Record French patent damages; Bayer IP head slams EPO board decision; Blackberry royalties surge; USPTO maintenance fees plummet; Philips goes on US attack; plus much more
Everything we covered on IAM over the last seven days – and all you need to know from the global IP market to set yourself up for the start of another busy week
MONDAY 21st September
China’s top LED chip manufacturer, San’an Optoelectronics, is using its patent portfolio to fend off its biggest domestic competitor in the space. Read more here
Why Daimler would have the upper hand over Nokia if the pair’s FRAND fight were being heard by the Chinese courts. Read more here
A flurry of Philips suits filed in the US against various TV, set-top box and PC manufacturers, as well as a couple of semiconductor giants, represents a notable escalation of its assertion activity. Read more here
TUESDAY 22nd September
The Japan Patent Office has been ahead of the curve in setting out examples of what AI patents it will grant. A new report looks at how to ensure such rights are enforceable. Read more here
Bayer IP head claims EPO’s Enlarged Board of Appeal got it wrong in recent controversial plant patent ruling, but says the case is now closed and companies must learn to live with it. Read more here
USPTO director Andrei Iancu has revealed that the agency saw collections for maintenance fees come in at $19.5 million less than projected from May to August. Read more here
WEDNESDAY 23rd September
Canon IP head Kenichi Nagasawa explains the choices he is confronted with as covid-19 accelerates changes that were already taking place in the tech industry. Read more here
Although some NPEs are beginning to embrace the potential of joining up to patent pools, others remain sceptical of the benefits. Read more here
THURSDAY 24th September
When it comes to patents, Chinese electronic vehicle companies are far more Tesla than Nikola, research done by IAM finds. Read more here
A Paris court has awarded Eli Lilly record damages for a life sciences patentee in France, as well as an injunction against generic producer Fresenius Kabi, in a dispute over a blockbuster cancer drug. Read more here
As Apple asks Federal Circuit to transfer case to Northern California, a new paper proposes two reforms to help lessen WDTX’s increasing grip on US patent litigation. Read more here
FRIDAY 25th September
IP litigation activity is already intensifying in the batteries field in China and recent data shows local firms lag badly in patent applications. Read more here
Although Oracle keeps its patents cards close, it is not to be underestimated - and a TikTok deal would increase its strength in the cloud. Read more here
Blackberry credits Marconi-affiliated Teletry as the prime driver behind a $32 million year-on-year licensing income jump. Read more here
SATURDAY 26th September
The UK Supreme Court’s Unwired Planet ruling was the big decision of the summer and a major win for patent owners. But it may end up handing Chinese courts a lead role in SEP licensing cases. Read more here