This week on IPWatchdog Unleashed we dive into the world of audio, video, standard essential patents, patent pools, patent licensing, patent dealmaking, inevitable patent litigation that is often necessary when so much money is at stake, and much more. You can listen to our full discussion wherever you get your podcasts (links here) or visit IPWatchdog Unleashed on Buzzsprout. You can also watch the video below.
Our conversation this week is with Heath Hoglund, who is President of Via Licensing Alliance, which is a company born out of the 2023 merger between Via Licensing and MPEG-LA. Today, Via Licensing Alliance largely leverages a traditional patent pool model, but with some creative new approaches. The portfolios Via Licensing administers include those in the audio, video, wireless and power/charging sectors.
Until several years ago Heath Hoglund was Vice President of IP and Standards for Dolby, which we discuss in some detail in our conversation. And truth be told he really didn’t leave Dolby. With Dolby being one of the premiere audio innovators of all time it is hardly a surprise that Dolby has been a long time participating and is one of the major patent owners who participates in the patent pools administered by Via Licensing.
During our conversation we discuss the history of Via Licensing, which “started as just a joint licensing program that was administered by Dolby,” Hoglund said. “But at some point it became clear that it really would be better off if it was run as a separate, independent entity, and so Via was formed originally to run the join licensing program or to convert the into a patent pool for licensing AAC. Fast forward 20 years and shortly after Hoglund took over as President of Via he started working on the possible merger with MPEG-LA, which was another patent pool administrator that was primarily focused on video related technologies.”
We also discuss the inevitability that there will be some implementers who do not want to take a license and will require patent owners to litigate, which should be hardly surprising with so much money involved and the reality that these disputes are business disputes where innovators and implementers do not often see eye-to-eye. “There’s always going to be some friction because there’s big money at stake,” Hoglund explained. “So, you know that is going to lead to litigation from time to time just because the stakes are so high. There’s now way to get around that. You know that’s going to happen.”
We also discuss the changing patent landscape, particularly in China, where “the Chinese patent system has developed rapidly over the last several decades to a place where Chinese patent filers are the big Chinese companies filing more patents than anybody else in the world,” Hoglund explained. Indeed, Hoglund added, these large Chinese companies have evolved from merely needing a patent portfolio license to also being an innovator and licensor.
So, without further ado, please listen to our conversation with Heath Hoglund, and check out past episodes of IPWatchdog Unleashed.
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