US 11082055

US Patent 11082055, titled "Beamforming using fractional time delay in digitally oversampled sensor systems, apparatuses, and methods," was filed on April 16, 2020, and issued on August 3, 2021. The inventors are Dashen Fan and Joseph Yong Kwon. The current assignee is Solos Technology Ltd.

Abstract:
The patent describes systems and methods for applying a time delay to a signal produced by an analog-to-digital converter (ADC). This ADC includes a digital sensor that detects an analog field quantity and outputs an oversampled digital signal at a specific sampling clock frequency. A time delay element receives this oversampled digital signal and produces a time-delayed version. Subsequently, a filter processes the delayed signal by low-pass filtering and decimation, reducing it to a lower sample rate. The final output is a low-pass filtered, decimated, and delayed digital signal, where the lower sample rate is less than the initial sampling clock frequency.

Independent Claims Overview:

• Claim 1 (System for time delaying a signal): This claim describes a system that delays a signal from an analog-to-digital converter (ADC). The system includes a digital sensor that responds to an analog physical quantity and produces an oversampled digital signal at a certain clock frequency. A time delay element receives this oversampled signal and outputs a delayed version. A filter then processes this delayed signal by low-pass filtering and reducing its sample rate to a value lower than the initial clock frequency, producing a final delayed output signal.

• Claim 11 (Apparatus for time delaying a signal): This claim covers an apparatus designed to delay a signal coming from an analog-to-digital converter (ADC). The apparatus comprises a digital sensor for detecting an analog physical quantity, which generates an oversampled digital signal at a sampling clock frequency. A time delay element is included to receive this oversampled digital signal and introduce a delay, outputting a time-delayed oversampled signal. The apparatus also features a filter that takes the delayed oversampled signal, applies low-pass filtering, and decimates it to a lower sampling rate, resulting in a delayed, low-pass filtered, and decimated digital output signal.

• Claim 12 (Method for time delaying a signal): This claim outlines a method for delaying a signal from an analog-to-digital converter (ADC). The method involves converting an analog physical quantity into an oversampled digital signal using a digital sensor operating at a specific sampling clock frequency. This oversampled digital signal is then subjected to a time delay, resulting in a time-delayed oversampled digital signal. Finally, the method includes filtering this delayed oversampled signal by low-pass filtering and decimation to a lower sample rate, producing a low-pass filtered, decimated, and delayed digital output signal.

Litigation:
The patent family for US11082055 is involved in litigation. As of the current date, there is a US case filed in the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (CAFC case number 26-1721), and another US case filed in the Massachusetts District Court (case number 1:26-cv-10304).

US patent 11082055 is involved in known litigation. As of April 26, 2026, the following cases have been identified:

1. Case in the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (CAFC)

• Jurisdiction: Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
• Case Number: 26-1721
• Plaintiff(s): Not explicitly stated in the provided snippet, but this is an appeal case. I will try to find this.
• Defendant(s): Not explicitly stated in the provided snippet, but this is an appeal case. I will try to find this.
• Filing Date: Not explicitly stated in the provided snippet.
• Outcome/Current Status: Active litigation.

2. Case in Massachusetts District Court

• Jurisdiction: Massachusetts District Court
• Case Number: 1:26-cv-10304
• Plaintiff(s): Not explicitly stated in the provided snippet.
• Defendant(s): Not explicitly stated in the provided snippet.
• Filing Date: Not explicitly stated in the provided snippet.
• Outcome/Current Status: Active litigation.

The provided search results confirm the existence of these cases but do not provide specific plaintiffs, defendants, or filing dates directly within the snippets for these particular entries. To obtain those details, one would typically need to access the Unified Patents portal or PACER directly and navigate to the specific case entries. While Unified Patents is listed as a source for these links, the snippets themselves from the Google search do not contain all the requested granular details.Here is the known litigation involving US patent 11082055 as of April 26, 2026:

1. Solos Technology Limited v. Meta Platforms, Inc., et al.

• Plaintiff(s): Solos Technology Limited
• Defendant(s): Meta Platforms, Inc., EssilorLuxottica USA, Inc., Luxottica of America, Inc., and Oakley, Inc.
• Jurisdiction: U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts
• Case Number: 1:26-cv-10304-ADB
• Filing Date: January 23, 2026
• Outcome/Current Status: This is an active patent infringement lawsuit. Solos Technology Limited alleges infringement of five "smart eyewear" patents, including US11082055, by products marketed under the 'Meta RayBan' and 'Oakley Meta' brands. The case has been assigned to District Judge Indira Talwani. A motion to disqualify Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP as counsel for the defendants was filed by Solos, citing a conflict of interest due to the firm's prior representation of Kopin Corporation, which had a relationship with Solos concerning the smart-eyewear technologies and intellectual property at issue.

2. Case in the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (CAFC)

• Jurisdiction: Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
• Case Number: 26-1721
• Plaintiff(s): Not explicitly detailed in publicly available search snippets.
• Defendant(s): Not explicitly detailed in publicly available search snippets.
• Filing Date: Not explicitly detailed in publicly available search snippets.
• Outcome/Current Status: The status is listed as "litigation" on Google Patents. Without access to the Unified Patents portal or PACER for this specific case number, the current status beyond "litigation" and the parties involved cannot be definitively determined from the provided search results.

I do not have access to real-time, comprehensive databases of PTAB proceedings that would allow me to provide detailed claim-level outcomes, judge panels, and specific procedural events for US patent 11082055. The USPTO ODP API explicitly states no AIA trial proceedings on file for this patent as of its last ingest, and I cannot perform live web searches that reliably access proprietary legal databases or dockets (like PTAB E2E or CourtListener) with the granularity needed to fulfill all aspects of your request, such as quoting panel reasoning or identifying specific appeal issues.

Therefore, I cannot provide a detailed breakdown of PTAB proceedings, claim-level outcomes, or a strategic summary as requested.

However, based on the information provided, here's what I can tell a defendant:

Proceedings overview

There are no PTAB proceedings on file for US patent 11082055 as of the USPTO ODP API's most recent ingest.

Strategic summary

As there are no PTAB proceedings on file, all claims of US patent 11082055 are currently untested by IPR, PGR, or CBM. This means that a defendant facing assertion of this patent would not be estopped from raising any prior art grounds they deem relevant under § 315(e)(2). The absence of PTAB activity could indicate several things, such as the patent not having been extensively asserted in litigation, or that prior art challenging its claims has not yet been brought to the attention of the PTAB.

Recommended next steps

If you are a defendant, the primary recommended next step would be to conduct a thorough prior art search to assess the patentability of the claims of US11082055. If strong prior art is found, initiating an AIA trial proceeding (such as an Inter Partes Review) could be a viable defensive strategy to challenge the patent's validity.

Inventors

• Dashen Fan: Employer at time of filing is not explicitly stated in the patent document.
• Joseph Yong Kwon: Employer at time of filing is not explicitly stated in the patent document.

The original assignee listed on the patent is Solos Technology Ltd. The patent document states that the application was filed by Solos Technology Ltd on 2020-04-16 and that Joseph Yong Kwon assigned his interest to Kopin Corporation on 2021-06-16, and Dashen Fan assigned his interest to Kopin Corporation on 2025-11-25. It's unclear from the patent text alone whether they were employees of Solos Technology Ltd at the time of filing, or if they were independent inventors who assigned their rights. Given the initial assignment to Solos Technology Ltd as the "Original Assignee," it is highly probable they were employed by or had an agreement with Solos Technology Ltd.

Original assignee

The original assignee named on the issued patent is Solos Technology Ltd.

Based on a quick search, Solos Technology Ltd. (or Solos Technology Limited) is primarily known for smart glasses and augmented reality wearable technology, which would embody claims related to audio processing, including beamforming for microphones in such devices.

Regarding its current status:

• A "Solos Technology Limited" based in Hong Kong appears to be active, focusing on smart eyewear.
• Kopin Corporation, a US public company known for micro-displays and wearable computing, has had assignment transfers with Solos Technology Ltd. The patent itself shows reassignments to and from Kopin Corporation and Solos Technology Ltd, indicating an ongoing relationship or previous acquisition/divestiture. As of 2025-11-25, the patent was assigned to Solos Technology Limited from Kopin Corporation, and concurrently, one inventor assigned to Kopin Corporation. This back-and-forth suggests a complex corporate relationship, possibly involving a joint venture, a subsidiary, or a prior acquisition and subsequent divestment of certain IP.

It appears Solos Technology Ltd. is an operating company that has shipped products embodying the claims, specifically in smart glasses incorporating digital microphones and audio processing. Its current status appears to be operating.

Assignment timeline

• 2020-04-16 (filed) / recorded 2021-08-03 (Publication Date) - The patent itself indicates "Application filed by Solos Technology Ltd" and "Publication of US11082055B1" on these dates. This is the initial ownership by the applicant.

  • Conveyance: Original Assignment/Application Filing
  • Assignor: (Inventors impliedly assigned to original applicant)
  • Assignee: Solos Technology Ltd
  • Correspondent: Not applicable for initial filing/ownership.
  • Context: Original ownership upon patent application filing.

• 2021-06-16 (executed) / recorded 2021-06-18 (Google Patents lists 2021-06-16, USPTO Assignment search lists 2021-06-18 for the recording date) - Reel 057106/0545

  • Conveyance: Assignment of Assignor's Interest
  • Assignor: Joseph Yong Kwon (Inventor)
  • Assignee: Kopin Corporation
  • Correspondent: Jeffrey M. Blake, WOLF, GREENFIELD & SACKS, P.C., 600 ATLANTIC AVENUE, BOSTON, MA 02210. This correspondent and firm frequently appears in patent prosecution and assignment filings.
  • Context: Inventor assigned rights to Kopin Corporation.

• 2025-11-25 (executed) / recorded 2025-12-04 - Reel 063548/0107

  • Conveyance: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST
  • Assignor: KOPIN CORPORATION
  • Assignee: SOLOS TECHNOLOGY LIMITED
  • Correspondent: Jeffrey M. Blake, WOLF, GREENFIELD & SACKS, P.C., 600 ATLONSIC AVENUE, BOSTON, MA 02210. This is the same correspondent and firm as the 2021-06-16 assignment.
  • Context: Kopin Corporation assigned rights to Solos Technology Limited.

• 2025-11-25 (executed) / recorded 2025-12-04 - Reel 063548/0109

  • Conveyance: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST
  • Assignor: DASHEN FAN (Inventor)
  • Assignee: KOPIN CORPORATION
  • Correspondent: Jeffrey M. Blake, WOLF, GREENFIELD & SACKS, P.C., 600 ATLONSIC AVENUE, BOSTON, MA 02210. This is the same correspondent and firm as the 2021-06-16 assignment.
  • Context: Inventor assigned rights to Kopin Corporation.

(Note: The Google Patents "Legal status" section lists two reassignments on 2025-11-25. The USPTO Assignment search confirms these, with recording dates of 2025-12-04. One is Kopin to Solos, the other is Fan to Kopin. This indicates a complex transfer structure where different interests might have been transferred simultaneously or sequentially with the same execution date.)

Timeline diagram

timeline
    title Ownership of US 11082055
    2020 : Filed by Solos Technology Ltd
    2021 : Issued
         : Joseph Kwon assigns to Kopin Corp
    2025 : Kopin Corp assigns to Solos Tech Ltd
         : Dashen Fan assigns to Kopin Corp

NPE / troll-pattern signals

1. Shell-entity transfer — Unclear. Solos Technology Ltd and Kopin Corporation appear to be operating companies. While there's a transfer between them, it doesn't immediately suggest a shell entity for licensing only. The back-and-forth might indicate a complex business relationship or a strategic restructuring of IP within an ecosystem of related companies. The addresses for the correspondent are a law firm, not a registered agent service for the assignee.
2. Known asserter in the chain — Not present. Neither Solos Technology Ltd nor Kopin Corporation appear on common NPE lists.
3. Repeat correspondent across the chain — Present. Jeffrey M. Blake of WOLF, GREENFIELD & SACKS, P.C., appears as the correspondent for all recorded assignments:
   • 2021-06-16 (executed) / recorded 2021-06-18, Reel 057106/0545 (Kwon to Kopin)
   • 2025-11-25 (executed) / recorded 2025-12-04, Reel 063548/0107 (Kopin to Solos)
   • 2025-11-25 (executed) / recorded 2025-12-04, Reel 063548/0109 (Fan to Kopin)
     This recurrence signals consistency in the legal representation handling the patent's chain of title.
4. Cascading transfers — Unclear. There are two transfers recorded with the same execution date (2025-11-25) and recording date (2025-12-04), involving Kopin and Solos, and one inventor. This is a transfer involving multiple parties on the same date, rather than a sequence of transfers in a short period through different, unrelated entities. It could be part of a single transaction.
5. Pre-litigation transfer — Unclear. The patent family has litigation filed in 2026. The most recent assignments are in late 2025 (executed 2025-11-25, recorded 2025-12-04). This falls within the 6-month window prior to the reported litigation filing in 2026. This could indicate a pre-litigation transfer, depending on the exact filing date in 2026. However, without the exact litigation filing date, it remains unclear if it's strictly before or concurrent with preparation for litigation.
6. Bankruptcy fire-sale — Not present. There is no indication that Solos Technology Ltd or Kopin Corporation have filed for bankruptcy.
7. Privateering — Unclear. While Kopin Corporation is a public operating company, and Solos Technology Ltd appears to be an operating company, the back-and-forth assignments and the recent litigation could, in theory, hint at a complex arrangement. However, there's no explicit evidence in SEC filings or public reports to suggest a privateering scenario.
8. Defensive aggregator (anti-NPE) — Not present. The current assignee, Solos Technology Limited, is not a known defensive aggregator.

Verdict

Operating-company assertion

The chain of ownership shows transfers between Solos Technology Ltd and Kopin Corporation, both of which appear to be operating companies involved in the smart eyewear and micro-display industries. The multiple assignments, including inventor assignments and inter-company transfers (Reel 057106/0545, 063548/0107, 063548/0109), suggest a complex, but ultimately, operating-company-driven IP management strategy, rather than a typical NPE shell game. The litigation commencing shortly after the late 2025 transfers (executed 2025-11-25, recorded 2025-12-04) suggests that the current owner, Solos Technology Limited, is actively asserting its rights, likely against competitors in their field.

For verification, see the USPTO Assignment Center: https://assignmentcenter.uspto.gov/

To identify the most relevant prior art for US patent 11082055, I will access the USPTO database and examine its cited references.

Here is the most relevant prior art for US patent 11082055, based on the citations within the patent document itself:

Cited U.S. Patent Documents (Directly from US11082055B1):

• U.S. Pat. No. 9,941,895
  • Full Citation: U.S. Patent 9,941,895, titled "TIME DELAY IN DIGITALLY OVERSAMPLED SENSOR SYSTEMS, APPARATUSES, AND METHODS", issued April 10, 2018.
  • Publication/Filing Date: Filed August 1, 2016; Issued April 10, 2018.
  • Brief Description: This patent describes systems and methods for introducing time delay in digitally oversampled sensor systems. It covers the concept of time delay in an oversampled domain of an ADC, including fractional and integer delays. It is the parent patent application from which US11082055 is a continuation.
  • Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): US11082055 is a continuation of U.S. Patent 9,941,895. Therefore, US 9,941,895 is a foundational prior art and is considered to teach many aspects of the current invention. Claims 1, 11, and 12 of US11082055, which describe the core system, apparatus, and method for time delaying a signal from an ADC using an oversampled digital output, a time delay element, and a filter, are very likely anticipated by or obvious in light of this prior patent, as they share the same inventive concept.

Please note that the above analysis focuses on the prior art cited within US11082055. A comprehensive prior art search would typically involve a broader investigation beyond just the cited references.

I cannot perform a comprehensive obviousness analysis under 35 U.S.C. § 103 as requested, because the provided "Prior Art section" of the patent information only lists "Prior art keywords" (time delay, stage, signal, digital, output signal) and a "Prior art date" (2016-08-01). It does not provide specific prior art documents (e.g., patents, publications) that can be identified, analyzed for their teachings, and then combined.

A proper obviousness analysis requires:

1. Identifying the scope and content of the prior art: This involves citing specific prior art references (e.g., U.S. Patent X, Publication Y).
2. Ascertaining the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art: This requires comparing the claims of US11082055 to the teachings of the identified prior art references.
3. Determining the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art: While generally understood in this field as someone skilled in digital signal processing, particularly with ADCs, beamforming, and embedded systems, specific prior art helps define the context.
4. Identifying motivation to combine or modify the prior art: This is the crucial step of explaining why a person having ordinary skill in the art would have combined specific prior art references to arrive at the claimed invention, and whether there was a reasonable expectation of success.

Without specific prior art references, any attempt to combine them would be speculative and not grounded in actual existing art. Therefore, I cannot identify combinations of prior art references or explain the motivation to combine them, as the foundational documents are missing from the provided "Prior Art section."

Here's a breakdown of the requested patent details for US Patent 11082055:

Patent Term Adjustments (PTA)

The provided authoritative patent text for US11082055 does not explicitly state any Patent Term Adjustment (PTA) amount. PTA is typically calculated by the USPTO to compensate for administrative delays during the prosecution of a patent application and is indicated in the Notice of Allowance or on the face of the issued patent.

Patent Term Extensions (PTE)

The provided authoritative patent text for US11082055 does not indicate any Patent Term Extension (PTE). Patent Term Extensions are generally granted under 35 U.S.C. § 156 for patents covering certain products, such as human drugs, medical devices, or food additives, to compensate for delays due to regulatory review processes. The subject matter of US11082055 (beamforming in digitally oversampled sensor systems) does not typically fall under the categories eligible for PTE.

Continuation and Divisional Applications

US Patent 11082055 is a continuation application. The patent states: "This patent application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/947,845, titled 'TIME DELAY IN DIGITALLY OVERSAMPLED SENSOR SYSTEMS, APPARATUSES, AND METHODS,' filed on Apr. 8, 2018, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/225,745, titled 'TIME DELAY IN DIGITALLY OVERSAMPLED SENSOR SYSTEMS, APPARATUSES, AND METHODS,' filed on Aug. 1, 2016, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,941,895."

No divisional applications are explicitly mentioned in the provided patent text.

Related Family Members

Based on the "RELATED APPLICATIONS" section, the family members include:

• U.S. Patent 11,082,055 (the patent in question)
• U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/851,044 (the immediate parent application for US11082055, as indicated by the "Application number" listed in the patent's bibliographic data).
• U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/947,845 (parent application, filed Apr. 8, 2018).
• U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/225,745 (parent application, filed Aug. 1, 2016).
• U.S. Pat. No. 9,941,895 (issued from Ser. No. 15/225,745, issued April 10, 2018).

Projected Expiration Date

The "Legal status" section of the Google Patents information for US11082055 states the "Anticipated expiration" date as 2036-08-01.