Patent pools-a solution to patent conflicts in standardisation and an instrument of technology transfer: the MP3 case

Patent pools are a phenomenon which has become more prominent with the increasing number of patents in 1990ies and the increasing complexity of technologies, because they are able to reduce transaction costs by saving bilateral negotiations of cross-licenses. However, patent pools can also raise antitrust problems if similar patents are pooled. In contrast to this well-known tension, we discuss patent pools as solution for patent conflicts in standardisation processes and as instrument of technology transfer by relying both on a survey among European companies and the unique case of MP3.