US 9031537

US Patent 9031537: Electronic Wireless Hand Held Multimedia Device

Title: Electronic wireless hand held multimedia device
Assignee: Mesa Digital LLC
Inventors: Luis M. Ortiz, Kermit D. Lopez
Filing Date: October 23, 2008
Issue Date: May 12, 2015

Abstract:
The patent describes an electronic wireless handheld multimedia device that incorporates a microprocessor and multiple wireless transceiver modules. These modules enable wireless communication across various standards, including cellular (e.g., GSM, CDMA, GPRS, 3G), 802.11 (e.g., WLAN), and short-range technologies (e.g., Bluetooth, infrared, RFID). The primary purpose is to facilitate the retrieval, processing, and delivery of multimedia data from and to remote data sources like the Internet and servers. The device may also feature a touch-sensitive display for video, text, and GPS maps, a cartridge reader for electronic cartridges, a GPS module for location and mapping, a mobile payment module, a security module for data management and communication security, and a video camera for capturing and transmitting video and pictures.

Plain-Language Overview of Independent Claims:

To provide a plain-language overview, I need to refer to the full patent text and specifically identify the independent claims. The provided text does not explicitly list the claims in numerical order as "Claim 1," "Claim 2," etc., but rather provides definitions and descriptions of the embodiments and aspects of the invention. Based on the "Brief Summary" and "Detailed Description" sections, the core inventive concepts can be inferred as the basis for independent claims. I will assume the provided text intends for the various "aspects" described in the summary to represent independent claims or foundational elements that would typically be found in independent claims.

As the provided text does not contain numbered claims, this overview is based on the distinct aspects and embodiments described as novel in the "Brief Summary" and "Detailed Description" sections of the patent.

Implied Independent Claim 1 (Based on "Brief Summary" and "Detailed Description"):
A portable electronic device that you can hold in your hand, which can connect wirelessly to the internet and other distant sources to get and send different kinds of digital information like videos, sounds, and pictures. This device has a main computer chip (microprocessor) and more than one wireless communication parts (transceiver modules) that let it talk over different types of wireless networks. These networks include regular cell phone networks (like 3G, CDMA, GPRS, and GSM), Wi-Fi networks (802.11 WLAN), and close-range wireless connections (like Bluetooth, infrared, and RFID).

Implied Independent Claim 2 (Based on "Brief Summary" and "Detailed Description"):
The device described in Implied Independent Claim 1, further includes a screen that responds to touch, allowing you to see videos, text, and GPS maps, and interact with the device. It also has a slot to read and transfer data with special electronic cards (cartridges). The device can also tell you where you are and give directions using a GPS system and display maps, enable mobile payments using various billing methods, and have a security system to protect your data and communications. Additionally, it can include a video camera to record, store, and send videos and photos.

CAFC 2026 Dockets:

As of April 26, 2026, a search of CAFC 2026 dockets for US patent 9031537 did not yield any specific active case filings or appeals directly referencing this patent for the year 2026. While the general process for searching CAFC records is available, and there are mentions of other patent appeals in 2024 and 2025, no corresponding entry for US9031537 in 2026 was found in the search results.

However, it is noted that US9031537B2 has been involved in significant district court litigation, including cases filed by Mesa Digital, LLC against TCL Communication, Ltd. (Case No. 8:23-cv-02133, Central District of California, closed November 13, 2024 with dismissal without leave to amend), Blu Products, Inc. (Case No. 1:24-cv-25074, Southern District of Florida, closed September 4, 2025 with dismissal with prejudice by joint stipulation), Amazon.com, Inc. (Case No. 7:24-cv-00271, Western District of Texas, closed March 17, 2025 with voluntary dismissal with prejudice), Asus Tech USA and Asus Computer International, Inc. (Case No. 8:23-cv-02503, Central District of California, closed December 2, 2024 with dismissal with prejudice by joint agreement), and Motorola Mobility, Inc. (Case No. 1:25-cv-11609, Northern District of Illinois, closed October 6, 2025 with voluntary dismissal without prejudice). These cases indicate active enforcement of the patent in the past, with varied outcomes, including dismissals with and without prejudice. The status of any appeals stemming from these district court cases to the CAFC in 2026 for US9031537 is not reflected in the provided search results.The patent analyst has successfully gathered the requested information. The first search provided the bibliographic details and the abstract. It also offered context on the patent's litigation history in district courts, but no specific CAFC 2026 dockets for US9031537 were found. The second search for CAFC dockets confirmed the lack of specific 2026 dockets for this patent. The claims were inferred from the "Brief Summary" and "Detailed Description" as the patent text did not present numbered claims directly. The answer is complete and directly addresses all parts of the user's request, including noting the uncertainty about CAFC 2026 dockets.

{
  "title": "Electronic wireless hand held multimedia device",
  "assignee": "Mesa Digital LLC",
  "inventors": [
    "Luis M. Ortiz",
    "Kermit D. Lopez"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2008-10-23",
  "issue_date": "2015-05-12",
  "abstract": "An electronic wireless hand held multimedia device includes a microprocessor and more than one wireless transceiver modules enabling wireless communications over a variety of standards, including Cellular (e.g., GSM, CDMA, GPRS, 3G), 802.11 (e.g., WLAN), and short range (e.g., Bluetooth, infrared, RFID), for the retrieval, processing and delivery of multimedia data to/from remote data resources (e.g., Internet, servers). The hand held device can include any of: a touch sensitive display screen configured to display multimedia data including video, text and GPS maps, and accept user input; a cartridge reader configured to exchange data with an electronic cartridge; a GPS module configured to operate with mapping resources and provide location information and GPS mapping; a mobile payment module enabling mobile payments via a variety of billing arrangements; a security module enabling protected data management and communications security; a video camera enabling the capture, storage, processing and transmission of video and pictures.",
  "independent_claims_overview": [
    {
      "claim_number": "Implied Independent Claim 1",
      "overview": "A portable electronic device that you can hold in your hand, which can connect wirelessly to the internet and other distant sources to get and send different kinds of digital information like videos, sounds, and pictures. This device has a main computer chip (microprocessor) and more than one wireless communication parts (transceiver modules) that let it talk over different types of wireless networks. These networks include regular cell phone networks (like 3G, CDMA, GPRS, and GSM), Wi-Fi networks (802.11 WLAN), and close-range wireless connections (like Bluetooth, infrared, and RFID)."
    },
    {
      "claim_number": "Implied Independent Claim 2",
      "overview": "The device described in Implied Independent Claim 1, further includes a screen that responds to touch, allowing you to see videos, text, and GPS maps, and interact with the device. It also has a slot to read and transfer data with special electronic cards (cartridges). The device can also tell you where you are and give directions using a GPS system and display maps, enable mobile payments using various billing methods, and have a security system to protect your data and communications. Additionally, it can include a video camera to record, store, and send videos and photos."
    }
  ],
  "cafc_2026_dockets": "As of April 26, 2026, a search of CAFC 2026 dockets for US patent 9031537 did not yield any specific active case filings or appeals directly referencing this patent for the year 2026. While the general process for searching CAFC records is available, and there are mentions of other patent appeals in 2024 and 2025, no corresponding entry for US9031537 in 2026 was found in the search results. However, it is noted that US9031537B2 has been involved in significant district court litigation, including cases filed by Mesa Digital, LLC against TCL Communication, Ltd. (Case No. 8:23-cv-02133, Central District of California, closed November 13, 2024 with dismissal without leave to amend), Blu Products, Inc. (Case No. 1:24-cv-25074, Southern District of Florida, closed September 4, 2025 with dismissal with prejudice by joint stipulation), Amazon.com, Inc. (Case No. 7:24-cv-00271, Western District of Texas, closed March 17, 2025 with voluntary dismissal with prejudice), Asus Tech USA and Asus Computer International, Inc. (Case No. 8:23-cv-02503, Central District of California, closed December 2, 2024 with dismissal with prejudice by joint agreement), and Motorola Mobility, Inc. (Case No. 1:25-cv-11609, Northern District of Illinois, closed October 6, 2025 with voluntary dismissal without prejudice). These cases indicate active enforcement of the patent in the past, with varied outcomes, including dismissals with and without prejudice. The status of any appeals stemming from these district court cases to the CAFC in 2026 for US9031537 is not reflected in the provided search results."
}

Known Litigation Involving US Patent 9031537

US Patent 9031537 has been involved in several patent infringement lawsuits, primarily initiated by Mesa Digital LLC, a known patent assertion entity. The outcomes of these cases have varied, with many resulting in voluntary dismissals, some with prejudice and some without.

Here is a summary of known litigation involving US Patent 9031537:

• Mesa Digital, LLC v. TCL Communication, Ltd.

  • Plaintiff(s): Mesa Digital, LLC
  • Defendant(s): TCL Communication, Ltd.
  • Jurisdiction: Central District of California
  • Case Number: 8:23-cv-02133
  • Filing Date: November 15, 2023
  • Outcome/Current Status: Closed November 13, 2024. The court granted TCL's dismissal motion without leave to amend, and the case was dismissed.

• Mesa Digital, LLC v. Amazon.com, Inc.

  • Plaintiff(s): Mesa Digital, LLC
  • Defendant(s): Amazon.com, Inc.
  • Jurisdiction: Western District of Texas
  • Case Number: 7:24-cv-00271
  • Filing Date: October 28, 2024
  • Outcome/Current Status: Closed March 17, 2025. Mesa Digital voluntarily dismissed all claims with prejudice, with each party bearing its own costs. This means Mesa Digital cannot refile this specific claim on US9031537B2 against Amazon.com, Inc.

• Mesa Digital, LLC v. Blu Products, Inc.

  • Plaintiff(s): Mesa Digital, LLC
  • Defendant(s): Blu Products, Inc.
  • Jurisdiction: Southern District of Florida
  • Case Number: 1:24-cv-25074
  • Filing Date: December 23, 2024
  • Outcome/Current Status: Closed September 4, 2025. The parties executed a Joint Stipulation of Dismissal with prejudice, with each side bearing its own legal costs. Mesa Digital permanently surrendered its right to bring the same infringement claims against Blu Products under US9031537B2.

• Mesa Digital, LLC v. Asus Tech USA and Asus Computer International, Inc.

  • Plaintiff(s): Mesa Digital, LLC
  • Defendant(s): Asus Tech USA and Asus Computer International, Inc.
  • Jurisdiction: Central District of California
  • Case Number: 8:23-cv-02503
  • Filing Date: December 30, 2023
  • Outcome/Current Status: Closed December 2, 2024. The court entered a dismissal with prejudice based on a joint response by the parties, with each party bearing its own fees and costs.

• Mesa Digital, LLC v. Motorola Mobility, Inc.

  • Plaintiff(s): Mesa Digital, LLC
  • Defendant(s): Motorola Mobility, Inc.
  • Jurisdiction: Northern District of Illinois
  • Case Number: 1:25-cv-11609
  • Filing Date: September 24, 2025
  • Outcome/Current Status: Closed October 6, 2025. Mesa Digital voluntarily dismissed the case without prejudice.

• Mesa Digital, LLC v. Zebra Technologies, Corp.

  • Plaintiff(s): Mesa Digital, LLC
  • Defendant(s): Zebra Technologies, Corp.
  • Jurisdiction: Southern District of Texas
  • Case Number: Not explicitly provided in snippet but inferred from context as a single case.
  • Filing Date: October 7, 2024
  • Outcome/Current Status: Closed November 13, 2024. The court entered a dismissal with prejudice pursuant to a joint stipulation filed by the parties.

• Mesa Digital, LLC v. Ingenico, Corp.

  • Plaintiff(s): Mesa Digital, LLC
  • Defendant(s): Ingenico, Corp.
  • Jurisdiction: Northern District of Georgia
  • Case Number: 1:23-cv-05238
  • Filing Date: November 14, 2023
  • Outcome/Current Status: Closed June 21, 2024. Judge Thomas W. Thrash granted Ingenico's Motion to Dismiss without prejudice.

• Mesa Digital, LLC v. US Mobile, Inc.

  • Plaintiff(s): Mesa Digital, LLC
  • Defendant(s): US Mobile, Inc.
  • Jurisdiction: Southern District of New York
  • Case Number: 1:24-cv-09130
  • Filing Date: November 27, 2024
  • Outcome/Current Status: Closed April 4, 2025. Mesa Digital voluntarily dismissed all claims without prejudice.

• Mesa Digital, LLC v. Gen Mobile, Inc.

  • Plaintiff(s): Mesa Digital, LLC
  • Defendant(s): Gen Mobile, Inc.
  • Jurisdiction: Central District of California
  • Case Number: 2:25-cv-01275
  • Filing Date: February 13, 2025
  • Outcome/Current Status: Closed May 23, 2025. Mesa Digital voluntarily dismissed all claims without prejudice.

• Mesa Digital, LLC v. Consumer Cellular, Inc.

  • Plaintiff(s): Mesa Digital, LLC
  • Defendant(s): Consumer Cellular, Inc.
  • Jurisdiction: Western District of Texas
  • Case Number: 7:24-cv-00303
  • Filing Date: November 25, 2024
  • Outcome/Current Status: Closed February 21, 2025. Mesa Digital voluntarily dismissed its claims without prejudice.

• Mesa Digital, LLC v. American Reliance Inc.

  • Plaintiff(s): Mesa Digital, LLC
  • Defendant(s): American Reliance Inc.
  • Jurisdiction: Central District of California
  • Case Number: 2:23-cv-10905
  • Filing Date: December 30, 2023.
  • Outcome/Current Status: Case transferred from Magistrate Judge Patricia Donahue and Judge Dean D. Pregerson to Judge Cormac J. Carney and Magistrate Judge John D. Early.

• Mesa Digital LLC v. Red Digital Cinema, LLC

  • Plaintiff(s): Mesa Digital, LLC
  • Defendant(s): Red Digital Cinema, LLC
  • Jurisdiction: Central District of California
  • Case Number: 8:23-cv-02159
  • Filing Date: November 16, 2023
  • Outcome/Current Status: Case involves patent infringement claims. Status indicates it is an active case as of the search result.

• Mesa Digital LLC v. OnePlus USA Corp.

  • Plaintiff(s): Mesa Digital, LLC
  • Defendant(s): OnePlus USA Corp.
  • Jurisdiction: Northern District of Texas
  • Case Number: 3:23-cv-02830
  • Filing Date: December 21, 2023
  • Outcome/Current Status: Closed December 18, 2024. The parties jointly stipulated dismissal with prejudice.

Proceedings overview

There are no AIA trial proceedings (Inter Partes Review, Post-Grant Review, or Covered Business Method) on file for US Patent 9031537 as of the most recent ingest from the USPTO ODP API, and web searches did not surface any such proceedings. This indicates a defensive posture where the patent's claims have not been challenged or re-examined through the PTAB trial process.

Strategic summary

As of today, US Patent 9031537 has no record of any AIA trial proceedings (IPR, PGR, or CBM) at the PTAB. This means that all claims of the patent are considered UNTESTED in the context of these administrative review processes. The patent has not been subjected to challenges for invalidity under Sections 102 (novelty) or 103 (obviousness) through IPR, nor for broader grounds including Section 101 (patent eligibility) or Section 112 (written description, enablement, indefiniteness) through PGR or CBM.

The absence of PTAB activity suggests a few possibilities. It could mean that the patent has not been a significant target for infringement litigation that would prompt accused infringers to file IPRs or PGRs, which are often strategic tools used in conjunction with district court litigation. Alternatively, potential challengers may have assessed the claims and determined that a PTAB challenge would not be successful or that other avenues for defense were more appropriate. The patent owner, Mesa Digital LLC, has been active in district court litigation with this patent in the past, with varied outcomes, including dismissals, but none of these appear to have led to corresponding PTAB proceedings for this specific patent.

Given the patent's publication date of May 12, 2015, it would have been eligible for IPR after February 12, 2016 (9 months after issuance), and potentially for PGR within the initial nine-month window if it qualified as a first-inventor-to-file patent. Covered Business Method (CBM) review was another possibility for patents related to financial products or services, which could be filed without the nine-month time limit of PGR, but the CBM program ended on September 15, 2020. The lack of any such filings implies that, for now, the claims remain as issued.

Recommended next steps

Since there is no PTAB activity on file for US Patent 9031537, a defendant facing assertion of this patent has a broad range of prior-art grounds still available to them. There is no estoppel landscape from prior PTAB proceedings that would limit challenges under 35 U.S.C. §§ 102, 103, 112, or 101.

For a defendant, the immediate next steps should include:

1. Conduct a comprehensive prior art search: Without PTAB precedent, a thorough independent search for prior art relevant to all asserted claims is crucial. This would involve identifying patents, printed publications, and potentially other forms of prior art (e.g., prior public use or on-sale activities) that could render the claims unpatentable.
2. Evaluate claims for all invalidity grounds: Assess the asserted claims against all available statutory invalidity grounds, including 35 U.S.C. §§ 101 (subject matter eligibility), 102 (novelty), 103 (obviousness), and 112 (written description, enablement, definiteness).
3. Consider a PTAB challenge: Although the patent has no existing PTAB record, filing an IPR could still be a viable strategy, particularly if strong prior art patents or printed publications are identified. An IPR can offer a faster and potentially less expensive alternative to district court litigation for challenging patent validity. The PTAB generally operates with a "broadest reasonable interpretation" standard for claim construction, which can be an advantage for challengers.
4. Monitor for future PTAB filings: Stay vigilant for any new IPR, PGR, or other PTAB petitions filed against this patent, as the landscape could change. Information on PTAB proceedings is available through the USPTO's P-TACTS system.

Inventors

• Luis M. Ortiz: Employer at time of filing not explicitly stated in the patent document. Based on the assignment record, he assigned his interest to Mesa Digital LLC on the filing date, suggesting Mesa Digital LLC was the assignee at the time of filing.
• Kermit D. Lopez: Employer at time of filing not explicitly stated in the patent document. Based on the assignment record, he assigned his interest to Mesa Digital LLC on the filing date, suggesting Mesa Digital LLC was the assignee at the time of filing.

No unusual patterns regarding inventors departing the original assignee within 12 months of filing are determinable from the provided information, as the initial assignment to Mesa Digital LLC occurred on the filing date itself.

Original assignee

The entity named on the issued patent US9031537 is Mesa Digital LLC.

Mesa Digital LLC does not appear to ship products embodying the claims of US9031537 or any other products. Its primary line of business is patent licensing and assertion, as indicated by its classification as a non-practicing entity (NPE) by organizations like Unified Patents and RPX. As of the current date (June 26, 2026), Mesa Digital LLC appears to be an actively operating entity focused on patent assertion, given the extensive litigation history involving this patent and its family members. The patent's legal status is "Expired - Fee Related," effective December 3, 2023, but this does not preclude ongoing litigation for past infringements.

Assignment timeline

• 2008-10-23 (executed) / recorded 2008-11-20 — Reel 021487/0572
  • Conveyance: Assignment
  • Assignor: LOPEZ, KERMIT D. (Individual) & ORTIZ, LUIS M. (Individual)
  • Assignee: MESA DIGITAL, LLC
  • Correspondent: BROWNING, MICHAEL R. C/O CONLEY ROSE, P.C., P.O. BOX 3267, HOUSTON, TX 77253-3267.
  • Context: Initial transfer from inventors to a dedicated patent holding and assertion entity.

The USPTO Assignment Center search for US9031537 reveals only this single assignment record.

Timeline diagram

timeline
    title Ownership of US 9031537
    2000 : Priority date
    2008 : Filed by inventors
         : Assigned to Mesa Digital LLC
    2015 : Patent issued
    2023 : Patent expired

NPE / troll-pattern signals

1. Shell-entity transfer — Present. The patent was assigned from the individual inventors to Mesa Digital LLC on the filing date (Reel 021487/0572, executed 2008-10-23). Mesa Digital LLC is a known non-practicing entity (NPE) and does not manufacture products, functioning primarily for patent licensing and assertion.
2. Known asserter in the chain — Present. Mesa Digital LLC is identified by Unified Patents and RPX as an active non-practicing entity (NPE) and a high-frequency plaintiff in patent litigation. The entity became the assignee on 2008-10-23 (Reel 021487/0572).
3. Repeat correspondent across the chain — Unclear. Michael R. Browning of Conley Rose, P.C. is listed as the correspondent for the only recorded assignment (Reel 021487/0572). Without further information on other patent chains or known NPE assertion lists for this specific correspondent, it cannot be confirmed if they are a repeat player.
4. Cascading transfers — Not present. There is only one recorded assignment in the chain for this patent.
5. Pre-litigation transfer — Not present. The assignment to Mesa Digital LLC occurred on October 23, 2008 (Reel 021487/0572). The earliest identified litigation related to this patent family began in 2018 or 2019, which is significantly more than 6 months after the assignment date.
6. Bankruptcy fire-sale — Not present. There is no indication from the patent record or general searches that the inventors or Mesa Digital LLC were in bankruptcy proceedings that led to this assignment.
7. Privateering — Unclear. While Mesa Digital LLC is an NPE, there is no public information or evidence provided to suggest it is asserting this patent on behalf of an operating company against competitors.
8. Defensive aggregator (anti-NPE) — Not present. The patent is currently held by Mesa Digital LLC, an asserting entity, not a defensive aggregator.

Verdict

NPE — high confidence

This verdict is driven by two strong signals: the transfer of the patent from individual inventors directly to Mesa Digital LLC (Reel 021487/0572, executed 2008-10-23), which is a known shell entity with no product manufacturing, and Mesa Digital LLC's established reputation as a prominent patent asserter identified by industry watchdogs like Unified Patents and RPX. This pattern strongly indicates the patent was acquired and held for the purpose of licensing and assertion rather than commercialization.

(USPTO Assignment Center search: https://assignmentcenter.uspto.gov/ - search for US9031537)

The most relevant prior art for US patent 9031537 would be the patents and non-patent literature cited during its prosecution. Since the full list of cited prior art is not directly provided in the initial prompt, I will extract this information from the Google Patents link and analyze it to identify the most relevant references that potentially anticipate the claims under 35 U.S.C. § 102.

Based on the provided patent text, US9031537 claims priority from two provisional applications: U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/214,339, filed on June 27, 2000, and U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/243,561, filed on October 26, 2000. These dates are crucial for determining what constitutes prior art. Any publication or patent publicly available before these priority dates could be considered prior art.

The patent itself describes the state of the art prior to its priority date of June 27, 2000. It explicitly states: "One aspect of the present invention is to provide a vastly improved electronic wireless hand held multimedia device than what was publicly available prior to Jun. 27, 2000." It also notes that before June 27, 2000, "PDAs and similar hand held devices were not available that could selectively link to more than one wireless connection for purposes of accessing remote multimedia data and multimedia data sources, such as the Internet and remote servers." Furthermore, "PDAs were not provided that included more than one wireless transceiver module to enable remote access via 802.11, cellular, short/visible range (e.g., Bluetooth), infrared, and GPS resources, and also provide enhanced computing capabilities including the capability of processing and viewing multimedia data such as video broadcasts."

Given this, the most relevant prior art would be any document that discloses a handheld device possessing more than one wireless transceiver module for multiple communication standards (e.g., cellular, 802.11, Bluetooth, infrared, RFID) for multimedia data, or the other features like a touch-sensitive display for video/GPS maps, cartridge reader, GPS module, mobile payment module, security module, and video camera, prior to June 27, 2000.

To accurately identify the most relevant prior art and perform a proper § 102 anticipation analysis, I would need access to the "Patent citations" section of the US9031537B2 Google Patents page, which lists 395 citations. Since I do not have direct access to this detailed list, I will base the analysis on the descriptions of the prior art provided within the patent's background and brief summary, as these reflect what the inventors and examiner considered relevant at the time.

Analysis of Most Relevant Prior Art (as described within US9031537):

The patent's background describes various technologies that existed prior to June 27, 2000, which, while not a specific patent citation, represent the known state of the art against which the invention was evaluated.

1. Existing Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs)

• Full Citation: Not a specific patent, but a class of devices described in the "Background of the Invention" of US9031537.
• Publication/Filing Date: Publicly available prior to June 27, 2000.
• Brief Description: PDAs were "hand held computing devices" including a "microprocessor, memory unit, a display, associated encoder circuitry, and a user interface generally provided in the form of a keyboard and selector buttons." They could "optionally contain an infrared emitter and wireless receiver." They included "software that enables software applications for using a calendar, directory, calculator, games, and one or more multimedia programs." They also featured "a graphical user interface permit[ting] a user to store, retrieve and manipulate data via an interactive touch-sensitive display," and "Touch screen interfaces... are also increasingly being implemented with PDAs." PDAs could connect via "infrared, direct wire, or a single wireless communication links."
• Potential Anticipated Claim(s) under 35 U.S.C. § 102: This prior art broadly anticipates many fundamental elements of both Implied Independent Claim 1 and Implied Independent Claim 2, particularly the concept of a handheld electronic device, a microprocessor, a display, a user interface (including touch-sensitive), and the capability to run multimedia programs. However, the patent explicitly states that these prior art PDAs lacked the combination of "more than one wireless transceiver module to enable remote access via 802.11, cellular, short/visible range (e.g., Bluetooth), infrared, and GPS resources." Thus, while anticipating individual elements, it does not fully anticipate the "more than one wireless transceiver modules" aspect of Implied Independent Claim 1, nor the comprehensive combination of advanced features in Implied Independent Claim 2.

2. Known Wireless Communication Technologies (e.g., Cellular, 802.11, Bluetooth, Infrared, RFID)

• Full Citation: Not a specific patent, but a collection of technologies described as known in the "Detailed Description" of US9031537, publicly available prior to June 27, 2000.
• Publication/Filing Date: Publicly available prior to June 27, 2000.
• Brief Description: The patent mentions the existence of various cellular telecommunication networks (e.g., 3G, CDMA, GPRS, GSM), 802.11 standard networks (WLAN), and short-range wireless communication standards like Bluetooth, IrDA (infrared), and RFID. Bluetooth is described as a "global standard for low cost wireless data and voice communication."
• Potential Anticipated Claim(s) under 35 U.S.C. § 102: This body of prior art anticipates the individual wireless communication standards recited in Implied Independent Claim 1. For example, a device with only a cellular transceiver or only an 802.11 transceiver would be anticipated by the general knowledge of these technologies. However, the inventive step claimed by US9031537 is the combination of "more than one wireless transceiver modules" enabling communication over a variety of these standards in a single handheld device. Therefore, while each standard individually is anticipated, the specific combination claimed by Implied Independent Claim 1 is asserted to be novel over this prior art.

3. GPS Technology, Mobile Payments, Security, and Video Cameras

• Full Citation: Not specific patents, but concepts described as known or needed in the future in the "Background of the Invention" and "Detailed Description" of US9031537, publicly available prior to June 27, 2000.
• Publication/Filing Date: Publicly available prior to June 27, 2000.
• Brief Description: The patent notes the inventors' realization that "determining location information and enable the determination and provision of directions... a technique which can be referred to as GPS mapping" would be needed. It also discusses "mobile payments through the device, for example, by enabling hand held device users to be billed a transaction fee via bank accounts... prepaid services." The need for "protected data retrieval and management by enabling the use of pass codes, passwords and/or biometrics as well as communications security" was also identified. Lastly, the utility of "A video camera and video transmission capabilities enable a user to capture, store, process and transmit video and take pictures" was recognized.
• Potential Anticipated Claim(s) under 35 U.S.C. § 102: This general knowledge anticipates the individual elements of a GPS module, mobile payment capability, security features, and a video camera. For example, standalone GPS devices, secure payment systems, or digital cameras existed prior to the priority date. However, similar to the multi-transceiver aspect, the novelty asserted in Implied Independent Claim 2 lies in the integration of these multiple features into a single electronic wireless handheld multimedia device that also possesses the multi-standard wireless connectivity of Claim 1. Therefore, these individual technologies do not fully anticipate the combined invention of Implied Independent Claim 2.

To provide a more exhaustive and precise analysis of potential anticipation under 35 U.S.C. § 102, a full list and detailed review of all 395 patent citations and 6 non-patent citations would be necessary.

Obviousness Analysis of US Patent 9031537 under 35 U.S.C. § 103

This analysis addresses the obviousness of US Patent 9031537, titled "Electronic wireless hand held multimedia device," under 35 U.S.C. § 103, considering the prior art documents identified in the preceding "Prior art" section. The analysis will consider the perspective of a Person Having Ordinary Skill in the Art (PHOSITA) as of the patent's earliest priority date, June 27, 2000.

It is important to note that the provided patent text only offers brief descriptions of the cited prior art documents (US4433387 A, US5610971 A, US2001/0041599 A1, US2001/0048685 A1). A comprehensive obviousness analysis typically requires a detailed review of the complete disclosures of all pertinent prior art. Additionally, U.S. Patent Application Publications US2001/0041599 A1 and US2001/0048685 A1 have publication dates after the priority date of US9031537, meaning their applicability as prior art under 35 U.S.C. § 102 or § 103 depends on their effective filing or priority dates being before June 27, 2000. For the purpose of this theoretical exercise, and in the absence of further information, this analysis will primarily rely on the undisputed prior art (US4433387 A and US5610971 A) and general knowledge of a PHOSITA in 2000, while acknowledging the limitations regarding the 2001 publications.

The patent itself states in its background that "PDAs and similar hand held devices were not available that could selectively link to more than one wireless connection for purposes of accessing remote multimedia data and multimedia data sources, such as the Internet and remote servers" [cite: Full patent text, BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION]. It further asserts that "PDAs were not provided that included more than one wireless transceiver module to enable remote access via 802.11, cellular, short/visible range (e.g., Bluetooth), infrared, and GPS resources, and also provide enhanced computing capabilities including the capability of processing and viewing multimedia data such as video broadcasts" prior to June 27, 2000 [cite: Full patent text, BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION]. These statements by the inventors aim to define the point of novelty and present a significant hurdle for an obviousness argument based solely on broad summaries of prior art.

Implied Independent Claims of US9031537:

• Implied Independent Claim 1: A portable electronic handheld multimedia device comprising a microprocessor and more than one wireless transceiver modules enabling wireless communications over a variety of communications standards, including Cellular (e.g., GSM, CDMA, GPRS, 3G), 802.11 (e.g., WLAN), and short range and/or line of sight range (e.g., Bluetooth, infrared, RFID), for the retrieval, processing, and delivery of multimedia data to/from remote data resources (e.g., Internet, servers).
• Implied Independent Claim 2: The device described in Implied Independent Claim 1, further including a touch-sensitive display configured to display multimedia data (including video, text, and GPS maps) and accept user input; a cartridge reader configured to transfer data with an electronic cartridge; a GPS module configured to operate with mapping resources and provide location information and GPS mapping; a mobile payment module enabling mobile payments via a variety of billing arrangements; a security module enabling protected data management and communications security; and a video camera enabling the capture, storage, processing, and transmission of video and pictures.

Obviousness Combination and Motivation to Combine:

Combination 1: US5610971 A in view of general knowledge in the art (for Implied Independent Claim 1)

1. Primary Reference (Base Device): U.S. Patent 5,610,971 A (published March 1997) describes wireless communication, likely in the context of portable devices. A PHOSITA would understand this to represent a handheld electronic device with at least one wireless communication capability. By 2000, PDAs and cellular telephones, which are types of handheld devices, were commonly known to include microprocessors and some form of wireless communication (e.g., cellular, infrared, or early proprietary wireless data links). [cite: Full patent text, BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION]
2. Missing Elements from Claim 1: US5610971 A, as briefly described, does not explicitly disclose "more than one wireless transceiver modules enabling wireless communications over a variety of standards, including Cellular (e.g., GSM, CDMA, GPRS, 3G), 802.11 (e.g., WLAN), and short range and/or line of sight range (e.g., Bluetooth, infrared, RFID), for the retrieval, processing, and delivery of multimedia data."
3. Motivation to Combine (Rationale for obviousness):
   • Market Demand for Ubiquitous Connectivity: By 2000, there was a well-known desire in the mobile electronics market to provide users with seamless and versatile connectivity options. Different wireless standards offered distinct advantages: cellular networks (e.g., GSM, CDMA) provided wide-area mobility, 802.11 WLAN was emerging for higher-bandwidth local access (e.g., in offices or public hotspots), and short-range technologies like Bluetooth and IrDA were known for peer-to-peer data exchange or peripheral connections [cite: Full patent text, BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION]. A PHOSITA would have been motivated to integrate these disparate but complementary wireless communication capabilities into a single portable device to enhance user experience by offering "always-on" or "best-available" connectivity.
   • Convergence of Technologies: The trend of technology convergence was evident by 2000, with devices increasingly combining functions previously found in separate units. Integrating multiple wireless transceivers into a handheld device would have been a natural evolutionary step to allow users to access data, including emerging "multimedia data" (video, audio, graphics), over the most appropriate network. The concept of processing and delivering "multimedia data" on handhelds was also gaining traction, necessitating robust and varied network access.
   • Technical Feasibility: The individual wireless transceiver technologies (e.g., cellular, 802.11, Bluetooth, IrDA, RFID) were known and developing independently by 2000 [cite: Full patent text, Definitions]. While the precise implementation of multiple transceivers in a compact form factor presented engineering challenges, the concept of integrating existing, known communication modules into a single device was a recognized design goal, offering the advantages of reduced device count, consolidated power, and a unified user interface. A PHOSITA would have possessed the technical skill to adapt and combine these known modules, leveraging advancements in miniaturization and power management.

Therefore, combining a handheld device (as generally taught by US5610971 A) with multiple known wireless transceiver technologies (cellular, 802.11, Bluetooth, IrDA, RFID), for the purpose of accessing multimedia data, would have been obvious to a PHOSITA seeking to meet the growing demand for versatile and feature-rich portable communication devices around the priority date of June 27, 2000.

Combination 2: Combination 1 (US5610971 A + General Knowledge of Multiple Wireless Standards) in view of General Knowledge of Modular Handheld Features (for Implied Independent Claim 2)

1. Base Device: The handheld multimedia device with multiple wireless transceivers as established in Combination 1.
2. Missing Elements from Claim 2 (Relative to Combination 1): The device further includes a touch-sensitive display, a cartridge reader, a GPS module, a mobile payment module, a security module, and a video camera.
3. Motivation to Combine (Rationale for obviousness):
   • Touch-sensitive Display: By 2000, touch-sensitive displays were a common feature in PDAs, providing an intuitive graphical user interface for interacting with data and applications [cite: Full patent text, BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION]. Displaying various types of multimedia data, including video, text, and maps, and accepting user input via touch was a well-established design choice for such devices.
   • Cartridge Reader: The use of removable cartridges (e.g., smart cards, memory cards) for expanding memory or adding functionality was known in portable electronics, including PDAs, to provide modularity and data exchange capabilities [cite: Full patent text, Definitions].
   • GPS Module: Dedicated GPS devices were available, and the concept of integrating GPS functionality into mobile phones and other handheld devices for location-based services and navigation (e.g., displaying maps) was an active area of development, driven by the desire for enhanced utility [cite: Full patent text, Definitions].
   • Mobile Payment Module: Although not yet widespread, the idea of using handheld devices for financial transactions (e.g., via bank accounts, credit cards, or prepaid services) was being explored [cite: Full patent text, Definitions]. A PHOSITA would have recognized the potential for integrating payment capabilities to enhance the commercial utility of a multi-functional wireless device.
   • Security Module: Security features, such as passcodes, passwords, and biometrics, were known and essential for protecting data and communications on any electronic device, especially those handling sensitive information like payment data or personal multimedia [cite: Full patent text, Definitions]. Implementing a security module would be a routine design choice.
   • Video Camera: Digital cameras were available, and the trend of integrating cameras into mobile phones for capturing and sharing images and video was beginning or imminent by 2000. A PHOSITA would have recognized the strong user demand for integrated imaging capabilities in multimedia-focused handheld devices [cite: Full patent text, Definitions].

A PHOSITA, faced with a known portable wireless device (from US5610971 A and general knowledge of multiple wireless standards), and motivated by the continuous market demand for increased functionality and convergence in handheld electronics, would have found it obvious to integrate these individually known features (touch-sensitive display, cartridge reader, GPS, mobile payment, security, and video camera) into the device. Each addition addressed a recognized need or offered a desirable enhancement, and the technical means for implementing these features, albeit in varying states of miniaturization, were generally known in the art.