BlackBerry confirms portfolio sale plan; US patent suits climb; CAFC nominee’s IP credentials; CRISPR in Europe; Litigation spend up, say IP leaders; and 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
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The Long Read
There is growing evidence that patent litigants are turning to ex parte reexaminations to bolster their PTAB strategies. Cozen O’Connor’s Jeffrey Townes and Hongling Zou analyse why older USPTO tools deserve a second look and explore how to get best value from them. Read more here
MONDAY 29th March
Semiconductor Energy Laboratory, an R&D-based Japanese business, has expanded its first patent assertion campaign in nearly a decade with a lawsuit targeting TCL’s display affiliate. Read more here
Acacia CEO points to recent “astounding IP settlements and judgments” as signs that the patent market is rebounding. Read more here
TUESDAY 30th March
Japanese e-commerce platform Rakuten has made external patent acquisitions a centrepiece of its strategy for years, but now faces a confrontation with IBM. Read more here
AbbVie’s clash with an adalimumab biosimilar producer is the latest in a string of lawsuits showing why biologics originators and imitators need strong trade secrets strategies. Read more here
The nomination of Tiffany Cunningham for the upcoming vacancy on the CAFC will hand the court its first African American judge, as well as someone with a long track record in patents. Read more here
WEDNESDAY 31st March
As they seek to curb junk applications, officials at China's National IP Administration have laid out five principles that will be used to determine what patents will be considered high-value. Read more here
Two senior US senators have called on the Biden Administration to speed up the USPTO Director appointment process and said that IP must be a policy priority. Read more here
THURSDAY 1st April
In the latest sign that companies in the auto supply chain face increased IP risks, Panasonic has sued Magna International over infringement of four patents covering advanced driving support systems. Read more here
IP industry leaders expect patent litigation spend to increase over the next six months, while concerns are growing about the environment in which IP owners operate. Read more here
The revocation of a Sigma-Aldrich Cas9 patent could be a sign of things to come in EPO opposition proceedings, but Europe’s CRISPR IP state of play will remain uncertain for several years. Read more here
Months after IAM broke the story, BlackBerry has officially disclosed for the first time that it is actively pursuing a sale of part of its patent portfolio. Read more here
FRIDAY 2nd April
China’s Supreme People’s Court has dismissed an appeal by Sisvel and confirmed that the Guangzhou IP Court can hear an antitrust complaint brought against the firm by Oppo. Read more here
BOE’s patent stockpile has quadrupled in size over the last decade - a necessary expansion for an increasingly influential global tech player. Read more here
US litigation data shows Ericsson was the most targeted company at the PTAB in Q1 of the year. Overall, though, IPR petitions were down, while district court filings were up. Read more here
SATURDAY 3rd April
Efforts to encourage patent transactions and lending in China exacerbate the quality problems they are intended to address. Read more here