The Truth About the Alleged Intel-Patent Quality Assurance Connection

 

The inter partes review (IPR) challenge that PQA filed against the VLSI patents that led to the $2 billion judgement against Intel serves as the factual foundation for the notion that there may be some connection between PQA and Intel. Because Intel was unable to challenge the patents in an IPR, there has been discussion regarding whether and to what extent the PQA challenge to the VLSI patents is a ruse.

Of course, Intel did submit a petition to the PTAB seeking to invalidate the VLSI patents, but the PTAB utilised its discretion to prevent the challenge from being instituted because the district court was anticipated to issue a judgement in a timely manner before the PTAB could do so. And now, despite the fact that Intel's objections to the patents were rejected in district court, the PTAB has made the decision to launch new challenges to the patents in light of submissions from both OpenSky and PQA. There have long been speculations that Intel and PQA had some sort of connection. In October 2022, IPWatchdog first became aware of the potential for some sort of connection between PQA and Intel. Instead of reporting the rumour after learning of such a potential partnership between PQA and Intel and that Intel was promoting PQA at the USPTO and the Department of Commerce, we chose to request records under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).

Although the premise is quite straightforward, legal services seldom ever use it. Simply simply, you will likely be able to negotiate better pricing the more work you can provide your service provider or outside counsel. For instance, if your company files 100 foreign documents each year, are you haggling with Foreign Associates to get the best deal possible?

Too often, businesses will just let their numerous Outside Counsels choose which FA to send their overseas filings to. Your filing leverage is now fractured, and the international prosecution invoice's sticker shock reflects that.

Pricing is, of course, the first consideration for everybody when discussing terms. Your vendor might offer assistance with a number of other worthwhile possibilities nonetheless if they really want your business. Are there any particular workflows that your company finds difficult?

Vendors value the work you do, so give them the quality, care, and service they deserve. Make sure you appreciate the worth of the work you're doing, and keep in mind the extra advantages that come from having a good working relationship with your vendor. These connections serve as pillars both during prosperous and uncertain times. Make them and rely on them.

You might be a business owner with a successful enough product or service that solves a problem in your industry. Despite having already secured intellectual property rights to safeguard its innovation from rivals, your company now has the chance to buy crucial rights from a former rival that is closing shop.

After a brief negotiation period, your company gets what will eventually become a crucial portfolio that it will use to break into a completely new market.

Even though most of these problems may be resolved, they serve as an example of some of the serious problems that can arise when IP recordals are not updated after the sale or purchase of IP assets.

Anyone involved in intellectual property will tell you that IP recordals are not exciting, but anyone who has faced with issues brought on by incorrectly recorded ownership information will tell you that it is not a chore to be taken lightly.

Apr 26, 2023

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