February 9, 2026
Signify Downlight Patent Sees Limited Revival
Cooper Lighting patent footing slightly improved in rare patent board reversal
In a notable shift in a high-stakes LED patent dispute, a United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) Director Review panel has reinstated two previously invalidated claims in Signify’s configurable lighting patent, modestly strengthening the company’s litigation position against Menards and its vendors, including Luminex.
Signify’s ’336 patent isn’t just any patent. It’s a key asset asserted across multiple Signify lawsuits and central to its broader enforcement strategy in the downlight category.
The February 5, 2026 decision marks a partial reversal of a 2025 ruling that had gutted the enforceability of U.S. Patent No. 10,299,336. While most claims remain invalid, the revival of claims 13 and 15 adds complexity to a legal fight that was trending sharply against the Dutch lighting giant.
The ‘336 patent, born from Cooper Lighting R&D and acquired by Signify in 2020, covers LED fixtures with configurable outputs: color temperature, lumen output, and beam distribution. Think 2700K to 5000K tunable HALO downlights with built-in selector switches.
Updated Claim Status of ’336 Patent
Fifteen of the twenty claims remain invalid:
| Status | Claims |
|---|---|
| Still Invalidated | 1-7, 9-12, 14, 18-20 |
| Reinstated (Feb 2026) | 13, 15 |
| Never Invalidated | 8, 16, 17 |
Timeline Snapshot:
- August 13, 2025: Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) ruled 17 of 20 claims invalid.
- September 10, 2025: Signify filed a petition to appeal the ruling.
- February 5, 2026: Two claims revived following procedural missteps by petitioners.
Why It Matters
Director Reviews are rare — and carry legal weight. This panel determined that petitioners Luminex and Menards crossed a procedural line by introducing new arguments and evidence in their reply brief, violating USPTO guidelines. That move, aimed at reinforcing obviousness claims against Signify’s switch design, backfired. As a result, the prior finding that claims 13 and 15 were unpatentable was vacated.
The revived claims may allow Signify to amend its civil complaint. But with only 5 of 20 claims still standing — and three of them being dependent — the ‘336 patent remains on shaky ground. The underlying case, paused since 2024, could resume depending on whether these claims support viable infringement arguments.
The Bigger Picture
This case is one piece of a broader litigation mosaic involving Signify, which remains active in multiple patent fights across U.S. district courts and the USPTO. One such battle, Signify v. Lepro, in in the midst of trial is expected to wrap in Nevada this week.
As the legal dust settles, one thing is clear: procedural missteps can reshape high-stakes patent wars — even when most of the battlefield remains lost. For Signify, it’s a counterpunch, not a comeback.
