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Trendsetter or newcomer? IP is a key asset for fast-growing tech, but can often find itself outpaced, says Mathias Karlhuber at Cohausz & Florack in a book inspired by the EPO’s and LESI’s High Growth Enterprise Taskforce

Developments in many fields of technology are software based. For example, tools based on artificial intelligence can provide assistance in analysis of complicated technological data. Blockchain based database technology can provide a high degree of data security in distributed database systems. But – given that software as such is excluded from…

The Düsseldorf Regional Court today submitted certain issues in the connected cars case Nokia vs. Daimler to the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) for clarification. By these proceedings the European venue continues to shape the jurisdiction in the field of SEPs with global effect.

A patent pool is a joint licensing programme enabling one or more licensors to license a plurality – a pool – of patents to a plurality of licensees. Such a patent pool can be a considerably useful instrument to promote innovation and simultaneously induce competition on the market of the licensed products.

Arbitrating IP or know-how related disputes in the life sciences, pharma and chemical industries can be a challenge. Erik Schäfer and Natalie Kirchhofer of Cohausz & Florack ask who is up to the task of counsel or arbitrator.

Standard Essential Patents (SEPs) are patents that are implemented when a technical standard is used. The enforcement of SEPs is currently one of the most stimulating topics in patent law.

Will the publication of the ECJ ruling Huawei vs. ZTE lead to the expected progress in clarifying the fronts between SEP holders and users of SEPs? In order to be able to answer this, it is necessary to first approach the matter in principle.

Patent term extensions via supplementary protection certificates (SPCs) play a key role in the protection of drugs and plant protection products in Europe. Understanding their complex legal framework is just as crucial.

Present days are seeing the largest joint development processes ever, and the incentives to make use of these joint developments without intellectual or financial contribution are extraordinary

The European Patent Office (EPO) has been facing serious accusations of bullying and human rights violations for years. An article from the debate magazine Cicero once again describes concerning details.

The Technical Board of Appeal of the European Patent Office (EPO) decision (February 1 2017) upholding the revocation of Bristol-Myer Squibb’s (BMS) European Patent 1169038 for lack of inventive step came as a shock and a surprise for many in the pharmaceutical sector.

The structure of the European Patent Convention (EPC) is incompatible with the German Basic Law (“Grundgesetz”) in many ways, says Prof. Dr. Siegfried Bross, former judge at the German Federal Constitutional Court. An interview about obstacles and failures on the way to a Unified Patent Court.

Speech at the opening ceremony of the office of the patent attorneys and lawyers Cohausz und Florack in Munich on 28 November 2017

As the European Court of Justice (ECJ) has seen an overwhelming number of referrals regarding patent term extensions in recent years, the interpretation of the law in this area has become increasingly complex. This chapter provides up-to-date answers to the most frequently asked questions on supplementary protection certificates (SPCs).

Patent pools are agreements between two or more patent owners to aggregate a number of patents and then license these to each other or third parties.

The Unified Patent Court received an unexpected boost in November 2016, when the UK government committed to ratifying the agreement despite Brexit. Private practice experts from three leading European law firms discuss the implications.

The decision by UK voters to leave the European Union has thrown plans for the Unified Patent Court into chaos. Specialists from three top European law firms discuss what is likely to happen now, as well as other key issues.

Software is a field of technology that is closely akin to mechanical engineering, mining, chemistry and pharmacy, as there are few differences between these fields in terms of patenting.

The French investment fund France Brevets has recently granted the electronics provider Samsung important patent licenses for the use of NFC technology. The companies agreed on a contract, according to which Samsung is permitted to use NFC patents for contactless data transmission over a very short distance in its products.

The proposed Unified Patent Court (UPC) is expected to have a strong impact on patent filing and enforcement strategy in the pharmaceutical sector, because pan-European patent coverage and cross-border patent enforcement are of primary importance to pharmaceuticals.

C&F at Hannover Messe from 25 to 29 April 2016

The proposed Unified Patent Court (UPC) has long attracted the attention of both enthusiasts and critics. Whatever your opinion of the new system, now is the time to get acquainted with it: preparations for the UPC are in their final stages and legislators and organisational committees are working hard to ensure that the long-anticipated new system…

All EU member states will be able to use the proposed common European patent court, the Unified Patent Court (UPC). The UPC will hear infringement and revocation proceedings for European patents that are valid in the territories of the participating states.