Welcome to the latest edition of the Sisvel Insights weekly round-up, aggregating news stories, analyses and data points affecting the SEP world that have caught our eye over the past seven days

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There is regular talk about the IoT SEP landscape being highly fragmented, as well as deeply opaque. The reality, though, is somewhat different. New research published by LexisNexis IPlytics shows that the patents offered through the Sisvel Cellular IoT pool represent 54% of all NB-IoT SEPs and 51% of those reading on LTE-M technology.

In an article published last week, the programme’s manager Sven Törringer explained that this should give implementers a great deal of certainty, especially as all the entities participating in the pool, as well as the patents (which have been independently evaluated), are listed on the Sisvel website. Transparency, efficiency, cost-effectiveness, peace of mind - the Sisvel Cellular IoT pool delivers on all four.

At an event in Florence, meanwhile, US DoJ antitrust division deputy assistant attorney general Dina Kallay criticised the European Commission’s decision to give the green light to the Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Volkswagen and ThyssenKrupp auto licensing negotiation group; while the DoJ also issued a Statement of Interest saying the US District Court for the District of Delaware should exercise restraint in applying antitrust law to SEPs in a case brought by Disney against InterDigital.

Elsewhere, an Eastern District of Texas jury found Samsung should pay $445 million in damages in a case relating to 4G, 5G and Wi-Fi SEPs; and Huawei and MediaTek agreed a cross-licensing deal to end a long-running dispute.

Please note that inclusion of a piece in the list below does not signify agreement with what is stated in the linked article, just that we believe it is of interest and worth pointing out.

Market

New data from LexisNexis IPlytics shows Sisvel Cellular IoT patent owners control a 54% share of NB-IoT SEPs and 51% of the LTE-M stack. Sisvel | Sisvel Cellular IoT pool licence covers over half of relevant SEPs, new data confirms

MediaTek and Huawei settled a wide-ranging patent SEP dispute. Huawei is now listed as a licensee under the Access Advance VVC pool. MediaTek settles with Huawei after customs seizure of chips; Brazil is the new ITC; and Huawei is now a VVC Advance licensee – ip fray

Microsoft became a licensee of the HEVC patent pool operated by ViaLA, ending a number of suits in Germany’s Dusseldorf Regional Court. Microsoft takes Via LA HEVC patent pool license – ip fray

Toyota is now a licensor on the Avanci 2G-4G and 5G platforms, having previously only been a licensee. Toyota becomes Avanci 4G & 5G licensor, previously only licensee; acquired 4G/5G SEPs from OPPO – ip fray

Legal

An Eastern District of Texas jury has found Samsung Electronics should pay over $445 million in damages to Collision Communications for infringing on 4G, 5G and Wi-Fi SEPs. Samsung hit with $445.5 million US jury verdict over wireless communications patents

The English Court of Appeal boosted confidentiality protections for SEP licence terms, handing a win to appellants Huawei, InterDigital, Nokia, Qualcomm, Google and LG Electronics Nokia, InterDigital, Qualcomm win landmark SEP confidentiality appeal in UK - IAM 🔒

Policy & Opinion

US Department of Justice Antitrust deputy assistant attorney general Dina Kallay sharply criticised the European Commission’s decision to approve the auto licensing negotiating group formed by Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Volkswagen and ThyssenKrupp. U.S. deputy antitrust chief: EU Commission’s comfort letter to Licensing Negotiation Group “concerning and unusual”, irreconcilable with competition law principles – ip fray

The US Department of Justice issued a Statement of Interest advising the district court hearing Disney v InterDigital to exercise restraint in applying antitrust law to SEPs. DOJ Statement in Disney's Case Against InterDigital Urges Caution in Applying Antitrust Law to SEPs - IPWatchdog

A group of US intellectual property luminaries from the judiciary, government and academia told the UKIPO that device level SEP licensing benefits the innovation ecosystem. IP Experts Remind UKIPO: Global Device Markets Thrive Under Arm’s-Length SEP Licensing - IPWatchdog

In written testimony USPTO Director John Squires has come out strongly in favour of a broad interpretation of patent eligibility. Statement by Director Squires before the United States Senate Subcommittee on Intellectual Property Committee on the Judiciary | USPTO

Strategy & Analysis

LNGs are a “vehicle for holdout”, ViaLA President Heath Hoglund has said. Licensing negotiation groups are a vehicle for holdout licensees: Via LA’s Heath Hoglund interview – ip fray

The two anti-interim licence injunctions granted to InterDigital by the Unified Patent Court and Munich Regional Court in relation to its dispute with Amazon are set to reshape SEP litigation strategy in Europe and beyond. InterDigital’s anti-interim licence injunctions mark SEP litigation turning point - IAM 🔒