UK High Court recognizes Lenovo as willing licensee in landmark FRAND case

Rhea-AI Summary

Lenovo announced a favorable ruling from the UK High Court in its litigation with InterDigital over license rates for 3G, 4G, and 5G patents. The decision reinforces Lenovo's commitment as a willing licensee and establishes a global FRAND rate of $0.175 per unit for Standard Essential Patents. Lenovo's Vice President, John Mulgrew, expressed that the ruling highlights the importance of fair licensing terms and transparency from patent holders. This landmark decision is viewed as a significant win for the technology industry and consumers, promoting equitable practices for standardized technologies.

Positive

• UK High Court ruled in Lenovo's favor regarding patent licensing rates.
• Establishes a global FRAND rate of $0.175 per unit for SEPs.
• Confirms Lenovo's position as a willing licensee amidst InterDigital's offers.

Negative

• None.

LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Lenovo today announced that the UK High Court has ruled in Lenovo’s favor in the ongoing litigation with InterDigital regarding license rates for 3G, 4G, and 5G patents. This judgement reinforces the company’s continued commitment as a willing licensee and validates the license rate Lenovo advocated for.

This is a landmark decision of a Court establishing a modern global FRAND (Fair, Reasonable, and Non-discriminatory) rate for Standard Essential Patents (SEP).

Lenovo’s John Mulgrew, Vice President, Deputy General Counsel & Chief Intellectual Property Officer, welcomes the decision as follows:

“Lenovo thanks the Court for its judgment in InterDigital v. Lenovo. We see this as a major win for the technology industry and the customers we serve, as it underscores both the importance of fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory terms for patent licensing and the requirement of transparency by patent holders engaged in licensing practices.

We are grateful for the Court’s careful and objective analysis of the cellular patent licensing history between InterDigital and others, supporting its determination that InterDigital’s global cellular royalty rate should be $0.175 per unit. With this judgment, the Court has confirmed that Lenovo is, and always has been, a willing licensee – even in the face of InterDigital’s supra-FRAND offers and behavior as an unwilling licensor.

In the meantime, we are pleased that this judgment reinforces FRAND’s critical role in facilitating transparent and equitable licensing practices for standardized technologies – enabling the proliferation of affordable innovation to customers around the world.”

The full judgement will be available on the National Archive website later today under case number is HP-2019-000032.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230316005489/en/

Stuart Gill

sgill@lenovo.com

Source: Lenovo

FAQ

What was the UK High Court ruling regarding Lenovo and InterDigital?

The UK High Court ruled in Lenovo's favor, establishing a global FRAND rate of $0.175 per unit for 3G, 4G, and 5G patents.

What is the significance of the Lenovo vs. InterDigital ruling?

The ruling is significant as it reinforces fair licensing practices and validates Lenovo's position as a willing licensee.

How does the ruling impact Lenovo's licensing obligations?

The ruling confirms Lenovo's commitment to transparent and reasonable licensing, promoting equitable practices in the technology industry.

When was the ruling by the UK High Court announced?

The ruling was announced on March 16, 2023.

What does FRAND stand for in the context of patent licensing?

FRAND stands for Fair, Reasonable, and Non-discriminatory, relating to licensing terms for standard essential patents.