Patent Challenges for Standard-Setting in the Global Economy: Lessons from Information and Communication Technology examines how leading national and multinational standard-setting organizations (SSOs) address patent disclosures, licensing terms, transfers of patent ownership, and other issues that arise in connection with developing technical standards for consumer and other microelectronic products, associated software and components, and communications networks including the Internet. Attempting to balance the interests of patent holders, other participants in standard-setting, standards implementers, and consumers, the report calls on SSOs to develop more explicit policies to avoid patent holdup and royalty-stacking, ensure that licensing commitments carry over to new owners of the patents incorporated in standards, and limit injunctions for infringement of patents with those licensing commitments. The report recommends government measures to increase the transparency of patent ownership and use of standards information to improve patent quality and to reduce conflicts of laws across countries.
Patent Challenges for Standard-Setting in the Global Economy: Lessons from Information and Communication Technology examines how leading national and multinational standard-setting organizations (SSOs) address patent disclosures, licensing terms, transfers of patent ownership, and other issues that arise in connection with developing technical standards for consumer and other microelectronic products, associated software and components, and communications networks including the Internet. Attempting to balance the interests of patent holders, other participants in standard-setting, standards implementers, and consumers, the report calls on SSOs to develop more explicit policies to avoid patent holdup and royalty-stacking, ensure that licensing commitments carry over to new owners of the patents incorporated in standards, and limit injunctions for infringement of patents with those licensing commitments. The report recommends government measures to increase the transparency of patent ownership and use of standards information to improve patent quality and to reduce conflicts of laws across countries.
What is the licensing framework of standard essential patents (SEPs) for connectivity standards such as 5G and Wi-Fi? How will the framework change with the Internet of Things (IoT)? This book provides comprehensive answers to these questions. For over two decades, connectivity standards have been the subject of litigation and controversy around the globe. Now, with the introduction of 5G and the emergence of the world of connected objects, or the IoT, the licensing framework for SEPs is becoming even more contentious. In order to bring clarity to the debate, this book analyses and explains key components of a fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory (FRAND) licence for SEPs; clarifies the economic, policy and market background of SEP disputes; examines the interrelated application of contract, patent and competition laws; and describes the approaches by courts and regulators in the EU, US and the UK. Importantly, the book also assesses how the experience from the smartphone and ICT industries can be applied in a new environment of the IoT, and considers what needs to be changed in the future SEP licensing landscape. The book provides a holistic coverage of SEP licensing issues in an attempt to reduce uncertainty within this highly complex and technical area, and will be useful to practitioners, policy makers, SMEs and large technology companies in the IoT, as well as academics interested in the field.
This open access book presents global perspectives and developments within the information and communication technology (ICT) sector, and discusses the bearing they have on policy initiatives that are relevant to the larger digital technology and communications industry. Drawing on key developments in India, the USA, UK, EU, and China, it explores whether key jurisdictions need to adopt a different legal and policy approach to address the unique concerns that have emerged within the technology-intensive industries. The book also examines the latest law and policy debates surrounding patents and competition in these regions. Initiating a multi-faceted discussion, the book enables readers to gain a comprehensive understanding of complex legal and policy issues that are beginning to emerge around the globe.
The fast-evolving relationship between the promotion of welfare-enhancing competition and the balanced protection of intellectual property (IP) rights has attracted the attention of policymakers, analysts and scholars. This interest is inevitable in an environment that lays ever greater emphasis on the management of knowledge and innovation and on mechanisms to ensure that the public derives the expected social and economic benefits from this innovation and the spread of knowledge. This book looks at the positive linkage between IP and competition in jurisdictions around the world, surveying developments and policy issues from an international and comparative perspective. It includes analysis of key doctrinal and policy issues by leading academics and practitioners from around the globe and a cutting-edge survey of related developments across both developed and developing economies. It also situates current policy developments at the national level in the context of multilateral developments, at WIPO, WTO and elsewhere.
This book offers a unique insight into the world of standard-setting organizations (SSOs)’ IPR policies and the role they play in balancing the interests of innovators and implementers, vis-à-vis the development of standards. Since the beginning of the 21st century, there have been quite a few questions asked of the SSOs as to the legality of their IPR policies and the enforceability of disclosure and licensing obligations enshrined therein. That, coupled with disagreements over the appropriate royalty rate and royalty base, has resulted in extensive litigation between innovators and implementers, especially across the Atlantic. The Book, in keeping the USA and EU as the two primary jurisdictions, offers a comprehensive analysis of the disclosure and licensing obligations under SSO IPR policies, with strong theoretical foundations justifying their imposition. More specifically, it offers a bird’s eye view of the various facets of disclosure and licensing, ranging from non-disclosure and transparency on one hand, to the determination of FRAND on the other. While much has been said about the benefits arising out of collaborative standard-setting, disputes involving SEP licensing have not been limited to the courts, and have attracted a significant amount of scrutiny by competition/antitrust agencies. The Book provides an elaborate account of the anti-competitive concerns surrounding standard-setting, and further documents the role of courts and competition agencies in ensuring good faith licensing negotiations between the SEP holders and implementers. Despite largely focusing on SEP licensing disputes in the USA and EU, the Book also offers a dedicated chapter on standard-setting in the Indian context. The readers are presented with an in-depth discussion on the contrasting approaches adopted by the courts and the Competition Commission of India (CCI), in addressing disputes involving SEPs. The said discussion is supplemented by a careful analysis of the SEP licensing guidelines to have emerged out of other implementer-oriented economies like China and Japan. By doing so, the Book offers readers the opportunity to study and compare the SEP licensing framework in developed, as well as developing economies. SSO IPR policies play an integral role in the development of standards, and with technologies such as the Internet of Things and 5G knocking on the doors, the Book makes for a valuable study on the nuances of standard-setting through the lens of SSOs, and will find takers among a wide reader base of students, researchers, academics, law practitioners, corporates, and policy makers.
Innovation and standardization might seem polar opposites, but over many years various scholars have noted close connections between the two. This Handbook assembles a broad range of thinking on this subject, with contributions from several disciplinary perspectives by over 30 leading scholars and experienced practitioners. Collectively, they summarize and synthesize the existing body of knowledge – theory and evidence – pertaining to standards and innovation, and provide insights into how this knowledge can be useful to scholars, industrial strategists, policy-makers and standards practitioners.
Standardisierung ist ein wesentliches Instrument zur Förderung von Innovation und Wettbewerb, was wiederum sowohl Verbrauchern als auch Unternehmen zu Gute kommt. Doch aufgrund der Tatsache, dass die Normen in der Regel durch Standardessentielle Patente (SEP) geschützt sind, kann die Standardisierung den Zugriff auf die Technologie behindern und denjenigen den Eintritt in den Markt erschweren, die nicht Patentinhaber sind. Normungsorganisationen (SSPs) haben die Aufgabe das Gleichgewicht zwischen den Patentinhabern und den Nutzern herzustellen. Die Patentinhaber sollen von den Nutzern eines Standards Gebühren erhalten, die die Akzeptanz des Standards nicht unnötig gefährden. Recht häufig kommt es zu kostspieligen und zeitraubenden Rechtsstreitigkeiten, weil die Parteien nicht in der Lage sind, angemessene und nicht diskriminierende Lizenzbedingungen (FRAND) zu vereinbaren. Eine solche Situation behindert zwangsläufig die Umsetzung der standardisierten Technologie und führt zu der Frage, welche Funktion die SSOs während des Standardisierungsprozesses und bei der Festlegung des Standards haben.
This book includes a collection of standards-specific case studies. The case studies offer an opportunity to combine the teaching preferences of educators with the goals of the SEC (Standards Education Committee); providing students with “real-world” insight into the technical, political, and economic arenas of engineering. Encourages students to think critically about standards development and technology solutions Reinforces the usage of standards as an impetus for innovation Will help understand the dynamics and impacts of standards A curriculum guide is available to instructors who have adopted the book for a course. To obtain the guide, please send a request to: [email protected].
In fields as diverse as research and development, governance, and international trade, success depends on effective communication and processes. However, limited research exists on how professionals can utilize procedures and express themselves consistently across disciplines. Corporate and Global Standardization Initiatives in Contemporary Society is a critical scholarly resource that examines standardization in organizations. Featuring coverage on a broad range of topics, such as business standards, information technology standards, and mobile communications, this book is geared towards professionals, students, and researchers seeking current research on standardization for diverse settings and applications.
