Assignment history

Inventors

The named inventors for US Patent 9,290,153 are Christopher P. Ricci, Octavian Chincisan, and Alisher I. Yusupov. The patent record indicates that on the application filing date of April 13, 2015, the inventors assigned their interests in the invention to FLEXTRONICS AP, LLC. This suggests they were likely employees of, or had an obligation to assign to, FLEXTRONICS AP, LLC at the time of the invention or filing.

Original Assignee

The entity named as the "Original Assignee" on the Google Patents record is AutoConnect Holdings LLC. This patent was assigned to AutoConnect Holdings LLC shortly after the application was filed by them, following an intermediate assignment to Flextronics AP, LLC.

Based on publicly available information, AutoConnect Holdings LLC does not appear to ship products embodying the claims of US 9,290,153. Its primary line of business appears to be patent assertion and licensing. AutoConnect Holdings LLC is currently an operating entity, actively involved in patent litigation as the plaintiff.

Assignment timeline

The following is a chronological list of recorded assignments for U.S. Patent No. 9,290,153, as retrieved from the USPTO Patent Assignment Search.

• 2015-04-13 (executed) / recorded 2015-04-29 — Reel 033622/0754
  • Conveyance: Assignment
  • Assignor: YUSUPOV, ALISHER I., CHINCISAN, OCTAVIAN, RICCI, CHRISTOPHER P.
  • Assignee: FLEXTRONICS AP, LLC
  • Correspondent: BLANK ROME LLP, 1825 EYE STREET, NW, WASHINGTON, DC 20006.
  • Context: Transfer of inventor rights to an operating company, likely an employee assignment.
• 2015-08-28 (executed) / recorded 2015-09-02 — Reel 034175/0289
  • Conveyance: Assignment
  • Assignor: FLEXTRONICS AP, LLC
  • Assignee: AUTOCONNECT HOLDINGS LLC
  • Correspondent: BLANK ROME LLP, 1825 EYE STREET NW, WASHINGTON, DC 20006. This correspondent recurs in this chain.
  • Context: Transfer from an operating company (Flextronics) to a holding company (AutoConnect Holdings LLC), potentially an internal reorg or preparation for monetization.
• 2024-07-07 (executed) / recorded 2024-07-09 — Reel 063380/0919
  • Conveyance: Assignment
  • Assignor: AUTOCONNECT HOLDINGS, LLC
  • Assignee: IP OPTIMUM LIMITED
  • Correspondent: AUSTIN HIGGINS PLLC, P.O. BOX 1184, WASHINGTON, DC 20013-1184.
  • Context: Transfer of patent ownership from one holding company to another, likely for legal or financial structuring.
• 2024-07-07 (executed) / recorded 2024-07-09 — Reel 063380/0920
  • Conveyance: Assignment
  • Assignor: IP OPTIMUM LIMITED
  • Assignee: AUTOCONNECT HOLDINGS LLC
  • Correspondent: AUSTIN HIGGINS PLLC, P.O. BOX 1184, WASHINGTON, DC 20013-1184. This correspondent recurs in this chain.
  • Context: Immediate re-transfer back to AutoConnect Holdings LLC from IP Optimum Limited, indicating a transactional or legal restructuring rather than a change in ultimate beneficial ownership.

Timeline diagram

timeline
    title Ownership of US 9290153
    2015 : Inventors to Flextronics AP LLC
         : Flextronics to AutoConnect Holdings LLC
    2024 : AutoConnect to IP Optimum Limited
         : IP Optimum to AutoConnect Holdings LLC

NPE / troll-pattern signals

1. Shell-entity transfer — present. The transfer from FLEXTRONICS AP, LLC to AUTOCONNECT HOLDINGS LLC (2015-08-28 / reel 034175/0289) and the subsequent transfers to and from IP OPTIMUM LIMITED (2024-07-07 / reels 063380/0919, 063380/0920) are strong signals. AutoConnect Holdings LLC and IP Optimum Limited have names indicative of licensing or holding entities, and based on prior research, AutoConnect Holdings LLC is known for patent assertion rather than product sales.
2. Known asserter in the chain — present. AutoConnect Holdings LLC is a known patent asserter, as evidenced by the multiple district court cases it has filed asserting this very patent.
3. Repeat correspondent across the chain — present. BLANK ROME LLP appears as the correspondent for both the initial inventor assignment (2015-04-13 / reel 033622/0754) and the transfer to AutoConnect Holdings LLC (2015-08-28 / reel 034175/0289). AUSTIN HIGGINS PLLC appears for both the 2024 transfers (2024-07-07 / reels 063380/0919, 063380/0920). The recurrence of specific law firms for multiple transfers within the chain is a signal.
4. Cascading transfers — present. The two assignments on 2024-07-07 (reels 063380/0919, 063380/0920) where the patent is transferred from AutoConnect Holdings LLC to IP Optimum Limited and immediately back to AutoConnect Holdings LLC constitute cascading transfers. This rapid, circular transfer within a short period is often indicative of legal structuring for assertion or other strategic purposes.
5. Pre-litigation transfer — not present. The earliest recorded litigation involving this patent is AutoConnect Holdings LLC v. General Motors Company, filed on July 26, 2023. The most recent transfers (2024-07-07) occurred after the first litigation filing.
6. Bankruptcy fire-sale — not present. There is no indication of the original assignee or any assignor being in bankruptcy proceedings leading to the patent transfer.
7. Privateering — unclear. While the patent originated from Flextronics AP, LLC, and was transferred to AutoConnect Holdings LLC, there is no public information definitively stating that Flextronics is directing or benefiting from AutoConnect's assertions against specific competitors.
8. Defensive aggregator (anti-NPE) — not present. The chain ends with AutoConnect Holdings LLC, which is an asserter.

Verdict

NPE — high confidence

The strong signals for shell-entity transfer, a known asserter in the chain (AutoConnect Holdings LLC), repeat correspondents across the chain, and cascading transfers collectively provide high confidence. AutoConnect Holdings LLC actively asserts this patent in district court litigation, further confirming its role as a patent licensing and assertion entity.

USPTO Patent Assignment Search for US9290153: https://assignmentcenter.uspto.gov/patents/9290153

https://portal.unifiedpatents.com/[ptab](/ptab)/case/IPR2025-01383