PTAB challenges

Proceedings overview

There is one active AIA trial proceeding on US patent 12240458. This Inter Partes Review (IPR) is currently pending, meaning no claims have been invalidated or sustained, and the patent's defensive posture remains untested by a final PTAB decision.

IPR2026-00229 — Tesla, Inc. v. Bulletproof Property Management LLC

• Type: Inter Partes Review
• Filed: 2026-01-23
• Status: Pending. The proceeding has been filed and is awaiting an institution decision from the Patent Trial and Appeal Board.
• Judge panel: Information regarding the specific judge panel for IPR2026-00229 is not yet publicly available or has not been determined at this early stage of the proceeding.
• Petition grounds: Specific details regarding the claims challenged, prior art references cited, and statutory bases (§ 102 for anticipation or § 103 for obviousness) asserted in the petition are not publicly detailed at this stage of the IPR.
• Institution decision: The institution decision for IPR2026-00229 has not yet been issued. Given the filing date of January 23, 2026, the statutory deadline for the Board to decide whether to institute trial is typically six months later, around July 23, 2026.
• Final Written Decision: Not applicable; a Final Written Decision has not been issued as the IPR is still in the pre-institution phase.
• Settlement / termination: Not applicable; the proceeding is still active and in its early stages.
• Appeal: Not applicable; there has been no Final Written Decision to appeal.
• Defensive value: As this IPR is still pending an institution decision, it currently offers no definitive defensive value regarding claim validity. The outcome of the institution decision and any subsequent trial will determine its impact.

Strategic summary

Currently, all claims of US patent 12240458 are UNTESTED by a Final Written Decision from the PTAB. IPR2026-00229, filed by Tesla, Inc., is in the pre-institution phase. This means there are no canceled or sustained claims from PTAB proceedings to consider for defensive purposes at this time.

The estoppel landscape under § 315(e)(2) has not yet been established for this patent, as there has been no institution decision, let alone a Final Written Decision. Therefore, prior-art grounds remain broadly available to potential defendants, subject to the scope of Tesla, Inc.'s petition if the IPR is instituted.

The filing of an IPR by a prominent company like Tesla, Inc. signals that the patent is considered a potential threat or is being asserted. The petitioner, Tesla, Inc., is a well-known entity in the automotive industry, suggesting a direct interest in the patent's subject matter. The patent owner, Bulletproof Property Management LLC, is an entity that commonly manages intellectual property. The IPR was filed by Tesla, Inc., which is a direct operating company, not a defensive aggregator like Unified Patents, although Unified Patents did file the general "PTAB case IPR2026-00229" listing in the patent's litigation section, potentially indicating involvement in the monitoring or initiation of PTAB challenges for its members [cite: The provided patent text].

Recommended next steps

The most critical upcoming milestone for IPR2026-00229 is the institution decision. The Patent Trial and Appeal Board is expected to issue its decision on whether to institute an inter partes review by approximately 2026-07-23. Parties facing assertion of this patent should closely monitor this decision, as it will significantly impact the patent's strength and the estoppel landscape. If the IPR is instituted, the trial will proceed, with an oral hearing typically scheduled before a Final Written Decision, which is generally due within one year of institution.