Category: IP-related competition matters
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Standard-essential patent rules increasingly inspire non-SEP case law and policy in outlier cases where there are striking parallels
Standard-essential patents raise questions at the intersection of intellectual property and competition law. Concepts such as FRAND licensing obligations and anti-antisuit injunctions apply to outlier non-SEP cases as well.
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$1 million bounty for suing patent licensee’s rivals may be lawful owing to Noerr-Pennington doctrine, anti-SLAPP statute: U.S. court
Context: The Northern District of California has become a particularly popular venue for bringing antitrust claims that involve patent litigation and/or licensing. Its judges are considered more receptive to expansive antitrust ideas, and less patentee-friendly, than those in other districts. But since FTC v. Qualcomm, which was overturned on appeal, patent-related antitrust claims have typically…
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UK judge lets Lenovo v. InterDigital claim go forward that would force SEP holders to make two FRAND offers to avoid antitrust violations
A puzzling order by Mr Justice Richards in a FRAND action brought by Lenovo against InterDigital runs counter to one of the most basic rules of antitrust law: tying.
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Volkswagen takes early-bird Avanci 5G license for all of its brands, contrasting with VW’s delayed 4G upgrade
Shortly after the license agreement with General Motors, Avanci 5G announces another signing of a high-volume multi-brand automaker: all brands of the Volkswagen Group are on board.
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Automotive industry players seeking cartel clearance for Licensing Negotiation Groups: a leopard doesn’t change its spots
Licensing Negotiation Groups were proposed by certain automakers years ago, but failed to get traction with regulatory authorities. A new push is underway while the European Commision is investigating yet another automotive industry cartel.