Judge Profile

Kara L. Szpondowski

80 IP cases indexed. Covers patent matters.

Cases Presided Over

80 cases indexed | Page 1 of 3

patent all challenged claims unpatentable · Dec 11, 2025

Meta Platforms, Inc. v.SitNet, LLC

· IPR2026-00113

Meta Platforms successfully invalidated SitNet’s ’932 patent claims covering targeted advertising in situational networks. The Board found all challenged claims (12‑21) obvious over Amidon, Walsh, Shahine, and Jones. The decision clears Meta’s path for its ad‑tech offerings.

patent all challenged claims unpatentable · Dec 11, 2025

Meta Platforms, Inc. v.SitNet, LLC

· IPR2026-00111

Meta Platforms successfully challenged SitNet’s ’682 patent covering situational networks. The PTAB found all 20 claims unpatentable as obvious over prior art references Burfeind and Crowley. The patent owner did not respond, leaving the petitioner’s arguments unopposed.

patent terminated or settled · Nov 7, 2025

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. et al. v.Hannibal IP LLC

· IPR2025-01189

Samsung Electronics and Hannibal IP entered a settlement that led to the joint termination of IPR2025-01189 concerning patent 11,368,911. The Board granted the motion and kept the settlement agreement confidential.

patent instituted · Nov 3, 2025

Apple Inc. v.Ziklag IP LLC

· IPR2025-00700

Apple Inc. successfully requested institution of an IPR against Ziklag IP LLC's patent, asserting that claims are obvious over prior art references Yurt and Logan. The Board found a reasonable likelihood of unpatentability under 35 U.S.C. § 103(a).

patent mixed - some claims cancelled, some upheld · Oct 27, 2025

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. et al. v.Netlist, Inc.

· IPR2026-00017

The PTAB held that claims 1,10‑13, and 21 of Netlist’s 9,824,035 patent are obvious over prior art, rendering them unpatentable, while claims 2,6, and 22 remain valid.

patent all challenged claims unpatentable · Oct 27, 2025

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. et al. v.Netlist, Inc.

· IPR2026-00017

The PTAB held that all 35 claims of Netlist’s ’339 memory‑module patent are obvious over the Ellsberry and Halbert references, rendering the claims unpatentable.

patent all challenged claims upheld · Oct 27, 2025

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. et al. v.Netlist, Inc.

· IPR2026-00017

Samsung Electronics challenged Netlist’s ’608 memory‑module patent in an IPR. The Board held that the prior art (Hiraishi, Butt, Tokuhiro, Ellsberry) did not teach the claimed ‘data path’ limitations and found no claims unpatentable.

patent all challenged claims unpatentable · Oct 27, 2025

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. et al. v.Netlist, Inc.

· IPR2026-00017

Samsung successfully challenged claim 16 of Netlist’s ’912 memory‑module patent, with the PTAB finding the claim obvious over the Ellsberry reference and unpatentable under §103(a). The Board’s claim construction limited “rank” to a single device, supporting the obviousness finding.

patent all challenged claims unpatentable · Oct 11, 2025

Meta Platforms, Inc. v.SitNet, LLC

· IPR2026-00112

Meta Platforms successfully challenged all twenty claims of SitNet’s ’682 patent covering a situational network and roll‑call system. The Board held the claims obvious over the Burfeind and Crowley references under 35 U.S.C. §103. No claim construction was required.

patent all challenged claims unpatentable · Oct 11, 2025

Meta Platforms, Inc. v.SitNet, LLC

· IPR2026-00112

Meta Platforms successfully challenged SitNet’s ’932 patent covering situational‑network advertising. The PTAB found all ten challenged claims (12‑21) unpatentable under 35 U.S.C. § 103, citing obviousness over Amidon, Walsh, Shahine, and Jones. The decision finalizes the institution and cancellation of the claims.

patent terminated or settled · Oct 1, 2025

MOTORTECH GmbH et al. v.--

· IPR2025-00398

MotorTech and Altronic settled their IPR dispute before trial, resulting in the Board terminating the proceeding and keeping the settlement confidential.

patent all challenged claims unpatentable · Aug 29, 2025

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. et al. v.Netlist, Inc.

· IPR2025-01431

The PTAB held that Samsung and its co‑petitioners proved all 35 claims of Netlist’s ’339 memory‑module patent were obvious over the Ellsberry and Halbert references, rendering the claims unpatentable.

patent all challenged claims unpatentable · Aug 29, 2025

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. et al. v.Netlist, Inc.

· IPR2025-01431

Samsung successfully challenged claim 16 of Netlist’s ’912 memory‑module patent, with the Board finding the claim obvious over Ellsberry and other prior art. The term “rank” was construed to include only a single memory device.

patent all challenged claims unpatentable · Aug 25, 2025

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. et al. v.Netlist, Inc.

· PGR2025-00071

Samsung and its co‑petitioners successfully proved that Netlist’s 10,949,339 B2 memory‑module patent was obvious over prior‑art references Ellsberry and Halbert. The PTAB declared all 35 challenged claims unpatentable.

patent all challenged claims unpatentable · Aug 25, 2025

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. et al. v.Netlist, Inc.

· IPR2025-01402

The PTAB held claim 16 of Netlist’s ’912 patent unpatentable after finding it obvious over the Ellsberry reference. Samsung’s construction of “rank” as a single‑device rank was adopted, and the patent owner’s supplemental evidence was dismissed.

patent all challenged claims unpatentable · Aug 25, 2025

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. et al. v.Netlist, Inc.

· IPR2025-01402

The PTAB held that all challenged claims of Netlist’s ’833 hybrid memory patent are unpatentable, finding them obvious over a combination of Best, Bonella, and Mills. Samsung, as petitioner, prevailed on both claim construction and obviousness grounds.

patent terminated or settled · Jul 29, 2025

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. et al. v.Hannibal IP LLC

· IPR2025-01187

Samsung and Hannibal IP entered a settlement that led to the joint termination of IPR2025-01187 concerning U.S. Patent 11,057,896. The Board granted the motion and ordered the settlement agreement to be kept confidential.

patent instituted · Jul 16, 2025

Guangzho EKO Trading Development Co., Ltd. (aka EKO Development Ltd.) et al. v.Nine Stars Group (U.S.A.) Inc.

· IPR2025-01191

The PTAB instituted IPR proceedings against Nine Stars Group (U.S.A.) Inc., finding a reasonable likelihood that claims 1-24 of patent 10822165 are anticipated or obvious over the prior art reference Wang. The Board accepted Petitioner's arguments regarding functional equivalency, particularly concerning 'automatic driving arrangement' and components like the servo motor.

patent all challenged claims unpatentable · Jul 11, 2025

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. et al. v.Netlist, Inc.

· PGR2026-00001

The PTAB held that all 35 claims of Netlist’s ’339 memory‑module patent are obvious over the Ellsberry and Halbert references. Samsung and its co‑petitioners prevailed, resulting in the patent’s claims being invalidated.

patent all challenged claims unpatentable · Jul 11, 2025

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. et al. v.Netlist, Inc.

· PGR2026-00001

The PTAB held that Samsung’s challenge to Netlist’s ’833 patent succeeded, finding all asserted claims unpatentable for obviousness over Best, Bonella, and Mills. The Board adopted the petitioner’s claim constructions and rejected the patent owner’s arguments.

patent all challenged claims unpatentable · Jul 11, 2025

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. et al. v.Netlist, Inc.

· IPR2026-00018

Samsung successfully challenged claim 16 of Netlist’s ’912 memory‑module patent, with the PTAB finding the claim obvious over the Ellsberry reference and unpatentable.

patent all challenged claims unpatentable · Jun 11, 2025

Meta Platforms, Inc. v.SitNet, LLC

· IPR2026-00100

Meta Platforms successfully challenged SitNet’s ’932 patent covering targeted advertising in situational networks. The PTAB found all ten claims (12‑21) unpatentable as obvious over Amidon, Walsh, Shahine, and Jones. The decision clears Meta’s path for its ad‑tech offerings.

patent all challenged claims unpatentable · Jun 11, 2025

Meta Platforms, Inc. v.SitNet, LLC

· IPR2026-00100

Meta Platforms successfully challenged SitNet’s ’682 patent covering situational networks. The PTAB found all twenty claims unpatentable as obvious over prior art. The decision finalizes the IPR with a sweeping cancellation.

patent mixed - some claims cancelled, some upheld · Jun 11, 2025

Meta Platforms, Inc. v.SitNet, LLC

· IPR2026-00100

Meta Platforms successfully challenged SitNet’s ’454 patent, leading the PTAB to find claims 1‑9 and 20 unpatentable and cancel claims 10‑19.

patent terminated or settled · Jun 1, 2025

Mercedes-Benz Group AG et al. v.Phelan Group, LLC

· IPR2025-00413

Mercedes‑Benz and Phelan Group settled their IPR dispute over U.S. Patent No. 9,045,101, leading the PTAB to terminate the proceeding and keep the settlement confidential.

patent instituted · Jun 1, 2025

Mercedes-Benz Group AG et al. v.Phelan Group, LLC

· IPR2025-00413

Mercedes-Benz Group AG successfully petitioned to challenge Phelan Group's patent (9045101) in the PTAB, leading to institution of all 20 claims. The Board found a reasonable likelihood of prevailing based on anticipation and obviousness grounds against multiple prior art references.

patent terminated or settled · Apr 25, 2025

Mercedes-Benz Group AG et al. v.Phelan Group, LLC

· IPR2025-00930

Mercedes‑Benz and Phelan Group settled their dispute, leading the PTAB to terminate IPR2025‑00930. The settlement agreement was kept confidential per 37 C.F.R. § 42.74(c).

patent instituted · Apr 25, 2025

Mercedes-Benz Group AG et al. v.Phelan Group, LLC

· IPR2025-00930

Mercedes-Benz Group AG successfully petitioned to institute an IPR against Phelan Group, LLC's driver monitoring patent (11472427), arguing the technology is anticipated and obvious in light of prior art.

patent terminated or settled · Apr 23, 2025

Mercedes-Benz Group AG et al. v.Phelan Group, LLC

· IPR2025-00919

Mercedes‑Benz and Phelan Group settled their IPR dispute over U.S. Patent 10,259,465 B2. The Board granted a joint motion to terminate the proceeding and treated the settlement agreement as confidential business information.

patent instituted · Apr 23, 2025

Mercedes-Benz Group AG et al. v.Phelan Group, LLC

· IPR2025-00919

Mercedes-Benz Group AG successfully petitioned to institute IPR against Phelan Group's driver safety patent (10,259,465), challenging all 20 claims based on obviousness and anticipation using the 'Murphy' prior art.

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