Assignment history

Inventors

• Jeffry Jovan Philyaw: Digital Convergence.com Inc.
• David Kent Mathews: Digital Convergence.com Inc.
• Brad Maxwell Smith: Digital Convergence.com Inc.
• Paul Scovell Adams: Digital Convergence.com Inc.

All inventors were employed by the original assignee, Digital Convergence.com Inc., at the time of filing.

Original assignee

The original assignee named on the issued patent was Digital Convergence.com Inc. They were primarily in the business of linking physical media (like print advertisements) to online content, notably through their "CueCat" barcode scanner product, launched in 2000. The company is now defunct, with its database servers ceasing operation by 2002.

Assignment timeline

• 1999-08-01 (executed) / recorded 2000-10-26 — Reel 010996/0002

  • Conveyance: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST
  • Assignor: PHILYAW, JEFFRY JOVAN; ADAMS, PAUL SCOVELL; MATHEWS, DAVID KENT; SMITH, BRAD MAXWELL (Inventors)
  • Assignee: DIGITALCONVERGENCE.COM INC.
  • Correspondent: C/O DIGITALCONVERGENCE.COM, INC. 222 W LAS COLINAS BLVD, STE. 1747, IRVING, TX 75039
  • Context: Original assignment from inventors to the initial operating company.

• 2000-12-04 (executed) / recorded 2001-01-22 — Reel 011388/0096

  • Conveyance: CHANGE OF NAME
  • Assignor: DIGITALCONVERGENCE.COM INC.
  • Assignee: DIGITAL:CONVERGENCE CORPORATION
  • Correspondent: BROWNING BUSHMAN P.C., 5718 WESTHEIMER, SUITE 1800, HOUSTON, TX 77057
  • Context: Legal name change for the original assignee.

• 2004-06-14 (executed) / recorded 2004-07-28 — Reel 015099/0471

  • Conveyance: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST
  • Assignor: DIGITAL:CONVERGENCE CORPORATION, FORMERLY KOWN AS DIGITAL CONVERGENCE.COM INC., FORMERLY KNOWN AS DIGITAL CONVERGENCE.COM INC.
  • Assignee: JACK A TURPIN
  • Correspondent: STEVENS LAW GROUP, 1754 TECHNOLOGY DRIVE, SUITE 249, SAN JOSE, CA 95110
  • Context: Transfer of assets from the defunct operating company to an individual.

• 2004-06-14 (executed) / recorded 2004-07-28 — Reel 015099/0474

  • Conveyance: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST
  • Assignor: TURPIN, JACK A.
  • Assignee: LV PARTNERS, L.P.
  • Correspondent: STEVENS LAW GROUP, 1754 TECHNOLOGY DRIVE, SUITE 249, SAN JOSE, CA 95110 (Correspondent recurs in this chain).
  • Context: Transfer from an individual to a limited partnership.

• 2008-10-20 (executed) / recorded 2008-11-13 — Reel 022718/0024

  • Conveyance: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST
  • Assignor: LV PARTNERS, L.P.
  • Assignee: RPX CORPORATION
  • Correspondent: RPX CORPORATION, 2400 BRIDGEWAY, SAUSALITO, CA 94965 (Correspondent recurs in this chain).
  • Context: Acquisition of the patent by RPX Corporation.

• 2008-10-20 (executed) / recorded 2008-11-13 — Reel 022718/0027

  • Conveyance: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST
  • Assignor: RPX CORPORATION
  • Assignee: RPX-LV ACQUISITION LLC
  • Correspondent: RPX CORPORATION, 2400 BRIDGEWAY, SAUSALITO, CA 94965 (Correspondent recurs in this chain).
  • Context: Internal transfer within RPX entities.

• 2008-12-30 (executed) / recorded 2009-01-20 — Reel 023223/0488

  • Conveyance: SECURITY AGREEMENT
  • Assignor: RPX-LV ACQUISITION LLC
  • Assignee: LV PARTNERS, L.P.
  • Correspondent: RPX CORPORATION, 2400 BRIDGEWAY, SAUSALITO, CA 94965 (Correspondent recurs in this chain).
  • Context: Security agreement for financing.

• 2011-10-17 (executed) / recorded 2011-12-07 — Reel 027878/0270

  • Conveyance: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST
  • Assignor: RPX-LV ACQUISITION LLC
  • Assignee: RPX CORPORATION
  • Correspondent: RPX CORPORATION, 2400 BRIDGEWAY, SAUSALITO, CA 94965 (Correspondent recurs in this chain).
  • Context: Internal transfer back to RPX Corporation.

• 2012-10-30 (executed) / recorded 2012-11-20 — Reel 029705/0638

  • Conveyance: RELEASE BY SECURED PARTY
  • Assignor: LV PARTNERS, L.P.
  • Assignee: RPX CORPORATION; RPX-LV ACQUISITION LLC
  • Correspondent: RPX CORPORATION, 2400 BRIDGEWAY, SAUSALITO, CA 94965 (Correspondent recurs in this chain).
  • Context: Release of prior security interest.

• 2018-06-29 (executed) / recorded 2018-07-27 — Reel 043009/0815

  • Conveyance: SECURITY INTEREST
  • Assignor: RPX CORPORATION
  • Assignee: JEFFERIES FINANCE LLC
  • Correspondent: RPX CORPORATION, 2400 BRIDGEWAY, SAUSALITO, CA 94965 (Correspondent recurs in this chain).
  • Context: Security interest granted for financing.

• 2018-12-10 (executed) / recorded 2018-12-14 — Reel 043834/0071

  • Conveyance: RELEASE BY SECURED PARTY
  • Assignor: JEFFERIES FINANCE LLC
  • Assignee: RPX CORPORATION
  • Correspondent: RPX CORPORATION, 2400 BRIDGEWAY, SAUSALITO, CA 94965 (Correspondent recurs in this chain).
  • Context: Release of security interest by Jefferies Finance LLC.

• 2020-10-26 (executed) / recorded 2020-10-27 — Reel 048039/0788

  • Conveyance: RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST
  • Assignor: JEFFERIES FINANCE LLC
  • Assignee: RPX CORPORATION
  • Correspondent: ROTHWELL, FIGG, ERNST & MANBECK, P.C., 80 SOUTH JEFFERSON ROAD, WING B, SUITE 200, WHIPPANY, NJ 07981
  • Context: Further release of security interest.

Timeline diagram

timeline
    title Ownership of US US6098106
    1999 : Inventors assigned to DigitalConvergence.com Inc
    2000 : Patent issued
    2001 : DigitalConvergence.com changed name
    2004 : Assigned to Jack A Turpin
         : Assigned to LV Partners L.P.
    2008 : Assigned to RPX Corporation
         : Assigned to RPX-LV Acquisition LLC
    2009 : RPX-LV Acquisition secured by LV Partners
    2011 : Assigned to RPX Corporation
    2012 : Security released by LV Partners
    2018 : RPX secured by Jefferies Finance
         : Security released by Jefferies Finance
    2020 : Security released by Jefferies Finance

NPE / troll-pattern signals

1. Shell-entity transfer

   • Present: LV PARTNERS, L.P. (assignee in 2004-07-28 / Reel 015099/0474) is a limited partnership, a common vehicle for patent holding, and its immediate onward transfer without apparent commercial activity is indicative of a shell entity.
   • Present: RPX-LV ACQUISITION LLC (assignee in 2008-11-13 / Reel 022718/0027) is an LLC with "Acquisition" in its name, suggesting a special purpose vehicle for patent holding rather than an operating company.

2. Known asserter in the chain

   • Present: RPX CORPORATION (assignee from 2008-11-13 / Reel 022718/0024 onward) is a well-known defensive patent aggregator, which acquires patents to neutralize them from assertion by NPEs.

3. Repeat correspondent across the chain

   • Present: STEVENS LAW GROUP appears as correspondent for two sequential assignments on 2004-07-28 (Reel 015099/0471 and 015099/0474).
   • Present: RPX CORPORATION (as correspondent) appears for multiple assignments and security agreements from 2008-11-13 (Reel 022718/0024, 022718/0027) through 2018-12-14 (Reel 043834/0071). This consistent use of an internal or closely affiliated correspondent firm across many transactions for the same patent indicates a structured, repeat-player approach to patent management.

4. Cascading transfers

   • Present: On 2004-06-14 (executed date), the patent transferred from Digital:Convergence Corporation to Jack A Turpin, and then immediately to LV PARTNERS, L.P., both recorded on the same day (2004-07-28, Reel 015099/0471 and 015099/0474).
   • Present: On 2008-10-20 (executed date), the patent transferred from LV PARTNERS, L.P. to RPX CORPORATION, and then immediately to RPX-LV ACQUISITION LLC, both recorded on the same day (2008-11-13, Reel 022718/0024 and 022718/0027).

5. Pre-litigation transfer

   • Not present: No litigation identified for this patent.

6. Bankruptcy fire-sale

   • Present: The original assignee, Digital Convergence Corporation, was defunct by 2002. The transfer of the patent in 2004 (executed 2004-06-14, recorded 2004-07-28 / Reel 015099/0471) occurred after the company's failure, consistent with a fire-sale of intellectual property assets from a bankrupt or dissolved entity.

7. Privateering

   • Unclear: While the initial transfers after the original assignee became defunct could have set up a privateering scenario, the ultimate acquisition by RPX makes this unlikely in practice for this specific patent.

8. Defensive aggregator (anti-NPE)

   • Present: The current assignee is RPX CORPORATION, a prominent defensive patent aggregator (assignee from 2008-11-13 / Reel 022718/0024 onward).

Verdict

Defensive / non-asserting
The assignment chain, after the initial transfer from the defunct operating company, ultimately terminates at RPX Corporation (assignee from 2008-11-13 / Reel 022718/0024). RPX is a known defensive patent aggregator, whose business model is to acquire patents to prevent their assertion by non-practicing entities, effectively neutralizing them. https://assignmentcenter.uspto.gov/patents/6098106