In order to cater to market trends and seize market share, manufacturers in various industries are speeding up product launches one after another. Due to the impact of technical barriers and intensified competition, many enterprises have actively or patentively launched patent wars such as Hisense, Gree, Ochs, Huawei and so on.
Case 1: Sharp and Hisense patent disputes
Recently, when Sharp initiated the prosecution of Hisense is not yet completed, Hisense Electric, a listed company of Hisense Group, formally filed a lawsuit against courts in Beijing and Qingdao alleging that Sharp did not infringe on more than a dozen of TV products sold domestically in China Hisense invented the patent right.
Comments: Hisense's patent lawsuit represents the strong voice Chinese companies use to deal with foreign patent barriers.With the accelerated pace of Chinese companies going global, more and more Chinese enterprises protect their own interests through high-value patent reserves, Become passive in the patent litigation initiative, reflecting the more mature Chinese enterprises in the layout and use of patents.
Case 2: Gree and the United States patent disputes
In 2008, Gree filed a lawsuit against Midea Air Conditioning Co., Ltd. for inflating its' air conditioner operating in a custom curve and its control method '. In 2012, Gree filed a lawsuit against Midea for infringing its' removable installation of air-conditioner indoor unit pipelines In 2013, Gree again sued Midea's trademark "grain bumper." In 2017, the battle between Gree and Midea patents broke out again, focusing mainly on utility model patents and products whose patent name is "air-conditioner indoor unit" 'Cooling King' series air conditioners.
Comments: The patent infringement should be decided by the court.For the United States, Gree, the most frequent patent litigation, the core point is that the United States and Gree in the air conditioner market share increased rapidly, making the market share of Gree was violated. Gree patent litigation Way, suppress each other's brand image, making Gree in a good position.In other words, the patent dispute is the appliance industry competition upgrade.This competition upgrade also from Gree accused Oaks case of infringement can be seen.
Case Three: Gree and Oaks patent disputes
This year, Gree accused Oaks new products Asina series air infringement of its patent infringement claims of 110 million yuan, setting a record in the industry in August of the same year, Oaks and Gree for the air-conditioned panels, air ducts and other technical violations exist Action, filed a lawsuit to Ningbo Intermediate People's Court, requiring Gree to stop infringement and compensate for the loss of more than 50 million yuan.
Comments: patent infringement between Gree and Oaks, in essence, is a commonly used means of checks and balances commercial competition.This with the recent years, Oaks air conditioning market is rapidly developing a direct relationship.Gree hoped that through patent litigation, to defend their patent rights At the same time, can use the small business strategy to block the pace of expansion of Oaks.
Case 4: Huawei and Samsung Patent Dispute
Huawei, a domestic mobile phone giant, has also been holding patent disputes with Samsung in recent years. In May 2016, Huawei announced that it filed an intellectual property lawsuit against Samsung in the United States and China and subsequently initiated court rulings in Samsung Patent Infringement Litigation In July of the same year, Samsung sued Huawei's series of patent infringement disputes in the Beijing Intellectual Property Court.
Comments: Huawei, Samsung's patent war may not taste the sweetness of the lawsuit, but both hope that through this war, prove that their superb technical capabilities, while playing their own brand, to seize a larger market share.But in the patent In the midst of the war, a small company sued a large company for the purpose of asking for money. Large companies reported each other and finally settled.
Case five: millet and Ericsson patent disputes
The three-year patent dispute between Xiaomi and Ericsson caused Ericsson to file a patent complaint against Xiaomi, causing the Indian court to ruled in 2014 that Xiaomi infringed on Ericsson's standard patent portfolio and issued a ban requiring Xiaomi to stop selling and importing mobile phones in India.
Comments: Due to the millet reserves in the standard core patent portfolio is smaller, resulting in the patent suits in India, plunged into a passive state of the ban, so domestic brands in overseas markets at the same time, but also to strengthen its own patent reserves, to avoid business overseas In the case of patent litigation in an absolutely passive situation.
Case six: oppo, vivo and Dolby patent disputes
Last year, Dolby Laboratories sued OPPO and vivo in India respectively, claiming in the suit that the two companies did not pay their royalties on handsets sold in India, according to a court decision in India, vivo and OPPO each month to Dolby The laboratory provides details of its equipment using the infringing technology, including manufacturing, sales and import data.
Comments: patent litigation between enterprises is a protracted war, is the trade-off between the interests of enterprises.But for the domestic mobile phone manufacturers, the impact is undoubtedly the long-term, especially as a new entrant to the Indian market, which will bring domestic market expansion Very big impact.
Case VII: Qualcomm and Meizu patent disputes
Qualcomm changed the previous antitrust investigation in 2016, the decline, one after another with many Chinese mobile phone manufacturers signed a patent license agreement.But in Meizu negotiations met "nail", Qualcomm angrily sued Meizu.As the defendant's Meizu said, willing Pay for a patent, but at a reasonable rate.
Comments: In the standard essential patent dispute, Chinese enterprises are generally in a disadvantage position in the game with the international giants, mainly because most of the advanced technology patents are held in the hands of the developed countries while the accumulated amount of the patent of the Chinese enterprises is small and the necessary patents for standardization are scarce , In the patent competition are often in a passive position.Therefore, to solve this predicament, we need enterprises to pay close attention to the direction of technology development, and actively break through technological innovation, the formation of a strong patent portfolio, and to participate in the revision of the standard, so that enterprises can Patent war to improve the right to speak.
Case Eight: Huawei and T-Mobile Patent Dispute
In recent years, when Huawei opened up foreign markets, Huawei filed a patent lawsuit against T-Mobile, the fourth largest mobile operator in the United States, and Huawei said in its indictment filed with U.S. courts that T-Mobile is using Huawei's patented technology and has not signed License Agreement In June 2014, Huawei demanded that T-Mobile sign a confidentiality agreement and start the patent authorization negotiation, but T-Mobile refused to sign the confidentiality agreement and authorized the negotiation.
Comments: Huawei accused T-Mobile of the nature, on the one hand is to enhance the performance of the United States, but also to enhance Huawei's brand value overseas brand value, but also to enter the US market, we must break the patent barriers, take this opportunity , Huawei to demonstrate its own strength to the outside world, but also implies that US carriers still need to use Huawei's patents.
To sum up, the 'patent stick' has become the 'conventional weapon' of home appliance handset manufacturers. As a result, the main reasons for the frequent patent battle between manufacturers are as follows: First, enhancing the brand image and seizing the market; Second, safeguarding their own rights and interests and attesting to their own Technical strength.