Once a patent is registered as being standard-essential, the licence holder must allow any third-party to use the innovation and agree to a fee that is not excessive.
And intellectual property consulting firm TechIPM analyzed LTE-related patents registered to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office by the second quarter of this year and reported that LG held the largest overall number of patents as well.
In the U.S. generic companies can sell off-patent products immediately, but they have to compensate the company that originally registered the chemical with the Environmental Protection Agency--Monsanto in this case--for the data showing the product's safety and efficacy.
In 2003, Britain's patent office rejected its application as "morally offensive to the public, " but Jesus Jeans registered "Jesus" through the European Union as a "Community Trademark, " valid across the European Union.