China's SEP strategy; TCL, Hisense antitrust complaints; U.S., UPC, UK litigation coverage

1) Premium: UPC keeps Merz infringement case despite earlier French filing

The UPC’s Paris LD rejected Viatris’ attempt to halt Merz’s infringement action in favor of parallel proceedings before a French national court. The ruling clarifies when earlier national proceedings prevent the UPC from continuing with an infringement action.

2) Premium: TCL opens Shenzhen front against InterDigital with global HEVC rate-setting and antitrust suits; Hisense turns to CADE

China has become the latest front in InterDigital’s global TV patent battle. InterDigital disclosed two Shenzhen actions by TCL seeking global FRAND terms for its HEVC portfolio and alleging abuse of dominance, alongside Hisense’s separate antitrust proceeding before Brazil’s CADE.

3) Premium: Federal Circuit affirms PTAB invalidation of G+ Communications 5G patent, leaving Samsung’s damages cut intact

The Federal Circuit has affirmed a Patent Trial and Appeal Board ruling invalidating one of two 5G patents G+ Communications asserted against Samsung, closing off G+’s last chance to revive that patent.

4) Premium: Peloton hit with $20.5 million jury verdict over NEC streaming patent infringement

A jury has awarded NEC $20.5 million in damages, after finding that Peloton infringed one of three asserted patents. This is a significant success for the Japanese patentee, despite losing out in a prior summary judgment and in a USPTO PTAB IPR for the remaining two patents ahead of the jury trial.

5) Premium: An SEP read of China’s 2026–2030 State Council IP plan: pools to curb “involution”, licensing ambitions under antitrust watch, dedicated SEP database

China’s 2026–2030 State Council IP plan places patent pools on two tracks: as tools to reduce transaction costs and curb industrial “involution” in key industries and as commercially sustainable licensing platforms with potential cross-border reach.

6) Premium: Tesla joins list of U.S. Supreme Court petitioners questioning scope of judicial review amid USPTO’s curtailment of IPRs

The Trump II USPTO’s discretionary decisions program is now the subject of no fewer than four petitions for writ of certiorari before SCOTUS.

7) Premium: Could the UK Supreme Court’s Avanci ruling affect SEP holders outside the pool?

The UK Supreme Court’s Tesla v. InterDigital & Avanci decision did not determine the merits, but opens the door to broader questions about the relationship between patent pool licensing and FRAND obligations.

8) Premium: UPC Roundup (1 week): CoA clarifies standard for EPO-based stay; Paris LD rejects stay over parallel national proceedings; and more

This is a summary of developments in and around the UPC in the calendar week of July 26, 2026.