BlackBerry patent buyer named; Licensing success drives Nokia profits; Meta patent head on IP risk; US SEP policy surprise; Apple’s $355 billion brand; 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
The Long Read
Comprehensive US patent litigation data for 2021, compiled by Docket Navigator, shows more district court suits and a continuing decline in PTAB filings. Angela Morris speaks to expert practitioners to unpack the narratives behind the numbers. Read more here
MONDAY 31 January
We exclusively reveal who is leading the US-based entity that has bought 38,000 patent assets from BlackBerry for a total of $600 million. Read more here
An impressive roster of chief IP counsel from a range of industries talk IP risk: where it comes from, what form it takes when it hits, how to measure its seriousness and ways to plan accordingly. Read more here
Apple remains the world’s most valuable brand, with a record valuation of more than $355 billion, according to the latest Brand Finance Global 500. Read more here
Docket Navigator data shows the rate of Fintiv discretionary denials was cut in half in top US patent courts in 2021 as defendants adapted their legal strategies. Read more here
TUESDAY 1 February
WIPO Proof, the digital timestamping service, has officially closed. Despite a strong backend, it suffered from competition, miscalibration and a lack of international legal harmonisation. Read more here
The flexibility of the English courts in patent cases has been on full display in the epic Neurim Pharmaceuticals v Mylan dispute. Read more here
Meta patent head Jeremiah Chan talks about the biggest IP risk challenges that his current company has faced, as well as those at Google when he held a leadership position there. Read more here
WEDNESDAY 2 February
German licensing firm IPCom and Chinese lab Langbo have agreed a strategic collaboration that will initially focus on patent prosecution but could expand into areas such as R&D and licensing. Read more here
THURSDAY 3 February
Public records show that Apple has obtained 14 video-related US patent assets from South Korean research entity XRIS Corporation. Read more here
A $1.25 billion settlement between GSK and Gilead, that also includes ongoing royalties, shows the astronomical financial value that individual pharmaceutical patents can have. Read more here
In the latest example of 5G patent sales generating US litigation, an NPE has filed suit against ZTE, OnePlus and TCL alleging infringement of IP it recently purchased from a Chinese R&D group. Read more here
With its $600 million patent sale, BlackBerry has secured another three years’ worth of income from an encumbered portfolio, while the buyers can take high-quality assets into new markets. Read more here
FRIDAY 4 February
The IP licensing business was responsible for over 40% of Nokia’s net profit in FY 2021, underlining how critical it is at a time when the company’s operating segments are emerging from a reset. Read more here
The outcome of a case recently referred to the EPO’s Enlarged Board of Appeal could have major ramifications for US applicants and life sciences innovators. Read more here
The consultation period on proposals to change the wording of the DoJ/USPTO/NIST policy statement on SEP licensing has now closed, with just 81 comments so far published. Read more here
SATURDAY 5 February
In a surprise development, Michelle Lee has joined other former USPTO directors Andrei Iancu and David Kappos in criticising proposed Biden Administration changes to US SEP licensing policy. Read more here
