Commitments and Contingencies

6 Months Ended

Jul. 03, 2021

Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]

Warranty Liabilities

The activity in the accrued warranty liabilities account was as follows (in thousands):


	Six Months Ended
	July 3, 2021		June 27, 2020
Balance at beginning of year	$	12,152	$	11,345
Additions charged to costs and expenses for current-year sales	7,863		4,965
Deductions from reserves	(9,235)		(4,789)
Changes in liability for pre-existing warranties during the current year, including expirations	(237)		(89)
Balance at end of period	$	10,543	$	11,432

Legal Proceedings

We are involved from time to time in various legal proceedings arising in the ordinary course of our business, including primarily commercial, product liability, employment and intellectual property claims. In accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles, we record a liability in our consolidated financial statements with respect to any of these matters when it is both probable that a liability has been incurred and the amount of the liability can be reasonably estimated. If a material loss is reasonably possible but not known or probable, and may be reasonably estimated, the estimated loss or range of loss is disclosed. With respect to currently pending legal proceedings, we have not established an estimated range of reasonably possible material losses either because we believe that we have valid defenses to claims asserted against us, the proceeding has not advanced to a stage of discovery that would enable us to establish an estimate, or the potential loss is not material. We currently do not expect the outcome of pending legal proceedings to have a material effect on our consolidated results of operations, financial position or cash flows. Litigation, however, is inherently unpredictable, and it is possible that the ultimate outcome of one or more claims asserted against us could adversely impact our consolidated results of operations, financial position or cash flows. We expense legal costs as incurred.

On March 27, 2018, Level Sleep, LLC (Level Sleep) filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Sleep Number in the Federal District Court for the Eastern District of Texas. In its Complaint, Level Sleep claims that Sleep Number infringed two patents owned by Level Sleep, U.S. Patent Nos. 6,807,698 and 7,036,172 (the Patents), by, among other things, making, using, offering for sale, or selling within the United States, and/or importing into the United States, beds with sleep surfaces having foam with multiple zones in the longitudinal direction. Level Sleep has asserted that five non-360® beds no longer sold and two current non-360 beds infringe the

Patents. Level Sleep seeks damages in the form of a reasonable royalty. Sleep Number has asserted that the Patents are invalid and that our products do not infringe the Patents. On January 14, 2020, the Court granted summary judgment in favor of Sleep Number, finding that Sleep Number’s products do not infringe the Patents. Level Sleep filed an appeal of the Court’s summary judgment order to the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals which issued a decision on July 13, 2021, affirming the Court's summary judgment order and dismissal of Level Sleep's claims.