PTAB challenges

Proceedings overview

There is one AIA trial proceeding on file for US patent 12296061: a Post-Grant Review (PGR) that is currently pending. This means no claims have been invalidated or sustained by the PTAB yet. For a defendant facing assertion of this patent, the patent's claims remain untested by the PTAB.

PGR2026-00030 — Hyundai Motor America, Inc. v. Dean Schumacher

• Type: Post-Grant Review
• Filed: 2026-02-13
• Status: Pending. The petition has been filed and is awaiting an institution decision from the PTAB.
• Judge panel: Information regarding the specific Administrative Patent Judges assigned to the panel is not typically made public until closer to the institution decision or institution itself.
• Petition grounds: The petition by Hyundai Motor America, Inc. challenges claims 1-20 of US12296061B2. The grounds asserted are under 35 U.S.C. § 101, 35 U.S.C. § 102, 35 U.S.C. § 103, and 35 U.S.C. § 112.
• Institution decision: Not yet issued. The deadline for the PTAB to decide whether to institute the PGR is expected around August 2026 (6 months from petition filing, or later if a Patent Owner Preliminary Response is filed).
• Final Written Decision: Not applicable (proceeding is pending).
• Settlement / termination: Not applicable (proceeding is pending).
• Appeal: Not applicable (proceeding is pending).
• Defensive value: This proceeding indicates that all claims (1-20) of US12296061B2 are currently under review for patentability by the PTAB. While no claims have been invalidated yet, the existence of this PGR creates significant uncertainty regarding the patent's validity. If the PGR is instituted, it will provide an avenue for a third party to challenge the patentability of these claims.

Strategic summary

Currently, all claims (1-20) of US12296061B2 are UNTESTED at the PTAB, as the sole Post-Grant Review (PGR2026-00030) is still in the preliminary stages awaiting an institution decision. There are no claims that have been CANCELED or SUSTAINED by the PTAB to date.

The estoppel landscape has not yet fully formed. If PGR2026-00030 is instituted and proceeds to a Final Written Decision, 35 U.S.C. § 325(e)(2) would bar the petitioner, Hyundai Motor America, Inc. (and its privies), from asserting in future civil actions or ITC proceedings that a claim is invalid on any ground that the petitioner raised or reasonably could have raised during the PGR. For other potential defendants not privy to Hyundai, the full range of prior art grounds, including those under §§ 101, 102, 103, and 112, remains available for challenge.

No discernible pattern signals are evident from this single, early-stage proceeding. The PGR was filed by Hyundai Motor America, Inc., which is a commercial entity and not typically a defensive aggregator like Unified Patents. The filing occurred on the last day of the 9-month window from the patent's grant date (2025-05-13), indicating a timely challenge.

Recommended next steps

For a defendant facing assertion of US12296061B2:

• Monitor PGR2026-00030 closely: The next critical milestone is the institution decision, which is anticipated around August 2026. This decision will determine whether the PTAB proceeds to a full review of claims 1-20. The progress of this case can be tracked on the USPTO PTAB E2E system by searching for PGR2026-00030.
• Review the petition grounds: Understand the specific arguments made by Hyundai Motor America, Inc. against claims 1-20 under §§ 101, 102, 103, and 112. These arguments could inform your own invalidity contentions if you choose to pursue a defense against the patent.
• Assess potential for intervention: If your interests align with the petitioner, consider the possibility of intervening in the PGR, though this is rare and subject to PTAB discretion.
• Evaluate your own prior art: Even if the PGR is denied, or if some claims survive, you may have different prior art or arguments that were not raised or could not have been raised by Hyundai.## Proceedings overview

There is one AIA trial proceeding on file for US patent 12296061: a Post-Grant Review (PGR) that is currently pending. This means no claims have been invalidated or sustained by the PTAB yet. For a defendant facing assertion of this patent, the patent's claims remain untested by the PTAB.

PGR2026-00030 — Hyundai Motor America, Inc. v. Dean Schumacher

• Type: Post-Grant Review
• Filed: 2026-02-13
• Status: Pending. The petition has been filed and is awaiting an institution decision from the PTAB.
• Judge panel: Information regarding the specific Administrative Patent Judges assigned to the panel is not typically made public until closer to the institution decision or institution itself.
• Petition grounds: The petition by Hyundai Motor America, Inc. challenges claims 1-20 of US12296061B2. The grounds asserted are under 35 U.S.C. § 101, 35 U.S.C. § 102, 35 U.S.C. § 103, and 35 U.S.C. § 112.
• Institution decision: Not yet issued. The deadline for the PTAB to decide whether to institute the PGR is expected around August 2026 (approximately 6 months from the petition filing date, or later if a Patent Owner Preliminary Response has been filed).
• Final Written Decision: Not applicable (proceeding is pending).
• Settlement / termination: Not applicable (proceeding is pending).
• Appeal: Not applicable (proceeding is pending).
• Defensive value: This proceeding indicates that all claims (1-20) of US12296061B2 are currently under review for patentability by the PTAB. While no claims have been invalidated yet, the existence of this PGR creates significant uncertainty regarding the patent's validity. If the PGR is instituted, it will provide an avenue for a third party to challenge the patentability of these claims.

Strategic summary

Currently, all claims (1-20) of US12296061B2 are UNTESTED at the PTAB, as the sole Post-Grant Review (PGR2026-00030) is still in the preliminary stages awaiting an institution decision. There are no claims that have been CANCELED or SUSTAINED by the PTAB to date.

The estoppel landscape has not yet fully formed. If PGR2026-00030 is instituted and proceeds to a Final Written Decision, 35 U.S.C. § 325(e)(2) would bar the petitioner, Hyundai Motor America, Inc. (and its privies), from asserting in future civil actions or ITC proceedings that a claim is invalid on any ground that the petitioner raised or reasonably could have raised during the PGR. For other potential defendants not privy to Hyundai, the full range of prior art grounds, including those under §§ 101, 102, 103, and 112, remains available for challenge.

No discernible pattern signals are evident from this single, early-stage proceeding. The PGR was filed by Hyundai Motor America, Inc., which is a commercial entity and not typically a defensive aggregator like Unified Patents. The filing occurred on the last day of the 9-month window from the patent's grant date (2025-05-13), indicating a timely challenge.

Recommended next steps

For a defendant facing assertion of US12296061B2:

• Monitor PGR2026-00030 closely: The next critical milestone is the institution decision, which is anticipated around August 2026. This decision will determine whether the PTAB proceeds to a full review of claims 1-20. The progress of this case can be tracked on the USPTO PTAB E2E system by searching for PGR2026-00030.
• Review the petition grounds: Understand the specific arguments made by Hyundai Motor America, Inc. against claims 1-20 under §§ 101, 102, 103, and 112. These arguments could inform your own invalidity contentions if you choose to pursue a defense against the patent.
• Assess potential for intervention: If your interests align with the petitioner, consider the possibility of intervening in the PGR, though this is rare and subject to PTAB discretion.
• Evaluate your own prior art: Even if the PGR is denied, or if some claims survive, you may have different prior art or arguments that were not raised or could not have been raised by Hyundai.