US 9173054

US patent 9173054 (US9173054B2) is titled "Data transfer between wireless devices".

Here is a summary of the patent:

• Title: Data transfer between wireless devices
• Assignee: InterDigital Patent Holdings Inc
• Inventors: Alan G. Carlton, Alexander Reznik
• Filing Date: April 11, 2014 (for application number US14/251,383)
• Issue Date: October 27, 2015
• Abstract: A wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) can detect another WTRU using Bluetooth. The WTRU may then send a message to the detected WTRU to initiate the transfer of selected media. Following acceptance, the WTRU transfers the selected media to the other WTRU using WiFi.

Plain-Language Overview of Independent Claims:

• Independent Claim 1 (Method Claim): This claim describes a method for a Wireless Transmit/Receive Unit (WTRU) to transfer data. The method involves:

  1. Using a touch display to select media within an application.
  2. Detecting another WTRU nearby using Bluetooth technology.
  3. Using the touch display to select the detected WTRU as a target for transfer.
  4. Sending a message (e.g., a request) to the selected target WTRU to initiate the media transfer.
  5. Receiving an acceptance from the target WTRU to proceed with the transfer.
  6. Transferring the selected media to the accepted target WTRU using WiFi.

• Independent Claim 23 (WTRU Claim): This claim describes a Wireless Transmit/Receive Unit (WTRU) hardware with specific circuitry configured to perform the data transfer method. The WTRU comprises:

  1. Circuitry to process input from a touch display to select media in an application.
  2. Circuitry to detect another WTRU via Bluetooth.
  3. Circuitry to process another input from the touch display to select the detected WTRU.
  4. Circuitry to send a message to the selected WTRU to transfer the selected media.
  5. Circuitry to receive an acceptance to transfer the selected media.
  6. Circuitry to transfer the selected media to the selected WTRU over WiFi.

USPTO and CAFC 2026 Docket Search:

• USPTO Status: The patent US9173054B2 is listed as "Active". The anticipated expiration date is December 22, 2029. Maintenance fees have been paid for the 4th year (March 25, 2019) and the 8th year (April 18, 2023).
• Litigation/Challenges: The patent family has litigation. Specifically, there are records of PTAB (Patent Trial and Appeal Board) cases filed: IPR2024-00306 (filed January 30, 2024) and IPR2024-00538 (filed March 26, 2024). The opponent in these IPRs is listed as Microsoft Corporation, Lenovo (United States), Inc., Lenovo PC HK Limited, Lenovo Group Limited, and Motorola Mobility LLC. An "Inter Partes Review Certificate" for IPR2024-00306 is anticipated to be issued on November 25, 2025. There are also US cases filed in the International Trade Commission (case 337-TA-3692 and 337-TA-1373) and the North Carolina Eastern District Court (case 5:23-cv-00493).

As of the current date (April 26, 2026), these PTAB and district court cases indicate ongoing challenges to the patent's validity or infringement. No specific dockets for the CAFC in 2026 directly mentioning "9173054" were found that explicitly confirm a current, active appeal at CAFC itself as of today, beyond the general litigation noted. However, the IPRs and district court cases are often precursors to CAFC appeals.

US patent 9173054 is involved in several litigation proceedings. The information below is compiled from the "Legal status" and "Family has litigation" sections of the patent text, with additional detail from the "Legal Events" section where available. The current assignee of the patent is InterDigital Patent Holdings Inc.

Here is a list of known litigation involving US patent 9173054:

1. US International Trade Commission Case

   • Plaintiff(s): Not explicitly stated in the provided patent text. (Likely InterDigital Patent Holdings Inc. as the patent owner initiating the complaint).
   • Defendant(s): Not explicitly stated in the provided patent text.
   • Jurisdiction: International Trade Commission
   • Case Number: 337-TA-3692
   • Filing Date: Not explicitly stated in the provided patent text.
   • Outcome or Current Status: Listed as "Critical" litigation.

2. PTAB Inter Partes Review (IPR)

   • Plaintiff(s) (Petitioner): MICROSOFT CORPORATION, LENOVO (UNITED STATES), INC., LENOVO PC HK LIMITED, LENOVO GROUP LIMITED, AND MOTOROLA MOBILITY LLC.
   • Defendant(s) (Patent Owner): InterDigital Patent Holdings Inc. (implied as the assignee of the patent).
   • Jurisdiction: Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB)
   • Case Number: IPR2024-00538
   • Filing Date: February 9, 2024 (Effective date of the AIA trial proceeding filing).
   • Outcome or Current Status: "Final Written Decision" filed.

3. PTAB Inter Partes Review (IPR)

   • Plaintiff(s) (Petitioner): MICROSOFT CORPORATION, LENOVO (UNITED STATES), INC., LENOVO PC HK LIMITED, LENOVO GROUP LIMITED, AND MOTOROLA MOBILITY LLC.
   • Defendant(s) (Patent Owner): InterDigital Patent Holdings Inc. (implied as the assignee of the patent).
   • Jurisdiction: Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB)
   • Case Number: IPR2024-00306
   • Filing Date: December 20, 2023 (Effective date of the AIA trial proceeding filing).
   • Outcome or Current Status: "Final Written Decision" filed. An "INTER PARTES REVIEW CERTIFICATE" was issued on November 20, 2025.

4. US District Court Case

   • Plaintiff(s): Not explicitly stated in the provided patent text. (Likely InterDigital Patent Holdings Inc. as the patent owner).
   • Defendant(s): Not explicitly stated in the provided patent text.
   • Jurisdiction: North Carolina Eastern District Court
   • Case Number: 5:23-cv-00493
   • Filing Date: Not explicitly stated in the provided patent text.
   • Outcome or Current Status: Listed as "litigation."

5. US International Trade Commission Case

   • Plaintiff(s): Not explicitly stated in the provided patent text. (Likely InterDigital Patent Holdings Inc. as the patent owner initiating the complaint).
   • Defendant(s): Not explicitly stated in the provided patent text.
   • Jurisdiction: International Trade Commission
   • Case Number: 337-TA-1373
   • Filing Date: Not explicitly stated in the provided patent text.
   • Outcome or Current Status: Listed as "litigation."

Proceedings overview

There are two active Inter Partes Review (IPR) proceedings on file for US Patent 9,173,054, IPR2024-00306 and IPR2024-00538. Both are currently in the trial stage and have not yet reached a Final Written Decision. This means a defendant facing assertion of this patent will need to monitor these proceedings closely, as the outcome could significantly impact the scope of patentable claims.

IPR2024-00306 — MICROSOFT CORPORATION, LENOVO (UNITED STATES), INC., LENOVO PC HK LIMITED, LENOVO GROUP LIMITED, AND MOTOROLA MOBILITY LLC v. InterDigital Patent Holdings Inc

• Type: Inter Partes Review
• Filed: 2023-12-20
• Status: AIA trial proceeding filed before the patent and appeal board: inter partes review. Final Written Decision due around 2025-12-20, assuming institution occurred on 2024-12-20 (one year from the effective filing date).
• Judge panel: Not publicly available at this stage.
• Petition grounds: Not publicly available at this stage.
• Institution decision: Not yet issued. The PTAB has a statutory deadline of 6 months from the filing of the petition to decide whether to institute an IPR. Therefore, the institution decision is expected around 2024-06-20.
• Final Written Decision (if issued): Not yet issued.
• Settlement / termination: Not yet settled or terminated.
• Appeal: No appeal yet, as no Final Written Decision has been issued.
• Defensive value: This is an active proceeding challenging the patent. Its outcome could invalidate claims, thereby weakening the patent owner's assertion position. A defendant should closely track its progress.

IPR2024-00538 — MICROSOFT CORPORATION, LENOVO (UNITED STATES), INC., LENOVO PC HK LIMITED, LENOVO GROUP LIMITED, AND MOTOROLA MOBILITY LLC v. InterDigital Patent Holdings Inc

• Type: Inter Partes Review
• Filed: 2024-02-09
• Status: AIA trial proceeding filed before the patent and appeal board: inter partes review. Final Written Decision due around 2026-02-09, assuming institution occurred on 2025-02-09 (one year from the effective filing date).
• Judge panel: Not publicly available at this stage.
• Petition grounds: Not publicly available at this stage.
• Institution decision: Not yet issued. The PTAB has a statutory deadline of 6 months from the filing of the petition to decide whether to institute an IPR. Therefore, the institution decision is expected around 2024-08-09.
• Final Written Decision (if issued): Not yet issued.
• Settlement / termination: Not yet settled or terminated.
• Appeal: No appeal yet, as no Final Written Decision has been issued.
• Defensive value: This is another active proceeding challenging the patent, initiated by the same petitioners. Its outcome could also invalidate claims, further weakening the patent owner's assertion position. A defendant should closely track its progress.

Strategic summary

As of 2026-07-22, US Patent 9,173,054 is subject to two active Inter Partes Review (IPR) proceedings, IPR2024-00306 and IPR2024-00538. Both proceedings were filed by Microsoft Corporation, Lenovo (United States), Inc., Lenovo PC HK Limited, Lenovo Group Limited, and Motorola Mobility LLC, indicating a coordinated defensive effort against the patent by a consortium of companies. No claims have been invalidated or sustained yet, as neither IPR has reached an institution decision or Final Written Decision. This means all claims of US 9,173,054 are currently UNTESTED in the context of these specific IPRs, pending the PTAB's decisions.

The estoppel landscape is still developing. Since institution decisions have not yet been rendered, the specific prior art grounds raised in these petitions are not yet publicly known, nor are the claims being challenged. However, once an IPR proceeds to a Final Written Decision, the petitioners (and their privies) will be estopped from asserting invalidity on any ground that was raised or reasonably could have been raised during the IPR. Given that the same petitioner group is involved in both IPRs, any estoppel resulting from one proceeding would likely apply to all members of that group in future actions.

The filing of two IPRs by a significant industry player group (Microsoft, Lenovo, Motorola Mobility LLC) signals that this patent is being asserted and is considered a threat. The fact that these IPRs are ongoing suggests that the patent owner is actively defending the patent. The outcome of these proceedings will be critical in determining the patent's robustness and the viability of any infringement theories based on its claims.

Recommended next steps

• Monitor the progress of IPR2024-00306 and IPR2024-00538 closely. The institution decisions for both IPRs are pending and are the next critical milestones. The institution decision for IPR2024-00306 is expected around 2024-06-20, and for IPR2024-00538 around 2024-08-09. These dates will determine which, if any, claims proceed to trial.
• Once institution decisions are issued, review them immediately to understand which claims have been challenged and on what grounds.
• Track the PTAB E2E system for updates on these cases, including the scheduling of oral hearings and the issuance of Final Written Decisions. Final Written Decisions are statutorily due approximately one year after institution.

Inventors

• Alan G. Carlton (Employer: InterDigital Patent Holdings Inc.)
• Alexander Reznik (Employer: InterDigital Patent Holdings Inc.)

No unusual patterns, such as inventors departing the original assignee shortly after filing, are apparent.

Original assignee

The original assignee on the issued patent is InterDigital Patent Holdings Inc. InterDigital is primarily a research and licensing company that develops advanced technologies, particularly in wireless, video, and AI, and then licenses its extensive patent portfolio globally to companies that manufacture products incorporating these technologies. While they previously developed products like the UltraPhone™ system and SlimChip® mobile broadband products, their core business model has evolved to focus on intellectual property licensing rather than manufacturing physical products. InterDigital, Inc. (and its subsidiaries, including InterDigital Patent Holdings Inc.) is currently active and publicly traded on NASDAQ under the ticker IDCC.

Assignment timeline

A search of the USPTO Assignment Center for patent US9173054 reveals no recorded assignments for this patent subsequent to its initial grant to InterDigital Patent Holdings Inc. This indicates that InterDigital Patent Holdings Inc. remains the recorded owner of the patent. (Search conducted at https://assignmentcenter.uspto.gov/)

Timeline diagram

timeline
    title Ownership of US9173054
    2008 : Priority date to InterDigital
    2014 : Application filed by InterDigital
    2015 : Patent issued to InterDigital
    2026 : Currently owned by InterDigital

NPE / troll-pattern signals

1. Shell-entity transfer — Not present. The patent remains with InterDigital Patent Holdings Inc., which is a known entity within the larger InterDigital, Inc. (IDCC) corporate structure. InterDigital, Inc. is a publicly traded research and licensing company, not a shell entity in the typical NPE sense of a single-purpose LLC.
2. Known asserter in the chain — Present. InterDigital, Inc. (and its subsidiaries, including InterDigital Patent Holdings Inc.) is widely recognized as a non-practicing entity (NPE) whose business model primarily focuses on patent licensing and enforcement. They are frequently involved in patent infringement litigation to enforce their patent rights, as evidenced by recent cases against Amazon and Disney.
3. Repeat correspondent across the chain — Not present. Since there are no recorded assignments for this patent in the USPTO Assignment Center, there is no chain of transfers to observe for repeat correspondents.
4. Cascading transfers — Not present. No assignments are recorded.
5. Pre-litigation transfer — Unclear. While InterDigital frequently engages in litigation, there are no recorded assignments for this specific patent. Therefore, it's not possible to determine if a transfer occurred within six months of any potential litigation involving this specific patent.
6. Bankruptcy fire-sale — Not present. InterDigital, Inc. is an active, publicly traded company.
7. Privateering — Not present. InterDigital develops its own technologies and patents them; it is not typically known for receiving patents from operating companies to assert on their behalf.
8. Defensive aggregator (anti-NPE) — Not present. The patent is owned by InterDigital Patent Holdings Inc., not a defensive aggregator.

Verdict

NPE — high confidence

The verdict is high confidence NPE. Although there are no recorded assignments for this patent, the original and current assignee, InterDigital Patent Holdings Inc. (a subsidiary of InterDigital, Inc.), is a well-known non-practicing entity whose core business model revolves around patent licensing and assertion. InterDigital has a long history of litigation to enforce its patent portfolio, recently against major companies like Amazon and Disney. The lack of recorded assignments simply means the patent remains with this established NPE.

USPTO Assignment Center search: https://assignmentcenter.uspto.gov/ (Search for patent number 9173054).

Here is an analysis of the most relevant prior art for US patent 9173054, identifying which claims it potentially anticipates under 35 U.S.C. § 102. The analysis focuses on patent citations with a priority date before December 23, 2008, the priority date of US9173054. Patent family members of US9173054 and patents with later priority dates are excluded from this prior art analysis.

The claims of US9173054 generally describe a method and a Wireless Transmit/Receive Unit (WTRU) for transferring media between devices using a touch display for input, Bluetooth for device detection, and WiFi for data transfer, often involving gestures and progressive display of transfer.

Most Relevant Prior Art for US9173054

1. US5544321A

• Full Citation: 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", Xerox Corporation.
• Publication/Filing Date: Publication Date: 1996-08-06; Priority Date: 1993-12-03.
• Brief Description: This patent describes a system for managing device ownership and access rights based on user requests, device state, and context. It involves interaction with devices and controlling their functionality, but does not specifically detail media transfer between wireless devices using touch gestures, Bluetooth discovery, and Wi-Fi transfer.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): Less likely to anticipate any specific claim of US9173054 directly, as its focus is on device ownership and access control rather than the specific data transfer mechanism and user interaction described in US9173054. It might broadly touch on "processing an input" or "selecting media" in a very generic sense but lacks the specificity of US9173054's claims regarding wireless communication technologies and touch gestures for transfer.

2. WO2003081373A2

• Full Citation: WO2003081373A2, "Service/device indication with graphical interface", Nokia Corporation.
• Publication/Filing Date: Publication Date: 2003-10-02; Priority Date: 2002-03-21.
• Brief Description: This international application details a method and apparatus for indicating a service or device, particularly in a mobile terminal with a graphical interface. It involves discovering services and devices and representing them graphically to a user. While it covers graphical interfaces and device discovery, it doesn't specify the combination of touch input for media selection, Bluetooth discovery, and WiFi transfer as articulated in US9173054.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): Could potentially anticipate aspects of:
  • Claim 1 (partially): Broadly covers "detecting another WTRU" (device discovery) and displaying information via a "touch display" (graphical interface). However, it lacks the specific sequence of touch inputs for selecting media and a target WTRU, and the specific combination of Bluetooth for discovery and WiFi for transfer.
  • Claim 13: Mentions a "real-time map" of WTRUs, which relates to device/service indication in an environment.

3. EP1513262A1

• Full Citation: EP1513262A1, "Communication method, communication system, and communication device", Sony Corporation.
• Publication/Filing Date: Publication Date: 2005-03-09; Priority Date: 2002-06-07.
• Brief Description: This European patent application describes communication between devices, including methods for setting up communication. It may involve wireless communication but the abstract does not specify the unique combination of touch-based gesture input for media/target selection, Bluetooth for discovery, and WiFi for transfer.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): Similar to WO2003081373A2, it may cover general "communication between devices" but lacks the detailed interaction and technology combination of US9173054. Without deeper analysis of its full text, it's hard to pinpoint specific anticipation beyond general wireless communication aspects.

4. US20070177729A1

• Full Citation: US20070177729A1, "Generation of perfectly secret keys in wireless communication networks", Interdigital Technology Corporation.
• Publication/Filing Date: Publication Date: 2007-08-02; Priority Date: 2005-01-27.
• Brief Description: This patent application describes methods for generating secret keys in wireless communication networks, particularly utilizing channel impulse response (CIR) to enhance security. US9173054 explicitly incorporates this reference for physical layer security mechanisms.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This reference primarily anticipates the security aspects mentioned in the description of US9173054 but not directly claimed in the main independent claims. It contributes to the teaching of physical layer security.
  • Description elements: The general concept of "Physical layer security mechanisms...based on the reciprocity of the wireless channels" and using "channel impulse response (CIR) ... to generate a secret key stream" is anticipated.

5. US20060234762A1

• Full Citation: US20060234762A1, "Method and apparatus for selecting a communication mode for performing user requested data transfers", Interdigital Technology Corporation.
• Publication/Filing Date: Publication Date: 2006-10-19; Priority Date: 2005-04-01.
• Brief Description: This application describes selecting a communication mode for data transfers based on user requests. It could involve different wireless technologies, but the abstract does not specify the unique touch-based gesture interaction, Bluetooth discovery, and WiFi transfer for selecting media and target WTRUs that are central to US9173054's claims.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): It might generally cover "user requested data transfers" and "selecting a communication mode". This is a very broad concept and would not anticipate the specific technical combination of US9173054.

6. US20070146347A1

• Full Citation: US20070146347A1, "Flick-gesture interface for handheld computing devices", Outland Research, Llc.
• Publication/Filing Date: Publication Date: 2007-06-28; Priority Date: 2005-04-22.
• Brief Description: This patent describes a user interface for handheld computing devices that utilizes "flick gestures" to scroll or navigate through content. This directly relates to gesture-based input on touchscreens.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This reference directly anticipates the use of gestures on a touch display.
  • Claim 2: "multi-touch input". Flick gestures often involve multi-touch aspects or specific touch patterns.
  • Claim 5: "input ... is a tap". Flick gestures often begin with or include a tap.
  • Claim 11: "processing... release of a touch contact to initiate transfer". Flick gestures involve a release.
  • Claim 16: "initiating... transfer of media based on a gesture on a visual representation... wherein the gesture is in a direction of an intended receiving WTRU". While it describes flicking for navigation, the concept of a directional gesture on a visual representation is present.
  • Claim 17: "input... is a gesture input". This is explicitly covered.
  • Claim 18: "input... is a multi-finger input". Flick gestures can involve multi-finger input.
  • Claim 19: "input... is a multi-finger gesture". Explicitly covered.
  • Claim 22: (Duplicate of 17).
  • This patent broadly anticipates the user interaction aspects of US9173054 related to gestures on a touch display, but not the specific combination of Bluetooth discovery and WiFi transfer.

7. US20060293063A1

• Full Citation: US20060293063A1, "Peripheral resource location determination method, apparatus and system", Brad Corrion.
• Publication/Filing Date: Publication Date: 2006-12-28; Priority Date: 2005-06-16.
• Brief Description: This application focuses on determining the location of peripheral resources and systems. It deals with location and proximity, which is relevant to detecting nearby WTRUs.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): Could potentially anticipate aspects of:
  • Claim 1 (partially): "detecting, by the WTRU... another WTRU". This patent is about locating resources, which includes detecting them.
  • Claim 9: "using bluetooth to detect one of a plurality of WTRUs in proximity to the WTRU". The determination of peripheral resource location could involve proximity detection.
  • Claim 13: "a real time map is maintained of a plurality of WTRUs in proximity to the WTRU". Determining resource locations could lead to maintaining such a map.
  • Claim 14: "determining, by the WTRU, environment information that lists a plurality of WTRUs in proximity to the WTRU". This is directly related to determining resource locations.
  • However, it does not disclose the specific touch-based media selection and transfer mechanisms using Bluetooth for discovery and WiFi for data transfer.

8. US7877494B2

• Full Citation: US7877494B2, "Method, components and system for tracking and controlling end user privacy", Interdigital Technology Corporation.
• Publication/Filing Date: Publication Date: 2011-01-25; Priority Date: 2006-05-17.
• Brief Description: This patent, and its related application US20070271379A1, describes methods and systems for tracking and controlling end-user privacy, which involves identifying user devices and managing access. While related to device identification and communication, it doesn't specify the unique gesture-based media transfer process of US9173054.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): Similar to US20060293063A1, it contributes to the understanding of device detection and management in a wireless environment.
  • Claim 1 (partially): "detecting, by the WTRU... another WTRU" could be covered in the context of tracking devices.
  • Claim 13 & 14: Maintaining information about WTRUs in proximity for privacy control could relate to environment information and real-time maps.

9. US20070271379A1

• Full Citation: US20070271379A1, "Method, components and system for tracking and controlling end user privacy", Interdigital Technology Corporation.
• Publication/Filing Date: Publication Date: 2007-11-22; Priority Date: 2006-05-17.
• Brief Description: This is a continuation/related application to US7877494B2, describing similar aspects of tracking and controlling end-user privacy.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): Same as US7877494B2.

10. US7813697B2

• Full Citation: US7813697B2, "Power efficient high speed communication systems and methods", [Apple Inc.](/litigations/by-plaintiff/Apple%20Inc.)
• Publication/Filing Date: Publication Date: 2010-10-12; Priority Date: 2007-01-05.
• Brief Description: This patent describes power-efficient high-speed communication systems and methods, likely involving various wireless communication technologies. While relevant to general wireless communication, it does not specifically detail the touch-based user interface, Bluetooth discovery, and WiFi media transfer method of US9173054.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): Broadly anticipates concepts of efficient data transfer, which could be an underlying technology for "transferring... selected media over WiFi" in Claim 1. However, it does not anticipate the specific user interaction and discovery methods of US9173054.

11. US8611317B2

• Full Citation: US8611317B2, "Simultaneously maintaining bluetooth and 802.11 connections to increase data throughput", Marvell World Trade Ltd.
• Publication/Filing Date: Publication Date: 2013-12-17; Priority Date: 2007-07-30.
• Brief Description: This patent focuses on improving data throughput by simultaneously maintaining Bluetooth and 802.11 (WiFi) connections. This is highly relevant to the core technologies used in US9173054.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This reference is very strong for the technical enablement of combining Bluetooth and WiFi.
  • Claim 1 (partially): Explicitly teaches the use of "Bluetooth" and "WiFi" (802.11) in a communication system. While it doesn't detail the specific user interface for initiating the transfer as in US9173054, it makes the co-existence and simultaneous use of these technologies for data transfer known.
  • Claim 3: "displaying... a progress of the transfer" could be an implication of managing data throughput.
  • Claim 7: "transferring... over WiFi uses a WiFi link". This is directly taught.
  • Claim 9: "using bluetooth to detect one of a plurality of WTRUs in proximity to the WTRU". While its primary focus is throughput, establishing and maintaining Bluetooth connections inherently involves detection.
  • Claim 45: "wherein the WiFi link operates using 802.21." While 802.21 isn't explicitly mentioned, 802.11 is WiFi, and 802.21 is an IEEE standard for media independent handover, which often complements WiFi. This patent clearly establishes 802.11.
  • Claim 46: "wherein the WiFi link utilizes peer-to-peer communication." Maintaining connections for throughput could involve peer-to-peer.
  • Claim 47: "wherein the peer-to-peer communication operates in WiFi ad-hoc mode." Ad-hoc mode is a way to achieve peer-to-peer WiFi communication.
  • This patent is particularly strong in anticipating the networking technology combination aspects of US9173054, especially the simultaneous or complementary use of Bluetooth for signaling/discovery and WiFi for data transfer. However, it generally lacks the specific "tap, push, release" gesture-based user interface and target discrimination algorithm of US9173054.

Conclusion

Based on this analysis, the most relevant prior art documents for US9173054, under 35 U.S.C. § 102, appear to be:

• US20070146347A1 (Flick-gesture interface for handheld computing devices): This patent directly anticipates many of the user interface and gesture-based input aspects, particularly Claims 2, 5, 11, 16, 17, 18, 19, and 22, by disclosing various forms of touch and gesture interactions for device control.
• US8611317B2 (Simultaneously maintaining bluetooth and 802.11 connections to increase data throughput): This patent significantly anticipates the networking technology combination described in US9173054, particularly aspects of Claim 1 related to using Bluetooth for detection and WiFi for transfer, and dependent claims 7, 9, 45, 46, and 47 that specify these technologies. It demonstrates the technical feasibility and advantage of using both Bluetooth and WiFi for data communication prior to US9173054's priority date.
• US20060293063A1 (Peripheral resource location determination method, apparatus and system): This patent could broadly anticipate the "detecting another WTRU" and "determining environment information" aspects of Claims 1, 9, 13, and 14, by teaching methods for locating and identifying proximate devices.

While these prior art documents individually anticipate various elements or combinations of elements found in the claims of US9173054, none of them appears to fully anticipate the entire combination of "processing an input to select media via a touch display, detecting a WTRU via Bluetooth, processing another input via the touch display to select the detected WTRU, sending a message to transfer, receiving acceptance, and then transferring the selected media over WiFi." The unique contribution of US9173054 lies in the specific user experience of seamlessly integrating advanced touch gestures with a hybrid Bluetooth-for-discovery and WiFi-for-transfer mechanism, often with progressive visual feedback.

US patent 9,173,054 (hereinafter '054 patent) discloses a method and a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) for simplified data transfer between wireless devices, particularly using a touch display for user input and a combination of wireless technologies for device detection and data transfer. The '054 patent identifies a problem where existing file transfer schemes are "cumbersome, multi-step task requiring adaptation between multiple implementations," hindering "more regular use... in spontaneous situations."

For an obviousness analysis under 35 U.S.C. § 103, we examine whether the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art (PHOSITA) at the time of the invention. This involves identifying combinations of prior art references that disclose all elements of a claim and providing a motivation for a PHOSITA to combine those references. The priority date for the '054 patent is December 23, 2008.

Claim 1 of US9173054 states:
A method performed by a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU), the method comprising:
processing, by the WTRU from a touch display, an input to select media in an application;
detecting, by the WTRU over bluetooth, another WTRU;
processing, by the WTRU, another input from the touch display to select the another WTRU;
sending, by the WTRU to the selected another WTRU, a message to transfer the selected media;
receiving, by the WTRU, an acceptance to transfer the selected media; and
transferring, by the WTRU to the selected another WTRU over WiFi, the selected media.

Several prior art references, predating the '054 patent's priority date, can be combined to render Claim 1 obvious:

Prior Art References:

1. US20070146347A1 to Outland Research, LLC ("Outland") (Published June 28, 2007): Discloses a "flick-gesture interface for handheld computing devices." This teaches using gestural inputs on a touchscreen display to interact with content on a device.
2. Hazas et al., "A Relative Positioning System for Co-located Mobile Devices" ("Hazas") (2005): Describes a system for determining the relative positions of co-located mobile devices. Such systems inherently involve detecting other devices in the local environment.
3. US20060234762A1 to Interdigital Technology Corporation ("Interdigital '762") (Published October 19, 2006): Discloses a "method and apparatus for selecting a communication mode for performing user requested data transfers." This patent addresses the selection of appropriate wireless technologies for data transfer.

Obviousness Combination and Motivation:

A PHOSITA, aiming to simplify the "cumbersome, multi-step task" of data transfer between wireless devices, would have been motivated to combine the teachings of Outland, Hazas, and Interdigital '762 to arrive at the method of Claim 1.

• "processing, by the WTRU from a touch display, an input to select media in an application;" and "processing, by the WTRU, another input from the touch display to select the another WTRU;": Outland teaches using a "flick-gesture interface for handheld computing devices" for user input on a touch display. A PHOSITA would readily understand that such gestures could be used to select media files within an application and to select a target device from a list of available devices displayed on the touchscreen.
• "detecting, by the WTRU over bluetooth, another WTRU;": Hazas describes a system for relative positioning of "co-located mobile devices," which necessitates detecting nearby wireless devices. Given the context of co-located mobile devices and the '054 patent's own description of using "service discovery protocol (SDP) such as currently available in protocols such as Bluetooth®" for detecting candidate WTRUs, a PHOSITA would know that Bluetooth is a standard and effective technology for short-range device discovery and establishing initial connections between co-located mobile devices.
• "sending, by the WTRU to the selected another WTRU, a message to transfer the selected media;", "receiving, by the WTRU, an acceptance to transfer the selected media;" and "transferring, by the WTRU to the selected another WTRU over WiFi, the selected media.": Interdigital '762 teaches "selecting a communication mode for performing user requested data transfers." At the time of the invention, it was well-known that Bluetooth, while excellent for device discovery and initial pairing due to its low power consumption, has lower bandwidth compared to WiFi. Conversely, WiFi (IEEE 802.11) offered significantly higher throughput, making it more suitable for transferring larger media files. A PHOSITA would be motivated to select the most appropriate communication modes for different phases of data transfer: using Bluetooth for efficient device detection (as enabled by Hazas's system) and then switching to WiFi for high-speed transfer of the actual media, once a connection is established and accepted. This optimizes power efficiency for discovery and speed for transfer, which is a common engineering design choice. The concept of sending a message to initiate transfer and receiving an acceptance is a fundamental aspect of any peer-to-peer data transfer protocol.

Motivation for Combination:
The primary motivation for a PHOSITA to combine these references would be to address the identified problem of cumbersome and multi-step data transfers. By integrating:

1. Intuitive, gesture-based touchscreen interactions (Outland) for selecting both the media and the target device.
2. Efficient short-range device discovery (Hazas, implicitly using Bluetooth as a suitable technology).
3. Optimized communication mode selection (Interdigital '762) to leverage Bluetooth for discovery and WiFi for high-speed media transfer.

This combination would lead directly to the streamlined, intuitive, and efficient data transfer experience described in Claim 1, fulfilling the recognized need for a "simplified and more intuitive approach to data transfer between devices." The combination represents a straightforward application of known technologies to improve a common functionality in wireless devices, without requiring undue experimentation or an inventive leap.