PTAB challenges

Proceedings Overview

U.S. Patent No. 12,301,627 is currently involved in two active inter partes review (IPR) proceedings before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB). Both IPRs are in their early stages, with institution decisions pending. As such, no claims have been invalidated or sustained by the PTAB yet. This means the patent's claims remain fully intact, but their validity is actively being challenged by two major defendants, Microsoft Corporation and Palo Alto Networks, Inc.

IPR2026-00364 — Palo Alto Networks, Inc. v. Jason Crabtree et al (Qomplx LLC)

• Type: Inter Partes Review
• Filed: 2026-05-15
• Status: Pending. This proceeding is in the early stages, awaiting a decision on institution by the PTAB.
• Judge panel: Information regarding the specific judge panel is not yet publicly available for this early stage of the proceeding.
• Petition grounds: Details of the specific claims challenged, prior art references, and statutory bases (§ 102 / § 103) are not yet publicly summarized by the PTAB in the 'Status' section. This information would typically be contained within the petition itself.
• Institution decision: Not yet issued. The PTAB typically issues a decision on whether to institute an IPR within six months of the petition's filing date.
• Final Written Decision (if issued): Not applicable, as the proceeding has not yet reached the institution phase.
• Settlement / termination: Not applicable at this early stage.
• Appeal: Not applicable.
• Defensive value: This active IPR indicates that Palo Alto Networks, Inc. is challenging the validity of the '627 patent. While the claims are still intact, the existence of this IPR suggests that the asserted claims against Palo Alto Networks are under scrutiny and their validity is being actively litigated before the PTAB.

IPR2026-00325 — Microsoft Corporation v. Jason Crabtree et al (Qomplx LLC)

• Type: Inter Partes Review
• Filed: 2026-04-07
• Status: Pending. This proceeding is also in its early stages, awaiting a decision on institution by the PTAB.
• Judge panel: Information regarding the specific judge panel is not yet publicly available for this early stage of the proceeding.
• Petition grounds: Details of the specific claims challenged, prior art references, and statutory bases (§ 102 / § 103) are not yet publicly summarized by the PTAB in the 'Status' section. This information would typically be contained within the petition itself.
• Institution decision: Not yet issued. The PTAB typically issues a decision on whether to institute an IPR within six months of the petition's filing date.
• Final Written Decision (if issued): Not applicable, as the proceeding has not yet reached the institution phase.
• Settlement / termination: Not applicable at this early stage.
• Appeal: Not applicable.
• Defensive value: This active IPR indicates that Microsoft Corporation is challenging the validity of the '627 patent. Like the Palo Alto Networks IPR, this proceeding signifies that the asserted claims against Microsoft are under scrutiny, and their validity is currently being contested before the PTAB.

Strategic Summary

As of May 29, 2026, all claims of U.S. Patent No. 12,301,627 remain UNTESTED by a final PTAB decision. Both IPR2026-00364 and IPR2026-00325 are in the pre-institution phase, meaning the PTAB has not yet decided whether to formally review the challenged claims. Consequently, no claims have been canceled or sustained, and the patent's scope remains as originally granted.

Regarding the estoppel landscape, since neither IPR has reached a Final Written Decision, no estoppel under 35 U.S.C. § 315(e)(2) has yet been triggered for either petitioner (Palo Alto Networks, Inc. or Microsoft Corporation) or their privies. This means that both petitioners currently retain the ability to raise any patentability grounds in district court litigation if the IPRs are not instituted or if the challenged claims survive a potential final written decision. The prior art grounds raised in the petitions are not yet publicly detailed in the provided PTAB data.

The filing of two IPRs by two distinct, large technology companies (Microsoft and Palo Alto Networks) against the same patent in a relatively short timeframe (April and May 2026) strongly signals a concerted defensive effort by the defendants in the ongoing litigation. The patent owner, Qomplx LLC, is actively asserting this patent, as evidenced by the concurrent district court litigation against both Microsoft and Palo Alto Networks. This pattern suggests the patent is considered a significant asset by Qomplx and a potential threat by these defendants.

Recommended Next Steps

• Monitor Institution Decisions: For both IPR2026-00364 (Palo Alto Networks) and IPR2026-00325 (Microsoft Corporation), closely monitor the PTAB docket for the institution decision. The statutory deadline for these decisions will be approximately six months from their respective filing dates (around October 2026 for IPR2026-00325 and November 2026 for IPR2026-00364). An institution decision will indicate which claims, if any, the PTAB has agreed to review and on what grounds.
• Review Petitions: If facing assertion, obtain and review the full IPR petitions (which are public documents) to understand the specific prior art and arguments being used to challenge the '627 patent's claims. This information is crucial for developing a defense strategy.
• Prepare for Trial: Should either IPR be instituted, understand the PTAB trial schedule, including discovery, motions, oral hearing dates, and the statutory one-year deadline for the Final Written Decision from institution.
• Consider Joinder: If a new defendant is facing assertion of US12301627, investigate the possibility of seeking joinder to either of the existing IPRs, especially if the new defendant is a privy of the existing petitioners or if the PTAB finds the grounds to be substantially the same.