Component-Level

SEP Licensing
12 November 2019

Sofitel Le Louise
Brussels
Continental Automotive Systems, Inc. v.
Avanci LLC et al.
(Northern District of California, Case No. 19-cv-2520-LHK)

Overview
Florian Mueller
FOSS Patents

12 November 2019
Component-Level SEP Licensing
Brussels
 Conti v. Avanci et al. Plaintiff

● Continental Automotive Systems, Inc. of

Auburn Hills, MI is an nth-degree subsidiary of
Continental AG (Hanover, Germany)
Conti v. Avanci et al. Defendants (I)
● Avanci
● Avanci, LLC (Delaware)
● Avanci Platform International Limited (Ireland)
● Nokia
● Nokia Corporation (Finland)
● Nokia of America Corporation (Delaware)
● Nokia Solutions and Networks US LLC
● Nokia Solutions and Networks Oy (Finland)
● Nokia Technologies Oy (Finland)
Conti v. Avanci et al. Defendants (II)
● Conversant
● Conversant Wireless Licensing SARL
(Luxembourg)
● Optis
● Optis UP Holdings LLC (Delaware)
● Optis Cellular Technology, LLC (Delaware)
● Optis Wireless Technology, LLC (Delaware)
● Sharp - added by first amended complaint of 07/23/19
● Sharp Corporation (Japan)
 Conti v. Avanci et al.
Causes of Action
● Contract law
● Breach of contract (ETSI, TIA, ATIS declarations)
● Promissory estoppel
● Competition law
● Antitrust law (federal law)
– § 1 Sherman Act - concerted action restraining trade
– § 2 Sherman Act - unlawful monopolization, conspiracy
● State law
– California Unfair Competition Law:
● unilateral & concerted refusals to license; fixing terms; etc.
 Conti v. Avanci et al. Markets
● Upstream licensing market:
● cellular standard-essential patents
● Technologies:
● telematics control units (TCUs) = Conti's business
● network access devices (NADs)
● baseband processors aka modem chips
 Conti v. Avanci et al. Timeline (I)
● 10/24/17: Conti letter to Nokia asking for license
● 11/26/18: Daimler's EU complaint against Nokia
● 01/07/19: Conti's EU complaint against Nokia
● 03/20/19: German Nokia v. Daimler lawsuits
● 04/12/19: first German Sharp v. Daimler lawsuit
● 05/10/19: original Conti v. Avanci complaint
● 06/12/19: Conti v. Nokia antisuit motion
● 07/11/19: Munich anti-antisuit injunction
●
 Conti v. Avanci et al. Timeline (II)
● 07/23/19: amended complaint adds Sharp
● 09/10/19: denial w/o prejudice of antisuit motion
● 10/09/19: denial of anti-anti-antisuit TRO motion
(temporary restraining order =
preliminary injunction on steroids)
● 11/14/19: Munich anti-antisuit appellate hearing
● 11/21/19: motion-to-dismiss hearing
● 10/15/21: San Jose trial date