Defining and Assessing the Essentiality of Standard-Essential Patents: An Empirical Study of Intellectual Property Policies Across Thirty Leading Standard-Setting Organizations Worldwide
Zheng Lunxing, Chen Chao
School of Intellectual Property,Nanjing University of Science and Technology,Nanjing 210094,China
Abstract：In the global interplay of technology and law,the determination of the essentiality of standard-essential patents has become a central issue.Standard-setting organizations across the world exhibit significant variation in four key dimensions—nature,type,timing,and intensity.These differences are shaped by the combined influence of substitutability constraints,value orientations,and technological characteristics.The prevailing method of“full coverage analysis,”constrained by reliance on a single mode of comparison,fails to accommodate the multidimensional nature of standard-essential patent essentiality.It presents three major shortcomings:the improper exclusion of commercially essential patents,cognitive bias arising from hindsight,and the risk of misclassifying optionally essential patents.To address these challenges,a shift toward an integrated analytical framework is necessary.First,the temporal dimension should be employed to align patent texts with corresponding versions of the standard,thereby establishing a baseline for analysis.Second,technological essentiality and commercial essentiality should be distinguished,with differentiated verification pathways designed for each.Third,a binary structure of mandatory essentiality and optional essentiality should be introduced,supported by a tiered evidentiary system.By deconstructing the value objectives and technological rationales underlying the policies of standard-setting organizations,this integrated framework offers a more adaptable model for the determination of standard-essential patent essentiality.
郑伦幸, 陈超. 标准必要专利必要性的内涵界定及判定方法——基于全球30家主要标准制定组织知识产权政策的实证分析[J]. 中国科技论坛, 2025(10): 75-83.
Zheng Lunxing, Chen Chao. Defining and Assessing the Essentiality of Standard-Essential Patents: An Empirical Study of Intellectual Property Policies Across Thirty Leading Standard-Setting Organizations Worldwide. , 2025(10): 75-83.
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