Assignment history

Inventors

• Frank C. Hudetz: Employer not specified in the patent document.
• Peter R. Hudetz: Employer not specified in the patent document.

There are no unusual patterns indicating all inventors departing the original assignee around the filing date, as the initial assignment to Solar Communications, Inc. occurred shortly after the filing date, and their employer at the time of filing is not explicitly stated.

Original Assignee

The entity named on the issued patent is Neomedia Technologies Inc.

Neomedia Technologies Inc. developed 2D mobile barcode technology and service solutions, including barcode scanning applications (NeoReader) and cloud-based platforms (NeoSphere, QodeScan) for barcode creation and management. They marketed technologies that link physical information and objects to the Internet under the PaperClick brand name. The company also provided IP licensing services derived from its intellectual property portfolio.

Neomedia Technologies Inc. was founded in 1989. As of May 2026, it trades as a micro-cap OTC security with a very low market capitalization (approximately $5,090 USD) and 11 employees, indicating a significantly reduced operational presence. Its assets were acquired in 2016, and the company has explicitly stated a focus on monetizing its intellectual property. It has been a plaintiff in multiple patent infringement lawsuits, as detailed in the "Litigation summary" section.

Assignment timeline

The following is a chronological list of every recorded assignment for US5978773:

• 1995-11-07 (executed) / recorded 1996-01-04 — Reel 008064/0831

  • Conveyance: ASSIGNMENT
  • Assignor: HUDETZ, FRANK C.; HUDETZ, PETER R.
  • Assignee: SOLAR COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
  • Correspondent: MICHAEL T. MCGAHAN; CANTOR COLBURN ET AL; HARTFORD, CT.
  • Context: Transfer of ownership from the individual inventors to an initial corporate entity.

• 1999-01-07 (executed) / recorded 1999-01-20 — Reel 010041/0088

  • Conveyance: ASSIGNMENT
  • Assignor: SOLAR COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
  • Assignee: NEOMEDIA TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
  • Correspondent: ANNE T. COUGHLIN, ESQ.; PALM BEACH GARDENS, FL. This correspondent recurs in this chain.
  • Context: Transfer of ownership from an intermediate holding company to Neomedia Technologies, Inc., the original assignee named on the issued patent.

• 1999-01-07 (executed) / recorded 1999-02-10 — Reel 010072/0662

  • Conveyance: SECURITY AGREEMENT
  • Assignor: NEOMEDIA TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
  • Assignee: SOLAR COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
  • Correspondent: ANNE T. COUGHLIN, ESQ.; PALM BEACH GARDENS, FL. This correspondent recurs in this chain.
  • Context: Neomedia Technologies, Inc. granted a security interest in the patent to Solar Communications, Inc.

• 2000-05-18 (executed) / recorded 2000-05-30 — Reel 010996/0770

  • Conveyance: RELEASE
  • Assignor: SOLAR COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
  • Assignee: NEOMEDIA TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
  • Correspondent: KUTAK ROCK LLP; ATLANTA, GA.
  • Context: Release of the security interest granted by Neomedia Technologies, Inc. to Solar Communications, Inc.

• 2001-07-25 (executed) / recorded 2001-07-31 — Reel 011831/0956

  • Conveyance: SECURITY AGREEMENT
  • Assignor: NEOMEDIA TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
  • Assignee: AIRCLIC, INC.
  • Correspondent: BROOKS KUSHMAN P.C.; SOUTHFIELD, MI.
  • Context: Neomedia Technologies, Inc. granted a security interest in the patent to AirClic, Inc.

• 2007-03-27 (executed) / recorded 2007-03-27 — Reel 014798/0762

  • Conveyance: SECURITY AGREEMENT
  • Assignor: NEOMEDIA TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
  • Assignee: CORNELL CAPITAL PARTNERS, L.P.
  • Correspondent: REED SMITH LLP; PRINCETON, NJ. This correspondent recurs in this chain.
  • Context: Neomedia Technologies, Inc. granted a security interest in the patent to Cornell Capital Partners, L.P.

• 2007-09-28 (executed) / recorded 2007-10-04 — Reel 015091/0247

  • Conveyance: SECURITY AGREEMENT
  • Assignor: NEOMEDIA TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
  • Assignee: YA GLOBAL INVESTMENTS, LP
  • Correspondent: REED SMITH LLP; NEW YORK, NY. This correspondent recurs in this chain.
  • Context: Neomedia Technologies, Inc. granted a security interest in the patent to YA Global Investments, LP.

• 2008-10-27 (executed) / recorded 2008-11-04 — Reel 015494/0914

  • Conveyance: SECURITY AGREEMENT
  • Assignor: NEOMEDIA TECHNOLOGIES INC.
  • Assignee: YA GLOBAL INVESTMENTS, L.P.
  • Correspondent: REED SMITH LLP; NEW YORK, NY. This correspondent recurs in this chain.
  • Context: Neomedia Technologies Inc. granted another security interest in the patent to YA Global Investments, L.P.

• 2010-10-29 (executed) / recorded 2010-11-02 — Reel 018047/0615

  • Conveyance: RELEASE
  • Assignor: AIRCLIC, INC.
  • Assignee: NEOMEDIA TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
  • Correspondent: MARK D. ELWOOD; DALLAS, TX.
  • Context: Release of the security interest granted by Neomedia Technologies, Inc. to AirClic, Inc.

• 2016-01-29 (executed) / recorded 2016-01-29 — Reel 034176/0130

  • Conveyance: NOTICE OF SECURITY INTEREST
  • Assignor: NEOMEDIA TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
  • Assignee: YA GLOBALINVESTMENTS, L.P.
  • Correspondent: SHEPPARD, MULLIN, RICHTER & HAMPTON LLP; NEW YORK, NY. This correspondent recurs in this chain.
  • Context: Notice filed regarding a security interest granted by Neomedia Technologies, Inc. to YA Global Investments, L.P.

• 2016-08-31 (executed) / recorded 2016-09-02 — Reel 034509/0179

  • Conveyance: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST
  • Assignor: NEOMEDIA TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
  • Assignee: NM, LLC
  • Correspondent: WILLIAM S. NEWELL; SHEPPARD, MULLIN, RICHTER & HAMPTON LLP; COSTA MESA, CA. This correspondent recurs in this chain.
  • Context: Assignment of the patent from Neomedia Technologies, Inc. to NM, LLC.

• 2017-01-20 (executed) / recorded 2017-01-24 — Reel 035252/0064

  • Conveyance: RELEASE BY SECURED PARTY
  • Assignor: YA GLOBAL INVESTMENTS, LP
  • Assignee: NEOMEDIA TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
  • Correspondent: WILLIAM S. NEWELL; SHEPPARD, MULLIN, RICHTER & HAMPTON LLP; COSTA MESA, CA. This correspondent recurs in this chain.
  • Context: Release of a security interest from YA Global Investments, LP.

• 2017-01-20 (executed) / recorded 2017-01-24 — Reel 035252/0069

  • Conveyance: RELEASE BY SECURED PARTY
  • Assignor: CORNELL CAPITAL PARTNERS, L.P.
  • Assignee: NEOMEDIA TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
  • Correspondent: WILLIAM S. NEWELL; SHEPPARD, MULLIN, RICHTER & HAMPTON LLP; COSTA MESA, CA. This correspondent recurs in this chain.
  • Context: Release of a security interest from Cornell Capital Partners, L.P.

• 2017-01-20 (executed) / recorded 2017-01-24 — Reel 035252/0071

  • Conveyance: RELEASE BY SECURED PARTY
  • Assignor: YA GLOBAL INVESTMENTS, LP
  • Assignee: NEOMEDIA TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
  • Correspondent: WILLIAM S. NEWELL; SHEPPARD, MULLIN, RICHTER & HAMPTON LLP; COSTA MESA, CA. This correspondent recurs in this chain.
  • Context: Another release of a security interest from YA Global Investments, LP.

• 2017-01-20 (executed) / recorded 2017-01-24 — Reel 035252/0073

  • Conveyance: RELEASE BY SECURED PARTY
  • Assignor: YA GLOBAL INVESTMENTS, LP
  • Assignee: NEOMEDIA TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
  • Correspondent: WILLIAM S. NEWELL; SHEPPARD, MULLIN, RICHTER & HAMPTON LLP; COSTA MESA, CA. This correspondent recurs in this chain.
  • Context: Yet another release of a security interest from YA Global Investments, LP.

• 2021-08-04 (executed) / recorded 2021-08-04 — Reel 046166/0919

  • Conveyance: SECURITY AGREEMENT
  • Assignor: NM, LLC
  • Assignee: YA GLOBAL INVESTMENTS, L.P.
  • Correspondent: DLA Piper LLP (US); CHICAGO, IL.
  • Context: NM, LLC granted a security interest in the patent to YA Global Investments, L.P.

• 2021-12-09 (executed) / recorded 2021-12-10 — Reel 046638/0348

  • Conveyance: RELEASE BY SECURED PARTY
  • Assignor: YA GLOBAL INVESTMENTS, L.P.
  • Assignee: NM, LLC
  • Correspondent: COOLEY LLP; NEW YORK, NY.
  • Context: Release of the security interest granted by NM, LLC to YA Global Investments, L.P.

Timeline diagram

timeline
    title Ownership of US5978773
    1995 : Inventors assign to Solar
    1999 : Solar assigns to Neomedia Tech
         : Neomedia grants security to Solar
    2000 : Solar releases security
    2001 : Neomedia grants security to AirClic
    2007 : Neomedia grants security to Cornell
         : Neomedia grants security to YA Global
    2008 : Neomedia grants security to YA Global
    2010 : AirClic releases security
    2014 : NM LLC files suit vs Kroger (prior to formal assignment)
    2016 : Neomedia notice of security YA Global
         : Neomedia assigns to NM LLC
    2017 : YA Global releases security
         : Cornell releases security
         : YA Global releases security
         : YA Global releases security
    2021 : NM LLC grants security to YA Global
         : YA Global releases security

NPE / troll-pattern signals

1. Shell-entity transfer — Present. The transfer from Neomedia Technologies, Inc. to NM, LLC on 2016-08-31 (recorded 2016-09-02, Reel 034509/0179) is to a generic LLC name. There is no public indication of NM, LLC shipping products. NM, LLC engaged in a security agreement with YA Global Investments, L.P. on 2021-08-04 (recorded 2021-08-04, Reel 046166/0919), suggesting it functions as an IP holding entity.

2. Known asserter in the chain — Present. Neomedia Technologies, Inc., the original assignee from 1999 to 2016, has a history of patent litigation (e.g., against The Home Depot, Amazon.com, Symbol Technologies). Its business description also explicitly includes "IP licensing services", indicating a monetization strategy that includes assertion. NM, LLC has also asserted the patent (e.g., against The Kroger Co.).

3. Repeat correspondent across the chain — Present.

   • ANNE T. COUGHLIN, ESQ. appears on two filings in 1999 (Reel 010041/0088 and 010072/0662).
   • REED SMITH LLP appears on three security agreements for Neomedia Technologies, Inc. from 2007-2008 (Reel 014798/0762, 015091/0247, 015494/0914).
   • WILLIAM S. NEWELL of SHEPPARD, MULLIN, RICHTER & HAMPTON LLP appears on the crucial 2016 assignment to NM, LLC (Reel 034509/0179) and four subsequent release filings in 2017 (Reel 035252/0064, 035252/0069, 035252/0071, 035252/0073). This pattern of recurring legal counsel handling multiple significant transactions, including the transfer to the current assignee, is a strong signal.

4. Cascading transfers — Not present. The outright assignments of the patent are spaced out over several years (1995 to Solar, 1999 to Neomedia, 2016 to NM, LLC). The numerous security agreements and releases do not constitute cascading ownership transfers.

5. Pre-litigation transfer — Not present (for the last direct assignment to NM, LLC). The primary assignment to the current owner, NM, LLC, occurred on 2016-08-31 (Reel 034509/0179). The earliest recorded litigation for this patent was Neomedia Technologies, Inc. v. The Home Depot, Inc. filed on October 31, 2001, which occurred while Neomedia Technologies, Inc. owned the patent. While NM, LLC was listed as plaintiff in NM, LLC v. The Kroger Co. filed on May 9, 2014, this predates the formal assignment of the patent to NM, LLC recorded in 2016. Therefore, based on recorded assignments, the transfer to NM, LLC was not pre-litigation for that particular case.

6. Bankruptcy fire-sale — Not present. There is no indication in the assignment records or publicly available information that the patent was sold as part of a bankruptcy proceeding for any of the assignors.

7. Privateering — Unclear. While Neomedia Technologies Inc. itself was an asserting entity that licensed its IP, and then transferred the patent to NM, LLC, there is no explicit public evidence (e.g., SEC filings or specific reporting) confirming a privateering arrangement where NM, LLC asserts on behalf of Neomedia against competitors.

8. Defensive aggregator (anti-NPE) — Not present. The current assignee, NM, LLC, is a plaintiff and not a known defensive aggregator.

Verdict

NPE — high confidence

The assignment chain exhibits multiple strong signals consistent with NPE activity. The transfer to NM, LLC (Reel 034509/0179) represents a shell-entity transfer, and both the original assignee (Neomedia Technologies Inc.) and the current assignee (NM, LLC) are known asserters of this patent. Furthermore, the recurring correspondent (William S. Newell of Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP) on critical assignments and related filings strongly suggests a coordinated IP monetization strategy.

(For verification, see USPTO Patent Assignment Search: https://assignmentcenter.uspto.gov/ search by patent number US5978773)