Global tech companies and the auto industry are fighting a lawsuit involving standards-essential patents of telecommunications technologies used in intelligent vehicles, which the domestic industry should pay attention to, intelligent property experts said.
Standards-essential patents are the ones a company must use when using standardized technologies in the industry, giving them a key value among all patents.
Last year, German carmaker Daimler and other companies complained to the European Union's antitrust regulator about the fees charged for technology patents by Finnish telecoms equipment maker Nokia.
Daimler, German electronics company Bury Technologies, German car parts maker Continental, France's Valeo and chipmaker Gemalto have filed a complaint with the European Commission about the fees demanded by Nokia for patents that are essential to car communications.
"We want clarification on how essential patents for telecommunications standards are to be licensed in the automotive industry. Nokia has so far refused to comprehensively and directly license our suppliers," Daimler said.
"Fair and non-discriminatory access to these standards for all users of the essential patents for telecommunications standards is a key prerequisite for the development of new products and services for connected driving."
Nokia said in a statement that it continues to work toward resolving commercial disputes related to licensing its standardized cellular technologies.
Source: China Daily
