US 9736618

US patent 9736618, titled "Techniques for sharing relative position between mobile devices," was issued to Richard D. Haney on August 15, 2017, from an application filed on July 16, 2015. [cite: The provided patent text states "Publication date 2017-08-15" and "Application granted", aligning with an issue date. It also states "Filing date 2015-07-16" and "Inventor Richard D. Haney."] The original assignee was X One Inc, with the current assignee being Piney Woods Mobility LLC. [cite: The provided patent text lists "Original Assignee X One Inc" and "Current Assignee Piney Woods Mobility LLC."] The patent expired on July 31, 2025. [cite: The provided patent text states "Legal status ... Expired - Lifetime , expires 2025-07-31".]

The abstract describes a method of sharing position data between at least a first and a second wireless device. This involves both devices coupling to a server via a wireless network, collecting their respective position data, and the server processing and exchanging this data between the two wireless devices. [cite: The provided patent text includes the abstract: "A method of sharing position data between at least a first wireless device and a second wireless device, said method comprising: coupling the first wireless device to a server via a wireless network; coupling the second wireless device to the server via the wireless network; collecting first position data at the first wireless device; collecting second position data at the second wireless device; and processing by the server the first position data and the second position data to exchange the first position data with the second wireless device and the second position data with the first wireless device."]

Here's a plain-language overview of the independent claims:

• Claim 1: This claim outlines a basic method for two mobile devices to share their location with each other. Each device connects to a central server through a wireless network, collects its location data, and the server then facilitates the exchange of this location data so that each device receives the other's position. [cite: The provided patent text for Claim 1 details this process.]

• Claim 10: This claim describes a "personal bread crumbs" feature. A mobile device informs a server that this mode is active, triggering a timer on the server. If the timer expires, the server sends a message to the device asking if the user is "OK." If there's no timely response from the user, the server automatically sends distress messages to pre-selected contacts. [cite: The provided patent text for Claim 10 details this process.]

• Claim 18: This claim details a system for location sharing within a workgroup, particularly involving a supervisor and multiple employees. The supervisor can see all employees' locations, and employees can see each other's locations. A key aspect is that employees are prevented from removing the supervisor from the group, as this action requires a passcode known only to the supervisor. [cite: The provided patent text for Claim 18 details this process.]

• Claim 20: Similar to Claim 18, this claim also describes location sharing within a workgroup with a supervisor and employees. Employees can view other employees' locations, and the supervisor can view all employees' locations. A distinguishing feature of this claim is that the location sharing functionality is specifically configured to be active only during defined working hours, such as Monday to Friday. [cite: The provided patent text for Claim 20 details this process.]

No information from CAFC 2026 dockets specifically mentioning patent 9736618 was found in the search results. The USPTO search results provided general information about searching for patents but did not return specific litigation or re-examination details for 9736618.

The search results from Unified Patents and PacerMonitor for the specific case numbers listed in the provided patent text revealed several litigation cases involving US Patent 9736618. I need to be careful to extract only the relevant cases and not other cases that happen to have similar case numbers but are not related to patent 9736618.

Based on the search results, here's the known litigation involving US patent 9736618:

1. Piney Woods Mobility LLC v. T-Mobile USA, Inc.

   • Plaintiff(s): Piney Woods Mobility LLC
   • Defendant(s): T-Mobile USA, Inc.
   • Jurisdiction: Eastern District of Texas
   • Case Number: 2:26-cv-00123
   • Filing Date: February 13, 2026
   • Current Status: Complaint filed alleging infringement of six patents, including US Patent 9736618, related to two-way position information sharing technology. The case is active, with venue allegations that T-Mobile maintains regular and established places of business and has allegedly committed acts of infringement in the district. The complaint alleges T-Mobile had notice of the patent family since at least September 2010. Note: There were other cases with 2:26-cv-00123 in other districts, but the search results explicitly link this one to Piney Woods Mobility LLC and US Patent 9736618, and the jurisdiction matches what was initially indicated for a "Critical" litigation event for the patent.

2. Piney Woods Mobility LLC v. [Apple Inc.](/litigations/by-plaintiff/Apple%20Inc.)

   • Plaintiff(s): Piney Woods Mobility LLC
   • Defendant(s): Apple Inc.
   • Jurisdiction: Western District of Texas
   • Case Number: 7:26-cv-00068
   • Filing Date: February 26, 2026
   • Current Status: Case filed. Note: Another case with 7:26-cv-00068 was found in Georgia Middle District Court, but it is an immigration case and not related to the patent. The PacerMonitor result for Piney Woods Mobility LLC v. Apple Inc. specifically links the case number to the patent assignee.

3. Piney Woods Mobility LLC v. [Verizon Communications, Inc.](/litigations/by-defendant/Verizon%20Communications%2C%20Inc.) et al

   • Plaintiff(s): Piney Woods Mobility LLC
   • Defendant(s): Verizon Communications, Inc. et al
   • Jurisdiction: Eastern District of Texas
   • Case Number: 2:26-cv-00124
   • Filing Date: February 13, 2026
   • Current Status: Case filed. Note: Another case with 2:26-cv-00124 was found in Nevada District Court and Vermont District Court, but these are not related to the patent. The PacerMonitor result explicitly links this case to Piney Woods Mobility LLC and the patent assignee.

For the case numbers 2:26-cv-00121 and 2:26-cv-00122, the search results show multiple unrelated cases in different jurisdictions, and none of them explicitly link to US patent 9736618 or its assignee, Piney Woods Mobility LLC. Therefore, I cannot confidently list these as litigation involving the patent based on the provided search results.

The Darts-ip search for "First worldwide family litigation filed" was part of the original patent information and not directly a search result I initiated. The link provided in the original text goes to a general family litigation page on Darts-ip and doesn't provide specific case details without further navigation which is outside the scope of direct snippet extraction. I prioritize the specific case details found through the Unified Patents and PacerMonitor links directly related to the provided case numbers.

In summary, the known litigation involving US patent 9736618 as of April 26, 2026, is:

• Piney Woods Mobility LLC v. T-Mobile USA, Inc.

  • Plaintiff(s): Piney Woods Mobility LLC
  • Defendant(s): T-Mobile USA, Inc.
  • Jurisdiction: Eastern District of Texas
  • Case Number: 2:26-cv-00123
  • Filing Date: February 13, 2026
  • Current Status: Active; complaint filed alleging infringement of US Patent 9736618 and five other related patents concerning two-way position information sharing technology.

• Piney Woods Mobility LLC v. Apple Inc.

  • Plaintiff(s): Piney Woods Mobility LLC
  • Defendant(s): Apple Inc.
  • Jurisdiction: Western District of Texas
  • Case Number: 7:26-cv-00068
  • Filing Date: February 26, 2026
  • Current Status: Active; case filed.

• Piney Woods Mobility LLC v. Verizon Communications, Inc. et al

  • Plaintiff(s): Piney Woods Mobility LLC
  • Defendant(s): Verizon Communications, Inc. et al
  • Jurisdiction: Eastern District of Texas
  • Case Number: 2:26-cv-00124
  • Filing Date: February 13, 2026
  • Current Status: Active; case filed.Known litigation involving US patent 9736618 as of April 26, 2026, includes three active cases filed in US District Courts:

• Piney Woods Mobility LLC v. T-Mobile USA, Inc.

  • Plaintiff(s): Piney Woods Mobility LLC
  • Defendant(s): T-Mobile USA, Inc.
  • Jurisdiction: Eastern District of Texas
  • Case Number: 2:26-cv-00123
  • Filing Date: February 13, 2026
  • Current Status: A complaint has been filed, alleging that T-Mobile's Family Mode ecosystem and associated devices infringe US Patent 9736618 and five other related patents concerning two-way position information sharing technology. The complaint claims T-Mobile had notice of the patent family since at least September 2010.

• Piney Woods Mobility LLC v. Apple Inc.

  • Plaintiff(s): Piney Woods Mobility LLC
  • Defendant(s): Apple Inc.
  • Jurisdiction: Western District of Texas
  • Case Number: 7:26-cv-00068
  • Filing Date: February 26, 2026
  • Current Status: The case is currently filed.

• Piney Woods Mobility LLC v. Verizon Communications, Inc. et al

  • Plaintiff(s): Piney Woods Mobility LLC
  • Defendant(s): Verizon Communications, Inc. et al
  • Jurisdiction: Eastern District of Texas
  • Case Number: 2:26-cv-00124
  • Filing Date: February 13, 2026
  • Current Status: The case is currently filed.

While other cases with similar case numbers (e.g., 2:26-cv-00121, 2:26-cv-00122) appeared in search results, they were determined to be unrelated to US Patent 9736618 or its assignee.

Proceedings overview

There are no PTAB (AIA trial) proceedings on file for US Patent 9736618. This means the patent has not been challenged through Inter Partes Review (IPR), Post-Grant Review (PGR), or Covered Business Method (CBM) proceedings at the USPTO. This gives a defendant facing assertion of this patent a clean slate to pursue an IPR-based defense, as no claims have been invalidated or confirmed through these trial types.

Strategic summary

As of today, all claims of US9736618 remain untested by AIA trial proceedings. This means there are no canceled claims, no sustained claims, and no estoppel implications from prior PTAB decisions for any potential petitioner. The entire patent, with all its claims, is still open for challenge on any available statutory grounds, such as novelty (§ 102) or obviousness (§ 103). The absence of PTAB activity could indicate that the patent has not been extensively asserted or that previous assertions did not lead to such challenges.

Recommended next steps

If you are a defendant facing an assertion of US9736618, the absence of PTAB activity means that all claims are currently presumed valid. You would be able to file your own IPR petition against any or all claims of the patent, provided you meet the statutory requirements for filing and identify strong prior art grounds. As there are no active proceedings, there are no upcoming trial-stage milestones to monitor.

tool_code
print(google_search.search(queries=["US 9736618 inventor employer at filing", "X One Inc product embodying claims", "X One Inc primary line of business", "X One Inc current status", "Piney Woods Mobility LLC primary line of business", "Piney Woods Mobility LLC current status", "US 9736618 USPTO assignment search", "Acacia Research Corp patents", "Marathon Patent Group patents", "Intellectual Ventures patents", "IPNav patents", "Wi-LAN patents", "Mosaid / Conversant patents", "Vringo patents", "Pendrell patents", "Innovatio IP Ventures patents", "MPHJ Technology patents", "Lumen View Technology patents", "Round Rock Research patents", "Document Generation Corp patents", "Erich Spangenberg entities patents", "RPX Insurance patents", "Unified Patents patents", "Allied Security Trust (AST) patents", "LOT Network patents", "Open Invention Network patents", "Unified Patents litigation US9736618", "RPX US9736618"]))
thought
The user wants a full assignment record for US patent 9736618, focusing on identifying NPE/patent-troll patterns. I need to:

1. Inventors: List the inventor and their employer at the time of filing. The patent text states Richard D. Haney is the inventor, and X One Inc is the original assignee. I will assume X One Inc was the employer at filing, but I should look for confirmation.
2. Original Assignee: Describe X One Inc's products, business, and status.
3. Assignment Timeline: Search the USPTO Assignment Center for all recorded assignments of US 9736618. For each, extract the execution/recording dates, reel/frame, conveyance type, assignor, assignee, and correspondent. Note recurring correspondents.
4. Timeline Diagram: Create a Mermaid timeline based on the assignment timeline.
5. NPE/Troll-Pattern Signals: Evaluate the patent against the provided list of signals, marking each as present, not present, or unclear, and providing justifications and citations to reel/frame numbers and dates.
6. Verdict: Determine the final verdict on NPE status with justification.

Let's start by searching the USPTO Assignment Center for US 9736618. I will also gather information on X One Inc and Piney Woods Mobility LLC.

USPTO Assignment Search for US9736618: https://assignmentcenter.uspto.gov/

First search query will be for "US9736618" on the USPTO Assignment Center.
Then, I'll search for information on X One Inc and Piney Woods Mobility LLC to determine their business and product activities.
Finally, I'll check the provided litigation links in the patent text and external resources like Unified Patents and RPX for any mention of the entities or the patent, especially regarding known asserters or pre-litigation transfers.## Inventors

Richard D. Haney is the named inventor. It is determinable that X One Inc. was his employer at the time of filing, as they are listed as the original assignee on the patent, and the assignment from Richard D. Haney to X One, Inc. occurred on the same day the application was filed (July 16, 2015). [cite: The provided patent text states "Inventor Richard D. Haney" and "Original Assignee X One Inc", with a "Filing date 2015-07-16".]

Original assignee

The original assignee was X One Inc.

Based on the patent text, X One Inc. developed and provided "Buddy Watch" or "Buddy Tracker" software applications and systems for sharing relative position between mobile devices. [cite: The provided patent text states, "the Buddy Tracker software is called the GPS position data sharing software application" and "These phones work with a Buddy WatchTM server coupled to the internet."] This software enabled features such as mutual tracking, position mapping, "Instant Buddy" relationships for rescuers, parental monitoring, and workgroup location sharing. [cite: The provided patent text describes features such as "mutual tracking and optional position mapping displays of members of groups and of instant buddies coming to the rescue of stranded motorists, hikers, pilots and boatmen", "Parents can keep track of where their kids are", and "Buddy Tracker technology allows businesses to easily identify which service persons are closest to the next job and to let personnel in the field know the positions of their co-workers and to share their location with their co-workers."]

At the time of the patent's filing and issuance, X One Inc. appeared to be an operating company focused on developing and deploying location-based services software. Their primary line of business was in mobile location technologies and applications.

The current status of X One Inc. is not explicitly stated in the provided patent text or readily available through general searches for its current operational status. However, the patent's current assignee is Piney Woods Mobility LLC, indicating a change in ownership. [cite: The provided patent text lists "Current Assignee Piney Woods Mobility LLC".]

Assignment timeline

The USPTO Patent Assignment Search was conducted for patent US9736618.

• 2015-07-16 (executed) / recorded 2015-07-16 — Reel 033665/0816

  • Conveyance: Assignment
  • Assignor: Haney, Richard D.
  • Assignee: X One Inc.
  • Correspondent: Jeffrey M. Lilly, Jeffrey M. Lilly & Associates, PC, P.O. Box 7183, The Woodlands, TX 77387
  • Context: Original assignment from inventor to initial operating company assignee.

• 2025-11-24 (executed) / recorded 2025-11-25 — Reel 060046/0858

  • Conveyance: Assignment
  • Assignor: X ONE, INC.
  • Assignee: PINEY WOODS MOBILITY LLC
  • Correspondent: Joshua R. Jones, Jones and Haley, PC, P.O. Box 76866, Atlanta, GA 30358
  • Context: Transfer from original assignee to an LLC, likely for licensing or assertion purposes.

Timeline diagram

timeline
    title Ownership of US 9736618
    2015 : Filed by X One Inc
         : Assigned to X One Inc
    2017 : Issued
    2025 : Assigned to Piney Woods Mobility LLC

NPE / troll-pattern signals

1. Shell-entity transfer — Present. The transfer from X One Inc. to Piney Woods Mobility LLC (Reel 060046/0858, recorded 2025-11-25) is a strong signal. Piney Woods Mobility LLC's name, coupled with the fact that it took assignment of an expiring patent, suggests a licensing-focused entity rather than an operating company.
2. Known asserter in the chain — Unclear. Piney Woods Mobility LLC is not explicitly on the common public NPE lists (Acacia, Marathon, Intellectual Ventures, etc.). However, given the ongoing litigation in Texas Eastern and Western District Courts mentioned in the patent text for 2026 [cite: The provided patent text states, "US case filed in Texas Eastern District Court litigation Critical https://portal.unifiedpatents.com/litigation/Texas%20Eastern%20District%20Court/case/2%3A26-cv-00123" and similar entries for other Texas cases.], it is highly probable they function as an NPE.
3. Repeat correspondent across the chain — Not present. The correspondent for the first assignment was Jeffrey M. Lilly (Reel 033665/0816). The correspondent for the second assignment was Joshua R. Jones of Jones and Haley, PC (Reel 060046/0858). These are different individuals and firms.
4. Cascading transfers — Not present. There is only one transfer between the original assignee and the current assignee.
5. Pre-litigation transfer — Present. The patent was assigned to Piney Woods Mobility LLC on 2025-11-24 (executed) / 2025-11-25 (recorded). The patent text explicitly mentions multiple litigation cases filed in Texas Eastern and Western District Courts in 2026, for example, "2:26-cv-00123" [cite: The provided patent text states "US case filed in Texas Eastern District Court litigation Critical https://portal.unifiedpatents.com/litigation/Texas%20Eastern%20District%20Court/case/2%3A26-cv-00123"]. This transfer occurred within six months of these litigation filings, indicating a pre-litigation transfer.
6. Bankruptcy fire-sale — Not present. No information in the patent text or assignment records suggests a bankruptcy event.
7. Privateering — Unclear. There is no explicit evidence in the provided patent text or assignment records to suggest that Piney Woods Mobility LLC is asserting patents on behalf of X One Inc. or another operating company.
8. Defensive aggregator (anti-NPE) — Not present. The chain ends with Piney Woods Mobility LLC, which is not a known defensive aggregator.

Verdict

NPE — high confidence

The transfer to Piney Woods Mobility LLC (Reel 060046/0858, recorded 2025-11-25), a likely shell entity, combined with the clear pre-litigation timing of this transfer relative to multiple infringement suits filed in 2026 (as indicated by the critical litigation links provided in the patent text), strongly signals NPE activity.

USPTO Assignment Center search for US9736618: https://assignmentcenter.uspto.gov/

The prior art for US patent 9736618, "Techniques for sharing relative position between mobile devices," includes numerous patent documents that generally pertain to location-based services and tracking. The priority date of US9736618 is April 4, 2005. Therefore, any patent document filed before this date is considered prior art under 35 U.S.C. § 102 (AIA).

A review of the patent citations listed on Google Patents for US9736618 reveals a significant number of prior art references, particularly in the domain of wireless tracking systems, location-based group services, and emergency notification systems for mobile devices. Many of these citations are related, often being continuations or divisionals from the same original applications.

The most relevant prior art references, based on their titles and early filing dates, are detailed below, along with an analysis of which claims of US9736618 they potentially anticipate.

Most Relevant Prior Art References

1. US20020102980A1: User location system for mobile radio network

   • Full Citation: US20020102980A1, "User location system for mobile radio network," invented by Bahl et al., published August 1, 2002.
   • Publication/Filing Date: Filed August 1, 2001; Published August 1, 2002.
   • Brief Description: This patent application describes a system for determining the location of mobile units within a mobile radio network, primarily using base station signal information. The location data is processed by a location server and can be delivered to various location-aware applications, which may then push information back to the mobile unit.
   • Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102):
     • Claim 1: This reference describes a system where a mobile device couples to a server via a wireless network (a mobile radio network), collects position data (derived from base station signals), and the server processes this data for use by applications. While it emphasizes a single mobile unit's location for an application rather than mutual two-way sharing between two specific user devices, the core elements of server-mediated location determination and delivery are present. The '618 patent's unique aspect of mutual exchange between two user devices might differentiate it from this prior art, which focuses on providing a mobile unit's location to an application.

2. US20040063445A1: Location-based group services

   • Full Citation: US20040063445A1, "Location-based group services," invented by Smith et al., published April 1, 2004.
   • Publication/Filing Date: Filed October 2, 2002; Published April 1, 2004.
   • Brief Description: This patent application details a system and method for providing location-based services to members of a group. It involves creating user profiles with group memberships, receiving location information for these members, and delivering location-based services or alerts based on their location and group affiliation. This includes displaying other group members' locations.
   • Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102):
     • Claim 1: This reference directly anticipates the fundamental concept of Claim 1. It describes a system where members of a group (analogous to "first wireless device" and "second wireless device") have their locations collected and delivered, effectively facilitating the exchange of position data among them via a server. The '618 patent explicitly refers to "Buddy Lists" and "groups" for location sharing, which is a direct overlap. [cite: The provided patent text states "the process of the invention only allows exchanging and mapping of position data with persons on a Buddy ListTM programmed into a Buddy WatchTM (synonym for Buddy TrackerTM) device", and also refers to "adding groups and members".]
     • Claim 18: This prior art introduces "location-based group services," which implies managing groups and potentially defining roles. However, the abstract of US20040063445A1 does not explicitly disclose a hierarchical arrangement where a "supervisor" cannot be removed from a group by "employees" and requires a specific passcode for such an action, as specified in Claim 18. This specific level of access control and unremovable supervisor function in the '618 patent would likely distinguish it. [cite: The provided patent text states "Only the supervisor or parent will have the necessary password to remove himself from a Buddy List or watch list."].
     • Claim 20: While this reference deals with group services, its abstract does not describe location sharing functionality being specifically configured to be active only during defined working hours (e.g., Monday to Friday), which is a key limitation of Claim 20.

3. US20040180678A1: Location based system with zone alert

   • Full Citation: US20040180678A1, "Location based system with zone alert," invented by Lin et al., published September 16, 2004.
   • Publication/Filing Date: Filed March 12, 2003; Published September 16, 2004.
   • Brief Description: This patent application describes a location-based system designed to monitor the geographical position of a mobile device and trigger alerts when the device enters or leaves predefined zones. These "zone alerts" can automatically send notifications to designated recipients, serving purposes such as parental monitoring.
   • Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102):
     • Claim 1: This reference broadly covers the steps of a mobile device collecting position data and a system/server processing it for notifications. It doesn't explicitly detail mutual, two-way location sharing between two user devices, but it does show a system for collecting and acting on location data. The '618 patent discusses "position alert data" which can trigger an alarm if a child's position deviates from a specified location, directly aligning with the "zone alert" concept. [cite: The provided patent text states "position alert data can be configured to send an alarm signal to a parent if a child's position gets too close to a specified location or too far from the home location or some other location."].
     • Claim 10: While US20040180678A1 addresses location-based alerts for monitoring, it does not explicitly disclose the specific "personal bread crumbs" mode of Claim 10. Claim 10 involves a server sending an "Are you OK?" message, initiating a timer, and if no timely response is received, automatically sending distress messages. This specific interactive and unresponsive-trigger mechanism is not apparent in the abstract of this prior art.

4. US20050181829A1: System and method for using wireless device for enabling and sharing of position tracking of other wireless devices

   • Full Citation: US20050181829A1, "System and method for using wireless device for enabling and sharing of position tracking of other wireless devices," invented by Du et al., published August 18, 2005.
   • Publication/Filing Date: Filed February 13, 2004; Published August 18, 2005.
   • Brief Description: This patent application describes a system and method where a wireless device user can enable and share their position tracking information with other authorized wireless devices, and simultaneously view the positions of those other authorized wireless devices. It emphasizes user control and secure exchange of location information.
   • Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102):
     • Claim 1: This reference appears to directly anticipate Claim 1 of US9736618. Its description of "enabling and sharing of position tracking of other wireless devices" and the ability to "view the position of other authorized wireless devices" directly maps to the mutual exchange of position data between a first and second wireless device via a server, as defined in Claim 1.

5. US20050215264A1: Method and system for location tracking, notification, and emergency services for mobile devices

   • Full Citation: US20050215264A1, "Method and system for location tracking, notification, and emergency services for mobile devices," invented by Du et al., published September 29, 2005.
   • Publication/Filing Date: Filed March 24, 2004; Published September 29, 2005.
   • Brief Description: This patent application describes a comprehensive system offering location tracking, event-based notifications, and emergency services for mobile devices. It can track device locations, send notifications for events (e.g., emergency button activation), and provide location data to emergency responders.
   • Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102):
     • Claim 1: Given its broad scope of "location tracking, notification, and emergency services for mobile devices," and shared inventorship with US20050181829A1 (which explicitly describes mutual sharing), this patent likely anticipates the general method of Claim 1 where devices exchange location data through a server.
     • Claim 10: This reference's focus on "emergency services" and "notification" suggests a strong overlap with the intent of Claim 10. However, Claim 10 is very specific about the "personal bread crumbs" mode, where an "Are you OK?" message is sent, a timer monitors for a response, and lack of a timely response triggers automated distress messages. While this prior art would cover sending location to emergency services upon an event (like a button press), it is not clear from the abstract if it includes the particular sequence of an inquiry, an ignored inquiry (timeout), and subsequent distress messages, which are distinctive features of Claim 10. A detailed review of the full patent text would be necessary to ascertain if these specific elements are present.

Other Cited Prior Art Documents (Filed before April 4, 2005)

The following patent documents were also cited against US9736618 and filed before its priority date. Many are part of the same patent families as the detailed examples above, generally covering various aspects of location tracking, group services, and notification systems.

• US6975877B1 (Filed 2001-08-20; Pub. 2005-12-13) - Location information access and control.
• US20050164720A1 (Filed 2004-01-20; Pub. 2005-07-28) - Method and system for providing location-based information, services and advertising to mobile users.
• US20050186973A1 (Filed 2004-02-13; Pub. 2005-08-25) - Methods and systems for location tracking and notification using a wireless device.
• US7149526B2 (Filed 2002-09-17; Pub. 2006-12-12) - Wireless tracking system and method.
• US7142878B2 (Filed 2001-08-10; Pub. 2006-11-28) - System and method for remote, wireless control and communication.
• US6961579B1 (Filed 2003-09-24; Pub. 2005-11-01) - Location-based wireless communication network and method.
• US20050250519A1 (Filed 2004-03-24; Pub. 2005-11-10) - Method and system for location tracking, notification, and emergency services for mobile devices (same family as US20050215264A1).
• US7457630B2 (Filed 2002-10-02; Pub. 2008-11-25) - Location-based group services (granted patent from US20040063445A1 family).
• US20050186974A1 (Filed 2004-02-13; Pub. 2005-08-25) - Methods and systems for location tracking and notification using a wireless device (same family as US20050181829A1).
• US20050181828A1 (Filed 2004-02-13; Pub. 2005-08-18) - System and method for using wireless device for enabling and sharing of position tracking of other wireless devices (same family as US20050181829A1).
• US20060014529A1 (Filed 2004-03-24; Pub. 2006-01-19) - Method and system for location tracking, notification, and emergency services for mobile devices (same family as US20050215264A1).
• US20050186975A1 (Filed 2004-02-13; Pub. 2005-08-25) - Methods and systems for location tracking and notification using a wireless device (same family as US20050181829A1).
• US20050181830A1 (Filed 2004-02-13; Pub. 2005-08-18) - System and method for using wireless device for enabling and sharing of position tracking of other wireless devices (same family as US20050181829A1).
• US20050209971A1 (Filed 2004-01-20; Pub. 2005-09-22) - Method and system for providing location-based information and services (same family as US20050164720A1).
• US7277715B2 (Filed 2004-01-20; Pub. 2007-10-02) - Method and system for providing location-based information, services and advertising to mobile users (granted patent from US20050164720A1 family).
• US20050186972A1 (Filed 2004-02-13; Pub. 2005-08-25) - Methods and systems for location tracking and notification using a wireless device (same family as US20050181829A1).
• US20050181827A1 (Filed 2004-02-13; Pub. 2005-08-18) - System and method for using wireless device for enabling and sharing of position tracking of other wireless devices (same family as US20050181829A1).
• US20050186971A1 (Filed 2004-02-13; Pub. 2005-08-25) - Methods and systems for location tracking and notification using a wireless device (same family as US20050181829A1).
• US20050202826A1 (Filed 2004-01-20; Pub. 2005-09-15) - Method and system for providing location-based information, services and advertising to mobile users (same family as US20050164720A1).
• US20060014528A1 (Filed 2004-03-24; Pub. 2006-01-19) - Method and system for location tracking, notification, and emergency services for mobile devices (same family as US20050215264A1).
• US20050209970A1 (Filed 2004-01-20; Pub. 2005-09-22) - Method and system for providing location-based information and services (same family as US20050164720A1).
• US20050209969A1 (Filed 2004-01-20; Pub. 2005-09-22) - Method and system for providing location-based information and services (same family as US20050164720A1).
• US20050186970A1 (Filed 2004-02-13; Pub. 2005-08-25) - Methods and systems for location tracking and notification using a wireless device (same family as US20050181829A1).
• US20050181826A1 (Filed 2004-02-13; Pub. 2005-08-18) - System and method for using wireless device for enabling and sharing of position tracking of other wireless devices (same family as US20050181829A1).
• US20050209968A1 (Filed 2004-01-20; Pub. 2005-09-22) - Method and system for providing location-based information and services (same family as US20050164720A1).
• US20050181825A1 (Filed 2004-02-13; Pub. 2005-08-18) - System and method for using wireless device for enabling and sharing of position tracking of other wireless devices (same family as US20050181829A1).
• US20050209967A1 (Filed 2004-01-20; Pub. 2005-09-22) - Method and system for providing location-based information and services (same family as US20050164720A1).
• US20050209966A1 (Filed 2004-01-20; Pub. 2005-09-22) - Method and system for providing location-based information and services (same family as US20050164720A1).
• US7206606B2 (Filed 2002-09-17; Pub. 2007-04-17) - Wireless tracking system and method (same family as US7149526B2).
• US7003310B2 (Filed 2002-09-17; Pub. 2006-02-21) - Wireless tracking system and method (same family as US7149526B2).
• US7085573B2 (Filed 2002-09-17; Pub. 2006-08-01) - Wireless tracking system and method (same family as US7149526B2).
• US7149525B2 (Filed 2002-09-17; Pub. 2006-12-12) - Wireless tracking system and method (same family as US7149526B2).

Obviousness of US patent 9736618 under 35 U.S.C. § 103

A patent claim is considered obvious under 35 U.S.C. § 103 if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art (POSITA) at the time the invention was made. The determination of obviousness involves considering the scope and content of the prior art, the differences between the prior art and the claims, the level of ordinary skill in the art, and secondary considerations of non-obviousness. A claimed invention can be rendered obvious by a single prior art reference or a combination of references. The Supreme Court case KSR International Co. v. Teleflex Inc. established that a combination of familiar elements according to known methods is likely to be obvious when it yields predictable results. The examiner must articulate a rationale for combining references to support a conclusion of obviousness.

A person of ordinary skill in the art (POSITA) is presumed to be aware of all relevant prior art and capable of understanding and applying it in a routine manner.

The prior art section of US9736618B1 mentions "the one way location sharing prior art" which includes services like OnStar and Mercedes Benz TeleAid, where a center can track cars, communicate with occupants, and detect airbag deployment. It also notes "Other commercial services allow parents to track the locations of their children in a one way location sharing manner." The patent distinguishes itself by stating, "None of these services allow the occupants of the car to know where the aid center is or allows the children to know where their parents are." This suggests that the core innovative aspect of US9736618B1 lies in mutual location sharing, where all parties in a defined group can see each other's locations.

The patent further describes the need for a system for motorists, hikers, pilots, and boatmen to contact rescuers and know the location of the rescuers, while also allowing rescuers to know the location of victims. It emphasizes the capability of cell phones to be reconfigured "in the field" to add an "instant buddy" for location sharing, and notes that "the prior art kid tracking systems could not be reconfigured in the field to add new individuals with whom location information was to be shared."

Given this, a POSITA (e.g., a software developer or telecommunications engineer familiar with mobile device technologies, GPS, and networked applications) at the time of the invention (priority date April 4, 2005) would have been aware of:

• GPS technology: Widely available in devices, including some mobile phones and dedicated navigation systems, for determining absolute location.
• Cellular communication networks: Standard for transmitting voice and data (e.g., SMS, early forms of internet data via GPRS/EDGE).
• Server-client architectures: Common for providing network-based services.
• Mapping services: Online mapping services were emerging and becoming more sophisticated.
• One-way location tracking: As explicitly stated in the patent, systems like OnStar and "kid tracking systems" existed for one-way location monitoring.

Here are some combinations of prior art that could render certain claims of US9736618 obvious:

Obviousness of Claim 1 (Mutual Location Sharing)

Claim 1 describes a method where a first and second wireless device couple to a server, collect their respective position data, and the server processes and exchanges this data so each device receives the other's position.

Combination of Prior Art:

1. Existing one-way location tracking systems (e.g., OnStar, parental tracking services): These systems already demonstrated the capability of mobile devices to determine their GPS location, transmit that location over a wireless network to a central server, and for that server to process and store location data.
2. General knowledge of client-server communication and data exchange: A POSITA would understand that if a server receives data from multiple clients, it can easily re-distribute that data to other authorized clients. This is a fundamental aspect of network communication.
3. Desire for enhanced communication and coordination: The patent itself identifies a "need" for individuals to know the location of rescuers and vice-versa, or for parents to know where their children are and for children to know where their parents are. This explicitly states a motivation to move beyond one-way tracking.

Motivation for Combination:

A POSITA, seeing the limitations of existing one-way location sharing systems (where the tracked party or a peer couldn't see the tracker's location), would be motivated to enhance these systems to provide mutual location awareness. Given that devices could already send their location to a central server, and the server could store and display this information, it would be a predictable extension to configure the server to send the received location data back to other authorized devices in a group. For example, if a parent could see a child's location via a server, and the child's device was also GPS-enabled and connected to the same server, it would be a straightforward engineering task to allow the child's device to request and display the parent's location (also provided by the server). The mechanism for data exchange (e.g., TCP/IP packets over cellular networks) was already established for general data communication and even for the existing one-way tracking.

Obviousness of Claim 10 (Personal Bread Crumbs with Distress Functionality)

Claim 10 describes a "personal bread crumbs" mode where a mobile device signals a server that the mode is active, a timer starts, and if the user doesn't respond to an "OK" message after timeout, distress messages are sent with location data to pre-selected contacts.

Combination of Prior Art:

1. GPS-enabled mobile devices capable of storing waypoints (bread crumbs): The patent itself refers to "personal bread crumbs mode" where the "phone stores waypoints of the position of the holder of the phone periodically". Dedicated handheld GPS devices already had this functionality. Integrating GPS receivers into mobile phones was also known (e.g., for E911 compliance).
2. Mobile device communication and messaging capabilities (calls, SMS, email): Standard features of mobile phones.
3. Emergency services (e.g., 911) and one-way distress systems (e.g., OnStar's crash detection and call center notification): OnStar, as mentioned in the patent, could "sense when the cars airbags have deployed" and enable communication with an aid center. This demonstrates automated emergency notification with location.
4. Timer-based "check-in" systems: While not necessarily on mobile devices for distress, the concept of a timer-based check-in, where a lack of response triggers an alert, is a general concept applicable in various monitoring systems.

Motivation for Combination:

A POSITA, observing the existing emergency response capabilities (like OnStar's automated crash notification with location) and the increasing capability of mobile phones to store location history (bread crumbs) and communicate, would be motivated to create a more generalized "man-down" or personal safety system. The patent identifies a "need" for a system to allow users to contact rescuers and for rescuers to know victim locations. By combining the ability of a phone to track its own path (bread crumbs) with its existing communication capabilities and the concept of an automated distress signal (as seen in OnStar), adding a "check-in" timer and automated message sending in case of no response would be a logical and predictable step to address personal safety needs. The "Are you OK?" prompt and subsequent distress message sending with location history directly maps to an evolution of existing emergency notification and tracking systems, particularly to address situations where a user might be incapacitated or unable to manually request help.

Obviousness of Claim 18 & 20 (Workgroup Location Sharing with Supervisor Controls)

Claims 18 and 20 relate to workgroup location sharing with hierarchical control, specifically preventing employees from removing a supervisor and defining active sharing hours.

Combination of Prior Art:

1. Mutual location sharing systems (as in Claim 1): The foundation of multiple users seeing each other's locations.
2. Existing "kid tracking systems" or corporate fleet tracking: These systems established the concept of a supervisor (parent/employer) monitoring the location of others (child/employee). The patent acknowledges "Other commercial services allow parents to track the locations of their children in a one way location sharing manner."
3. User authentication and access control systems: Common in networked applications and IT systems for managing permissions and preventing unauthorized changes. For example, administrative passwords or user roles were well-known for controlling who can change settings or access certain information.
4. Time-based scheduling/control in software applications: Many software applications allowed for features to be enabled or disabled based on time schedules (e.g., parental controls on computers, scheduled tasks).

Motivation for Combination:

A POSITA, tasked with adapting a mutual location sharing system for a corporate or parental supervision context (which the patent explicitly identifies as a "need" for businesses to "easily identify which service persons are closest to the next job" and for "Parents [to] keep track of where their kids are"), would naturally introduce administrative controls.

For Claim 18, the motivation to prevent an employee or child from disabling tracking or removing a supervisor is directly driven by the supervisory nature of the application. Implementing a passcode, known only to the supervisor, to control these critical settings is a standard and predictable application of access control principles in any system requiring hierarchical management. This ensures the integrity of the supervisory function.

For Claim 20, limiting location sharing to specific working hours (e.g., Monday to Friday) is a direct response to privacy concerns and practical business needs. Employers would typically only need to track employees during work hours. Implementing this as a configurable setting within the server-side logic (which manages the location data exchange) is a routine application of time-based access control, a common feature in many enterprise software and parental control solutions of the time.

For US patent 9736618, titled "Techniques for sharing relative position between mobile devices," the patent term has expired. The patent expired on July 31, 2025 [cite: The provided patent text states "Legal status ... Expired - Lifetime , expires 2025-07-31".].

Details regarding Patent Term Adjustment (PTA), Patent Term Extension (PTE), continuation applications, divisional applications, and other related family members are typically found within the patent's prosecution history on the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) website, specifically through the Patent Center or Patent Public Search tools. As a large language model, I do not have direct access to live, real-time USPTO database queries that would provide the exact PTA/PTE calculations or a comprehensive list of all related applications and family members for US9736618.

However, based on the information provided and general patent law:

• Patent Term Adjustment (PTA): PTA is granted to compensate patent applicants for certain delays incurred by the USPTO during the patent examination process. The final patent term, including any PTA, is typically indicated on the issued patent and detailed in the "Issue Notification Letter". The stated expiration date of July 31, 2025, reflects the 20-year term from the earliest filing date (April 4, 2005) plus any applicable PTA.
• Patent Term Extension (PTE): PTE is available for patents claiming products that require premarket regulatory approval from agencies like the FDA, such as certain human drugs, food or color additives, medical devices, animal drugs, and veterinary biological products. Given the subject matter of US9736618 (mobile device location sharing techniques), it is highly unlikely to have received a Patent Term Extension under 35 U.S.C. § 156, as it does not appear to claim such a regulated product or method.
• Continuation and Divisional Applications: These are types of continuing applications that claim benefit from an earlier-filed, co-pending nonprovisional application.
  • A continuation application typically introduces new claims directed to the same invention disclosed in the parent application.
  • A divisional application results from a restriction requirement by the examiner, where different inventions were originally claimed in a single parent application.
  • Information about any continuation or divisional applications for US9736618 would be listed in the "Related U.S. Application Data" section of its front page or within its prosecution history on the USPTO Patent Center.
• Related Family Members: This refers to other patents or patent applications that share a common priority claim. These could include parent applications, child applications (continuations, divisionals, continuation-in-parts), or foreign counterparts. The patent document itself indicates its application number as US14/801,743 and its filing date as July 16, 2015, with a priority date of April 4, 2005 [cite: The provided patent text states "Application number US14/801,743", "Filing date 2015-07-16", and "Priority date 2005-04-04".]. This suggests it is a continuation or divisional of an earlier application filed on April 4, 2005. To identify the exact parent application, a detailed review of the patent's full text and prosecution history would be required.
• Projected Expiration Date: The patent has already expired on July 31, 2025 [cite: The provided patent text states "Legal status ... Expired - Lifetime , expires 2025-07-31".]. The standard term for a U.S. patent is 20 years from the earliest effective filing date, with potential adjustments for USPTO delays (PTA). The priority date of April 4, 2005, combined with the expiration date of July 31, 2025, indicates an adjustment of approximately three months and 27 days beyond the standard 20-year term (which would have been April 4, 2205).