PTAB challenges

Proceedings overview

There is currently one AIA trial proceeding on file for US Patent 10,512,385, which is an active Inter Partes Review (IPR). This gives a defendant a pending opportunity to challenge the patent's validity.

IPR2026-00337 — [[[Samsung Electronics Co.](/litigations/by-defendant/Samsung%20Electronics%20Co.), Ltd.](/litigations/by-plaintiff/Samsung%20Electronics%20Co.%2C%20Ltd.) et al.](/litigations/by-plaintiff/Samsung%20Electronics%20Co.%2C%20Ltd.%20et%20al.) v. Whirlpool Corp.

• Type: Inter Partes Review
• Filed: 2026-04-15
• Status: Pending. The petition has been filed and is awaiting an institution decision by the PTAB.
• Judge panel: Not yet publicly available, as the institution decision has not been issued.
• Petition grounds: Specific claims challenged, prior art, and statutory bases (§ 102 / § 103 / § 112) are not yet publicly available without access to the full petition. However, IPRs typically challenge patentability under 35 U.S.C. §§ 102 (novelty) and/or 103 (obviousness).
• Institution decision: Not yet issued. The PTAB has a statutory deadline to issue an institution decision generally within six months of the petition filing.
• Final Written Decision: Not yet issued, as the proceeding is still in the pre-institution phase.
• Settlement / termination: Not applicable, as the proceeding is active.
• Appeal: Not applicable, as no Final Written Decision has been issued.
• Defensive value: This active IPR presents a current opportunity to invalidate some or all of the claims of US 10,512,385. A defendant facing assertion of this patent should closely monitor this proceeding, as an unfavorable outcome for the patent owner could significantly weaken the patent's enforceability.

Strategic summary

As of today, May 29, 2026, the claims of US 10,512,385 are currently UNTESTED by a final PTAB decision. There is one active IPR, IPR2026-00337, filed by Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. et al. against Whirlpool Corp. This means that the patent's validity is currently being challenged, but no claims have yet been canceled or sustained through an AIA trial.

The estoppel landscape is not yet defined, as there has been no Final Written Decision. If IPR2026-00337 proceeds to a Final Written Decision, the petitioner (Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. et al. and their privies) would be estopped from raising any ground they raised or reasonably could have raised in a subsequent civil action or ITC proceeding. The ongoing litigation in the Texas Eastern District Court (Case 2:25-cv-01042) where Whirlpool Corporation is asserting US 10,512,385 against Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. et al. indicates a direct challenge to the patent. Samsung's filing of this IPR is a common defensive strategy in parallel with district court litigation.

Recommended next steps

The IPR proceeding IPR2026-00337 is pending, and the institution decision is expected within approximately six months from the filing date of April 15, 2026. A defendant facing assertion of this patent should closely track this IPR, particularly the institution decision. If the IPR is instituted, the PTAB has a statutory one-year deadline from institution to issue a Final Written Decision. If claims are invalidated, this would be highly beneficial for defense.