Mediation of a Telecom Patent License Dispute

August 24, 2009
Intellectual Property News and Interesting Facts

A European telecom company licensed US, European and Asian patents relating to telecommunication technology to a US company involved in the development of wireless products.

The license agreement contained a clause according to which any dispute arising out of or in connection with the agreement should be submitted to WIPO mediation, followed in the absence of settlement by WIPO arbitration.

Four years after concluding their agreement, the parties disagreed on the scope of the applications for which the licensee could use the licensed technology and, as a result, the licensor alleged that the licensee had violated its patents by using the licensed technologies beyond the scope of the license.

The European telecom company initiated a WIPO mediation. The Center suggested to the parties potential mediators with specific expertise in patents and telecommunication technology.

With the mediator’s assistance, the parties were able to settle their dispute within five months of the commencement of the mediation. – WIPO