Sisvel signs SEP licence agreement with Vivo
Patent pool operator Sisvel has signed a deal with Chinese smartphone manufacturer Vivo to license a portfolio of more than 1,800 patents deemed essential to the 2G, 3G, and 4G standard.
In an announcement on Monday, April 11, Sisvel said that the agreement will comprise a total of 125 patent families from which Vivo will take a licence.
These comprise standard-essential patents (SEPs) licensed by Sisvel and owned by Mitsubishi Electric and Wilus, as well as Sisvel-owned portfolios previously assigned to LGE, Blackberry, Nokia, Orange and Langbo.
Commenting on the deal, Jin Sam Kwak, CEO of Wilus, said: “We are proud to contribute to the success of this agreement through the value of our innovations being captured in the licensed patents to Vivo.”
“A deal with a major implementor and innovator such as Vivo rewards that belief and allows us to work in confidence on the next generation of innovation.”
Sisvel is one of the largest patent pool operators in the world and manages patent portfolios related to MP3 audio and broadcasting standards. It also operates pools related to mobile communication, video coding and broadband access to data networks.
David Muus, Sisvel’s mobile communication programme manager said: “We came to this deal in a truly collaborative effort between Sisvel, Mitsubishi Electric, Wilus and Vivo, which is a testament to the parties’ capacity to build bridges. The Vivo team’s straightforward approach made working with Vivo a pleasure.”
He continued: “With this agreement, we now closed deals with companies that represent the overwhelming majority of the handset market around the globe.”
Xiaomi dispute
The deal follows a similar agreement it signed with Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi to licence the same 1,800 patents, which ended an ongoing dispute between the two companies in five different countries.
The dispute began in 2019 when Sisvel and patent owner Mitsubishi accused Xiaomi of infringing SEPs covering telecommunications standards, including 3G, 4G, and long term evolution.
As part of this dispute, litigation was filed in the UK, China, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands.
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