Signify Appears to be Stepping on the Gas

In a 13 February 2026 filing, Signify told the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin that the USPTO’s Patent Trial and Appeal Board restored key claims in IPR2024-00101 involving U.S. Patent No. 10,299,336. The PTAB ruled that claims 8, 13, and 15–17 have not been shown unpatentable. Signify also emphasized that claim 13 applies to every Menards-branded product accused of infringement. As a result, the IPR did not remove any products from the case.

With the IPR complete, Signify now asks the court to lift the October 2024 stay and move the case toward trial. Specifically, the company wants the court to schedule a preliminary pretrial conference and set a discovery timeline. At the same time, Signify signaled that it will oppose any further delay. Defendants want the case paused during a Federal Circuit appeal. However, Signify argues the original stay did not extend beyond the USPTO proceeding.

This filing reflects a broader shift in Signify patent enforcement. The company has become more assertive in recent months. Just days earlier, a jury found Lepro willfully infringed multiple Signify patents—an emphatic verdict that raised the stakes for private-label brands across the industry.

In addition, Signify gained momentum at the PTAB. In a separate decision, the board reversed an earlier ruling and restored key claims of the ’336 patent, reinforcing Signify’s litigation position.

For private-label brands and their suppliers, the message remains clear. Uncertainty now carries a higher cost. Licensing offers one path forward. Litigation increasingly defines the other.