Untitled case

This case involves an Inter Partes Review (IPR2026-00205) filed by Tesla, Inc. against Bulletproof Property Management LLC, challenging the validity of U.S. Patent No. 12,240,457B1. Tesla, Inc. is a well-known American multinational automotive and clean energy company that designs, manufactures, and sells electric vehicles, battery energy storage devices, solar panels, and related products and services. Bulletproof Property Management LLC appears to be a non-practicing entity (NPE) or patent assertion entity (PAE), given that their primary listed business is property management, and they are asserting patents against a major operating company like Tesla. The specific technology covered by U.S. Patent No. 12,240,457B1 is not fully detailed in the provided information, but a related patent, the '230 Patent, was asserted in a district court case concerning an "Auto Shift" feature in Tesla's vehicles (Model S, Model X, Model 3, and Model Y). The asserted patents, 12240457 and 12240457B1, are related, with 12240457B1 likely being a reissued or continuation patent of 12240457. A one-line technical sketch for these patents, inferred from the related district court case, would be: a system or method related to vehicle automation features, specifically the "Auto Shift" functionality in electric vehicles.

The procedural posture of this specific case is an Inter Partes Review (IPR) before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), with IPR2026-00205 being the case number. The IPR challenges the validity of U.S. Patent No. 12,240,457B1. The IPR is linked to a parallel patent infringement lawsuit, Bulletproof Property Management LLC v. Tesla, Inc. et al. (Civil Action No. 1:25-cv-00665), filed on May 5, 2025, in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, presided over by Judge Alan D. Albright. The Western District of Texas, and particularly Judge Albright's court, has been a notable venue for patent litigation due to its history of attracting a high volume of patent cases.

This case is notable due to several factors. First, it involves a prominent operating company, Tesla, as the petitioner challenging a patent held by what appears to be an NPE, Bulletproof Property Management LLC. This dynamic is common in patent litigation, where operating companies use IPRs to challenge patents asserted against them in district court. The IPR proceeding is directly linked to the ongoing patent infringement litigation in the Western District of Texas, where Bulletproof Property Management LLC has accused Tesla's "Auto Shift" feature in its vehicles of infringement. The PTAB's institution rate for IPRs has seen significant changes, with a notable increase in discretionary denials and a drop in the overall institution rate, making the outcome of this IPR particularly relevant. Recent policy changes at the USPTO, including a memorandum issued in March 2026 by Director John Squires, direct the PTAB to consider U.S. manufacturing activity when deciding whether to institute an IPR, which could influence the outcome of this and other IPRs, especially for companies with domestic operations.

Key Legal Developments and Outcome for Patent Infringement Litigation

This section outlines the key legal developments and current posture of the patent infringement litigation Bulletproof Property Management LLC v. Tesla, Inc. et al. (1:25-cv-00665) in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, as well as the parallel IPR2026-00205 challenging US12240457B1 at the Patent Trial and Appeal Board.

Patent Infringement Litigation: Bulletproof Property Management LLC v. Tesla, Inc. et al. (1:25-cv-00665)

• Filing & Initial Pleadings:

  • Complaint Filed: Bulletproof Property Management LLC filed its initial complaint for patent infringement against Tesla, Inc. on May 5, 2025, in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas.
  • Amended Complaint: An amended complaint was filed, asserting infringement of U.S. Patent No. 11,932,230, U.S. Patent No. 12,221,104, and U.S. Patent No. 12,227,184. The amended complaint specifically alleges that Tesla knowingly induced infringement by end-users and other third parties through the use of "Accused Products" for their intended purpose. Bulletproof Property Management LLC seeks monetary damages, interest, costs, and enhanced damages for willful infringement, as well as injunctive relief.

• Pre-Trial Motions of Substance:

  • Details regarding specific pre-trial motions to dismiss, transfer, or stay pending IPR are not explicitly available in the provided search results. However, the existence of an IPR challenging one of the asserted patents (US12240457B1, which appears to be a re-examination certificate for 12,240,457) suggests that a motion to stay the district court litigation pending the outcome of the IPR is a possibility, though not yet confirmed.

• Claim Construction (Markman) Outcomes:

  • A Markman hearing has been scheduled for August 24, 2026, at 9:00 AM before Judge Alan D. Albright. As of April 28, 2026, no Markman hearing had occurred.

• Discovery Milestones:

  • Discovery is due by March 25, 2027.
  • Joinder of parties is due by October 8, 2026.

• Trial Events, Verdict, and Post-Trial Motions:

  • The case is still in the pre-trial phase, with a Markman hearing scheduled for August 2026 and discovery extending into March 2027. Therefore, no trial events, verdict, or post-trial motions have occurred yet.

• Settlement, Dismissal, Judgment, or Appeal:

  • The case is currently active and pending in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas.
  • Dispositive motions are due by June 3, 2027.

Parallel PTAB IPR Proceedings: IPR2026-00205

• Filing: An Inter Partes Review (IPR2026-00205) was filed by Tesla, Inc. challenging U.S. Patent No. 12,240,457B1, which is owned by Bulletproof Property Management LLC. This IPR is currently pending before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB). While the specific filing date for IPR2026-00205 is not provided in the search results, it falls within the 2026 fiscal year for PTAB filings.
• Status: The IPR is listed as "Pending" in PTAB records. This means that the PTAB has not yet issued a decision on whether to institute a trial.
• Effect on Litigation: The pendency of IPR2026-00205 could potentially impact the district court litigation, as district courts often consider motions to stay proceedings pending the outcome of IPRs, especially if the IPR is instituted. A stay could delay the district court case until the PTAB rules on the patentability of the challenged claims. The outcome of the IPR, whether institution is denied or a final written decision is issued, could significantly influence the scope and trajectory of the infringement case.

Petitioner's Counsel Identified in IPR2026-00205

Tesla, Inc. is the Petitioner in IPR2026-00205, challenging U.S. Patent No. 12,240,457B1, which is owned by Bulletproof Property Management LLC. While specific counsel for Tesla, Inc. in IPR2026-00205 has not been explicitly detailed in publicly available summaries of this specific IPR, Tesla generally employs both in-house counsel and outside law firms for its patent litigation and PTAB proceedings.

In related patent litigation, specifically Bulletproof Property Management LLC v. Tesla, Inc. et al. (1:25-cv-00665) in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, Tesla, Inc. has been represented by:

• Terry W. Ahearn (Counsel)
  • Firm: Not specified in the cited docket entry, but likely a partner at an outside firm.
  • Office Location: Not specified in the cited docket entry.
  • Note: Not enough information to provide a one-line note on relevant experience from the provided search results.
• David Hoffman (Counsel)
  • Firm: Not specified in the cited docket entry, but likely a partner at an outside firm.
  • Office Location: Not specified in the cited docket entry.
  • Note: Not enough information to provide a one-line note on relevant experience from the provided search results.
• Aamir A. Kazi (Counsel)
  • Firm: Not specified in the cited docket entry, but likely a partner at an outside firm.
  • Office Location: Not specified in the cited docket entry.
  • Note: Not enough information to provide a one-line note on relevant experience from the provided search results.

Tesla, Inc. also has a robust in-house intellectual property legal team, including Senior Counsel, Intellectual Property, who provide strategic IP legal support. However, the names of the specific in-house counsel for IPR2026-00205 are not publicly available in the provided sources.

To obtain the precise counsel of record for Tesla, Inc. in IPR2026-00205 before the PTAB, a direct review of the official PTAB-E2E docket for that specific case number would be required. The available search results indicate general representation for Tesla in related matters but do not pinpoint the specific attorneys appearing in this IPR.

While the specific docket for IPR2026-00205, identifying counsel of record, was not directly accessible via public web search, Bulletproof Property Management LLC has appeared in related patent litigation. Notably, in Bulletproof Property Management LLC v. Tesla, Inc., Civil Action No. 1:25-cv-00665 (W.D. Tex. filed May 5, 2025), which involves patent infringement, attorneys Robert J. Rando and Michael Marron have appeared on behalf of Bulletproof Property Management LLC.

Based on available information and appearances in related cases involving Bulletproof Property Management LLC, the following counsel can be identified:

• Robert J. Rando

  • Role: Lead Counsel (inferred from his role as founder and lead counsel of his firm and extensive litigation experience for patent owners).
  • Firm: The Rando Law Firm P.C., New York, NY.
  • Relevant Patent Litigation Experience: Mr. Rando is the founder and lead counsel of The Rando Law Firm P.C. and possesses over three decades of experience in intellectual property and complex commercial litigation, including appellate advocacy. His practice encompasses patent and trademark litigation across various industries and technologies, such as computer hardware and software, biotechnology, medical devices, and e-commerce. He has appeared in federal courts nationwide, including the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York, and has served as counsel of record or co-counsel in over 30 amicus briefs filed before the U.S. Supreme Court and Federal Circuit on patent law issues. Mr. Rando is also a Fellow of the Academy of Court-Appointed Masters and has been judicially appointed as a Special Master in numerous complex patent cases, including Markman hearings and post-discovery proceedings. He has argued before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and has been involved in alternative dispute resolution as a mediator. His experience explicitly includes issues relevant to inter partes review (IPR) proceedings, as indicated by his role in amicus briefs concerning IPR constitutionality.

• Michael Marron

  • Role: Counsel (specific role, such as local or junior counsel, is not explicitly defined in publicly available information, but he has filed documents on behalf of Bulletproof Property Management LLC in a related district court case).
  • Firm: Information on a specific firm for Michael Marron in the context of patent litigation for Bulletproof Property Management LLC was not readily available through public search. He is noted as having filed a notice in the Bulletproof Property Management LLC v. Tesla, Inc. district court case.
  • Relevant Patent Litigation Experience: Specific details on Michael Marron's patent litigation experience are not extensively detailed in the public records found. His appearance in the district court case for Bulletproof Property Management LLC suggests involvement in their litigation efforts. More general searches for "Michael Marron patent litigation" yielded results for individuals with similar names not clearly associated with this entity.

It is important to note that without direct access to the PTAB docket for IPR2026-00205, this information is inferred from appearances in related cases involving Bulletproof Property Management LLC.