Tigo Energy, Inc. (NASDAQ: TYGO), a leading provider of intelligent solar and energy storage solutions, today announced that in a patent infringement case filed by Tigo against SMA Solar Technology America LLC, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has ruled in favor of Tigo on two petitions previously filed by SMA Solar. In the failed IPR (inter partes review) petitions, SMA Solar sought a ruling from the USPTO to invalidate Tigo U.S. Patents Nos. 9,966,848 and 10,333,405 (the ’848 and ’405 patents). Tigo continues to defend the Company’s intellectual property as part of an infringement complaint brought by Tigo against SMA Solar, which remains pending in the District of Delaware under case number 22-915-GBW.
In the pending patent infringement lawsuit, Tigo alleges infringement by SMA Solar on Tigo innovations in power supplies for module-level power electronics (MLPE), including those used in the Tigo TS4 product line. On January 12 and January 22, the USPTO denied the SMA petitions for IPRs related to the ’405 and ’848 patents. The complaint is focused on various systems and methods used in module-level power electronics that are attached to photovoltaic (PV) panels. Specifically, the complaint alleges that SMA Solar and certain suppliers copied Tigo innovations that comply with rapid shutdown requirements of the NFPA 70® National Electric Code®. The decision follows a 2023 ruling in which the USPTO instituted IPR2023-00879 against a related Tigo patent, U.S. Patent No. 9,584,021, which is also part of the pending Tigo patent infringement case against SMA Solar.
“The ability to protect and defend intellectual property is central to protecting the investments companies make in R&D and to maintaining the spirit of innovation that makes nations competitive,” said Zvi Alon, CEO at Tigo Energy. “This decision by the USPTO is positive reinforcement of the validity of the pending case before the jurists, and Tigo is confident in its ability to protect the intellectual property that underpins our world-class technology.”
According to National Electric Code § 690.12, “Rapid Shutdown of PV Systems on Buildings,” requires that PV system circuits “installed on or in buildings shall include a rapid shutdown function to reduce shock hazard for emergency responders.” Tigo rapid shutdown technology is compliant with UL 1741, the Standard for Safety for Inverters, Converters, Controllers and Interconnection System Equipment for Use With Distributed Energy Resources, the SunSpec Rapid Shutdown Specification, and rapid shutdown requirements of the U.S National Electric Code (NEC). Tigo is a leader in rapid shutdown technology and MLPE, with more than 150 patents granted or pending. The Company actively licenses its patented technology to other solar equipment manufacturers and has prevailed in multiple patent disputes.
Since 2007, millions of Tigo MLPE devices have been deployed in more than one hundred countries on all seven continents, of which more than 1 GWh of daily solar production is monitored by Tigo Energy Intelligence. Tigo MLPE products provide optimized, monitored, and safe solar to protect critical solar energy infrastructure and deliver reliability and consistent ROI for the lifetime of renewable energy systems.
Tigo products, patents, and licensees related to rapid shutdown systems can be viewed at the Tigo Virtual Patent Marking for Rapid Shutdown Devices webpage. For more information about the portfolio of Tigo Flex MLPE solutions, please visit the website.
About Tigo Energy
Founded in 2007, Tigo is a worldwide leader in the development and manufacture of smart hardware and software solutions that enhance safety, increase energy yield, and lower operating costs of residential, commercial, and utility-scale solar systems. Tigo combines its Flex MLPE (Module Level Power Electronics) and solar optimizer technology with intelligent, cloud-based software capabilities for advanced energy monitoring and control. Tigo MLPE products maximize performance, enable real-time energy monitoring, and provide code-required rapid shutdown at the module level. The company also develops and manufactures products such as inverters and battery storage systems for the residential solar-plus-storage market. For more information, please visit www.tigoenergy.com.
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