Description
To identify ZTE’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 this report analyse about ZTE’s Wi-Fi 6 patents?
It examines ZTE’s patent portfolio in relation to the Wi-Fi 6 standard. A total of 18 unique and active patent families were identified. Each claim is analysed manually by the technical team against the standard to verify whether all claim elements are present, and each family is classified on that basis. The aim is to show how closely the portfolio tracks the technology an 802.11ax product has to implement, rather than to report a family count on its own.
How were ZTE’s Wi-Fi 6 patents identified?
Searches ran across multiple patent databases using search strings, IPC and CPC classifications, and Wi-Fi 6 keywords. Those keywords included orthogonal frequency division multiple access, target wake time, basic service set color, high efficiency, 802.11ax, 160 MHz, beamforming, spatial streams, 78.125 kHz, 1024-QAM, spatial reuse, and resource unit allocation. CPC filters included H04W, H04W 84/12, H04W 72/04, H04W 72/12, H04W 52/02, H04W 52/36, H04W 88/08, H04B, and H04B 7/06. Only patents with a priority date on or before February 2021 were kept.
What does a potentially essential classification mean?
A patent is classified as potentially essential when its claim elements align with the Wi-Fi 6 specifications, which indicates that the standard cannot be implemented without practising the claim. It is classified as potentially non-essential when any element is missing or conflicts with the standard, such as a contradictory requirement or description. A medium classification sits between the two. The word potentially is deliberate, since a binding determination of essentiality comes through licensing agreements or a court.
