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US: FTC, Google find common ground on standard-essential patents

By  |  July 25, 2013

Google averted being formally charged by the US Federal Trade Commission when the regulator announced Wednesday it has settled with the search giant regarding the licensing of standard-essential patents under FRAND terms. The FTC pursued Google over accusations the company threatened lawsuits against rival companies for using the essential patents, acquired from Motorola, despite agreeing to license the patents under FRAND, or fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory, terms. The watchdog announced today in a letter to those that responded to public comment requests that the agreement “strikes a balance” for Google, allowing the company to license patents under FRAND terms but also negotiate licensing rates. The probe into Google’s patent licensing practices closed after months of investigation, following Google’s acquisition of the patents last January.

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