Untitled case

This case, IPR2026-00111, is an inter partes review (IPR) proceeding before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) concerning U.S. Patent No. 12,238,815. The patent owner is Sitnet LLC, identified as a third-party funded non-practicing entity (NPE) that actively asserts its patent portfolio. The petitioner challenging the patentability of the claims in IPR2026-00111 is Meta Platforms, Inc. This IPR is directly linked to an underlying patent infringement lawsuit filed by Sitnet LLC against Meta Platforms, Inc. in the Southern District of New York (e.g., case 23-cv-6389 (AS)), where Meta's Facebook Crisis Response feature and advertising platform are allegedly infringing.

U.S. Patent No. 12,238,815 is titled "Method and system for using a situational network" and generally describes methods for establishing a dynamic network in response to an event or "situation." This situational network connects participants determined to be geographically proximate to the event, enabling them to receive and share information. The patent further details processes such as presenting a "roll call query" to participant devices, receiving status responses, and aggregating these responses into a roll call list. The procedural posture of IPR2026-00111 is that a petition for inter partes review was filed by Meta Platforms, Inc. on November 12, 2025. However, the PTAB has issued a decision to not institute the IPR on the merits, meaning the Board declined to proceed with a full review of the challenged patent claims.

The case is notable for several reasons. Sitnet LLC's business model as a third-party funded NPE aggressively asserting patents against a major technology company like Meta Platforms, Inc., highlights ongoing trends in patent litigation. The IPR was a direct defensive measure by Meta against the infringement allegations in district court, which itself saw a mixed outcome on a motion to dismiss under 35 U.S.C. § 101, with some of Sitnet's related patents surviving the eligibility challenge. The PTAB's decision to deny institution on the merits for IPR2026-00111, along with other related IPRs filed by Meta against Sitnet's patents, is particularly significant. This reflects a broader trend of declining IPR institution rates against NPEs and an increase in discretionary denials by the PTAB observed in late 2025 and early 2026, which can impact challenger strategies and overall patent validity challenges.

Key Legal Developments and Outcome for Patent Infringement Litigation related to US Patent 12238815

The patent at issue, US Patent 12238815, is currently involved in an Inter Partes Review (IPR) proceeding, IPR2026-00111, before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB), with Sitnet LLC as the patent owner. This IPR is related to an underlying patent infringement litigation, SitNet LLC v. Meta Platforms, Inc., Case No. 1:25-cv-06185, filed in the Southern District of New York.

Here's a chronological overview of the key legal developments, including related litigation:

Filing & Initial Pleadings (District Court Litigation)

• 2023-07-24: SitNet LLC filed its first patent infringement complaint against Meta Platforms, Inc. in the Southern District of New York, Case No. 23-cv-6389. This initial complaint asserted four patents generally related to "situational networking": US Patent Nos. 11,470,682, 9,877,345, 8,332,454, and 8,249,932.
• 2025-07-28: SitNet LLC filed a second patent infringement complaint against Meta Platforms, Inc. in the Southern District of New York, Case No. 1:25-cv-06185. This complaint asserted US Patent No. 12,238,815, along with five other patents from the same family.

Pre-trial Motions of Substance

• 2024-03-19: In the first litigation (23-cv-6389), the court issued an Opinion and Order partially granting Meta's motion to dismiss under 35 U.S.C. § 101. Claims based on US Patent No. 11,470,682 were dismissed as directed to abstract ideas without an inventive concept. However, the motion was denied for claims based on US Patent Nos. 9,877,345, 8,332,454, and 8,249,932, due to their plausible inventiveness.

Claim Construction (Markman) Outcomes

• 2024-07-01: A Markman hearing was held in the first litigation (23-cv-6389) to address claim construction for the remaining patents.
• 2024-07-16: The court in 23-cv-6389 issued an Opinion and Order on claim construction, resolving the disputed claim terms for US Patent Nos. 9,877,345, 8,332,454, and 8,249,932.

Parallel PTAB IPR Proceedings and Their Effect

• 2024-03-07: Meta Platforms Inc. filed IPR petitions challenging several patents owned by SitNet LLC, indicating a broader strategy to challenge SitNet's portfolio.
• 2025-09-15: The first district court case (23-cv-6389) was stayed, and the parties were directed to update the court by this date concerning final written decisions expected in inter partes reviews (IPRs) of the four patents asserted in that complaint.
• 2026-01-02: Meta Platforms, Inc., as Petitioner, filed a Sotera Stipulation in IPR2026-00111, which challenges US Patent No. 12,238,815. In this stipulation, Meta agreed that if the PTAB institutes trial, it will not pursue in the related district court proceeding (1:25-cv-06185) any grounds raised or that reasonably could have been raised in the IPR petition.
• 2026-04-27: An appeal related to IPR2024-00530, involving SitNet LLC v. Meta Platforms, Inc., was dismissed by the Federal Circuit.

Final Disposition or Present Posture

• IPR2026-00111: This IPR, concerning US Patent 12238815, is currently pending before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board. The PTAB's decision on whether to institute the IPR is pending.
• District Court Case 1:25-cv-06185 (S.D.N.Y.): This case, asserting US Patent 12238815 among others, is active and is the "District Court Proceeding" referred to in the IPR filings.
• District Court Case 23-cv-6389 (S.D.N.Y.): This case was stayed as of August 2025, pending the outcome of IPRs on the patents asserted therein.

The plaintiff in this inter partes review (IPR) case, IPR2026-00111, is Meta Platforms Inc.. The IPR was filed against Sitnet LLC concerning US patent 12238815. However, the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) denied institution of the IPR on April 28, 2026, meaning the review did not proceed to the merits phase.

Specific counsel of record directly linked to IPR2026-00111 could not be definitively identified through public web searches. Nevertheless, Meta Platforms Inc. is frequently represented by several prominent law firms in its PTAB proceedings and patent litigation.

Firms and attorneys commonly representing Meta Platforms Inc. in PTAB cases and patent litigation include:

• Perkins Coie LLP

  • Jessica C. Kaiser (Lead Counsel)
    • Office Location: Denver, CO
    • Note: Kaiser serves as lead counsel for Meta Platforms Inc. in other IPRs, such as IPR2026-00347 and IPR2026-00346.
  • Matthew A. Lembo (Backup Counsel)
    • Office Location: New York, NY
    • Note: Lembo serves as backup counsel for Meta Platforms Inc. in other IPRs, such as IPR2026-00347 and IPR2026-00346.
  • Christopher Marando (Backup Counsel)
    • Office Location: Washington, DC
    • Note: Marando serves as backup counsel for Meta Platforms Inc. in other IPRs, such as IPR2026-00347 and IPR2026-00346.

• Paul Hastings LLP

  • Lisa K. Nguyen (Counsel)
    • Office Location: Palo Alto, CA
    • Note: Nguyen has represented Meta Platforms Inc. in other PTAB cases, including IPR2025-01336.
  • David M. Tennant (Counsel)
    • Note: Tennant has represented Meta Platforms Inc. in other PTAB cases, such as IPR2026-00249.

• Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP

  • Ashok Ramani (Counsel)
    • Note: Ramani represented Meta Platforms Inc. in a district court patent infringement case (SitNet LLC v. Meta Platforms, Inc.) brought by the same patent owner, SitNet LLC. While this is not a PTAB IPR, it indicates representation for Meta in related patent disputes with Sitnet.

Meta Platforms Inc. also has in-house counsel handling patent matters. For instance, Katie Brockway is Associate General Counsel of IP Litigation at Meta Platforms, Inc., managing domestic and international patent and trade secret litigation. Charu Kurani is Associate General Counsel of Patents at Meta, overseeing patent portfolios and IP strategy. Tolani Akinkuotu is Lead Counsel on Meta's patent team.

IPR2026-00111 is an inter partes review (IPR) proceeding before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB), not a patent infringement case in district court. In this IPR, Sitnet LLC is the Patent Owner, not a defendant in an infringement action.

As of today's date, May 29, 2026, information regarding the specific counsel of record for Sitnet LLC in IPR2026-00111 is not publicly available through standard web searches for PTAB dockets or legal news. PTAB filings, including appearances of counsel, are typically accessed directly through the PTAB's Patent Trial and Appeal Board End-to-End (PTAE2E) system, which is not publicly indexed in a way that allows for direct web search retrieval of specific attorney appearances in pending cases without direct access to the docket for IPR2026-00111. Therefore, I cannot identify the specific attorneys representing Sitnet LLC in this IPR at this time. Filings for this IPR are not sealed, but direct access to the PTAB docket would be required to identify counsel.