Microsoft and Foxconn royalty dust-up; the EU Copyright Directive dissected; why Lyft’s patents trail Uber’s; US software patent sales surge; IPR 10,000 approaches; plus much more
The dynamism of the global IP market was demonstrated again last week with a plethora of major stories breaking across the world. Fortunately, the IAM editorial team was on hand to bring you all the latest developments and analysis of them. Here’s what we covered …
MONDAY 11th March
Microsoft and Facebook featured among the leaders in the US patent deals market in Q4 of 2018 with transactions involving software assets hitting their highest level since 2010. Read more here
A 2013 deal with Foxconn was hailed as a coup for Microsoft’s Android licensing efforts, but now a lawsuit suggests the Redmond-based business has made little to nothing from it. Read more here
Our round-up of all the big life sciences patent news from February. Read more here
TUESDAY 12th March
A pair of acquisitions and the bankruptcy of a competitor helped Hanwha Q CELLS to move from licensee to plaintiff in the latest indication that disputes in the clean energy sector are heating up. Read more here
The EPO’s annual report for 2018 was published today and shows that filing levels are up, grants have surged, the US leads, China has slowed and Siemens is number one. Read more here
An elite group of Silicon Valley IP executives meets regularly to discuss how the use of analytics can help their companies save millions on portfolio management and litigation. Read more here
WEDNESDAY 13th March
The controversial EU Copyright Directive will place extra burdens on service providers and heralds a new, more interventionist approach to the regulation of online platforms in the digital economy. Read more here
THURSDAY 14th March
Furious Foxconn CEO Terry Gou has claimed that Microsoft’s real target in the licensing royalties suit it has filed against the Taiwanese company is Huawei. Read more here
Prior to its IPO Lyft has tapped patents from the likes of AT&T, but analysis shows that its portfolio – while of above average value – does not have the coverage that Uber’s does. Read more here
New research highlights the impact of patent eligibility uncertainty on investments in the life sciences and high-tech sectors. Read more here
FRIDAY 15th March
Heading toward elections, the Indian government is touting its record on IP system reforms. Rights holders acknowledge progress, but say they have concerns about patent quality. Read more here
In seeking to tackle patent thickets, the proposed Biologic Patent Transparency Act aims to accelerate biosimilar market entry in the US, but it leaves key issues unaddressed. Read more here
With IPR petition 10,000 approaching, the PTAB has spawned a $1 billion industry in a way that no-one who saw the America Invents Act through Congress could have anticipated. Read more here