A new Standard Essential Patents (SEPs) resource hub for businesses in the UK seeking guidance on navigating this often-complex ecosystem has been launched by the UK Intellectual Property Office (UK IPO).
A patent that protects a technology deemed essential to implementing a technical standard is known as a Standard Essential Patent. Technical standards are agreed ways that specify how technologies interact with each other and enable devices to seamlessly communicate with each other. We increasingly encounter them in everyday life - for example, in smart phones and telecommunications networks, cars, home appliances, UAVs (drones), smart meters and medical devices.
The guidance is divided into 4 parts:
- Part 1: Guidance on Technical Standards and Standard Development Organisations
- Part 2: Guidance on Standard Essential Patent Licensing
- Part 3: Guidance on Dispute resolution and remedies in SEP Licensing
- Part 4: Additional resources
The SEPs Resource Hub is for guidance purposes only and does not constitute legal, business, financial or other professional advice and should not be relied upon when taking IP related business, legal, or other decisions. The IPO is not responsible for the use that might be made of this information.
For further information please select the following links: