You mention that this is a set of trademarks. Trademarks and patents are quite different things. Tesla filing an expanded set of *trademarks* simply means they are defending against someone else marketing an electric motor as a 'Tesla' motor - and pretty much every AC motor is arguably a 'Tesla' motor as Nikolai Tesla was the guy that championed the AC distribution system over DC. Looks like a lawyer with a clue pointed this out to them.