关于专利池是有损竞争还是促进竞争，一直是业界争议的焦点。最近美国DOJ批准Avanci关于5G汽车车联网的标准必要专利池，似乎代表了业界最新的观点。
https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-issues-business-review-letter-avanci-proposed-licensing-platform-advance如本文介绍，Avanci的专利池许可方案有很多保护竞争的措施，例如，仅许可标准必要的专利；提供对必要专利的独立评估；允许平台之外的许可，包括在其他使用领域中的许可，由专利池成员进行双边或多边许可，以及在汽车供应链级别上形成其他专利池；并包括防止共享竞争性敏感信息的机制。这对于国内建立类似的专利池也给出了可借鉴的思路。DOJ Antitrust Division Approval of Pooling of “Essential” Standards Will Help Speed Integration of 5G Technology Into New Vehicles
August 7, 2020 | Seyfarth Shaw LLP -Alison EggersThe US Department of Justice (DOJ) Antitrust Division recently announced that it has concluded that a proposed patent-pooling platform dedicated to “essential” 5G cellular technology standards for use in the automotive industry was unlikely to harm competition. The decision comes after an eight-month review at the request of platform owner Avanci LLC under the DOJ’s business review process, which allows companies to pre-clear proposed action with the Antitrust Division. The DOJ’s decision clears the way for Avanci to facilitate single, pooled licensing for 5G cellular technologies essential to the incorporation of wireless technology into motor vehicles.Background. In 2016, Avanci launched its marketplace for licensing patented wireless technology related to the “Internet of Things” (IoT) to facilitate “one stop shopping” for IoT device and product manufacturers to identify, price, and license patented technology necessary to add connectivity to their products. Avanci’s initial focus was on licensing patents deemed essential to 2G, 3G, and 4G cellular technology standards, but, like the market itself, has recently expanded into 5G cellular technology.In November 2019, Avanci submitted a request to the DOJ through that agency’s business review procedure for its planned expansion into 5G automotive connectivity licensing through a proposed joint patent-licensing pool. As part of that arrangement, Avanci would license patent claims that have been declared “essential” to implementing 5G cellular wireless standards for use in automobiles and distribute royalty income among the platform’s licensors. Though the DOJ has acknowledged the procompetitive benefits of patent pooling, such as reducing transaction costs and facilitating access to patents essential to emerging technology, the DOJ has also acknowledged that patent pooling arrangements like Avanci’s proposed platform could present antitrust risk in the form of, among other things, exclusion of non-members from emerging markets, harm to competition, and possible collusion among members.Analysis. The Antitrust Division weighed the procompetitive and anticompetitive effects of Avanci’s proposed platform and, based on its investigation and the representations contained in Avanci’s request, announced on July 28, 2020 that it had concluded that “on balance. . . Avanci’s proposed 5G Platform is unlikely to harm competition.” Weighing on the procompetitive side of the Avanci platform, the Division found that it appeared likely to create efficiencies that may increase consumer welfare, reduce the costs for licensees to find and negotiate with patent holders, and may help “integrate emerging 5G technologies into vehicles faster, with less risk and less cost.” The Division also noted the safeguards adopted by Avanci—such as licensing only technically essential patents; permitting licensing outside the Platform and the formation of other pools at levels of the automotive supply chain; and including mechanisms to prevent the sharing of competitively sensitive information—to prevent potential anticompetitive effects of the platform.Though the DOJ’s conclusions apply only to the Avanci platform, its Business Review Letter offers valuable insight into the DOJ’s considerations and reasoning in evaluating pooling arrangements in general and specifically those relating to the licensing of 5G-related essential patents. Avanci’s official launch of its 5G platform came the day after the DOJ issued its Business Review Letter via a press release announcing Avanci would begin discussions with IoT device manufacturers, the auto industry, and patent owners.
Google翻译：
司法部反垄断局批准建立标准必要专利的专利池将有助于加速将5G技术集成到新车辆中
July 31, 2020 | Fish & Richardson - Michael Autuoro, Veena V. Tripathi, CIPP/US美国司法部（DOJ）反垄断局最近宣布，已得出结论，一个专门针对汽车行业使用的“必要”的 5G蜂窝技术标准的专利池平台不太可能损害竞争。根据平台所有者Avanci LLC的要求，在司法部的业务审查流程下进行了为期八个月的审查，该决定允许公司与反垄断局预先批准拟议的行动。美国司法部的决定为Avanci扫清了为5G蜂窝技术提供单一，集中许可的道路，这对于将无线技术纳入汽车至关重要。背景。2016年，Avanci推出了许可与“物联网”（IoT）相关的无线技术专利的市场，以促进“一站式”物联网设备和产品制造商识别，定价和许可必要的专利技术，以增加他们的产品与物联网的连接性。Avanci最初的重点是授予被认为是2G，3G和4G蜂窝技术标准必不可少的专利的许可，但与市场本身一样，Avanci最近也已扩展到5G蜂窝技术。2019年11月，Avanci提交了一个请求通过该机构的业务审查程序提交给司法部，以通过拟议的联合专利许可池将其计划扩展到5G汽车连接许可。作为该安排的一部分，Avanci将许可已被宣布为实现用于汽车的5G蜂窝无线标准“必不可少”的专利声明，并在该平台的许可方之间分配专利授权使用费收入。尽管美国司法部已经承认专利池的竞争优势，例如降低交易成本并促进对新兴技术必不可少的专利的获取，但美国司法部也承认像Avanci提议的平台这样的专利池协议可能会在以下方面带来反垄断风险：其他情况包括，将非成员排除在新兴市场之外，损害竞争，并可能在成员之间串通。分析。反垄断部门对Avanci拟议平台的竞争和反竞争影响进行了权衡，并根据其调查和Avanci请求中所包含的陈述，宣布了到2020年7月28日，它得出的结论是“总的来说。。。Avanci提议的5G平台不太可能损害竞争。” 该部门在Avanci平台的竞争优势上权衡了一下，发现它似乎有可能创造效率，从而提高消费者福利，降低被许可方寻找专利持有人并与之谈判的成本，并可能有助于“将新兴的5G技术更快地集成到车辆中” ，风险更低，成本更低。” 该部门还注意到Avanci采取的保护措施，例如仅许可技术上必不可少的专利；允许在平台之外进行许可，并在汽车供应链的层次上建立其他资源池；包括防止共享竞争性敏感信息的机制，以防止平台潜在的反竞争影响。尽管DOJ的结论仅适用于Avanci平台，但其《业务审查函》提供了宝贵的见识，使DOJ可以在评估总体池中安排时特别考虑与5G相关基本专利许可有关的考虑和推理。Avanci正式发布其5G平台是在美国司法部通过新闻稿发布其业务审查函的第二天，宣布Avanci将开始与物联网设备制造商，汽车行业和专利所有者进行讨论。Source:https://www.seyfarth.com/news-insights/doj-antitrust-division-approval-of-pooling-of-essential-standards-will-help-speed-integration-of-5g-technology-into-new-vehicles.htmlEach article is copyrighted to their original authors. The news is for informational purposes only and does not provide legal advice.
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