On the other hand, the SunSpec Alliance celebrated The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has granted two out of 18 expedited shutdown patent challenges. final written order On January 26th, Tigo Energy declared victory as the challenge was largely rejected.
Tigo Energy believes that the USPTO has rejected outright the SunSpec Alliance’s challenge to the validity of Tigo’s US Patent No. 8,933,321 and the organization’s challenge to the validity of claims 14-16 of Tigo’s US Patent No. 10,256,770. made it clear that he refused Tigo’s patent claims supported by the USPTO relate to the SunSpec Alliance Rapid Shutdown Specification. Rapid Shutdown is a safety feature for building photovoltaic systems, designed to reduce the risk of electric shock to emergency responders, and is required by building codes in the United States and a rapidly increasing number of countries around the world. and required by regulatory bodies.
In two IPR (inter partes review) filings from February 2022, the SunSpec Alliance challenges 11 claims of Tigo’s ‘321 and ‘770 patents, finding them invalid based on prior art. I aimed to show that In its January 2023 judgment, the USPTO overwhelmingly dismissed the SunSpec Alliance’s IPR by upholding nine of Tigo’s challenged patent claims. Tigo says the ruling on his two other claims does not affect the applicability of the remaining 18 claims of the ‘770 patent to the SunSpec Rapid Shutdown Specification.
“We welcome this ruling by the United States Patent Office. “Our patents support our progress and contributions to solar power,” said Zvi Aron, Chairman and CEO of Tigo Energy. And, as with previous patent challenges, Tigo will offer SunSpec Alliance members reasonable, non-discriminatory licensing terms.”
Notice from Tigo Energy