SEP Licensing for the Internet of Things – Challenges for Patent Owners and Implementers

By Matthias Schneider

Licensing standard essential patents (“SEPs”) for the Internet of Things (“IoT”) will create novel challenges for parties involved in both standardization and the licensing process. This paper explains how the IoT will affect the creation and implementation of standardized technology and then examines four emerging questions about SEP licensing for the IoT that need to be answered: (i) How to create transparency related to standardized technology and IP license offers? (ii) Who may obtain a license in the IoT market? (iii) Will patent pools help streamline licensing for the IoT? and (iv) How to reduce the possibility of litigation?