Via news; Brazilian auto injunction; UPC language regime; Fed. Cir., E.D. Tex. decisions; inventive step standard; Apple patent deal

1) Free: Brazilian appeals court keeps connected-car injunction against GWM in force

A Rio de Janeiro appellate judge refused to stay a connected-car SEP injunction against five GWM vehicle models, keeping restrictions on 4G connectivity services in place during the appeal.

2) Free (opinion): Monolingual regime would not solve UPC docket distribution problem but might raise constitutional issues: other measures would be better

In the UPC docket distribution debate, the focus is not as much on what can be meaningfully done as it is on ideas that are either unlikely to achieve an effect or impossible to implement.

3) Free: Via Licensing Alliance Voice Codec pool continues to grow with addition of new licensors, licensee

Via launched the pool covering EVS and IVAS speech-coding standards in December 2024.

4) Premium: Apple’s acqui-hire deal with AI avatar startup Animato includes patent applications

Apple has signed a deal involving avatar software startup Animato that combines hiring rights, intellectual property licensing, and patent application transfers, reflecting Apple’s broader use of modular AI-focused transactions disclosed through the EU’s Digital Markets Act database.

5) Premium: Federal Circuit says owners of patents subject to exclusive license still have standing to sue where terms don’t render rights “illusory”

A.L.M. and Ergon granted wide-ranging rights to an exclusive licensee – but retained the right to sue third-party infringers.

6) Premium: Judge Gilstrap denies injunction against Samsung, but accepts NPE’s “design-win” argument, views NPEs as diverse, rejects large company rule

If Judge Gilstrap’s acceptance of the NPE’s “design-win” argument was affirmed, it would be good news for licensing firms that engage in technology transfer, especially if they compete with alternative solutions.

7) Premium: Inventive step takes center stage as different European courts debate over methodologies

As European patent jurisprudence continues to evolve, judges and practitioners remain divided over how inventive step should be assessed. Discussions involving the UPC, EPO, as well as Swiss and German judges highlight continuing tensions between the problem-solution approach and holistic analysis, alongside emerging debates around evidentiary standards, AI, and the UPC’s growing influence.