InterDigital IncUK Supreme Court ruling against InterDigital's position that patent pool membership relieves FRAND obligations, sending case back to High Court.
Tesla won an appeal to revive a London case against InterDigital and intellectual licensing platform Avanci. The electric vehicle maker brought the lawsuit in 2023 seeking a High Court ruling on fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory licensing terms for 5G patents ahead of its planned rollout of connected vehicles in Britain. The High Court had turned down Tesla's application for a licence decision in 2024, but the UK Supreme Court has now ruled that membership in a patent pool or licensing platform does not relieve patent owners of their obligation to issue licences on reasonable terms. The decision sends the dispute back to the High Court, where Tesla can continue to pursue court-set terms, potentially influencing how automakers negotiate access to communications patents for connected vehicles. Avanci expressed disappointment with the verdict and maintained that Tesla's claims lack merit.
InterDigital IncUK Supreme Court ruling against InterDigital's position that patent pool membership relieves FRAND obligations, sending case back to High Court.
Tesla IncTesla wins appeal to revive case seeking court-set FRAND terms for 5G patents, potentially lowering licensing costs for connected vehicles.
Avanci's licensing platform model challenged by ruling that patent pool membership does not exempt from FRAND obligations.