Published: 3/14/16

Publication: IAM

The port city of Ningbo is playing host to China’s first case testing what constitutes abuse of non-essential patents. In a lawsuit being watched closely by regulators, four local companies are arguing that Hitachi Metals’ refusal to license its patents related to neodymium-iron-boron (NdFeB) magnets violates antimonopoly laws. There is no formal standard surrounding NdFeB technology, and Hitachi Metals, which largely controls the field, has made no voluntary declaration that it will license […]

Published: 3/13/16

Publication: China IPR

The US Chamber and American Chamber of Commerce (the “Chambers”) have recently made available its recent comments on the NDRC and SAIC drafts of the IP abuse guidelines to be promulgated by the Antimonopoly Commission of the State Council.  Here are the links: NDRC IP Abuse Guidelines Chinese; NDRC IP Abuse Guidelines English; SAIC IP Abuse Guidelines Chinese; SAIC P Abuse Guidelines English.  As there is no public […]

Published: 2/24/16

Publication: IAM

The UK Patents Court recently handed down judgment in the ongoing dispute between Unwired Planet and various mobile phone and infrastructure manufacturers.

Facts
Unwired Planet asserted six of its European patents, which were acquired from Ericsson, in both the United Kingdom and Germany. Unwired Planet believed that this was necessary to “expedite ongoing licensing negotiations” and the UK and German courts were chosen by Unwired Planet due to these courts being “a well-respected forum for […]

Published: 2/23/16

Publication: Lexology

This year the IP world will be brimming with changes, the largest of which will take place in the European Union. Sweeping reforms in EU trademark law will be implemented in March as well as the likelihood of the Unitary Patent making its debut in Europe at some point this year. China will likely see patent changes as well. Ladas & Parry has been at the forefront of helping IP owners handle the changes in […]

Published: 2/23/16

Publication: Hindustan Times

High patent royalty fees charged by foreign technology firms are fast emerging a major hurdle for India’s ambitions of turning into a global mobile manufacturing hub.

Mobile phone makers such as Micromax, Intex, Lava and iBall will together pay at least Rs 2,000 crore in royalty payments over the next four years to foreign telecom equipment makers.

Standard essential patents owners demand royalty payments on the end value of the mobile device rather than […]

Published: 2/19/16

Publication: The Financial Express,

A huge influx of imported ‘phone components’ on zero duty and zero countervailing duty (CVD) and minimum quality standards has disrupted business models for mobile handset industry. While the government is encouraging making-in-India and companies like Sony are initiating manufacturing Android TVs here, most Indian brands still import components, assemble locally and sell at competitive market rates.

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