Description
To identify Avago’s patents related to Wi-Fi 6, we employed Wi-Fi 6 relevant keywords such as Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA), Target Wake Time (TWT), Basic Service Set (BSS) Color, High-Efficiency (HE), 802.11ax, 160 MHz, beamforming, spatial streams, 78.125 kHz, 1024-QAM, spatial reuse, Resource Unit (RU) allocation, etc. The CPCs used for filtering included H04W, H04W 84/12, H04W 72/04, H04W 72/12, H04W 52/02, H04W 52/36, H04W 88/08, H04B, H04B 7/06, etc.
To assess a patent’s essentiality, each claim is manually analysed by our technical expert team with respect to the Wi-Fi 6 standard to verify whether all claim elements are present. We have classified a patent as potentially essential, potentially non-essential, or medium based on the following criteria:
- A patent is classified as potentially essential if claim elements align with the Wi-Fi 6 specifications.
- Conversely, the patent is classified as potentially non-essential if any element is missing or conflicts with the standard, such as contradictory requirements or descriptions.
- A patent is marked as medium if the main technical aspects are present in the Wi-Fi 6 standard, but some elements are not explicitly defined and can only be reasonably inferred from the identified sections.
Frequently asked questions
What does the report say about Avago’s Wi-Fi 6 portfolio?
The report examines Avago’s patent portfolio with respect to Wi-Fi 6. A total of 46 unique and active patent families were identified. Each family is assessed for scope, relevance and potential essentiality against key Wi-Fi 6 technologies, including OFDMA, MU-MIMO, beamforming, BSS color, Target Wake Time and spatial streams. The findings rest on manual claim analysis against the standard rather than on classification counts or keyword hits.
Which Wi-Fi 6 features anchor the analysis?
Six feature areas anchor the analysis: OFDMA, MU-MIMO, beamforming, BSS color, Target Wake Time and spatial streams. Searches used matching keywords such as Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access, High Efficiency, 802.11ax, 160 MHz, 78.125 kHz, 1024-QAM, spatial reuse and Resource Unit allocation. CPC filters included H04W 84/12, H04W 72/04, H04W 72/12, H04W 52/02, H04W 52/36, H04W 88/08 and H04B 7/06.
How is essentiality decided in this study?
Essentiality is decided by manual claim analysis. The technical expert team compares each claim with the Wi-Fi 6 standard to verify whether all claim elements are present, and patents are then classified as potentially essential, potentially non essential, or medium. This approach exposes the reasoning behind each classification, which matters in licensing talks, where a bare count of patents says little about whether the claims actually track the standard.
Can the same assessment be run for another portfolio?
Yes. Scope can be adjusted on request, so the same method can be applied to a different portfolio, to a different set of Wi-Fi 6 features, or to a group of holders for comparison. Requests are handled through the contact page on the website, where an enquiry reaches the research team. The team will confirm what the current study contains before any change of scope is agreed.
