The 5G Licensor with Fewer Patents Is Winning the Negotiations with this one Strategy
With over 100,000 patent families declared essential to 5G standards and 21 companies holding portfolios exceeding 1,000 SEPs each, the instinct heading into licensing negotiations is to lead with scale. Declared family count. ETSI share. Portfolio rank by volume. The assumption is that the number carries the leverage. But, in a growing share of 5G […]
AI Just Made SEP Claim Mapping 80% Faster – 600 Hours of Human Work to 14 Days
In SEP licensing, a declaration costs almost nothing, but challenging it costs a fortune. Across 5G, 4G LTE, HEVC, and Wi-Fi, rigorous independent reviews consistently show that 30% to 60% of declared portfolios are non-essential. This isn’t just a margin of error; it is a predictable outcome of declaration systems designed for speed, not verification. […]
Paying $7K a Patent with No ROI? A University Patent Monetization Strategy That Works
Across the U.S., academic tech transfer is under strain. In 2023, U.S. institutions reported a 33% year-over-year decline in patent licenses. Meanwhile, unused patents keep costing money. Utility patents require three maintenance payments at 3.5/7.5/11.5 years. After the 2025 fee changes, large-entity fees total $14,470 ($2,150 + $4,040 + $8,280). Small-entity nonprofits (which include many […]
How Mid-Sized SEP Portfolios Like Panasonic’s Are Leading in 5G Licensing
From 2G through 4G, SEP declaration counts became the industry’s shorthand for power. Negotiation dynamics favored raw numbers, with counterparties conceding that more declared families meant broader coverage. Large licensors with huge SEP Portfolios reinforced the equation by filing across dozens of jurisdictions, turning global coverage into bargaining power. Pools too often rewarded contribution counts, […]
Proving Patent Infringement for a Robotics Patent – in Smartphones
John, a partner at a well-established patent litigation firm in the United States, contacted us at a point when the pressure had started to build. He was preparing for a patent infringement case involving a tech that described a multi-camera imaging system capable of producing an image with a sharply focused center and a lower-resolution […]
How Stephan Nößner Prepares for IP Negotiations & Why Most Others Walk in Blind
According to IAM Media and WIPO data, fewer than 30% of patent disputes result in a court ruling, while nearly 70% are settled through negotiation stages. Yet these negotiations frequently unfold amid uncertainty, with patent holders, especially practicing entities and startups, struggling to assign monetary value to their portfolios. Emotional bias, poor preparation, and legal […]
Need to Estimate Damages Fast? The Only Patent Valuation Checklist You’ll Ever Need
There’s no shortage of data when it comes to patent valuation. Legal guidelines, product specs, and market figures are easily accessible. But in practice, these pieces often don’t connect. Patent claims are analyzed, but they’re not always linked to how products work. Market relevance is understood, but it’s often not presented in a way that […]
Inside Intel’s Patent Strategy in Video Codec: Filings, Litigation Trends, and Licensing Power
In the rapidly evolving landscape of video processing and computer graphics, intellectual property (IP) is a cornerstone of competitive advantage. For a technology giant like Intel, renowned for its foundational contributions to the computing industry, a robust and strategically managed IP portfolio is paramount. Intel’s approach to intellectual property underscores a clear commitment to advancing […]
The Complex Math That Made a 5G Patent Worth Millions
When assessing a patent for its Standard Essential Patent (SEP) potential, the real challenge lies in the complexities of the claims loaded with technical details. While most patents appear to map easily to standards, abstract mathematical constructs or intricate claim language can make even seemingly straightforward patents difficult to evaluate. A recent 5G patent monetization […]
Reverse Engineering Finds Patent Infringement in Next-Gen Smartwatch
Patents focused on wearable technology have long been central to litigations targeting large companies, offering a significant return on investment (ROI). This trend can be traced back to 2014, when Adidas sued Under Armour for infringing fitness training and tracking device patents. This trend has continued in recent years, with high-profile cases such as the […]
Inside Sony’s Patent Strategy in Video Codec: Filings, Litigation Trends, and Licensing Power
In an era defined by rapid technological evolution, a company’s intellectual property (IP) portfolio stands as a cornerstone of its competitive advantage. For a global technology leader like Sony, renowned for its pervasive influence across consumer electronics, entertainment, and professional solutions, a robust and strategically managed IP landscape is paramount. But how does Sony navigate […]
The Apple Car Was a Bust, But Its EV Charging Tech Could Rival Tesla
Apple’s billion-dollar EV charging patent describes an advanced charging station that automatically aligns the plug with the vehicle’s charging port. This mechanism eliminates the need for precise driver input, making charging effortless. Apple ventured into the electric vehicle domain in 2014 with “Project Titan,” in partnership with the Chinese automaker BYD. The goal was to […]
4 Smart Strategies for Patent Owners to Get Better Licensing Deals on SEPs
From 2015 to 2020, new Standard Essential Patent (SEP) families in telecom jumped threefold from 6,457 to 17,623. The 5G standard alone accounts for over 150,000 declared patents since 2015. Despite this increase, implementers continue challenging essentiality claims and pushing back on royalty demands for SEP Licensing. Essentiality checks are performed with different evaluation methods […]
Get higher value in SEP licensing with advanced claim mapping strategies
If your SEP licensing efforts are falling short of expectations due to licensee rebuttals, it’s time to rethink your approach. One common misstep is focusing only on a single stage of 3GPP standards when preparing claim charts. This leaves important details out, creating gaps that licensees can challenge, such as missing technical explanations or incomplete […]
Could India be the Next Patent Hub for Chinese Companies?
With the rise of Standard Essential Patents (SEPs) in India and the growing interest of Chinese companies in this market, the question looms: “Could India be the next patent hub for Chinese companies?” To make this a reality, India’s IP landscape must be adjusted to accommodate global innovators, as several laws still require tweaking. In […]
Invest in AI/ML Technologies to Lead Next-Generation Wireless Networks
The integration of Machine Learning (ML) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) into the 802.11 Task Group for a comprehensive study marks a significant step towards advancing next-generation wireless networks. The study, focusing on the potential use cases of Artificial Intelligence in wireless networks, draws substantial inspiration from the progress made by 3GPP. This initiative highlights the […]