Nokia-Daimler settlement leaves questions unanswered

Daimler’s tricky position made a deal likely but big issues over SEP licensing roll-on, says Tom Furnival of Mewburn Ellis.

Daimler’s tricky position made a deal likely but big issues over SEP licensing roll-on, says Tom Furnival of Mewburn Ellis.

Last week saw the end of a long-running legal dispute between Nokia and Daimler that could have had huge ramifications for the automotive company as well as sending shudders through the wider industry. 

A key question arose: could it be true that a fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory (FRAND) licensing rate for a standards-essential patent (SEP), when the technology was implemented in an automotive vehicle, should be determined on the value of the entire vehicle?