PatentLicensing
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Via Licensing assembles an LTE supergroup to share standards-essential patents
Dolby spinoff Via Licensing has shone a signal into the night sky and assembled some of the world's biggest telecoms players to form a patent supergroup. AT&T, NTT DoCoMo and Telefonica are some of the names that'll pool their standards-essential LTE patents to prevent getting embroiled in litigation over FRAND licensing. While there are some notable holdouts to the team, we suggest company president Roger Ross coax them over by hiring Michael McCuistion to write them a rockin' theme song.
RIM licenses Microsoft's exFAT file system to stuff extra-large files into BlackBerry devices
RIM has big ambitions for media on BlackBerry hardware -- really big. Accordingly, it just reached a patent licensing deal with Microsoft that lets it use the exFAT file system on "certain BlackBerry devices." We have a hunch that's a reference to future BlackBerry 10 phones and tablets rather than retrofits of existing (and likely incapable) mobile gear. The move will let any devices that do recognize exFAT handle much larger files, such as long videos, in addition to streamlining transfers between computers and other gadgets. The conditions of the deal haven't been given out, but we suspect RIM's negotiations with Microsoft were on more voluntary terms than those faced by Android supporters.
Rovi lands Google Fiber patent license deal, keeps program guides flowing
Rovi considers itself the master of TV program guides everywhere -- even if some disagree -- so it's almost inevitable that the company would negotiate a new patent license with Google. The deal puts all of Google Fiber's TV interfaces in the clear, whether it's the set-top box near the TV or the less traditional interfaces found on the web and the Nexus 7 remote. Considering Rovi's existing connection to Google TV, the new pact may cement the company and its partner in Mountain View as surprisingly close friends.
Apple and Liquidmetal hug it out, lengthen their pact until 2014
The deal between Apple and Liquidmetal was originally supposed to be a short-term fling. Technically, it expired in February this year, less than two years after the couple first met. There must have been a spark, as the two have just decided to extend their licensing deal through to February 2014. Of course, simply having a deal isn't the same as putting it to use, and there's no certainty that we'll see anything exotic materialize out of it: the last time Liquidmetal's extra-sturdy alloy was used in an Apple product, it wound up in a SIM card ejector tool. Still, Apple must have found something it wants to make in order to keep its union going forward, whether it's another tiny pack-in with an iPhone or (once costs allow) something a tad larger.
InterDigital's Bill Merritt on patent trolls, standards development and disputes with the big boys
You probably won't know the name, but you most certainly use its technology on a daily basis. InterDigital is a pioneering company that helped develop WCDMA, 3G and HSDPA during its 50-year history. It counts former Apple CEO Gil Amelio as one of its directors, but the only time you'll ever hear its name is when it's embroiled in litigation. Either because it's suing, or being sued for licensing fees in the complex, murky world of wireless technologies, it's easy to get the idea that InterDigital is a patent troll. A name that, both Nokia and most recently, Huawei have barely stopped short of throwing at the company. But what's it like being painted as the villain in the wireless business pantomime? Company president and CEO William "Bill" Merritt took the time to answer some of our questions, talk about what the company actually does, what's in the future and why they definitely aren't a patent troll.
Huawei files EU antitrust complaint against InterDigital
Huawei has filed an EU antitrust complaint against InterDigital to end its "abuse" of the allegedly standards-essential patents it controls. The company has urged the commission to examine its demands, which are considered too hefty to come under the protection of FRAND terms. The shoe normally resides on the other foot, with InterDigital previously instigating battles with Nokia, Samsung and ZTE. This time, it looks like the Chinese giant was tired of being pushed around by what it's derisorily called a non-practicing entity -- which we've taken to be a polite euphemism. Update: InterDigital has released a statement, which we've included after the break.
Nokia loses UK appeal against IPCom's pointless patent posturing
Nokia has had its appeal dismissed in the UK High Court in its Europe-wide patent battle against IPCom. The court found that the handset maker had infringed the German firm's 3G patent, but only on the Nokia N96 -- a phone the company no longer sells. IPCom can now request a ban on all British sales of the 2008 handset, a move that will probably affect tens of people. We've got an official response from Nokia's Mark Durrant after the break. [Image credit: Wikimedia Commons]
Pantech next to sign Android patent deal with Microsoft
Microsoft may have already signed patent licensing agreements with 70 percent of the US Android manufacturers, including some of the biggest names in the market, but that doesn't mean Redmond's about ready to hit the brakes anytime soon. Next up on the block is Pantech, according to a company spokesperson talking with Yonhap News. No specific details have been decided yet, so we'll have to wait for the official word and see what happens.
Rambus, Broadcom sign licensing deal, agree to share toys
It never hurts to stop arguing, hug it out and agree on a patent licensing deal. Today, Rambus -- which filed a complaint against Broadcom with the International Trade Commission in 2010 -- signed a licensing deal that resolved those claims. In the statement, Rambus said it will license its patent for integrated circuits used in chips made by Broadcom. The company didn't disclose any financial details related to the deal or which technology would be part of the agreement. However, given that Broadcom's known for its wireless networking chips often found in WiFi, Bluetooth and cellular-capable devices, it seems likely to be in the wireless realm. In other news, Rambus and Broadcom have added each other as Xbox Live friends and gotten to level 36 in Modern Warfare 3 co-op gameplay.
Microsoft wants a share of Huawei's Android profits
As a reward for its growth and successful product launches, Huawei now finds itself on the grim radar of Redmond's patent fee hunters, who claim that Android-based hardware impinges on their intellectual property. "Microsoft has come to us," said the Chinese manufacturer's chief marketing officer at an event in London last night, confirming that "negotiations are in progress" and hinting that Huawei could soon be another head on Steve Ballmer's wall -- which is already crowded with trophies.
Microsoft signs Compal deal, now takes money from half of all Android ODMs
Despite Steve Ballmer's apparent disdain for the Googly OS, he must love it really. He's now making money from ten separate Android and Chrome licensing deals, having just inked yet another agreement with Compal -- a large Taiwanese original design manufacturer (ODM) that builds tablets and smartphones for brands like Lenovo. From this point on, a "reasonable and fair" chunk of Compal's $28 billion annual income will be diverted to the coffers at Redmond. Overall, this means that Microsoft's tentacles have spread across 55 percent of the Android ODM industry and -- more importantly -- are poked firmly into two different mobile OS pies. As cut-throat as this approach might seem, however, it's surely better than freezing the market with cold and ceaseless waves of litigation. PR after the break. [Thanks, Majed]
Microsoft and Samsung sitting in a tree, patent s-h-a-r-i-n-g
Microsoft put on its nicest suit when it invited Samsung to the patent-licensing barn dance. Whatever it whispered as the two snuggled close during the slow jams about rescuing the Korean giant from the quagmire of Android litigation, it worked. Sammy has entered into a deal to license Redmond's vast patent archive and, if the rumors are to be believed, it will pay $15 per handset sold for the privilege. (No word on if that includes the $45 million in fees that would just cover sales of the Galaxy S II.) This seems like it could be an implicit vote of no-confidence concerning Google's promises that its acquisition of Motorola would make courtroom drama a thing of the past. There's also a strong reference to the pair collaborating on Mango, and we can only assume that it comes with a significantly less punitive licensing charge in place. Between Android, Windows Phone, Bada and Tizen, it's clear Samsung is hedging its operating system bets. There's a press release after the break, but take our word on it, at no point does it mention Steve Ballmer, lying naked on a bed of money, laughing to himself.
MPEG-LA makes H.264 video royalty-free forever, as long as it's freely distributed
The H.264 codec that makes a good deal of digital video possible has actually been free to use (under certain conditions) for many years, but following recent controversies over the future of web video, rightholders have agreed to extend that freedom in perpetuity. Whereas originally standards organization MPEG-LA had said it wouldn't collect royalties from those freely distributing AVC/H.264 video until 2016, the limitless new timeframe may mean that content providers banking on WebM and HTML5 video won't have an expensive surprise in the years to come. Then again, patent licensing is complicated stuff and we'd hate to get your hopes up -- just know that if you're an end-user uploading H.264 content you own and intend to freely share with the world, you shouldn't expect a collection agency to come knocking on your door. PR after the break.
