Comcast Just Handed Over Key 5G Tech to Offino — Here’s Why This Could Shake Up 5G Licensing

Ofinno is known for declaring patents as SEPs and actively engaging in licensing activities. So, when Comcast transferred over 30 wireless communication patents to them, we dived right into the transaction. 

Covering user equipment, beamforming, and scheduling, the portfolio expands beyond the U.S. with filings in Europe and Canada as well. This creates new licensing and enforcement challenges for companies operating in these regions.

Companies developing 5G technologies must assess infringement risks and determine if they need a license to avoid litigation. 

This analysis examines the patents in this acquisition, mapping key technologies and analyzing forward citations. It also highlights monetization trends impacting licensing, negotiations, and enforcement in the telecom industry.

Why This Deal Matters for 5G Licensing?

Ofinno operates as a research and development lab specializing in inventing and patenting future technologies, including 5G/6G, next-generation Wi-Fi, and video compression. Their business model focuses on developing high-quality, standard-essential patents (SEPs) and actively engaging in licensing and sales to industry leaders.

Ofinno has previously sold patents to Samsung, Huawei, and Xiaomi. In a previous transaction, it sold US11558891B2, centered on user equipment, to Xiaomi. It also completed a licensing deal for telecom-related patents through RPX, an aggregator representing over 320 companies. 

Given this context, the Comcast-Ofinno transaction introduces new licensing and enforcement considerations for companies operating in the 5G space.

A Closer Look at the Patents Transferred

Ofinno’s acquired patent assets around mid-December 2024 represent advanced innovations in wireless communication. Key areas include:

Technology Group	Patent Numbers(Rest available in the complete report)
Data Transmission Optimization and Scheduling	US10172124B2, US10548121B2, US10708901B2, US10945172B2
Resource Allocation and Management	US10959218B2, US11224021B2, US11464005B2
Interference Management and Signal Quality	US11159959B2, US11277862B2
High-Speed Data Transmission and Network Efficiency	US11272495B2, US11343735B2, US11470618B2
Dynamic Scheduling and Data Reception	US11910419B2, US11968679B2, US11991720B2
Signal Reception Optimization	US11871397B2, US11968577B2, US11910420B2
Mobile Communication and Inter-Node Communication	US11825317B2, US11844032B2
Communication System Optimization	US12101788B2
Semi-Persistent Scheduling and Resource Allocation	US10959218B2
5G and Beyond Technologies	US20220217762A1

A quick analysis of the Comcast-Ofinno transaction data set revealed some interesting insights.

Licensing potential of the 5G NR technology in the portfolio

A quick portfolio overview shows that the patents align closely with 5G NR technology advancements. This includes power control, downlink control information (DCI), licensed-assisted access (LAA), beamforming, and scheduling. Thus, the portfolio is integral to optimizing network performance and spectrum efficiency.

An article by IAM (see below) also supports this observation that companies are highly interested in the 5G dominance scene. Companies are vying to file higher and higher numbers of patents in physical channels, radio transmission systems, and management of wireless resources. 

(Source)

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Are These Future SEPs? Indicators to Watch

While the patents in the Comcast-Ofinno transaction are relevant to 5G NR technologies, they have not yet been declared standard-essential patents (SEPs). However, Ofinno has a history of declaring SEPs. 

A relevant example is the patent US8582525B2, owned by Ofinno. It is related to the sub-technology Dynamic multicarrier OFDM transmission and has been declared a 5G standard-essential patent.  

(Source: Patsnap)

This indicates some patents in Ofinno’s portfolio will be assessed for standard relevance in the future. We mapped one of the patents from the portfolio for its SEP relevance.

Claim	Evidence from TS 38.213
A method comprising:updating, by a wireless device and based on a received medium access control (MAC) control element (CE), a mapping between: a pathloss reference reference signal (RS); and	…………
a power control parameter, and
transmitting, using a transmission power based on the updated mapping, an uplink signal.

Note: This is just a high-level relevancy analysis and does not necessarily indicate this patent’s overlap against the 5G standards.

Patent Quality and PVIX: Signals for Enforcement Risk

Ofinno’s commitment to patent quality is further shown by its impressive Portfolio Value Index (PVIX) score. The company has an average PVIX score of 63 for its wireless network technologies, surpassing industry giants like Qualcomm and Apple. 

This high score reflects the strength and impact of Ofinno’s patent portfolio in the wireless technology sector.​

Conclusion

This analysis offers an overview of the patents involved and their potential impact on telecom licensing and litigation. The complete analysis details each patent, its technology focus, monetization potential, and the risks companies may face.

Download the full analysis to explore the complete breakdown and understand what’s ahead for the 5G IP strategy.