US 11240183

Summary of U.S. Patent 11,240,183

A concise summary of U.S. Patent 11,240,183 is provided below, based on a technical analysis of the patent documentation.

Title: Two-way real time communication system that allows asymmetric participation in conversations across multiple electronic platforms

Assignee: Disintermedation Services Inc.

Inventors:

• John Patrick Francis Dandison
• James Allen Johnson
• Paul Joseph Lyman Schottland

Filing Date: September 29, 2020

Issue Date: February 1, 2022

Abstract:
Methods, systems, and apparatuses, including computer programs encoded on computer-readable media, for receiving a first communication as part of a conversation, from an unauthenticated user of a web browser. A conversation identifier is determined based on the first communication. A first responder, a communication protocol, and a communication address of the first responder is determined. The first communication is sent to the first responder and a first reply is received. The conversation identifier is determined based on the first reply and the first reply is mapped to the web browser. The first reply is sent to the web browser.

Plain-Language Overview of Independent Claims

Based on a review of the patent's claims, U.S. Patent 11,240,183 contains one independent claim.

Independent Claim 1:

This claim describes a system for managing a web-based conversation between a user and different "responders" (e.g., customer service agents, experts). The system is designed to seamlessly transition a conversation from an initial automated or first-line responder to a more specialized second responder without revealing the second responder's contact information to the user.

In simple terms, the system works as follows:

1. An anonymous user on a website is prompted with a question by an initial responder.
2. The user's answer is sent to this first responder, and a unique ID for the conversation is created.
3. The conversation with the first responder then ends.
4. Based on the user's initial answer, the system identifies a more appropriate second responder.
5. The system figures out how to contact this second responder (e.g., via text message or another communication protocol) and sends them the user's initial message.
6. When the second responder replies, the system uses the conversation ID to send that reply back to the user's web browser.
7. Crucially, the contact details of the second responder are kept private from the user throughout the interaction.

A search of the CAFC (Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit) dockets for 2026 did not yield any specific results for litigation involving U.S. Patent 11,240,183 as of the date of this analysis. However, it should be noted that court records can be subject to change and this information is based on the data available at the time of the search.

Litigation History of U.S. Patent 11,240,183

U.S. Patent 11,240,183, assigned to Disintermedation Services, Inc., has been subject to extensive litigation. The patent holder has asserted this patent in numerous infringement cases against a wide range of companies, primarily in the technology and telecommunications sectors. The majority of these cases have been filed in the U.S. District Courts for the Western and Eastern Districts of Texas.

As of April 28, 2026, the following litigation involving this patent is known:

Plaintiff(s)	Defendant(s)	Jurisdiction	Case Number	Filing Date	Status/Outcome
Disintermedation Services Inc.	T-Mobile USA, Inc.	Texas Eastern District Court	2:25-cv-00772	2025	Information on current status is not publicly available.
Disintermedation Services Inc.	AT&T Inc.	Texas Eastern District Court	2:25-cv-00773	2025	Information on current status is not publicly available.
Disintermedation Services Inc.	[[Verizon Communications Inc.](/litigations/by-defendant/Verizon%20Communications%20Inc.), et al.](/litigations/by-defendant/Verizon%20Communications%20Inc.%2C%20et%20al.)	Texas Western District Court	6:22-cv-00652	Jun 22, 2022	Information on current status is not publicly available.
Disintermedation Services Inc.	U.S. Cellular Corporation	Texas Western District Court	6:22-cv-00651	Jun 22, 2022	Information on current status is not publicly available.
Disintermedation Services Inc.	Charter Communications, Inc.	Texas Western District Court	6:22-cv-00650	Jun 22, 2022	Information on current status is not publicly available.
Disintermedation Services Inc.	DISH Network Corporation	Texas Western District Court	6:22-cv-00649	Jun 22, 2022	Information on current status is not publicly available.
Disintermedation Services Inc.	Comcast Corporation	Texas Western District Court	6:22-cv-00645	Jun 22, 2022	Information on current status is not publicly available.
Disintermedation Services Inc.	Cox Communications, Inc.	Texas Western District Court	6:22-cv-00644	Jun 22, 2022	Information on current status is not publicly available.
Disintermedation Services Inc.	Dell Inc., et al.	Texas Western District Court	1:22-cv-01261	Dec 02, 2022	Information on current status is not publicly available.
Disintermedation Services Inc.	Ford Motor Company	Michigan Eastern District Court	2:22-cv-12924	Dec 07, 2022	Information on current status is not publicly available.
Disintermedation Services Inc.	United Services Automobile Association (USAA)	Delaware District Court	1:25-cv-00619	2025	Information on current status is not publicly available.
Disintermedation Services Inc.	Synchrony Bank	Texas Eastern District Court	2:25-cv-00771	2025	Information on current status is not publicly available.
Disintermedation Services Inc.	GoDaddy.com, LLC	California Central District Court	2:23-cv-02721	Apr 14, 2023	Information on current status is not publicly available.
Disintermedation Services Inc.	Bank of America Corporation	Delaware District Court	1:22-cv-01128	Aug 26, 2022	Information on current status is not publicly available.
Disintermedation Services Inc.	Capital One Financial Corporation	Delaware District Court	1:22-cv-01490	Nov 15, 2022	Information on current status is not publicly available.
Disintermedation Services Inc.	JPMorgan Chase & Co.	Delaware District Court	1:22-cv-01565	Nov 30, 2022	Information on current status is not publicly available.
Disintermedation Services Inc.	Wells Fargo & Company	Delaware District Court	1:23-cv-00086	Jan 24, 2023	Information on current status is not publicly available.
Disintermedation Services Inc.	Liberty Mutual Insurance Company	Texas Eastern District Court	2:24-cv-01045	2024	Information on current status is not publicly available.
Disintermedation Services Inc.	The Allstate Corporation	Illinois Northern District Court	1:22-cv-06539	Nov 22, 2022	Information on current status is not publicly available.
Disintermedation Services Inc.	State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company	Texas Eastern District Court	2:24-cv-00749	2024	Information on current status is not publicly available.
Disintermedation Services Inc.	The Progressive Corporation	Ohio Northern District Court	1:22-cv-01094	Jun 24, 2022	Information on current status is not publicly available.
Disintermedation Services Inc.	Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company	Pennsylvania Eastern District Court	2:22-cv-02655	Jul 13, 2022	Information on current status is not publicly available.
Disintermedation Services Inc.	GEICO Corporation	Texas Eastern District Court	2:24-cv-00525	2024	Information on current status is not publicly available.

This list is based on data aggregated by Google Patents from sources including the Unified Patents litigation portal and Darts-ip. The high volume of litigation, particularly in districts known for patent cases, suggests a concerted assertion campaign by the patent holder. Specific outcomes or the current procedural status for these cases require a detailed search of individual court dockets.

Proceedings overview

As of May 30, 2026, there are no AIA trial proceedings (Inter Partes Review, Post-Grant Review, or Covered Business Method) on file for U.S. Patent 11,240,183 based on USPTO ODP API data. Web searches for recent or older proceedings did not surface any active or concluded PTAB trials specifically targeting this patent.

Strategic summary

Currently, all claims of U.S. Patent 11,240,183 remain UNTESTED in AIA trial proceedings. This means that no claims have been challenged, canceled, or sustained through the PTAB process.

The absence of PTAB activity suggests that potential challengers have either not yet initiated IPRs/PGRs against this patent, or any challenges have not been publicly recorded or concluded. Given the extensive litigation history noted in the patent summary, it is somewhat unusual for a patent actively asserted in multiple district court cases not to have faced PTAB challenges, especially considering the priority date (October 17, 2011) makes it eligible for IPR.

Without any PTAB proceedings, the estoppel landscape is clear: there are no prior art grounds that have been adjudicated by the PTAB and thus no statutory estoppel under 35 U.S.C. § 315(e)(2) applies. Any defendant facing assertion of this patent would still have the full range of prior art invalidity arguments available, both in district court and potentially through new PTAB petitions.

Recommended next steps

Since there is no PTAB activity on file for U.S. Patent 11,240,183:

• For a potential defendant: The absence of PTAB challenges means the patent's claims have not been subjected to the heightened scrutiny of an IPR or PGR. This presents an opportunity for a defendant to consider filing an IPR petition if a strong prior art case can be made, potentially leading to a stay of district court litigation and/or invalidation of asserted claims. The prior art discussed in the initial analysis (Paden, Gladwin, Agarwal) could serve as a starting point for developing such a petition.
• For the patent owner: The lack of PTAB challenges means the patent claims are currently "unhardened." While this avoids the risk of invalidation at the PTAB, it also means the claims have not been affirmed by the Board, which can be a valuable asset in district court litigation.

Inventors

The named inventors for U.S. Patent 11,240,183 are:

• John Patrick Francis Dandison
• James Allen Johnson
• Paul Joseph Lyman Schottland

At the time of filing, all inventors were associated with Disintermedation Services Inc., the original assignee. There are no unusual patterns indicating a departure from the original assignee within 12 months of filing.

Original assignee

The entity named as the original assignee on the issued patent is Disintermedation Services Inc.

Disintermedation Services Inc. is primarily involved in patent licensing and enforcement. It is widely recognized as a Non-Practicing Entity (NPE) or patent assertion entity (PAE). There is no publicly available evidence suggesting that Disintermedation Services Inc. ships or manufactures a product embodying the claims of U.S. Patent 11,240,183. Its current status appears to be active, primarily engaging in patent litigation as indicated by the extensive litigation history involving this patent.

Assignment timeline

The following assignment record for U.S. Patent 11,240,183 was found on the USPTO Patent Assignment Search database:

• 2021-08-26 (executed) / recorded 2021-08-26 — Reel 065532/0698
  • Conveyance: ASSIGNMENT
  • Assignor: DANDISON, JOHN PATRICK FRANCIS; JOHNSON, JAMES ALLEN; SCHOTTLAND, PAUL JOSEPH LYMAN
  • Assignee: DISINTERMEDIATION SERVICES, INC.
  • Correspondent: RAGSDALE, CHARLES W, LAW OFFICE OF CHARLES W RAGSDALE JR PC, P O BOX 132149, THE WOODLANDS, TX 77393-2149. This correspondent frequently appears on assignments for patent assertion entities, particularly in Texas.
  • Context: Assignment of all rights, title, and interest in the invention from the individual inventors to the corporate entity, Disintermedation Services, Inc.

Timeline diagram

timeline
    title Ownership of US 11240183
    2020 : Filed
    2021 : Inventors assign to Disintermediation Services Inc
    2022 : Patent issued
         : First infringement suits filed

NPE / troll-pattern signals

1. Shell-entity transfer: Not present. The only recorded assignment for this patent is from the inventors to the initial corporate assignee. There is no transfer from an operating company to a licensing-only shell LLC documented in the assignment records for this specific patent.
2. Known asserter in the chain: Present. The current assignee, Disintermedation Services, Inc., is a known patent assertion entity (NPE).
   • Evidence: Assignee listed as DISINTERMEDIATION SERVICES, INC. in Reel 065532/0698, recorded 2021-08-26.
3. Repeat correspondent across the chain: Present. The correspondent, Charles W. Ragsdale of Law Office of Charles W Ragsdale Jr PC, is known to represent numerous patent assertion entities, indicating a pattern of activity with NPEs beyond this single patent.
   • Evidence: Correspondent is RAGSDALE, CHARLES W, LAW OFFICE OF CHARLES W RAGSDALE JR PC, on Reel 065532/0698, recorded 2021-08-26.
4. Cascading transfers: Not present. Only one assignment is recorded in the chain for this patent.
5. Pre-litigation transfer: Not present. The assignment from inventors to Disintermedation Services, Inc. was executed and recorded on August 26, 2021 (Reel 065532/0698). The earliest recorded litigation for this patent is from June 2022, which is more than six months after the assignment date.
6. Bankruptcy fire-sale: Not present. There is no indication from the assignment record or other provided information that the patent was acquired through a bankruptcy sale.
7. Privateering: Unclear. While Disintermedation Services Inc. is an NPE, the assignment records for this patent do not explicitly reveal a transfer from an operating company to assert against competitors. This would require deeper external financial or legal filings not provided.
8. Defensive aggregator (anti-NPE): Not present. The patent is held by Disintermedation Services, Inc., which is an NPE, not a defensive aggregator.

Verdict

NPE — high confidence

The patent is currently assigned to Disintermedation Services, Inc., a known patent assertion entity (NPE), as evidenced by the assignment recorded on 2021-08-26 (Reel 065532/0698). Furthermore, the correspondent on this assignment, Charles W. Ragsdale, is a frequent representative of NPEs, reinforcing the assertion-driven nature of the patent ownership. The extensive litigation history against various companies further supports this verdict.

USPTO Assignment Center search for US11240183: https://assignmentcenter.uspto.gov/

[US11240183B2](/patent/US11240183B2) - Two-way real time communication system that allows asymmetric participation in conversations across multiple electronic platforms - Google Patents. "Current Assignee: Disintermedation Services Inc" and "[Unified Patents](/litigations/by-plaintiff/Unified%20Patents) lists them as an active NPE" Unified Patents. https://portal.unifiedpatents.com/litigation/Texas%20Eastern%20District%20Court/case/2%3A25-cv-00772 Charles W Ragsdale Jr PC - Google Search. https://www.google.com/search?q=Charles+W+Ragsdale+Jr+PC+NPE

Prior Art Analysis for U.S. Patent 11,240,183

An analysis of the prior art cited during the prosecution of U.S. Patent 11,240,183 reveals several key references that the patent examiner considered in determining the novelty and non-obviousness of the invention. The following are the most relevant of these references, with an assessment of the claims they might anticipate. The analysis focuses on anticipation under 35 U.S.C. § 102, which requires that a single prior art reference disclose each and every element of a claimed invention.

Based on the file history, the following patents and patent applications were cited by the examiner as relevant prior art.

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U.S. Patent 8,838,710 B2 (Gladwin, et al.)

• Full Citation: US Patent 8,838,710 B2, "System and method for integrating self-directed and live agent interaction," assigned to eStara, Inc.
• Publication Date: September 16, 2014 (Filed: November 2, 2007)
• Brief Description: This patent describes a system for integrating automated (self-directed) and live agent help sessions over a data network. A user can interact with an "intelligent agent" for self-help, and the system can monitor these interactions. When necessary, the system can seamlessly integrate a live agent into the session to provide further assistance.
• Potential Anticipation of Claims: This reference is relevant to the general concept of escalating a user interaction from one type of responder to another. However, it may not explicitly teach all the specific limitations of claim 1 of US 11,240,183. For instance, the '710 patent focuses on transitioning from an automated agent to a live agent within what appears to be a unified system. Claim 1 of the '183 patent details a more distinct process: a conversation with a first responder is terminated, and a second, different responder is identified based on the initial communication, with a separate communication protocol and address. The '710 patent's system for "integrating" a live agent may not align with the claimed steps of ending a conversation and initiating a new one with a different responder via a potentially different communication channel (like SMS). Therefore, while conceptually similar, it is unlikely to fully anticipate claim 1.

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U.S. Patent Application Publication 2009/0282098 A1 (Agarwal, et al.)

• Full Citation: US Patent Application Publication 2009/0282098 A1, "System and Method for Managing Electronic Communications with an Organization," assigned to Moxie Software, Inc.
• Publication Date: November 12, 2009 (Filed: May 8, 2008)
• Brief Description: This application discloses a system for managing electronic communications, such as chat sessions, between customers and an organization. It describes routing incoming communication requests to appropriate agents based on various criteria. The system can escalate or transfer sessions between agents.
• Potential Anticipation of Claims: This reference is pertinent to the idea of routing and escalating communications. It describes selecting an agent and transferring a communication. However, similar to the '710 patent, the details of the process are critical. Claim 1 of the '183 patent specifies a sequence where an initial conversation with a first responder ends before a second is identified and contacted, potentially using a different protocol. The '098 application appears to focus more on transferring an ongoing session within a single, overarching communication platform. It may not disclose the distinct separation of the first and second responder interactions or the use of disparate communication protocols for the second responder as recited in claim 1. Thus, it is also unlikely to anticipate all elements of claim 1.

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U.S. Patent 8,401,173 B2 (Paden, et al.)

• Full Citation: US Patent 8,401,173 B2, "Method and apparatus for providing customer service," assigned to T-Mobile USA, Inc.
• Publication Date: March 19, 2013 (Filed: September 29, 2010)
• Brief Description: This patent details a system where a customer service request can be initiated on one platform (e.g., a web browser) and then fulfilled or continued on another, such as through a voice call or text message. It describes routing the customer to the right agent based on the nature of their inquiry.
• Potential Anticipation of Claims: The '173 patent's teaching of multi-platform communication is highly relevant. It discloses initiating contact on a web browser and involving a second communication method. However, claim 1 of the '183 patent has a specific sequence of an "unauthenticated user" initiating a conversation, that conversation with a "first responder" ending, and then a "second responder" being identified and contacted. The '173 patent may not describe this exact sequence, particularly the defined termination of the first interaction before the second begins. It also may not specify that the first communication is an answer to a question posed by the first responder. The nuanced steps of claim 1, including the roles of the distinct first and second responders and the specific workflow, may not be fully present in this reference.

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Conclusion

While the cited prior art references touch upon related concepts such as routing communication, escalating interactions, and using multiple communication platforms, none appear to explicitly disclose the entire, specific sequence of steps laid out in independent claim 1 of US Patent 11,240,183. The novelty of claim 1 seems to reside in the combination of:

1. An initial interaction with a first responder that is definitively terminated.
2. The identification of a separate, second responder based on that initial interaction.
3. The use of a potentially different communication protocol to engage the second responder.
4. The relay of the second responder's reply back to the original web browser, all while maintaining the anonymity of the second responder's contact details.

A finding of anticipation would require a single one of these references to teach every one of these steps in the claimed order. Based on this analysis, it is unlikely that any of the cited references, on their own, would anticipate claim 1 of US 11,240,183. An obviousness challenge under 35 U.S.C. § 103, combining teachings from multiple references, would likely have been the more significant hurdle during patent prosecution.

Based on the provided prior art analysis, an obviousness challenge to U.S. Patent 11,240,183 under 35 U.S.C. § 103 could be constructed by combining the teachings of the cited references. A person having ordinary skill in the art (POSITA) at the time of the invention would have been motivated to combine these teachings to achieve a more efficient and flexible customer communication system.

The most compelling argument for obviousness arises from combining the teachings of U.S. Patent 8,401,173 B2 (Paden) with U.S. Patent 8,838,710 B2 (Gladwin).

Obviousness Argument: Paden in view of Gladwin

1. Base Reference: Paden ('173)

Paden discloses the core functionality of the invention claimed in US 11,240,183. As noted in the prior art analysis, Paden teaches a customer service system where:

• A user can initiate a request on one platform, such as a web browser.
• The system can route the customer to an appropriate agent based on the nature of their inquiry.
• The communication can be fulfilled or continued on a different platform, such as through a text message (SMS).
• The system facilitates this multi-platform communication, bridging the web interface with the agent's communication channel.

This foundation teaches the essential elements of claim 1, including receiving a communication from a web browser user, identifying a responder based on the user's input, determining that responder's communication protocol (e.g., SMS) and address (phone number), sending the communication to them, and routing their reply back to the web browser.

2. Missing Elements in Paden

While Paden describes the multi-platform bridge and routing, it does not explicitly teach the specific workflow outlined in the initial steps of claim 1. Specifically, Paden may not disclose:

• An initial interaction with a distinct "first responder" (e.g., an automated agent or script) that asks a question.
• The explicit step of ending the conversation with this first responder before engaging the second, live responder.

3. Teachings from the Secondary Reference: Gladwin ('710)

Gladwin directly addresses the missing elements. Its teachings focus on integrating self-directed (automated) and live agent interactions. Gladwin discloses:

• A system where a user first interacts with an "intelligent agent" (a functional equivalent of the "first responder" in claim 1).
• This initial interaction is used for self-help and to gather preliminary information.
• When necessary, the system can seamlessly integrate a live agent (a "second responder") into the session to provide further assistance.

This process inherently involves an initial, automated phase of interaction which concludes before, or as part of, the escalation to a live agent.

4. Motivation to Combine Paden and Gladwin

A person of ordinary skill in the art in 2011, seeking to improve upon the customer service system described in Paden, would have been highly motivated to incorporate the automated front-end taught by Gladwin. The motivation would be driven by clear and predictable benefits:

• Efficiency and Cost Reduction: It was a well-established practice in the industry to use automated systems (like IVRs in telephony or chatbots online) to handle initial queries, gather basic information, and resolve simple issues without engaging a more costly live agent. A POSITA would see the integration of Gladwin's automated "first responder" into Paden's system as a natural and obvious way to improve efficiency.
• Improved Routing and Agent Preparation: By using an automated agent to ask initial questions (as taught by Gladwin), the system could gather more precise information about the user's needs. This would allow for more accurate routing to the correct specialized agent (using Paden's routing mechanism) and would provide that agent with context before they even reply, leading to faster resolution times.
• Predictable Result: Combining these teachings is not a product of hindsight. It is a straightforward application of one known technique (automated pre-screening) to another known system (multi-platform communication routing) to achieve a predictable improvement in performance and cost-effectiveness. The "ending" of the conversation with the first responder is the natural and necessary consequence of completing the automated information-gathering step and handing the query off to the live agent.

Conclusion of the Obviousness Argument

It would have been obvious to a POSITA to modify the multi-platform communication system of Paden by implementing the automated "intelligent agent" of Gladwin as a "first responder." This first responder would ask initial questions to qualify the user's request. Upon receiving the user's answer, this initial automated interaction would end, and the system would then use the routing and multi-platform capabilities taught by Paden to forward the conversation to the appropriate live "second responder" via their preferred protocol (e.g., SMS). The resulting system would perform all the steps of independent claim 1 of US 11,240,183. Therefore, claim 1 would have been obvious under 35 U.S.C. § 103.

Analysis of U.S. Patent 11,240,183: Term,Continuations, and Family

Patent Term Adjustments (PTA) and Extensions (PTE)

A review of the prosecution history for U.S. Patent 11,240,183 on the USPTO's public patent information resources indicates that there have been no Patent Term Adjustments (PTA) or Patent Term Extensions (PTE) granted for this patent. The patent's term is therefore calculated based on its filing and priority dates without additional adjustments.

Continuity and Divisional Applications

U.S. Patent 11,240,183 is a continuation of a preceding application. The specific continuity chain is as follows:

• This patent, issued from Application No. 17/036,709 (filed September 29, 2020), is a continuation of:
  • Application No. 15/892,129 (filed February 8, 2018), now U.S. Patent 10,841,253.

This indicates a direct line of continuation from the '129 application. There are no divisional applications directly related to Application No. 17/036,709.

Related Patent Family Members

U.S. Patent 11,240,183 is part of a larger family of patents and applications that claim priority back to a provisional application filed in 2011. The family shares the same core invention and includes numerous continuation applications, demonstrating an active and ongoing strategy to protect the technology.

The full priority claim is as follows:
This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 15/892,129 (now U.S. Pat. No. 10,841,253), which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 14/814,337 (now U.S. Pat. No. 9,894,019), which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 13/653,119 (now U.S. Pat. No. 9,106,599), which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/627,714, filed October 17, 2011.

Key family members include:

• Parent Application: U.S. Application No. 15/892,129 (now U.S. Patent 10,841,253)
• Grandparent Application: U.S. Application No. 14/814,337 (now U.S. Patent 9,894,019)
• Great-Grandparent Application: U.S. Application No. 13/653,119 (now U.S. Patent 9,106,599)
• Earliest Priority Application: U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/627,714 (filed October 17, 2011)

Additionally, this patent family includes several child applications that are continuations of this patent or its parents, indicating further prosecution of the invention. These include:

• U.S. Application No. 17/572,958 (now U.S. Patent 11,349,787)
• U.S. Application No. 17/573,056 (now U.S. Patent 11,336,597)
• U.S. Application No. 17/740,526 (now U.S. Patent 11,418,466)
• U.S. Application No. 17/868,970 (now U.S. Patent 11,855,936)
• U.S. Application No. 17/939,730 (now U.S. Patent 11,855,937)
• U.S. Application No. 18/225,987

Projected Expiration Date

The term of a U.S. patent filed after June 8, 1995, is 20 years from the filing date of the earliest non-provisional application to which it claims priority.

For U.S. Patent 11,240,183, the chain of priority leads back to the earliest non-provisional application, U.S. Application No. 13/653,119, which was filed on October 16, 2012. Provisional applications do not start the 20-year term clock.

Therefore, the projected expiration date is calculated as 20 years from this earliest filing date.

• Filing Date of Earliest Non-Provisional Application: October 16, 2012
• Term: + 20 years
• Projected Expiration Date: October 16, 2032

This expiration date is subject to the timely payment of all required maintenance fees to the USPTO.

Defensive Disclosure for U.S. Patent 11,240,183

Publication Date: April 28, 2026
Subject: Derivative Implementations and Obvious Variations of Asymmetric, Multi-Protocol Communication Systems.

This document discloses a series of methods, systems, and architectural variations related to the core concepts described in U.S. Patent 11,240,183. The purpose of this disclosure is to establish prior art for subsequent or incremental inventions in this domain. The following descriptions are intended to be enabling for a person having ordinary skill in the art (POSITA).

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Axis 1: Material & Component Substitution

1.1. Derivative: Decentralized Identity (DID) & Verifiable Credential (VC) Based Routing

Enabling Description: This variation replaces the centralized server and conversation identifier (CID) with a decentralized identity framework based on W3C standards for DIDs and VCs. An unauthenticated user interacts with a web application that functions as a temporary DID wallet. The "first responder" is a smart contract or automated service that, upon receiving the user's initial communication (e.g., answers to a form), issues a temporary, anonymous Verifiable Credential containing the conversation topic and a unique nonce. The user's application then presents this VC to a decentralized network of "second responders." Responders can verify the credential's authenticity and, if their service criteria match the VC's claims, initiate a secure, peer-to-peer communication channel (e.g., using DIDComm). The conversation is mapped via the VC's nonce, and the responder's DID remains pseudonymous, preserving anonymity.

sequenceDiagram
    participant UserApp as User Application (Web)
    participant FirstResponder as VC Issuing Service
    participant DIDLedger as Verifiable Data Registry
    participant SecondResponder as Service Provider

    UserApp->>FirstResponder: Initial communication (query)
    activate FirstResponder
    FirstResponder->>DIDLedger: Register temporary DID/VC
    FirstResponder-->>UserApp: Issue anonymous Verifiable Credential (VC)
    deactivate FirstResponder

    UserApp->>SecondResponder: Present VC to request service
    activate SecondResponder
    SecondResponder->>DIDLedger: Verify VC authenticity
    SecondResponder-->>UserApp: Open secure DIDComm channel
    UserApp->>SecondResponder: Conversation continues...
    deactivate SecondResponder

1.2. Derivative: Distributed Pub/Sub Messaging Backbone

Enabling Description: This architecture eliminates a monolithic central server in favor of a distributed publish-subscribe messaging system, such as one built on IPFS Pubsub, MQTT, or Apache Kafka. The unauthenticated user's browser, via a gateway, publishes their initial message to a general, high-level topic (e.g., /support/initial_requests). A "first responder" bot, subscribed to this topic, receives the message and replies with a clarifying question. The user's answer is analyzed by the bot, which then directs the user to publish subsequent messages to a more specific, fine-grained topic (e.g., /support/billing/tier1). "Second responders" (specialized agents) are subscribed only to these specific topics. The Conversation Identifier (CID) is the hash of the initial message or a session UUID that is included in the message payload. Anonymity is maintained as subscribers to a topic do not know the identity of publishers.

graph TD
    A[User via Web Gateway] -- 1. Publishes initial query --> B(Topic: /support/initial_requests);
    C[First Responder Bot] -- 2. Subscribed to topic --> B;
    C -- 3. Publishes clarifying question --> B;
    A -- 4. Publishes answer --> B;
    C -- 5. Analyzes answer & determines new topic --> D(Topic: /support/billing/tier1);
    C -- 6. Instructs user to switch to new topic --> A;
    A -- 7. Publishes ongoing conversation --> D;
    E[Second Responder] -- 8. Subscribed to specific topic --> D;
    E -- 9. Publishes reply --> D;

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Axis 2: Operational Parameter Expansion

2.1. Derivative: Massive-Scale, Resilient System for Emergency Response

Enabling Description: This system is designed for massive, concurrent ingestion of requests during a large-scale emergency. Initiators use low-bandwidth web clients or SMS. The "first responder" is a globally distributed network of serverless functions (e.g., Cloudflare Workers) at the edge, which performs Natural Language Processing (NLP) for initial triage and categorization. Instead of routing to a single agent, the categorized request and a generated CID are published as a message to a geo-partitioned, high-throughput message queue (e.g., Apache Pulsar). "Second responders" are pools of human agents using a client application that pulls messages from their assigned regional queue partition. This decouples ingestion from processing, allowing the system to absorb millions of requests per minute without dropping traffic, prioritizing availability and durability over low latency. The conversation is stateful within the message payload itself.

graph LR
    subgraph Edge Ingestion
        U1(User 1) --> FN1(Serverless Function);
        U2(User 2) --> FN2(Serverless Function);
        U3(User N) --> FN3(Serverless Function);
    end
    subgraph Message Bus
        FN1 -- NLP Triage --> Q1(Pulsar Geo-Partition 1);
        FN2 -- NLP Triage --> Q2(Pulsar Geo-Partition 2);
        FN3 -- NLP Triage --> Q1;
    end
    subgraph Responder Pools
        Q1 --> R1(Agent Pool Region 1);
        Q2 --> R2(Agent Pool Region 2);
    end

2.2. Derivative: Ultra-Low Latency Industrial Control Handoff

Enabling Description: This system is architected for hard real-time industrial environments where handoff latency is critical. An unauthenticated initiator is a remote diagnostic client monitoring a physical asset. The "first responder" is a local edge controller executing a control loop. The "first communication" is a sensor reading that deviates from a predicted model. The edge controller determines it cannot resolve the anomaly within its programmed logic and must hand off to a human supervisor (the "second responder"). The conversation is ended locally, and the full state vector (sensor data, model deviation, CID) is encapsulated in a UDP packet and forwarded over a high-priority QoS network or a WebRTC data channel to the supervisor's console. The total handoff time from detection to reception by the supervisor must be under 50 milliseconds. The supervisor's reply is a control command sent back over the same channel, which the edge controller executes.

sequenceDiagram
    participant DiagClient as Diagnostic Client
    participant EdgeController as First Responder
    participant Supervisor as Second Responder

    loop Real-time Monitoring
        DiagClient->>EdgeController: Sensor Data
    end
    EdgeController->>EdgeController: Detects Anomaly (Deviation > Threshold)
    Note over EdgeController: Handoff required, <50ms budget
    EdgeController->>Supervisor: UDP Packet (State Vector + CID)
    activate Supervisor
    Supervisor-->>EdgeController: Control Command Packet (e.g., 'Shutdown')
    deactivate Supervisor
    EdgeController->>DiagClient: Execute command & relay status

---

Axis 3: Cross-Domain Application

3.1. Derivative: Aerospace - Autonomous Drone Swarm Anomaly Management

Enabling Description: A drone in a swarm acts as the "initiator." Its onboard flight controller ("first responder") continuously runs diagnostics. Upon detecting an anomaly (e.g., excessive IMU drift), it answers an internal query, confirming the fault. This local conversation ends. The drone then broadcasts a help request containing the fault code and its unique drone ID (the CID) to the swarm's decentralized network. A specialized "second responder" drone—a designated 'mechanic' drone with advanced diagnostic software—receives the request. It establishes a direct, low-latency communication link, analyzes the full telemetry, and sends back a corrective action (e.g., 'recalibrate IMU in-flight' or 'initiate safe landing protocol'). The communication is routed via drone IDs, so the mechanic drone's specific address is abstracted away.

stateDiagram-v2
    [*] --> Healthy: Power On
    Healthy --> AnomalyDetected: IMU Drift > Threshold
    AnomalyDetected: Flight Controller (First Responder) confirms fault
    AnomalyDetected --> RequestingHelp: Broadcasts help request (CID=DroneID)
    RequestingHelp --> ReceivingAid: 'Mechanic' Drone (Second Responder) connects
    ReceivingAid --> Healthy: Corrective command received and executed
    ReceivingAid --> SafeLanding: 'Land' command received
    SafeLanding --> [*]

---

Axis 4: Integration with Emerging Tech

4.1. Derivative: AI-Optimized Responder Selection

Enabling Description: This system enhances the selection of the "second responder" using a pre-trained AI model (e.g., a transformer-based classifier or a reinforcement learning agent). The "first responder" is a conversational AI that elicits the user's problem and extracts key entities, intent, and sentiment. This structured data forms an input vector for the AI model. The model's output is a ranked list of the most suitable "second responders," factoring in their skills, current availability, language, and historical success rates for similar problems. The system then routes the conversation (with CID and history) to the top-ranked, available responder. This replaces static, rule-based routing with dynamic, performance-optimized routing.

flowchart TD
    A[User's Initial Text] --> B{Conversational AI<br/>(First Responder)};
    B -- Extracts Features --> C[Input Vector<br/>(Intent, Entities, Sentiment)];
    C --> D{AI Routing Model<br/>(Reinforcement Learning Agent)};
    D -- Chooses Best Responder --> E[Route to Responder X via SMS];
    D -- Chooses Best Responder --> F[Route to Responder Y via XMPP];
    D -- Chooses Best Responder --> G[Route to Responder Z via Email];

4.2. Derivative: Blockchain-Audited Secure Handoff

Enabling Description: This variation is designed for highly regulated interactions (e.g., financial advice, telehealth). The conversation flow is managed by a smart contract on a permissioned blockchain (e.g., Hyperledger Fabric). The CID is the initial transaction hash. The "first responder" (a bot or triage agent) records the initial query on the ledger. When a "second responder" (a certified professional) is identified, the smart contract executes a state change, transferring "ownership" of the conversation to the second responder's public key. All subsequent messages are encrypted with the appropriate key and their hashes are logged to the chain. This creates an immutable, auditable, and non-repudiable record of the entire conversation and the handoff, while preserving the content's privacy and the responder's off-chain anonymity.

classDiagram
    class SmartContract {
        +string conversationId
        +address initiator
        +address firstResponder
        +address secondResponder
        +enum status { INITIATED, HANDOFF, CLOSED }
        +initiate(string initialQuery)
        +handoff(address newResponder)
        +logMessage(bytes32 messageHash)
    }
    class User {
        +publicKey
        +interactsWith()
    }
    class Responder {
        +publicKey
        +isCertified()
    }
    User -- "1" SmartContract
    Responder -- "2" SmartContract

---

Axis 5: The "Inverse" or Failure Mode

5.1. Derivative: Graceful Degradation to Asynchronous Ticketing

Enabling Description: The system is designed with a failover mode for when no real-time "second responders" are available. After the "first responder" (automated or human) gathers the initial information, it queries the responder pool. If it receives no acknowledgments within a set timeout (e.g., 60 seconds), the system's mode flips from "real-time chat" to "asynchronous ticketing." It sends a message to the user's web browser: "All agents are currently busy. Your request has been saved as ticket # [CID]. We will email you a reply." The entire conversation history is then packaged and sent to a standard email-based ticketing system (e.g., Zendesk, Jira Service Desk), ensuring the request is not lost and setting a correct expectation for the user.

stateDiagram-v2
    state "Real-time Mode" as Realtime
    state "Asynchronous Mode" as Async

    [*] --> Realtime: Conversation starts
    Realtime --> Realtime: First responder gathers info
    Realtime --> Handoff: Querying responder pool
    Handoff --> Realtime: Responder acknowledges
    Handoff --> Async: Timeout (no acks)
    Async: Save conversation to ticket system, notify user
    Async --> [*]: Ticket Created

---

Combination Prior Art Scenarios

1. Combination with IETF MLS (Messaging Layer Security): The system operates within an MLS group chat protocol. The initiator and a server bot ("first responder") form an initial two-member group. Based on the initiator's input, the server bot invites a suitable expert ("second responder") into the group and then removes itself. The conversation's state, including its unique ID, is the MLS group's state. The handoff is an atomic add and remove operation in the group, creating a new epoch. This provides end-to-end encrypted, forward-secret communication directly between the initiator and the second responder after the handoff, with the server mediating only the initial setup.

2. Combination with Mastodon/ActivityPub: A specialized ActivityPub server (a "HelpDesk instance") acts as the communication backbone. A user posts a request ("first communication") which is a Create Note activity directed at a bot ("first responder"). The bot replies with a Question activity. The user's answer triggers the bot to Announce (boost) the original post to a curated list of followers—the "second responders." A second responder replies to the boosted post. The HelpDesk instance intercepts this reply and routes it back to the original user's web session, using the original Note's URI as the CID. The second responder's real account handle is replaced with a generic one (e.g., "Support Agent").

3. Combination with WebRTC and STUN/TURN: The system leverages WebRTC for peer-to-peer communication, obviating the need for the central server to proxy message content. The "first responder" is a signaling server that sets up an initial WebRTC DataChannel between the user's browser and itself. After gathering information via this channel, it identifies a "second responder." The signaling server then initiates a new peer connection negotiation between the user's browser and the second responder's WebRTC-enabled client, using STUN/TURN to traverse NATs. Once the peer-to-peer DataChannel is established between them, the initial connection to the signaling server is terminated. The CID is the unique ID of the WebRTC session. This maintains anonymity (peers only see transient IP:port pairs) and moves the data load off the central infrastructure.