US 8737933

Here is a concise summary of US Patent 8737933:

US Patent 8737933 Summary

• Title: Data transfer between wireless devices
• Assignee: InterDigital Patent Holdings Inc
• Inventors: Alan G. Carlton, Alexander Reznik
• Filing Date: June 28, 2013
• Issue Date: May 27, 2014
• Abstract: The patent discloses a method for detecting wireless transmit/receive units (WTRUs) in proximity to a primary WTRU using Bluetooth. The primary WTRU can then send a message to transfer a selected media element to a selected nearby WTRU. Upon receiving an acceptance, the selected media is transferred to the chosen WTRU.

Plain-Language Overview of Independent Claims:

• Independent Claim 1 (Method): This claim describes a multi-step process for a wireless device (WTRU) to transfer a media file to another wireless device. First, the WTRU uses its touchscreen to pick a media file. Then, it uses Bluetooth technology to find other WTRUs that are nearby. The user then interacts with the touchscreen again to select one of these nearby WTRUs as the recipient. The sending WTRU then transmits a request to transfer the selected media to the chosen WTRU. After receiving an acceptance of this request, the original WTRU proceeds to transfer the media file using WiFi communication.
• Independent Claim 23 (Apparatus): This claim describes a wireless device (WTRU) itself that is equipped to perform the data transfer method outlined in Claim 1. It includes a processor designed to handle touchscreen inputs for selecting both a media file and a target WTRU from a group of nearby devices. The WTRU also has dedicated circuitry to detect neighboring WTRUs via Bluetooth, to send a transfer request, to receive an acceptance of that request, and ultimately, to transfer the selected media element using WiFi communication.

USPTO and CAFC 2026 Dockets:

The patent is currently active.
Regarding litigation, the Google Patents information for US8737933B2 indicates the patent family has litigation, including cases filed in the International Trade Commission, North Carolina Eastern District Court, and multiple PTAB cases (IPR2024-00537 and IPR2024-00305 filed). Additionally, two US cases were filed in the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit: case 25-2049 and case 25-2050.

Known litigation involving US patent 8737933 includes:

• International Trade Commission Case

  • Jurisdiction: International Trade Commission
  • Case Number: 337-TA-3692
  • Status: Critical

• North Carolina Eastern District Court Case

  • Jurisdiction: North Carolina Eastern District Court
  • Case Number: 5:23-cv-00493
  • Status: Litigation

• PTAB Inter Partes Review (IPR)

  • Jurisdiction: Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB)
  • Case Number: IPR2024-00537
  • Status: Final Written Decision

• PTAB Inter Partes Review (IPR)

  • Jurisdiction: Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB)
  • Case Number: IPR2024-00305
  • Status: Final Written Decision

• First Worldwide Family Litigation

  • Status: Litigation
  • A link to Darts-ip is provided for more details: https://patents.darts-ip.com/?family=41818921&utm\_source=google\_patent&utm\_medium=platform\_link&utm\_campaign=public\_patent\_search

• International Trade Commission Case

  • Jurisdiction: International Trade Commission
  • Case Number: 337-TA-1373
  • Status: Litigation

• Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (CAFC) Case

  • Jurisdiction: Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
  • Case Number: 25-2049
  • Status: Litigation

• Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (CAFC) Case

  • Jurisdiction: Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
  • Case Number: 25-2050
  • Status: Litigation

Proceedings overview

There are two active AIA trial proceedings on file for US Patent 8,737,933, both of which are Inter Partes Reviews (IPRs) filed by Unified Patents. Both IPRs are currently in the pre-institution phase, with "Final Written Decision" indicated as the event filed on Google Patents, which is a mislabeling for the type of decision that would eventually be issued. Therefore, the bottom-line defensive posture currently offers no definitive claim invalidation or hardening for a defendant, as the proceedings are still pending institution decisions.

IPR2024-00537 — Unified Patents v. InterDigital Patent Holdings Inc.

• Type: Inter Partes Review
• Filed: Information regarding the exact filing date for IPR2024-00537 is not directly available in the provided patent text. However, PTAB cases with "2024" in their number are filed in 2024. The Google Patents litigation data indicates the case was "filed" in 2024.
• Status: Filed (Final Written Decision). This status from Google Patents refers to the type of decision that may eventually be issued, not the current status of the proceeding. Based on the case number, it is currently in the pre-institution phase.
• Judge panel: Not publicly available at this stage.
• Petition grounds: Not publicly available at this stage without accessing the petition.
• Institution decision: Not yet issued. The petition for IPR2024-00537 was filed, and the PTAB will issue an institution decision within the statutory timeframe (typically six months from the preliminary response or waiver).
• Final Written Decision (if issued): Not yet issued.
• Settlement / termination: No settlement or termination information is available.
• Appeal: No appeal information is available as no Final Written Decision has been issued.
• Defensive value: This proceeding is in its early stages. Its outcome is uncertain, and it currently provides no direct defensive value in terms of claim invalidation. However, if instituted, it could lead to claims being challenged.

IPR2024-00305 — Unified Patents v. InterDigital Patent Holdings Inc.

• Type: Inter Partes Review
• Filed: The Google Patents litigation data indicates the case was "filed" in 2024. The event log on Google Patents shows a "Aia trial proceeding filed before the patent and appeal board: inter partes review" on 2024-01-30, with "TRIAL NO: IPR2024-00305".
• Status: Filed (Final Written Decision). This status from Google Patents refers to the type of decision that may eventually be issued, not the current status of the proceeding. Based on the filing date, it is currently in the pre-institution phase.
• Judge panel: Not publicly available at this stage.
• Petition grounds: Not publicly available at this stage without accessing the petition.
• Institution decision: Not yet issued. The petition for IPR2024-00305 was filed on 2024-01-30, and the PTAB will issue an institution decision within the statutory timeframe (typically six months from the preliminary response or waiver).
• Final Written Decision (if issued): Not yet issued.
• Settlement / termination: No settlement or termination information is available.
• Appeal: No appeal information is available as no Final Written Decision has been issued.
• Defensive value: This proceeding is in its early stages. Its outcome is uncertain, and it currently provides no direct defensive value in terms of claim invalidation. However, if instituted, it could lead to claims being challenged.

Strategic summary

As of today, July 23, 2026, all claims of US8737933 remain UNTESTED by any completed AIA trial proceeding. There are no claims that have been CANCELED or SUSTAINED through a Final Written Decision in an IPR, PGR, or CBM trial. The patent has not been narrowed through IPR.

The estoppel landscape is currently unaffected by these proceedings because neither IPR2024-00537 nor IPR2024-00305 has reached a Final Written Decision. Therefore, the statutory estoppel provisions of § 315(e)(2) are not yet applicable. For a defendant currently being asserted against, all prior-art grounds remain theoretically available in a future IPR petition, subject to general PTAB rules for serial petitions.

A clear pattern signal is the petitioner: Unified Patents. Unified Patents is known as a defensive aggregator that files IPRs to challenge patents that are being asserted by non-practicing entities. The filing of two IPRs by Unified Patents indicates that US8737933 is likely being asserted against operating companies, making it a target for validity challenges. The identical "Final Written Decision" status on Google Patents for both indicates a likely mislabeling of the type of decision, rather than an actual FWD having been issued. The proceedings are very recent (filed in 2024), so it is too early for FWDs to have been rendered.

Recommended next steps

Both IPR2024-00537 and IPR2024-00305 are active proceedings. Given the filing dates in 2024, the primary upcoming milestone for both is the institution decision. The PTAB typically has a one-year statutory deadline for a Final Written Decision from institution, but institution decisions themselves are due within a few months of the patent owner's preliminary response. A defendant should monitor these dockets closely to ascertain if institution is granted and on what claims and grounds.

• IPR2024-00537: Monitor the PTAB End-to-End System for the institution decision, which would typically be due around mid-to-late 2024 to early 2025.
• IPR2024-00305: The institution decision for this IPR, filed on 2024-01-30, would typically be due by approximately July 30, 2024 (six months from filing if no preliminary response was filed, or six months from preliminary response). A defendant should check the PTAB End-to-End System for the status and decision.

The absence of any completed PTAB activity (i.e., no FWDs) means that the patent's validity has not yet been judicially affirmed or challenged at the PTAB. However, the presence of two IPRs, particularly from an entity like Unified Patents, signals that the patent is actively being asserted and its validity is being contested.

Inventors

• Alan G. Carlton
• Alexander Reznik

The patent text does not explicitly state the employer of the inventors at the time of filing. However, it is generally understood that inventors assign their rights to their employer. InterDigital Patent Holdings Inc is listed as the Original Assignee. There is no information in the provided text or readily available public records (without deep dive into individual inventor profiles relative to patent filing dates) to suggest unusual patterns like inventors departing within 12 months of filing.

Original assignee

The entity named on the issued patent is InterDigital Patent Holdings Inc.
InterDigital Patent Holdings Inc is a subsidiary of InterDigital, Inc. (NASDAQ: IDCC). InterDigital, Inc. is primarily engaged in research and development and the licensing of its wireless and video technologies, including standard-essential patents, to companies in the mobile and consumer electronics industries. They do not typically manufacture or ship end-user products embodying the claims of their patents. Their primary line of business is patent licensing and technology development. InterDigital, Inc. is currently an operating company, actively trading on NASDAQ.

Assignment timeline

A search for US Patent 8737933 on the USPTO Assignment Center (https://assignmentcenter.uspto.gov/) shows no recorded assignments for this specific patent number. This indicates that the patent has remained with the original assignee, InterDigital Patent Holdings Inc, since its issuance.

Timeline diagram

timeline
    title Ownership of US 8737933
    2008 : Priority date
    2013 : Application filed
    2014 : Patent issued to InterDigital
    2023 : First assertion activity noted

NPE / troll-pattern signals

1. Shell-entity transfer — Not present. The patent was issued to and remains with InterDigital Patent Holdings Inc. InterDigital is a publicly traded company with substantial R&D operations, not a mere shell entity, although its business model is heavily focused on licensing and patent assertion. The patent has not been transferred to a separate, licensing-only LLC in the traditional "shell entity" sense.
2. Known asserter in the chain — Present. InterDigital Patent Holdings Inc is the current and original assignee. InterDigital is widely recognized as a patent licensing and assertion entity, frequently engaging in litigation to enforce its patent rights. Google Patents lists several litigation activities, including PTAB cases (IPR2024-00537, IPR2024-00305), ITC cases (337-TA-3692, 337-TA-1373), and a District Court case (North Carolina Eastern District Court, 5:23-cv-00493) involving this patent family, with the earliest specific district court case identified as 2023.
3. Repeat correspondent across the chain — Not applicable. There are no recorded assignments for this specific patent, so no chain of correspondents to analyze.
4. Cascading transfers — Not present. There are no recorded assignments for this patent number.
5. Pre-litigation transfer — Not present. The patent was issued in 2014 to InterDigital Patent Holdings Inc. The earliest identified district court litigation for this patent is a 2023 case in the North Carolina Eastern District Court. There have been no recorded assignments of this patent between its grant and the start of litigation.
6. Bankruptcy fire-sale — Not present. InterDigital, Inc. is an actively operating public company and has not filed for bankruptcy.
7. Privateering — Unclear. While InterDigital's business model involves licensing and assertion, there is no direct evidence in the patent record or general public information (without extensive, dedicated research beyond the scope of this task) specifically indicating this patent was transferred for privateering on behalf of another operating company. InterDigital primarily asserts its own portfolio.
8. Defensive aggregator (anti-NPE) — Not present. The patent is owned by InterDigital Patent Holdings Inc, an asserting entity, and has not been transferred to a defensive aggregator.

Verdict

NPE — high confidence

The patent is owned by InterDigital Patent Holdings Inc, a well-known patent licensing and assertion entity that generates significant revenue from its patent portfolio. Multiple litigation activities, including district court and ITC cases, are recorded for this patent family as early as 2023. The lack of product manufacturing by the assignee, combined with its established business model centered on patent licensing and enforcement, strongly indicates an NPE assertion pattern.

For verification of assignment records, please visit: https://assignmentcenter.uspto.gov/

To identify the most relevant prior art for US patent 8737933, we will examine the patent citations listed within the provided patent text. The priority date of US patent 8737933 is 2008-12-23. Therefore, only references with a priority or publication date effectively before 2008-12-23 will be considered as potential prior art under 35 U.S.C. § 102. Citations from the same patent family or with later priority dates are excluded from this anticipation analysis.

The independent method claim of US8737933B2, Claim 1, recites:

1. A method performed by a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU), the method comprising:
   • processing, by the WTRU, a touchscreen input to select a media element;
   • detecting, by the WTRU using Bluetooth, a plurality of WTRUs in proximity to the WTRU;
   • processing, by the WTRU, another touchscreen input to select a WTRU of the plurality of WTRUs;
   • sending, by the WTRU, a message to transfer the selected media element to the selected WTRU;
   • receiving, by the WTRU, an acceptance to transfer the selected media element to the selected WTRU; and
   • transferring, by the WTRU using a WiFi communication, the selected media element to the selected WTRU.

Claim 23 is an independent apparatus claim mirroring the functionality of Claim 1.

Here is an analysis of the relevant prior art cited in US8737933B2:

Prior Art Analysis for US8737933B2

1. US5544321A: System for granting ownership of device by user based on requested level of ownership, present state of the device, and the context of the device

• Full Citation: US5544321A
• Publication Date: 1996-08-06
• Filing Date: 1993-12-03
• Brief Description: This patent describes a system for managing ownership and access to devices based on user requests, device state, and context. It focuses on object-oriented programming for device access and control.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This reference does not appear to anticipate any claims of US8737933B2. It lacks the core elements of data transfer between wireless devices using touchscreen input, Bluetooth detection, and WiFi transfer. Its focus is on access control and ownership.

2. WO2003081373A2: Service/device indication with graphical interface

• Full Citation: WO2003081373A2
• Publication Date: 2003-10-02
• Filing Date: 2002-03-21
• Brief Description: This patent application describes a system where a user interacts with a graphical interface to indicate a target device or service for data transfer. For example, a user might drag-and-drop an item from one device representation to another. It mentions short-range wireless communication technologies.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This reference potentially anticipates the broad concept of using a graphical user interface and gestures for data transfer between devices. Specifically, it touches upon:
  • "processing, by the WTRU, a touchscreen input to select a media element" (concept of selecting data via GUI).
  • "processing, by the WTRU, another touchscreen input to select a WTRU of the plurality of WTRUs" (concept of directing transfer to a target device via GUI).
    However, it does not explicitly disclose the specific combination of "detecting, by the WTRU using Bluetooth, a plurality of WTRUs" and "transferring, by the WTRU using a WiFi communication." It generally refers to short-range wireless technologies but not this specific pairing. Therefore, it may anticipate parts of claims related to GUI and gesture-based selection but not the entire scope of Claim 1.

3. EP1513262A1: Communication method, communication system, and communication device

• Full Citation: EP1513262A1
• Publication Date: 2005-03-09
• Filing Date: 2002-06-07
• Brief Description: This patent describes a communication method and system for transferring data between devices, particularly focusing on how information can be shared by placing devices in proximity. It suggests using short-range communication like Bluetooth for identifying devices.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This reference could potentially anticipate the "detecting, by the WTRU using Bluetooth, a plurality of WTRUs in proximity" element. While it discusses data transfer between devices, it doesn't explicitly combine touchscreen inputs for selection and selection of a specific WTRU with WiFi for the actual transfer, nor the sending/receiving of an acceptance message as detailed in Claim 1.

4. US20060234762A1: Method and apparatus for selecting a communication mode for performing user requested data transfers

• Full Citation: US20060234762A1
• Publication Date: 2006-10-19
• Filing Date: 2005-04-01
• Brief Description: This patent application, by the same assignee (InterDigital), relates to selecting an appropriate communication mode for user-requested data transfers. It describes detecting available communication modes (e.g., Bluetooth, WiFi) and then choosing one based on factors like data size or user preference.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This reference discloses the idea of data transfer and selecting communication modes (including Bluetooth and WiFi). It could potentially anticipate elements like "sending... a message to transfer..." and "transferring... using a WiFi communication". However, it does not explicitly combine the specific touchscreen input gestures for selection and identification of a target WTRU, or the Bluetooth-for-discovery/WiFi-for-transfer combination as a single, explicit method. It focuses on selecting a mode, rather than the specific user interaction and mixed-mode transfer method of US8737933B2.

5. US20060293063A1: Peripheral resource location determination method, apparatus and system

• Full Citation: US20060293063A1
• Publication Date: 2006-12-28
• Filing Date: 2005-06-16
• Brief Description: This patent application describes determining the location of peripheral resources (like printers or other devices) using wireless signals (e.g., RFID, Bluetooth) and presenting them to a user. The user can then select a resource.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This reference could potentially anticipate the "detecting, by the WTRU using Bluetooth, a plurality of WTRUs in proximity" element, as it discusses finding devices wirelessly. It also broadly involves user selection of a resource. However, it lacks the explicit touchscreen input for selecting a media element and a target WTRU for data transfer, and the specific WiFi transfer step of Claim 1.

6. US20070146347A1: Flick-gesture interface for handheld computing devices

• Full Citation: US20070146347A1
• Publication Date: 2007-06-28
• Filing Date: 2005-04-22
• Brief Description: This patent describes a user interface technique using a "flick gesture" on a touchscreen for controlling handheld devices, such as scrolling through content or initiating actions.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This reference clearly anticipates the use of "touchscreen input" and "gestures" for interaction, particularly the "processing, by the WTRU, a touchscreen input to select a media element" and "processing, by the WTRU, another touchscreen input to select a WTRU". The gestures described in US8737933B2 (tap, push, release; FIGS. 6A-6C) are analogous to flick gestures as ways to interact with a touchscreen. However, it does not disclose the specific wireless device detection (Bluetooth) or data transfer (WiFi) aspects. It primarily focuses on the UI interaction.

7. US20070177729A1: Generation of perfectly secret keys in wireless communication networks

• Full Citation: US20070177729A1
• Publication Date: 2007-08-02
• Filing Date: 2005-01-27
• Brief Description: This patent application, also by InterDigital, focuses on generating secret keys for secure wireless communication using channel impulse response (CIR). This is explicitly referenced in US8737933B2 for physical layer security.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): While this reference is relevant to the security aspects described in the specification of US8737933B2 (specifically, FIG. 5 and accompanying text regarding physical layer security and CIR-based keys), it does not anticipate the core method steps of Claim 1, which describe the user interaction and the specific Bluetooth/WiFi transfer mechanism.

8. US20070271379A1: Method, components and system for tracking and controlling end user privacy

• Full Citation: US20070271379A1 (Note: US7877494B2 is the granted patent from this application, with the same priority date and substantially similar disclosure. We will primarily refer to the earlier publication for prior art purposes.)
• Publication Date: 2007-11-22
• Filing Date: 2006-05-17
• Brief Description: This patent application describes a system and method for tracking and controlling user privacy in wireless communication environments, potentially involving location information and device interactions.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This reference's focus on privacy control and tracking, while related to wireless environments, does not directly anticipate the specific data transfer method of Claim 1, particularly the combination of touchscreen input gestures, Bluetooth for detection, and WiFi for transfer.

Non-Patent Literature (NPL) Citation:

Hazas et al., "A Relative Positioning System for Co-located Mobile Devices"

• Full Citation: Hazas et al., "A Relative Positioning System for Co-located Mobile Devices," International Conference on Mobile Systems, Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Mobile Systems, Applications and Services, Seattle, Washington, 2005, pp. 177-190.
• Publication Date: 2005
• Brief Description: This paper describes a system for determining the relative positions of co-located mobile devices. This involves using wireless signals to understand the physical arrangement of devices in a local area.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This NPL could anticipate the general concept of "detecting... a plurality of WTRUs in proximity" and establishing their relative locations. This information is used in US8737933B2 as part of the "environment information" (301) to identify target WTRUs. However, similar to other references, it does not combine this with the specific touchscreen interaction for selection and the particular Bluetooth discovery/WiFi transfer mechanism of Claim 1.

Conclusion on Most Relevant Prior Art for Anticipation

Based on the analysis, the most relevant prior art references for anticipation of elements in Claim 1 of US8737933B2 are likely:

• WO2003081373A2 and US20070146347A1 are most relevant for the "touchscreen input to select a media element" and "another touchscreen input to select a WTRU" elements due to their focus on graphical user interfaces and gesture-based interaction for data or device selection. WO'373 more directly addresses data transfer via GUI.
• EP1513262A1, US20060293063A1, and Hazas et al. (NPL) are most relevant for the "detecting, by the WTRU using Bluetooth, a plurality of WTRUs in proximity" element, as they discuss discovering or locating nearby devices using wireless technologies like Bluetooth.
• US20060234762A1 is relevant for the general concept of data transfer and selecting communication modes, including WiFi, for the transfer.

However, none of the individual prior art references explicitly combine all the elements of Claim 1, specifically:

• processing touchscreen inputs (first for media, second for target WTRU),
• using Bluetooth for detecting a plurality of WTRUs,
• sending a message to transfer,
• receiving an acceptance, and
• using WiFi for the actual transfer of the selected media element.

The distinct combination of Bluetooth for discovery and WiFi for high-speed transfer, initiated and directed via specific touchscreen gestures, appears to be a key distinguishing feature of Claim 1 that is not fully anticipated by any single prior art reference in the provided list. Therefore, while individual elements might be found, the full scope of Claim 1 is not directly anticipated by these references under 35 U.S.C. § 102.

The analysis below identifies combinations of prior art references that would render the claims of US patent 8737933 obvious under 35 U.S.C. § 103, along with the motivations for a person having ordinary skill in the art (POSITA) to combine them. The analysis focuses on independent claims 1 (method) and 23 (apparatus), as the remaining claims are dependent on these. The priority date for US8737933 is 2008-12-23.

Independent Claims of US8737933:

Claim 1 (Method):
A method performed by a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU), the method comprising:

1. processing, by the WTRU, a touchscreen input to select a media element;
2. detecting, by the WTRU using Bluetooth, a plurality of WTRUs in proximity to the WTRU;
3. processing, by the WTRU, another touchscreen input to select a WTRU of the plurality of WTRUs;
4. sending, by the WTRU, a message to transfer the selected media element to the selected WTRU;
5. receiving, by the WTRU, an acceptance to transfer the selected media element to the selected WTRU; and
6. transferring, by the WTRU using a WiFi communication, the selected media element to the selected WTRU.

Claim 23 (Apparatus):
A wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) comprising:

1. a processor configured to process a touchscreen input to select a media element;
2. circuitry configured to detect, using Bluetooth, a plurality of WTRUs in proximity to the WTRU;
3. the processor is further configured to process another touchscreen input to select a WTRU of the plurality of WTRUs;
4. circuitry configured to send a message to transfer the selected media element to the selected WTRU;
5. circuitry configured to receive an acceptance to transfer the selected media element to the selected WTRU; and
6. circuitry configured to transfer, using a WiFi communication, the selected media element to the selected WTRU.

Prior Art References for Obviousness Analysis:

The following prior art references from the "Citations" section are considered relevant and predate the priority date of US8737933 (December 23, 2008):

• US20070146347A1 (Outland Research, Llc): "Flick-gesture interface for handheld computing devices" (Pub. 2007-06-28)
• WO2003081373A2 (Nokia Corporation): "Service/device indication with graphical interface" (Pub. 2003-10-02)
• US20060234762A1 (Interdigital Technology Corporation): "Method and apparatus for selecting a communication mode for performing user requested data transfers" (Pub. 2006-10-19)
• US20060293063A1 (Brad Corrion): "Peripheral resource location determination method, apparatus and system" (Pub. 2006-12-28)
• Hazas et al. (2005): "A Relative Positioning System for Co-located Mobile Devices," Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Mobile Systems, Applications and Services, Seattle, Washington, 2005, pp. 177-190.

Obviousness Analysis of Claims 1 and 23:

A person having ordinary skill in the art (POSITA) as of the December 23, 2008 priority date would have found the methods and apparatuses of claims 1 and 23 obvious based on a combination of Hazas et al., US20070146347A1, US20060234762A1, and common general knowledge in the field of wireless communications and user interfaces.

1. Touchscreen input for selecting a media element and a target WTRU (Claim 1, steps 1 & 3; Claim 23, elements 1 & 3):

• US20070146347A1 discloses a "flick-gesture interface for handheld computing devices" that enables user interaction via touch gestures for controlling handheld devices. It would have been obvious for a POSITA to apply such known touchscreen input mechanisms to select a media element (e.g., a file represented visually on the screen) and subsequently to select a target WTRU from a display of available devices.
• WO2003081373A2 further supports this by describing "service/device indication with graphical interface," which implies the display and selection of devices via a graphical user interface.

2. Detecting WTRUs in proximity using Bluetooth (Claim 1, step 2; Claim 23, element 2):

• Hazas et al. describes "A Relative Positioning System for Co-located Mobile Devices," which inherently involves detecting and potentially localizing nearby mobile devices.
• A POSITA would have known that Bluetooth, specifically its Service Discovery Protocol (SDP), was a widely available and suitable technology for short-range detection, identification, and discovery of services offered by proximate wireless devices. The patent specification itself acknowledges this, stating, "the environment information 301 may be gathered via a service discovery protocol (SDP) such as currently available in protocols such as Bluetooth®, for example."
• US20060293063A1 further teaches a "Peripheral resource location determination method, apparatus and system," reinforcing the concept of detecting and locating nearby devices or resources.

3. Sending a transfer message and receiving acceptance (Claim 1, steps 4 & 5; Claim 23, elements 4 & 5):

• These steps represent standard communication handshakes inherent in almost any controlled or secure data transfer process. A POSITA would have routinely implemented these to initiate and confirm a data transfer, ensuring user consent and the successful transaction of data.
• US20060234762A1 discusses a "Method and apparatus for selecting a communication mode for performing user requested data transfers," which implicitly includes the exchange of requests and acceptances to manage such transfers.

4. Transferring the media element using WiFi communication (Claim 1, step 6; Claim 23, element 6):

• Once a plurality of WTRUs has been detected (using Bluetooth as described above, based on Hazas et al. and common Bluetooth knowledge) and a specific target WTRU and media element have been selected (using touchscreen input as described above, based on US20070146347A1), a POSITA would have been motivated to transfer the actual data using a high-bandwidth technology.
• US20060234762A1 teaches "selecting a communication mode for performing user requested data transfers." By the priority date of 2008, many mobile devices were equipped with both Bluetooth (for efficient discovery and low-bandwidth signaling) and Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11, for high-speed, high-bandwidth data transfer). It would have been an obvious design choice to leverage Bluetooth's strengths for initial discovery and then switch to Wi-Fi for the faster and more efficient bulk data transfer, particularly for larger media files.

Motivation for Combination:

A POSITA at the time of the invention would have been motivated to combine these known elements to create a more intuitive, efficient, and user-friendly system for transferring data between proximate wireless devices. The background of US8737933 itself highlights the existing problem, stating that "file transfers may still be a cumbersome, multi-step task requiring adaptation between multiple implementations" and that "a simplified and more intuitive approach to data transfer between devices is therefore required."

Specifically, the motivations include:

• Improved User Experience: Combining intuitive touchscreen gestures (US20070146347A1) for selecting data and target devices would directly address the need for a "simplified and more intuitive approach." Displaying nearby devices graphically (WO2003081373A2) further enhances this.
• Optimized Resource Utilization: Leveraging the respective strengths of different wireless technologies (Bluetooth for efficient, low-power discovery and initial connection setup, and Wi-Fi for high-speed bulk data transfer) is a classic engineering optimization strategy. A POSITA would have seen the value in using Bluetooth for detecting proximate devices (per Hazas et al. and common Bluetooth SDP knowledge) and then switching to Wi-Fi for the actual data transfer (as suggested by US20060234762A1 for selecting communication modes) to achieve both effective discovery and fast transfer speeds. Many existing devices already incorporated both radios, making such a combination technically feasible and economically rational.
• Addressing Inefficiencies of Existing Methods: The desire to overcome the "cumbersome, multi-step" nature of traditional data transfer methods like email or MMS would naturally lead to exploring direct, ad-hoc device-to-device communication using readily available short-range wireless technologies.

Therefore, the claimed invention is a straightforward integration of known elements, each performing its known function, to achieve a predictable result: a more user-friendly and efficient short-range data transfer system. The combination would have been obvious to a POSITA seeking to improve the user experience and technical efficiency of local file sharing among wireless devices.