Judge Profile

Avelyn M. Ross

61 IP cases indexed. Covers patent matters.

Cases Presided Over

61 cases indexed | Page 1 of 3

patent all challenged claims upheld

LG Energy Solution, Ltd. v.Molecular Rebar Design, LLC

· IPR2024-01011

LG Energy Solution’s challenge to the ’924 lithium‑ion battery patent was rejected. The Board found no sufficient evidence of obviousness over the cited prior art, leaving all five claims intact.

patent all challenged claims upheld

LG Energy Solution, Ltd. v.Molecular Rebar Design, LLC

· IPR2024-01013

The PTAB affirmed all claims of LG Energy Solution’s lithium‑ion battery patent after finding the challenger’s obviousness arguments unsupported. The Board emphasized that Ohata’s masterbatch embeds carbon nanotubes, preventing the required ionic attachment, and rejected the petitioner’s speculation about resin removal.

patent all challenged claims unpatentable

LG Energy Solution, Ltd. v.Molecular Rebar Design, LLC

· IPR2024-01012

LG Energy Solution successfully challenged the ’282 battery‑binder patent, with the PTAB finding all 16 claims unpatentable based on obviousness over multiple carbon‑nanotube references.

patent instituted

Deltran USA LLC et al. v.The Noco Company

· IPR2024-01219

The PTAB granted ADC Solutions Auto LLC’s petition to institute an inter partes review of The Noco Company’s portable jump‑starter patent, finding a reasonable likelihood of unpatentability on at least one claim.

patent terminated or settled

Aputure Imaging Industries Co., Ltd. v.--

· IPR2024-01422

Aputure Imaging and Rotolight settled their dispute over four USPTO patents, leading the Board to terminate four IPRs before any merits were decided and to keep the settlement confidential.

patent terminated or settled

Aputure Imaging Industries Co., Ltd. v.--

· IPR2024-01423

Aputure Imaging and Rotolight settled their dispute over four patents, leading the PTAB to terminate the IPRs and keep the settlement confidential.

patent terminated or settled

Aputure Imaging Industries Co., Ltd. v.--

· IPR2024-01424

Aputure Imaging and Rotolight settled their IPR disputes covering four patents, leading the PTAB to terminate the proceedings and keep the settlement confidential.

patent terminated or settled

Aputure Imaging Industries Co., Ltd. v.--

· IPR2024-01425

Aputure Imaging and Rotolight settled their dispute over four patents, leading the PTAB to terminate four IPRs before any merits were decided and to keep the settlement confidential.

patent terminated or settled

Berkshire Hathaway Energy Company et al. v.MES, Inc.

· IPR2025-00281

The PTAB terminated the IPR against WEC Energy Group after the parties settled, but the case remains open for Berkshire Hathaway Energy, MidAmerican Energy and PacifiCorp. The settlement agreement is treated as business‑confidential information.

patent instituted

Berkshire Hathaway Energy Company et al. v.MES, Inc.

· IPR2025-00274

The PTAB instituted an inter partes review of MES, Inc.'s 10,343,114 B2 mercury‑removal patent after Berkshire Hathaway Energy and affiliates demonstrated a reasonable likelihood of success on claims 1‑30, citing obviousness over multiple prior‑art references.

patent instituted

Berkshire Hathaway Energy Company et al. v.MES, Inc.

· IPR2025-00280

The PTAB instituted an inter partes review of MES’s mercury‑removal patent after Berkshire Hathaway Energy demonstrated a reasonable likelihood of success on claims 1‑15 and 17‑30.

patent terminated or settled

Berkshire Hathaway Energy Company et al. v.MES, Inc.

· IPR2025-00278

The PTAB terminated the IPRs against BirchTech's patent as to WEC Energy Group following a settlement, but the case remains open for Berkshire Hathaway Energy and other petitioners.

patent instituted

Berkshire Hathaway Energy Company et al. v.MES, Inc.

· IPR2025-00278

The PTAB instituted an inter partes review of MES, Inc.’s mercury‑removal patent after Berkshire Hathaway Energy demonstrated a reasonable likelihood of success on obviousness and anticipation grounds.

patent terminated or settled

PacifiCorp et al. v.MES, Inc.

· IPR2025-00425

Energy utilities settled their PTAB disputes with BirchTech, prompting the Board to terminate the IPRs for the settling parties and keep the settlement agreements confidential. Remaining petitioners stay in the proceeding.

patent all challenged claims upheld

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. et al. v.Molecular Rebar Design, LLC

· IPR2025-00357

Samsung’s IPR challenge to U.S. Patent 8,968,924, covering lithium‑ion battery compositions with discrete carbon nanotubes, was rejected. The Board found no obviousness for any of the five challenged claims, leaving the patent intact.

patent terminated or settled

Berkshire Hathaway Energy Company et al. v.MES, Inc.

· IPR2025-00422

Berkshire Hathaway Energy and its affiliates settled an IPR against BirchTech, leading the Board to terminate the proceeding for two petitioners while keeping the case open for the remaining parties. The settlement agreement was treated as business‑confidential information.

patent terminated or settled

Berkshire Hathaway Energy Company et al. v.MES, Inc.

· IPR2025-00422

The PTAB granted a joint motion to terminate the IPR as to WEC Energy Group after the parties settled their dispute over Patent 10,668,430. The termination does not affect the remaining petitioners, and the proceeding continues against them.

patent terminated or settled

Berkshire Hathaway Energy Company et al. v.MES, Inc.

· IPR2025-00422

The IPR against BirchTech’s patent was terminated for MidAmerican Energy Company after a settlement, while the proceeding remains open for Berkshire Hathaway Energy and PacificCorp.

patent terminated or settled

Berkshire Hathaway Energy Company et al. v.MES, Inc.

· IPR2025-00423

The PTAB terminated the IPR against MidAmerican Energy Company after a settlement with BirchTech Corp., while the case continues for Berkshire Hathaway Energy and Pacificorp.

patent terminated or settled

PacifiCorp et al. v.MES, Inc.

· IPR2025-00687

Utility companies settled multiple IPRs against BirchTech’s patents before trial. The Board granted a joint request to treat the settlement as confidential and terminated the cases for the settling petitioners.

patent terminated or settled

PacifiCorp et al. v.MES, Inc.

· IPR2025-00718

The Board granted a joint request to treat settlement agreements as business‑confidential and terminated the IPRs for Interstate Power & Light and Wisconsin Power & Light after the parties settled. Remaining petitioners’ IPRs continue.

patent terminated or settled

PacifiCorp et al. v.MES, Inc.

· IPR2025-00718

The PTAB terminated the IPRs against MidAmerican Energy Company after a settlement with BirchTech, leaving the case open only against PacifiCorp.

patent terminated or settled

PacifiCorp et al. v.MES, Inc.

· IPR2025-00717

The Board terminated the IPR against MidAmerican Energy Company after the parties settled, but the case continues against PacifiCorp.

patent instituted

ADC Solutions Auto LLC et al. v.The Noco Company

· IPR2025-00885

The PTAB granted institution of an inter‑partes review of The Noco Company’s 11,447,023 B2 jump‑starter patent after ADC Solutions Auto demonstrated a reasonable likelihood of success on obviousness grounds. All seven challenged claims will proceed to trial.

patent final

JIANGSU FAVORED NANOTECHNOLOGY CO., LTD. v.P2i Ltd.

· IPR2024-00380

The PTAB found the challenged claims unpatentable over prior art based on obviousness (35 U.S.C. § 103). The Board determined that combining references like Cohen and Legein, or Francesch and Legein, was motivated by intrinsic evidence and skilled artisan capabilities. This decision significantly impacts the patent owner's portfolio in plasma polymerization coatings for electronics.

patent final

ADC Solutions Auto LLC et al. v.The Noco Company

· IPR2024-00577

The PTAB found all seven challenged claims of the portable jump starter apparatus unpatentable based on obviousness. The Board successfully applied two distinct combinations of prior art references (Richardson/Zhao and Yu/Paparrizos) to reject the claims.

patent final

Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. v.EVONIK OPERATIONS GMBH et al.

· IPR2024-00611

The IPR petition against EVONIK's gas separation membrane technology failed as the Petitioner could not establish unpatentability. The Board found that the combination of cited prior art references lacked a sufficient motivation to combine, upholding the patent's validity.

patent final

ADC Solutions Auto LLC et al. v.The Noco Company

· IPR2024-00671

The PTAB found that eight claims of the patent were unpatentable over prior art combinations, specifically regarding jump starting devices with USB charging capabilities. The Board concluded that a skilled artisan would have been motivated to combine existing technologies for convenience and practical benefit.

patent final

Canadian Solar Inc. et al. v.Maxeon Solar Pte. Ltd.

· IPR2024-01038

The PTAB issued a Final Written Decision rejecting all challenged claims (10-16 and 19) in this IPR regarding solar cell fabrication techniques. The Board found that the Petitioner failed to provide sufficient motivation to combine prior art references, particularly concerning optimal dopant concentrations.

patent final

Canadian Solar Inc. et al. v.Maxeon Solar Pte. Ltd.

· IPR2024-01194

The PTAB issued a Final Written Decision denying the Petitioner's arguments that claims 10-16 and 19 were unpatentable. The Board found insufficient motivation in the prior art to combine references, particularly regarding optimal dopant concentrations for solar cell fabrication techniques.

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