Acer and Sisvel do Wi-Fi 6 deal; Nokia reportedly exploring mobile sale; Survey shows EU SEP reg opposition; The case for US eBay reform; plus much more
Welcome to the latest edition of the Sisvel Insights weekly round-up, aggregating news stories, analyses and data points affecting the SEP world that have caught our eye over the past seven days
Last Tuesday, Sisvel announced that Acer had become the newest licensee of our Wi-Fi 6 pool. The agreement brings an end to all pending Wi-Fi 6 litigation between the Taiwanese computer hardware and electronics company and entities that make their patents available through the pool, demonstrating its value not only as a source of world class technology but also as a vehicle through which to resolve disputes. “The agreement with Acer, a major global vendor of Wi-Fi enabled products, as well as an experienced licensing market participant, is a strong validation of the Wi-Fi 6 patent pool’s value proposition,” said programme manager Giorgia Varvelli.
In other developments, rumours surfaced of the possible sale of Nokia’s mobile networks business to Samsung, a move that would stun and transform the infrastructure market; while the latest IAM benchmarking survey revealed significant opposition to the EU’s proposed SEP licensing regulation.
Please note that inclusion of a piece in the list below does not signify agreement with what is stated in the linked article, just that we believe it is of interest and worth pointing out.
Legal
PAX Global Technology, a Chinese maker of point-of-sale devices, is seeking to invalidate a Chinese patent owned by Nokia, in the latest sign of conflict in this IoT vertical. Chinese POS device manufacturer challenges Nokia patent (substack.com)
Qualcomm’s patents-in-suit against Transsion at the UPC include a European Patent whose Chinese equivalent was asserted against Apple and stood up to a CNIPA validity challenge. Qualcomm sues Transsion using patents from HP and Samsung (substack.com)
Market
Acer became the latest licensee of Sisvel’s Wi-Fi 6 pool, the two companies announced. The deal ended litigation involving multiple Sisvel pool members. Acer and Sisvel strike Wi-Fi 6 pool licence deal
Licensing deal between Acer and Sisvel ends litigation (juve-patent.com)
Acer deal is an important landmark for Sisvel’s Wi-Fi 6 pool 🔒
Acer Inks Wi-Fi 6 Patent Pool Licensing Deal With Sisvel - Law360 🔒
Nokia is reportedly exploring strategic options for its mobile networks business. Samsung is named as a potential acquirer of the unit, which sells RAN equipment to telecoms providers and could be valued at around $10 billion. Nokia Mobile Networks Assets Said to Draw Samsung Interest (yahoo.com)
A US Court of Appeals heard last week that patent issues threaten the deployment of next-generation broadcast technology ATSC 3.0 in the US market. NextGen TV Advocates Express ‘Deep Concern’ Over Future of 3.0 Products | TV Tech (tvtechnology.com)
Policy
The main aim of the UKIPO’s new SEP resource hub is to create more transparency and deliver better information around the subject, says the office’s CEO Adam Williams. Adam Williams: "The main aim is to create more transparency" (juve-patent.com)
Analysis/Opinion
In the latest IAM benchmarking survey, 38% of respondents say they oppose the proposed EU SEP regulation with 20% expressing support. UPC makes a positive impact and EPO tops the charts: Global IP Benchmarking Survey - IAM (iam-media.com) 🔒
A new mediation model that focuses less on patents and more on business outcomes is being promoted as a way to streamline SEP negotiations. Could SEP holders and implementers save years and millions of dollars with this approach? - IAM (iam-media.com) 🔒
The eBay decision contributed to the decades-long dominance of a few tech giants; the RESTORE Patent Rights Act would help level the playing field for smaller inventors. Congress should restore the rights SCOTUS stripped from patent owners (thehill.com)
