I must admit, I was initially scratching my head when the news we’re talking about here hit my desk. It involves patent litigation, and earlier today I could safely count on one hand how many times I myself had used that phrase.
Yet, here we are.
IoT smart home technology and patent litigations therein are still worth the time, readers. They aren’t thunderous, industry-shaking types of updates, but they still shed valuable light on various intellectual property changes and challenges that take place across tech sectors. Patent litigations can ultimately impact market dynamics, teeter-tottering rates of innovation, and the overall availability of products to consumers. Granted, we won’t be diving deep into every navigable legal framework here, but it’s still good to read about these to better understand what strategic maneuvers companies make and what insights can be gleaned for business leaders, stakeholders and, again, consumers that may one day acquire and use the product that has undergone unique patent litigation.
And in that vein, we have news from Fractus, an early pioneer in the development of internal antennas for smartphones, tablets, and myriad wireless IoT wearables and devices. The company, as one representative wrote, “holds an intellectual property rights portfolio of more than 40 inventions protected through over 120 patents and patent applications in the United States, Europe and Asia.” Fractus combines its trusted R&D with proven licensing expertise to commercialize antenna technology through licensing agreements; to device OEMs, and to network equipment manufacturers worldwide.
Fractus knows how transformative IoT can be for next-level smart city applications; IoT endpoints now include connected vehicles to refrigerators, and fundamental strides in connectivity are being made behind many of these applications’ respective stories.
And that’s why, in terms of smart home applications, it’s important to note that Fractus recently announced the settlement of a large patent litigation with Vivint, a major player in the smart home security in industry.
The long-story-short of it: Fractus and Vivint were at legal odds, so to speak, since October of 2022. This concerned Fractus’ antenna technology patents for specific security systems; notably, Fractus’ antenna technology has proven efficient in the traditional mobile phone sector, but also in several other IoT + smart-powered lifestyle sectors. There’s broad applicability at play here.
Overall, that’s why the resolution of this patent litigation with Vivint is meaningful. Disputes are put to rest, and Fractus continues solidifying the IoT potential for its diverse antenna solutions.
“We are pleased to announce the resolution of our patent litigation with Vivint, reinforcing the value and versatility of Fractus’ antenna technology,” stated Ruben Bonet, Fractus’ CEO. “Antenna technology advancements are driving digital transformation in companies, leading to the provisioning of IoT services and innovative home solutions through connected devices.”
Consumers deserve technologies that are reliable and impactful, so we’re glad to hear about this positive step forward for Fractus.
(P.S., I’ve now used the phrase “patent litigation” more times than I count on just one hand, per my intro to this article. You learn something new every day, readers.)
Edited by Greg Tavarez
