Nordic and Sisvel in major IoT deal; More Avanci 5G licensees named; Ericsson provides 6G update; Rethink US damages, says Uber IP leader; 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 week was a big one for Sisvel, with the announcement of a groundbreaking deal with Nordic Semiconductor that will providing the Norwegian company’s IoT customers with a simple, efficient way to obtain end-product licences from more than 30 patent owners holding LTE-M and NB-IoT SEPs offered via the Sisvel Cellular IoT pool.
Elsewhere, Avanci named two new licensees in its 5G auto programme and Ericsson provided an update on how the company sees the 6G standardisation timeline in 3GPP and ITU. Meanwhile, Uber director of IP Chris Storm announced publication of a paper arguing the US courts should rethink their approach to patent damages setting by focusing on injury-in-fact to plaintiffs, not on how an infringer benefits from infringement.
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
Nokia can continue to assert video codec SEPs against HP Inc. in the US District of Delaware after a judge dismissed the PC maker’s antitrust counterclaims. The ruling held that HP failed to plead the existence of a relevant market. Nokia’s US video codec assertions proceed against HP - IAM (iam-media.com) (Paywall)
A California federal court has rejected a lawsuit accusing Mediatek of illegally partnering with IP Value to file meritless lawsuits targeting the Taiwanese company's competitor Realtek in the smart-television chips market. Chipmaker MediaTek fends off Realtek lawsuit claiming patent 'bounty' scheme | Reuters
Market
Sisvel and Nordic Semiconductor have agreed a groundbreaking deal that will enable Nordic customers to secure a one-stop licence to the thousands of SEPs currently available through the Sisvel Cellular IoT patent pool. Sisvel | Nordic and Sisvel to streamline cellular IoT SEP licensing
Avanci has announced Volvo Cars and Polestar as the newest licensees in its 5G Vehicle programme. LinkedIn | Laurie Fitzgerald
Ericsson has provided an update on the latest 6G standardisation timeline in 3GPP and ITU, as well as the key principles the company envisions for 6G design. 6G standardization timeline and principles - Ericsson
Via Licensing Alliance president Heath Hoglund has described the acquisition of MPEG LA in 2023 as “an opportunity to have more opportunities”. Behind Via LA President Heath Hoglund’s biggest year yet - IAM (iam-media.com) (Paywall)
Analysis/Opinion
When setting reasonable royalties, US courts should follow the Patent Act 1946 and require plaintiffs to demonstrate actual injury-in-fact rather than consider evidence of how an infringer benefits from infringement, Uber IP legal director Chris Storm argues in a new paper. A Series of Historical Accidents: Profits Versus Damages in Reasonable Royalty Calculations by Chris Storm :: SSRN
China must embrace expertise from outside the country if plans to create domestic SEP Pools are going to succeed. China’s SEP pool creation efforts require overseas input - IAM (iam-media.com) (Paywall)
The newest member of Sisvel’s senior leadership team, general counsel Steve Jedlinski, discusses his career in IP, the move in-house and lessons he has learned from handling complex technology disputes in private practice. Sisvel | Meet Sisvel’s new general counsel
A recent ruling in the ongoing G+ Communications v Samsung Electronics case highlights risks for patent owners that are only “half committed to FRAND”. G+ Communications v. Samsung: The Perils of Being ‘Half-Committed’ to FRAND (ipwatchdog.com)
The UPC's first SEP-related decision aligns closely with German precedent – and that should make the new court an attractive venue for SEP holders looking to solve global licensing disputes. In With the New? Not So Fast: The UPC’s First SEP Ruling Aligns With German Precedent | Mintz
The common belief that that the Japanese courts are standards implementer friendly is a misconception, according to one of the country's leading SEP legal practitioners. The SEP Couch: Shogo Matsunaga on SEPs and the Law in Japan (ipwatchdog.com)
