IoT indemnity warning; Huawei’s Wi-Fi 6 win; Voice codec pool launched; 6G standards split speculation; 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
**Click here to get this newsletter delivered directly to your inbox every Monday**
This week, a wake-up call for IoT product makers took centre stage. An article published by Sisvel Insights highlighted how many companies believe that because they have received IP rights indemnification letters from their module suppliers, their risks are covered. This is a dangerous assumption.
To set the record straight, our own Sven Torringer and David Muus revealed examples of such clauses from real world agreements involving some of the world’s largest component manufacturers and explained why they may not be worth the paper they are written on. They also suggest an easy way to test whether suppliers are willing to stand behind assurances they have secured the necessary licensing coverage.
Elsewhere, Huawei won a favourable result at the German Federal Patent Court in its ongoing dispute with Netgear. In pool news, meanwhile, VIA LA announced a new programme around voice codec technology. Finally, Sisvel Insights wrote about an issue with 6G standard setting that some telecoms analysts say is becoming an elephant in the room.
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
Germany’s Federal Patent Court upheld a Huawei Wi-Fi 6 SEP in a nullity trial initiated by Netgear. ip fray | LinkedIn post
Recently announced personnel changes will reshape two Texas districts that are hotbeds of patent litigation. Mazzant To Take Over As EDTX Chief From Gilstrap In March - Law360🔒 | Albright Confirms Move To Austin, Pending 5th Circ. Sign-Off - Law360🔒
Market
Via LA announced a new voice codec patent pool covering EVS and IVAS technology, with Dolby, ETRI, Huawei, JVCKENWOOD and NTT on board as licensors. Via-LA-Voice-Codec-PR-121024.pdf
Huawei, LG Electronics, Panasonic and Shanghai Langbo were among the patent owners who recorded US patent divestments in November. Six large US patent transactions dominate deals recorded in November - IAM 🔒
There is mounting speculation in the telecoms industry about the potential for competing 6G standards. Sisvel | 6G split talk underlines risky work of standards-setting
Policy & Opinion
The potential nomination of Vishal Amin as USPTO chief would fly in the face of Donald Trump’s anti-Big Tech rhetoric. Trump Picks for Commerce and DOJ Are at Odds with Rumored Pick for USPTO
The pending EU SEP regulation would harm Europe’s security interests and industrial strategy, IP Europe explained. Leadership in advanced communications technologies matters for Europe's regional security and strategic autonomy - IP Europe
Alongside alternative dispute resolution, patent pools hold promise for reducing SEP conflict. A FRAND in need: why establishing standardized technologies is so complicated
Strategy & Analysis
Indemnities offered by IoT module makers may be giving customers a false sense of security. Sisvel | How thousands of IoT companies are misled by component suppliers over patent licences
A Munich-based judge recently shared his views on how the appeal in VoiceAge EVS v. HMD is playing out. FRAND is in flux in Munich: lower court has concerns about appeals court’s preliminary position, yet made adjustments – ip fray
Preliminary injunctions at the UPC have become a key battleground for litigants. Recent developments in UPC preliminary injunction proceedings - IAM 🔒
