Nokia-Backed Group Wins Appeal Over Auto-Licensing Policy

Auto parts supplier Continental lost an appeals court ruling in its long-running battle over licensing for key telecommunications technology in vehicles.

• The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals ordered a trial court in Texas to dismiss a lawsuit Continental filed against Avanci, a patent-licensing pool backed by Nokia, Qualcomm and other companies that own foundational telecom inventions
  • The telecom companies will only negotiate with the automakers, while traditionally it’s been the parts suppliers who handle patent-licensing rights; both the automakers and parts companies have balked at this change
  • The judge in Texas ruledin 2020 that the patent pool’s licensing ...