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Thursday, December 29, 2016

Qualcomm fined $853 million in South Korea over FRAND

Last year China fined Qualcomm  $975 million and now is the turn of South Korea.  As per reports South Korea’s antitrust regulator slapped a record 1.03 trillion won ($853 million) fine on Qualcomm Inc. for violating antitrust laws. 
Charrges:

1. Qualcomm, a holder of standard-essential patents as well as a monopolistic service provider of modem chips from manufacturing to sales, has violated its agreement to license patents on fair reasonable and non-discriminatory terms, known as FRAND.

2.  Qualcomm should make standard-essential patents available for separate licensing rather than bundling them with chipset sales. 

Wednesday, December 28, 2016

Australia may introduce Object clause in patent act.

Productivity Committee recommendation on Australian Intellectual Property has a revolutionary provision.
RECOMMENDATION 7.1 The Australian Government should incorporate an objects clause into the Patents Act 1990 (Cth). The objects clause should describe the purpose of the legislation as enhancing the wellbeing of Australians by promoting technological innovation and the transfer and dissemination of technology. In so doing, the patent system should balance over time the interests of producers, owners and users of technology.
Interesting from Indian perspective are convergence of thoughts on inventive step, data protection, abolition of Innovation Patent System (petty patents/ utility patents).

Download the recommendation.

Thursday, December 08, 2016

Construction of highways to nuclear plants on soft soil-Chinese invention

High Vacuum Densification Method (HVDM) is offered by Geoharbour group , China. Using this technology, the firm reclaimed land, constructed highways to nuclear power plants. Details :



In recent limited years, over 20 inventions have been proposed by the Company and approved by the state intellectual authority, including HVDM Soft Soil Treatment Method (ZL01127046.2), Surcharge Preloading Combining HVDM (ZL200410014257.9) and Composite Foundation Combining HVDM (ZL200510134966.5), etc. These inventions are options for site treatments of varied geological conditions and requirements. Advancements have been made with regards to concepts, calculations, construction specifications and field tests. Inventions have obtained PCT certificates and registered in over twenty countries.