Semiconductor companies have long recognized the potential for the Internet of Things (IoT). Intel offers its QuarkTM chips, providing ultra-low power solutions for embedded and wearable applications. Qualcomm sells its SnapdragonTM chip family for IoT applications. Both led the formation of IoT standards bodies: the Intel-backed Open Interconnect Consortium (OIC) and the Qualcomm-led Allseen Alliance—each devoted to developing its own platform for device discovery and connectivity.
The two ostensibly joined forces in early 2016 when Qualcomm became a member of the OIC, causing it to relaunch as the Open Connectivity Forum (OCF). Wise people knew that a common platform would make it easier to achieve the IoT dream of connecting 25 billion devices around the world.
As Intel, Qualcomm, and other long-time competitors start collaborating to build out the IoT ecosystem, many experts predict greater convergence in the near term. But lurking in the background are numerous potential intellectual property (IP) issues because once the IoT industry reaches critical mass, incentives to compete and fight for market share will increase; increasing the likelihood of IP litigation. In this article, Finnegan attorneys Doris Johnson Hines, Kenie Ho, and Ming W. Choy discuss IoT IP issues within the semiconductor industry.
Originally published in Electronic Products
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