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

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The UK courts continue to stake out a central role in global SEP adjudication. In the latest development, Mr Justice Mellor agreed to bring forward the date for a rate-setting action between Samsung and ZTE to January 2026. That will result in the speediest time-to-trial yet for a UK FRAND matter. In May, the same judge will consider a request from Samsung to issue a declaration that ZTE, if it will not agree to enter an interim licence on UK court-determined terms, is an unwilling licensor.

In the United States, Acting USPTO Director Coke Stewart has introduced a new hurdle for patent challengers seeking to use the inter partes review process. Under a temporary “PTAB Workload Management” protocol announced this week, the Director will have an opportunity to issue discretionary denials of new petitions before a panel of administrative patent judges (APJs) evaluates cases on their merits. The move comes ahead of a planned reduction-in-force among APJs and other PTAB staff.

Elsewhere, Nokia and Amazon reached an agreement ending their dispute over video streaming patents; and Sisvel Insights published an analysis of China’s new regulation on ‘foreign-related’ IP disputes.

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.

Market

Nokia settled its dispute with Amazon over video streaming patents, ending over a year of litigation in Europe, the United States and Asia. Nokia, Amazon settle patent dispute with license agreement: fourth video streaming deal for Nokia – ip fray

Several US patents were assigned from ZTE to an InterDigital subsidiary, hinting at a potential renewal of the pair’s 2019 licensing agreement. Michael Ma | LinkedIn

The former president of GE Licensing has launched a new monetisation vehicle with backing from a Peruvian billionaire. Exclusive: Pat Patnode launches new IP monetisation vehicle, TechStream - IAM 🔒

Turkish electronics company Vestel will license codec SEPs through the Avanci Video pool. Consumer electronics maker Vestel joins Avanci Video patent pool as licensor – ip fray

Legal

A UK judge has decided to expedite a Samsung v. ZTE FRAND trial, saying the Chinese firm has been “over-aggressive”. Order | IAM analysis

Germany’s highest court will hear an appeal of the recent VoiceAge v. HMD Global decision in Munich. Top German court gets first FRAND/SEP case since Sisvel v. Haier: HMD has already appealed VoiceAge EVS ruling to Federal Court of Justice: onward to ECJ? – ip fray

ITC Staff made FRAND findings favourable to Nokia prior to the settlement of the company’s ongoing dispute with Amazon. ITC staff reiterates its view that Nokia, unlike Amazon, complied with FRAND and recommends U.S. import ban regardless of UK proceedings – ip fray

Policy & Opinion

A new USPTO rule will see a Director-led Fintiv review precede arguments on the merits in PTAB cases Kit Crumbley | LinkedIn post

The UK Court of Appeal ruling in Lenovo v. Ericsson rewards hold out and raises major concerns around forum shopping, market competition and financial fairness Sisvel | UK ruling against Ericsson gives hold out a free pass

The presiding judge of the UPC’s busiest local division expressed scepticism over global FRAND terms ever emerging from the European court. UPC unlikely to issue UK-style global FRAND determinations, says Munich Judge Zigann - IAM 🔒

China’s patent office says it will expand the use of AI in patent examinations. China's National Intellectual Property Administration: Accelerate the Use of AI in Examination - China IP Law Update

Strategy & Analysis

New regulations on cross-border IP disputes involving China have implications for international trade conflict and patent licensing. Sisvel | China bolsters toolbox for international IP disputes

EPO patent filings were flat in 2024, with Samsung overtaking Huawei as the top applicant. European innovation remains robust, with demand for patents sustained at a high level | epo.org

The cellular IoT world is rife with questionable claims about patent indemnities, Sisvel’s David Muus and Sven Torringer wrote in the new issue of LES Nouvelles. Sisvel | LinkedIn post