Tesla, Inc. v. Bulletproof Property Management, LLC

IPR2026-00205

Tesla has filed an IPR petition challenging all 22 claims of the ’457 vehicle‑gear‑selection patent, arguing they are obvious over a combination of prior‑art references. The petition cites expert testimony and seeks a finding of unpatentability under § 103.

Jurisdiction
US PTAB
Case Number
IPR2026-00205
Decision Date
20 January 2026
Filing Date
20 January 2026

Detailed Summary

In IPR2026‑00205, Tesla, Inc. petitions the PTAB to invalidate claims 1‑22 of U.S. Patent No. 12,240,457, which covers a method for vehicle gear selection and parking assistance. The petitioner alleges that the claims are obvious under 35 U.S.C. § 103, relying on a series of prior‑art combinations: Joos with Kischkat for the core concept, and further incorporating Hoop, Allexi, Bettger, and Bayer for specific claim subsets. An expert declaration by Dr. Jason Janet is submitted to demonstrate a reasonable likelihood of success. Tesla requests that the Board institute the review and deem the challenged claims unpatentable.

Practitioner Note

This case demonstrates the evidentiary and procedural standards applied in patent matters before local courts. Understanding the court's reasoning in Tesla, Inc. vs Bulletproof Property Management, LLC is valuable context for structuring arguments or assessing risk in similar proceedings.

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