EU mustn’t abandon the UPC; surge in MPEG-LA HEVC licensees; ITC cases against Chinese companies soar; Healthcare faces NPE challenges; Korean IP financing boost; 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

MONDAY 6th January

Nineteen companies took the chance to secure rights to the MPEG-LA HEVC patent portfolio before a contingent of South Korean and Japanese rights owners left it last week. Read more here

ITC trade secret dispute between LG Chem and SK Innovation, which also encompasses US patent litigation, could be a harbinger of similar global conflicts between big companies. Read more here

Activist investor slams Immersion board and calls for big changes at the NPE, citing lack of credible business plan, as well as irresponsible governance and value destroying compensation practices. Read more here

TUESDAY 7th January

An analysis published last week by China’s IPR Daily suggests that nearly 60% of 2019’s ITC cases involved Chinese defendants – a record high. Read more here

A precedential decision handed down by the CAFC last month makes it easier for process patent owners to assert successfully against imported products. Read more here

In IP terms, it is shaping up to be a potentially very consequential six months at the US Supreme Court. Read more here

WEDNESDAY 8th January

The Chinese government is reducing the size of certain patent subsidy programmes and increasing scrutiny of parties that take advantage of them. Read more here

Sonos accuses Google of infringing five patents; after a bruising battle with Denon the new filing will put the speaker company’s “foundational” patents in the spotlight. Read more here

THURSDAY 9th January

How Coolpad ran into validity troubles as it prosecuted a rare domestic patent fight between Chinese mobile competitors. Read more here

Move by Parallax Health Sciences is an indication that NPEs could increasingly target life sciences companies as their use of digital technologies increases. Read more here

Unwired Planet judge hands boost to Conversant in London, but all eyes are on the UK Supreme Court as wait for key FRAND decision continues. Read more here

FRIDAY 10th January

New IP finance and tech independence measures in South Korea designed to boost SME sector and reduce reliance on conglomerates. Read more here

Everything you need to know about US district court patent suit filings in 2019, including top venues, plaintiffs and defendants. Read more here

Medtech leader Masimo accuses Apple of patent infringement and trade secret theft in case that highlights the challenges posed by convergence. Read more here

At a two-day event in Silicon Valley in February, experts in data capture, protection, privacy, management and exploitation will discuss the future for the world's fastest-growing asset class. Read more here

SATURDAY 11th January

Ratification delay in Germany and the growing spectre of UK non-participation might lead the EU to abandon the UPC project, but it would be a mistake to do so. Read more here

Unlock unlimited access to all IAM content