Huawei and EDMI agree IoT deal; Intellectual Discovery plans IPO; UPC SEP cases rise; US patent prices fall; LPWAN tech take-up to double; plus 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
Things are moving in the IoT sector. This week saw Huawei agree a global licensing deal with smart meter manufacturer EDMI covering standard essential patents reading on NB-IoT, LTE-M and LTE Cat 1 technologies; while our own Jacob Schindler reported on new research predicting a rise in take-up of LPWAN solutions over the coming years.
Elsewhere, there was news of a possible stock market flotation by a leading Korean licensor, while the latest data from the Unified Patent Court showed growth in the number of SEP-related cases.
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
Kigen v Thales, the English courts’ first ever implementer-led SEP rate-setting dispute, has been settled just days before the FRAND trial was due to get underway in London. UK global FRAND rate dispute settles at eleventh hour - IAM (iam-media.com) (Paywall)
The Delhi High Court recognised concepts such as hold-out and unwilling licensee in its recent Ericsson v Lava decision but did little to deter such behaviour. However, there are reasons to believe the ruling may turn out to be highly significant – not least in the contrast of its approach with the Chongqing court in Nokia v Oppo. Sisvel | Positives and negatives in major Indian FRAND decision
A rise in the number of SEP-related cases – including the first action by an implementer - was among the highlights of developments at the Unified Patent Court during the first quarter of the year. The key Unified Patent Court developments of Q1 2024 - IAM (iam-media.com) (Paywall)
An English High Court decision has revealed that Lenovo committed several breaches of a confidentiality protocol relating to InterDigital’s third-party SEP licence agreements in the latest development of the pair's closely watched SEP/FRAND dispute. Lenovo confidentiality breaches represent "serious failings", says UK court in InterDigital dispute - IAM (iam-media.com) (Paywall)
Market
Huawei has agreed a global licensing deal with EDMI that gives the Singapore-based smart meter provider access to SEPs covering cellular IoT technologies, including NB-IoT, LTE-M and LTE Cat 1. Huawei and EDMI reach global IoT Licensing agreement - Huawei
Intellectual Discovery is planning to go public in 2026 in order to access capital that will allow it to become one of the world's top three patent monetisation players, the Korean firm's new head of IP has revealed. Korean NPE Intellectual Discovery seeks to become top-3 IP monetisation player - IAM (iam-media.com) (Paywall)
The LPWAN solutions covered by Sisvel's Cellular IoT pool - NB-IoT and LTE-M – are on the road to majority market share, with connections set to double by 2027. Sisvel | Four takeaways from the latest LPWAN market data
RPX has published its Q1 2024 review of major developments in US patent litigation. Among other things, this reports a significant uptick in NPE filings and the potential for PTAB rule changes that could reshape important aspects of the AIA review system. RPX Q1 in Review - April 2024 (rpxcorp.com)
There has never been a better time to be a patent buyer. Prices, when adjusted for inflation, are falling. Meanwhile, tech layoffs and budget cuts continue to feed more assets into the market. It was a great time to buy patents in 2023 - IAM (iam-media.com) (Paywall)
Opinion and analysis
In navigating the complexities of SEP/FRAND licensing, it is imperative to elevate consumer voices (either directly or indirectly) alongside expert opinions and legal considerations, say Xiaomi senior licensing director Na Wei and licensing director Cheng Yu. SEP/FRAND Hub 2023/2024 - IAM (iam-media.com)
The proliferation of cloud gaming platforms highlights the necessity for a unified approach to technology and licensing. This may pave the way for a FRAND licensing regime. Why video games may spark the next FRAND battleground | Managing Intellectual Property (managingip.com) (Paywall)
