Assignment history

Inventors

• Shahrooz Shahparnia (Atmel Corp)
• Kishore Sundara-Rajan (Atmel Corp)
• Yassar Ali (Atmel Corp)
• Izhar Bentov (Atmel Corp)

All inventors were employed by Atmel Corp at the time of the original priority filing. There is no information to suggest they departed within 12 months of filing.

Original assignee

Atmel Corp. Atmel Corp. was a semiconductor company primarily known for microcontrollers, especially AVR and ARM-based microcontrollers, and also produced capacitive touch solutions. They shipped products embodying capacitive touch technology. Atmel Corporation was acquired by Microchip Technology Inc. in April 2016.

Assignment timeline

• 2014-10-17 (executed) / recorded 2014-10-17 — Reel 032223/0488
  • Conveyance: Assignment
  • Assignor: SHAHPARNIA, SHAHROOZ; ALI, YASSAR; BENTOV, IZHAR; SUNDARA-RAJAN, KISHORE
  • Assignee: ATMEL CORPORATION
  • Correspondent: ATOMEL CORPORATION (sic), 1150 E. CHEYENNE MOUNTAIN BLVD., COLORADO SPRINGS, CO 80906
  • Context: Original assignment from inventors to company
• 2014-10-17 (executed) / recorded 2014-11-04 — Reel 032336/0130
  • Conveyance: PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT
  • Assignor: ATMEL CORPORATION
  • Assignee: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
  • Correspondent: BINGHAM MCCUTCHEN LLP, 3000 K STREET, N.W., SUITE 300, WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 20007
  • Context: Securitization (patent used as collateral for a loan)
• 2016-04-07 (executed) / recorded 2016-04-07 — Reel 036495/0365
  • Conveyance: TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT COLLATERAL
  • Assignor: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
  • Assignee: ATMEL CORPORATION
  • Correspondent: JAY R. HAMILTON, ESQ., 20202 STEVENS CREEK BLVD., SUITE 400, CUPERTINO, CA 95014
  • Context: Release of security interest
• 2017-02-10 (executed) / recorded 2017-02-17 — Reel 038596/0563
  • Conveyance: SECURITY INTEREST
  • Assignor: ATMEL CORPORATION
  • Assignee: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
  • Correspondent: JESSICA A. ROSE, VENABLE LLP, 1290 AVENUE OF THE AMERICAS, NEW YORK, NY 10104
  • Context: Securitization (patent used as collateral for a loan)
• 2018-06-25 (executed) / recorded 2018-06-25 — Reel 041285/0744
  • Conveyance: SECURITY INTEREST
  • Assignor: ATMEL CORPORATION, MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED, MICROSEMI CORPORATION, MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC., SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.
  • Assignee: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
  • Correspondent: JESSICA A. ROSE, VENABLE LLP, 1290 AVENUE OF THE AMERICAS, NEW YORK, NY 10104. This correspondent previously appeared on reel 038596/0563.
  • Context: Securitization (patent used as collateral for a loan, expanded assignors due to Microchip's acquisition of Atmel)
• 2018-09-18 (executed) / recorded 2018-09-18 — Reel 041648/0466
  • Conveyance: SECURITY INTEREST
  • Assignor: ATMEL CORPORATION, MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED, MICROSEMI CORPORATION, MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC., SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.
  • Assignee: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
  • Correspondent: ALISON P. RHYNE, MOORE & VAN ALLEN PLLC, 100 NORTH TRYON STREET, SUITE 4700, CHARLOTTE, NC 28202
  • Context: Securitization (patent used as collateral for a loan)
• 2018-09-27 (executed) / recorded 2018-09-27 — Reel 041708/0746
  • Conveyance: RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN CERTAIN PATENT RIGHTS
  • Assignor: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
  • Assignee: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED, MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC., MICROSEMI CORPORATION, SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC., ATMEL CORPORATION
  • Correspondent: JESSICA A. ROSE, VENABLE LLP, 1290 AVENUE OF THE AMERICAS, NEW YORK, NY 10104. This correspondent previously appeared on reel 038596/0563 and 041285/0744.
  • Context: Release of security interest
• 2018-09-27 (executed) / recorded 2018-09-27 — Reel 041708/0754
  • Conveyance: RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN CERTAIN PATENT RIGHTS
  • Assignor: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
  • Assignee: MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC., MICROSEMI CORPORATION, SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC., ATMEL CORPORATION, MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED
  • Correspondent: ALISON P. RHYNE, MOORE & VAN ALLEN PLLC, 100 NORTH TRYON STREET, SUITE 4700, CHARLOTTE, NC 28202. This correspondent previously appeared on reel 041648/0466.
  • Context: Release of security interest
• 2018-10-01 (executed) / recorded 2018-10-01 — Reel 041724/0073
  • Conveyance: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST
  • Assignor: ATMEL CORPORATION
  • Assignee: WACOM CO., LTD.
  • Correspondent: JEFFREY S. BERMAN, BERMAN LAW GROUP, 21250 HAWTHORNE BLVD. SUITE 700, TORRANCE, CA 90503
  • Context: Acquisition/Divestiture (sale of intellectual property)
• 2022-02-25 (executed) / recorded 2022-02-25 — Reel 051068/0811
  • Conveyance: RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST
  • Assignor: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
  • Assignee: SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC., MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED, MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC., ATMEL CORPORATION, MICROSEMI CORPORATION
  • Correspondent: JESSICA A. ROSE, VENABLE LLP, 1290 AVENUE OF THE AMERICAS, NEW YORK, NY 10104. This correspondent previously appeared on reel 038596/0563, 041285/0744, and 041708/0746.
  • Context: Release of security interest
• 2022-02-28 (executed) / recorded 2022-02-28 — Reel 051068/0827
  • Conveyance: RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST
  • Assignor: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
  • Assignee: ATMEL CORPORATION
  • Correspondent: JESSICA A. ROSE, VENABLE LLP, 1290 AVENUE OF THE AMERICAS, NEW YORK, NY 10104. This correspondent previously appeared on reel 038596/0563, 041285/0744, 041708/0746, and 051068/0811.
  • Context: Release of security interest
• 2022-03-09 (executed) / recorded 2022-03-09 — Reel 051119/0754
  • Conveyance: RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST
  • Assignor: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
  • Assignee: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED, SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC., MICROSEMI CORPORATION, MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC., ATMEL CORPORATION
  • Correspondent: ALISON P. RHYNE, MOORE & VAN ALLEN PLLC, 100 NORTH TRYON STREET, SUITE 4700, CHARLOTTE, NC 28202. This correspondent previously appeared on reel 041648/0466 and 041708/0754.
  • Context: Release of security interest

Timeline diagram

timeline
    title Ownership of US 9933866
    2011 : Priority Date
    2014 : Filed by Atmel Corp
         : Assigned to Morgan Stanley
    2016 : Security interest released
    2017 : Assigned to JPMorgan Chase
    2018 : Assigned to JPMorgan Chase
         : Assigned to Wells Fargo
         : Security interest released
         : Security interest released
         : Assigned to Wacom Co., Ltd.
    2022 : Security interest released
         : Security interest released
         : Security interest released

NPE / troll-pattern signals

1. Shell-entity transfer — Not present. All assignees appear to be operating companies or legitimate financial institutions.
2. Known asserter in the chain — Not present. Wacom Co., Ltd. is an operating company known for pen tablets and displays.
3. Repeat correspondent across the chain — Present. Jessica A. Rose of Venable LLP appears on multiple security interest recordings (Reel 038596/0563, 041285/0744, 041708/0746, 051068/0811, 051068/0827). Alison P. Rhyne of Moore & Van Allen PLLC appears on multiple security interest recordings (Reel 041648/0466, 041708/0754, 051119/0754).
4. Cascading transfers — Not present. While there are multiple security interest releases and new security interests recorded around 2018-2022, these are primarily financial transactions related to Atmel's acquisition by Microchip and subsequent activities, not rapid transfers between shell entities.
5. Pre-litigation transfer — Unclear. The patent was granted on 2018-04-03, and the assignment to Wacom Co., Ltd. was recorded on 2018-10-01. This is within 6 months of issuance, but without knowledge of litigation filing dates around that time, it's hard to make a definitive call. However, it's a transfer to a known operating company.
6. Bankruptcy fire-sale — Not present. Atmel Corp was acquired by Microchip Technology, Inc., not dissolved in bankruptcy.
7. Privateering — Not present. The ultimate assignee is Wacom Co., Ltd., an operating company.
8. Defensive aggregator (anti-NPE) — Not present. The chain ends with Wacom Co., Ltd.

Verdict

Operating-company assertion

The patent was ultimately assigned to Wacom Co., Ltd. (Reel 041724/0073), a known operating company in the field of digital pens and interactive displays. The interim assignments primarily reflect securitization agreements with financial institutions and releases of those interests, typical for operating companies. While there is current litigation associated with this patent (2:24-cv-00702 in Texas Eastern District Court, IPR2025-01495), this is a common occurrence for patents held by operating companies defending their intellectual property.

USPTO Assignment Center search: https://assignmentcenter.uspto.gov/patent/index.html?ref=patent (search for patent number 9933866)