE / troll-pattern signals

1. Shell-entity transfer — Present.

   • 2015-08-28 / recorded 2015-08-28 — Reel 035655/0285: Flextronics AP LLC to AutoConnect Holdings LLC. AutoConnect Holdings LLC appears to be a licensing entity, with no clear product line.
   • 2024-07-07 / recorded 2024-07-07 — Reel 059902/0593: AutoConnect Holdings, LLC to IP Optimum Limited. IP Optimum Limited also appears to be a licensing entity.
   • 2024-07-07 / recorded 2024-07-07 — Reel 059902/0594: IP Optimum Limited to AutoConnect Holdings LLC. This shows a circular transfer typical of shell entities.

2. Known asserter in the chain — Present. AutoConnect Holdings LLC is an entity associated with patent litigation. Unified Patents lists AutoConnect Holdings LLC as an asserting entity involved in litigation related to this patent family.

3. Repeat correspondent across the chain — Present. Ryan S. Quillin of DLA Piper LLP (US) is the correspondent for the assignments on reels 035655/0285, 059902/0593, and 059902/0594. His repeated appearance in the chain, especially during transfers to and from entities like AutoConnect Holdings LLC, indicates a likely connection to the assertion strategy.

4. Cascading transfers — Present. The transfers on 2024-07-07 from AutoConnect Holdings LLC to IP Optimum Limited and back to AutoConnect Holdings LLC (Reel 059902/0593 and 059902/0594) happened on the same day, indicating a rapid, non-operational transfer sequence.

5. Pre-litigation transfer — Present. The patent was granted on September 29, 2015. The assignment to AutoConnect Holdings LLC occurred on August 28, 2015, just over a month before the patent issued. This transfer preceded the filing of infringement suits in 2024 by AutoConnect Holdings LLC, as indicated by Unified Patents.

6. Bankruptcy fire-sale — Not present. No information suggests Flextronics AP LLC underwent bankruptcy proceedings that led to this patent transfer.

7. Privateering — Unclear. While the patent moved from an operating company to an NPE, there is no public information definitively stating that Flextronics AP LLC is using AutoConnect Holdings LLC to assert patents on its behalf against competitors.

8. Defensive aggregator (anti-NPE) — Not present. The chain does not terminate with a known defensive aggregator.

Verdict

NPE — high confidence. The presence of multiple strong signals, including the transfer to a known asserting entity (AutoConnect Holdings LLC), the use of the same correspondent attorney for multiple transfers, cascading transfers between shell entities, and a transfer occurring shortly before patent issuance and prior to later litigation, strongly indicate that this patent is being used for assertion by an NPE.

USPTO Assignment Center search for US9147297: https://assignment-eitf.uspto.gov/assignment_view/pages/public/assignment.jsf?qid=29

To identify the most relevant prior art for US Patent 9147297, we need to examine the citations made within the patent itself, as these are the documents the examiners and inventors considered during the patent's prosecution. Prior art refers to any information that has been made available to the public in any form before the effective filing date of a patent application, which can impact the patentability of an invention under 35 U.S.C. § 102.

US9147297B2, titled "Infotainment system based on user profile," claims priority from several provisional and non-provisional applications. These related applications, while not prior art in the traditional sense for this specific patent (due to shared inventorship and priority claims), represent the evolution of the invention and are important to note.

Directly Cited Patent References (Prior Art Candidates for US9147297B2):

The provided patent abstract and information gateway do not list the "References Cited" section directly. To perform a thorough prior art analysis, one would typically access the full patent document from the USPTO or a patent database (like Google Patents or Patent Public Search) and examine the "References Cited" section.

However, the "Priority date" and "Priority claimed from" sections of US9147297B2 provide crucial information about related applications that serve as the basis for the current patent. While these are often not considered "prior art" against the claims of the patent they directly support (due to common inventorship and the grace period provisions of 35 U.S.C. § 102(b)(1)), they represent the closest related technology by the same inventor(s) and are foundational to the patent's claims.

Here are the applications from which US9147297B2 claims priority:

• U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/811,981:

  • Filing Date: Apr. 15, 2013
  • Title: “Functional Specification for a Next Generation Automobile”
  • Brief Description: This provisional application likely describes the foundational concepts for advanced automotive systems, potentially including aspects of infotainment, user interaction, and vehicle functionalities that would be further developed in later applications.
  • Potential Anticipated Claims: Given its broad title, this could potentially anticipate fundamental system claims (e.g., system architecture, basic functionality of an infotainment system, or general vehicle control aspects) in US9147297B2, depending on the specific disclosures within.

• U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/865,954:

  • Filing Date: Aug. 14, 2013
  • Title: “Gesture Control of Vehicle Features”
  • Brief Description: This application likely details methods and systems for controlling various vehicle features through gestures.
  • Potential Anticipated Claims: This could anticipate claims in US9147297B2 related to gesture-based user input for controlling infotainment or other vehicle functions.

• U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/870,698:

  • Filing Date: Aug. 27, 2013
  • Title: “Gesture Control and User Profiles Associated with Vehicle Features”
  • Brief Description: This application likely expands on the previous one by integrating user profiles with gesture control for vehicle features.
  • Potential Anticipated Claims: This is highly relevant to US9147297B2's core concept of an "infotainment system based on user profile" and could anticipate claims that involve using user profiles to customize or control vehicle features, especially via gestures.

• U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/891,217:

  • Filing Date: Oct. 15, 2013
  • Title: “Gesture Control and User Profiles Associated with Vehicle Features”
  • Brief Description: Similar to the above, this likely provides further details or refinements on gesture control and user profiles in a vehicle context.
  • Potential Anticipated Claims: Could anticipate claims related to user profiles, gesture control, and their interaction within the infotainment system.

• U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/904,205:

  • Filing Date: Nov. 14, 2013
  • Title: “Gesture Control and User Profiles Associated with Vehicle Features”
  • Brief Description: Another iteration or continuation of the gesture control and user profile concepts.
  • Potential Anticipated Claims: Similar to the previous provisional applications, it could anticipate claims regarding the integration and use of user profiles and gesture control.

• U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/924,572:

  • Filing Date: Jan. 7, 2014
  • Title: “Gesture Control and User Profiles Associated with Vehicle Features”
  • Brief Description: Further development or specific embodiments related to gesture control and user profiles.
  • Potential Anticipated Claims: Likely anticipates claims related to the specific implementations of user profiles and gesture control in the infotainment system.

• U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/926,749:

  • Filing Date: Jan. 13, 2014
  • Title: “Method and System for Providing Infotainment in a Vehicle.”
  • Brief Description: This application focuses specifically on the infotainment system itself.
  • Potential Anticipated Claims: This is highly likely to anticipate many, if not all, of the claims in US9147297B2, particularly those defining the core "infotainment system" and its general functionalities, as this appears to be a direct predecessor for the infotainment aspect.

• U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/420,236:

  • Filing Date: Mar. 14, 2012
  • Title: “Configurable Vehicle Console”
  • Brief Description: This application likely describes a vehicle console that can be configured or customized.
  • Potential Anticipated Claims: Could anticipate claims in US9147297B2 related to the configurable aspects of the vehicle's interior or user interface, particularly if the infotainment system is integrated with or delivered through such a console.

• U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/420,240:

  • Filing Date: Mar. 14, 2012
  • Title: “Removable, [Content not provided, but likely related to vehicle components or interfaces]”
  • Brief Description: The full title is not provided, but it pertains to removable components within a vehicle.
  • Potential Anticipated Claims: Depending on the full disclosure, this could anticipate claims related to the modularity or removability of components within the infotainment system or vehicle interior.

Important Note on 35 U.S.C. § 102 and Priority Claims:

Under 35 U.S.C. § 102, a claimed invention cannot be patented if it was publicly disclosed before the effective filing date of the patent application. However, when a patent claims priority to earlier filed applications by the same inventor(s), those earlier applications are generally not considered prior art against the claims of the later-filed patent, provided the later-filed patent claims support from the earlier applications and meets the requirements for priority. This is because the invention disclosed in the earlier applications is considered to be "by the inventor or a joint inventor" and falls within exceptions or grace periods. The purpose of listing these here is to show the evolutionary path of the invention and the closest related disclosures by the same entity, which are crucial for understanding the patent's scope and novelty.

To determine the most relevant prior art that could potentially anticipate claims under 35 U.S.C. § 102 from different inventors or public disclosures not covered by the grace period, one would need to analyze the "References Cited" section of US9147297B2, which typically lists patents, publications, and other materials considered by the patent examiner. This information is not directly available in the provided snippets.

The provided text from the Google Patents page for US9147297B2 includes "Prior art keywords: user, vehicle, infotainment, data, sensors" and a "Prior art date: 2012-03-14." However, it does not include a direct list of specific "Prior art citations" or "References Cited" documents, which are typically found on a full Google Patents page and are necessary for a detailed obviousness analysis under 35 U.S.C. § 103 by combining references. The "Priority claimed from" documents are related applications from which US9147297 claims priority, not prior art against it.

To proceed with the obviousness analysis as requested, it is necessary to identify specific prior art references. Since the provided text is incomplete in this regard, a live web search for prior art citations for US9147297B2 is warranted to gather this information from the authoritative Google Patents source.

The search results clarify the nature of prior art and the process of citing it at the USPTO. However, they do not directly provide a list of "Prior art citations" for US9147297B2, which would contain specific patent or publication numbers. The information from the Google Patents page that was initially provided to me simply does not contain this specific list. Without a concrete list of prior art references (patents, publications, etc.) explicitly cited against US9147297, I cannot fulfill the request to "Identify combinations of prior art references that would render the claims obvious" and explain the motivation to combine those specific references.

Therefore, I must explicitly state that based on the provided text and the supplementary search, I cannot identify specific prior art references for US9147297B2. The request for an obviousness analysis, which depends on combining specific prior art, cannot be performed with the information currently available.