PTAB challenges

Proceedings overview

There is one active AIA trial proceeding on US Patent 11495875. The proceeding is currently in the "Pending" status, meaning an institution decision has not yet been rendered. This gives a defendant limited defensive posture as the patent claims have not been challenged to a final decision.

IPR2026-00232 — [[[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. AQ Corp

• Type: Inter Partes Review
• Filed: 2026-01-26
• Status: Pending
• Judge panel: Not yet public.
• Petition grounds: Specific claims and grounds are not yet public in detail, but IPRs typically challenge claims under 35 U.S.C. §§ 102 and/or 103. This petition was filed by Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. and Samsung Electronics America Inc..
• Institution decision: Not yet issued. The institution decision deadline is usually within six months of the filing date, which would be around July 26, 2026.
• Final Written Decision (if issued): Not applicable, as the proceeding is pending institution.
• Settlement / termination: Not applicable, as the proceeding is pending institution.
• Appeal: Not applicable.
• Defensive value: As this IPR is still pending, its defensive value is currently limited. If instituted and ultimately leading to invalidation of claims, it would provide strong defensive leverage. However, until an institution decision or a Final Written Decision is rendered, the claims remain presumed valid.

Strategic summary

Currently, all claims of US11495875 are UNTESTED by a final written decision from the PTAB. The patent has not yet been narrowed through IPR.

The estoppel landscape is not yet established for US11495875 since IPR2026-00232 is still pending. If the IPR is instituted and proceeds to a Final Written Decision, 35 U.S.C. § 315(e)(2) will bar the petitioner (Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. et al.) and their privies from raising any ground they raised or reasonably could have raised in the IPR in future proceedings. For a defendant facing assertion, if this IPR is denied institution, the prior-art grounds presented in the petition would still be available to challenge the patent's validity in other forums (e.g., district court litigation, or a new IPR by a different petitioner). If the IPR is instituted, the grounds presented and reasonably could have been presented would be estopped for Samsung and its privies.

The filing of IPR2026-00232 by Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. et al. on this patent, as well as IPR2026-00231 on related patent 11303011, indicates a pattern of defensive action by Samsung against AQ Corp's patent portfolio in the "Semiconductors, Electrical and Optical Systems and Components" technology center.

Recommended next steps

The institution decision for IPR2026-00232 is expected around July 26, 2026. It is critical to monitor this decision closely as it will significantly impact the defensive posture against US11495875. If the PTAB institutes the IPR, the statutory one-year trial deadline from institution would mean a Final Written Decision would likely be due around July 2027.