Anthony C. Coles

Anthony C. Coles is a partner in PLG’s Intellectual Property and Patent practices, with a particular focus on patent pools, standard-essential patents (SEPs), patent licensing, and patent litigation. He advises patent pool administrators on licensing patents covering industry standards, including conducting patent essentiality evaluations to determine whether patents qualify for inclusion in multi-party licensing programs.

Anthony has extensive experience across a wide range of technologies and technical standards, including video and audio compression, wireless communications, streaming media, optical discs, digital rights management, cryptography, computer software and networking, computer architecture, optics, and semiconductors. His work has included evaluating patents relating to AV1, VP9, VVC, HEVC, AVC, AAC, MPEG-H, EVS, Wi-Fi 5, Wi-Fi 6, Wi-Fi 7, MPEG-DASH, Blu-ray Disc, DVD, and CD standards.

In addition to his patent evaluation practice, Anthony advises on patent infringement, licensing, competition, and FRAND-related issues involving standard-essential patents. A registered patent attorney before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, he also represents clients in post-grant proceedings before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB), including inter partes review (IPR) proceedings involving network security, mobile media, and consumer products.

Anthony’s combination of technical knowledge, patent litigation experience, and extensive work with patent pools and industry standards allows him to counsel clients on both the technical and commercial considerations surrounding the development, licensing, and enforcement of sophisticated patent portfolios.

Representative Experience

Patent Pools and Standard-Essential Patent Licensing

• Advises clients on standard-essential patent (SEP) licensing, patent infringement, competition issues, and the structure and terms of multi-party patent licensing programs.
• Conducts patent essentiality evaluations to determine whether patents are essential to industry standards and eligible for inclusion in joint licensing programs involving a broad range of technical standards, including:
• Video Compression: AV1, VP9, VVC, HEVC, AVC
• Audio Compression: AAC, MPEG-H, EVS
• Wireless: Wi-Fi 7, Wi-Fi 6, Wi-Fi 5
• Streaming Media: MPEG-DASH
• Optical Disc: Blu-ray Disc, DVD, CD
• Drafts and advises on licensing agreements for the joint licensing of standard-essential patents and counsels clients on related FRAND, infringement, licensing, and competition considerations.
• Represented a patent licensing administrator in discussions with the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Competition concerning patent licensing and competition issues.

PTAB and Inter Partes Review Proceedings

• Represents patent owners and petitioners in post-grant proceedings before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office’s Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB), including inter partes review proceedings involving network security, mobile media, and consumer products.
• Successfully prevented institution of inter partes review in Fortinet Inc. v. BT Americas Inc., IPR2019-01326, establishing that the petition presented substantially the same arguments previously considered by the USPTO.

Patent Litigation and Enforcement

• Represents patent owners in U.S. and international patent infringement and enforcement matters involving standard-essential patents and technologies including video compression, digital broadcast television, mobile media, software, and semiconductor technologies.
• Represented owners of MPEG-2 video compression standard-essential patents in federal patent infringement litigation, including matters involving FRAND royalty rates and damages associated with patents licensed through a patent pool.
• Represented owners of ATSC digital television standard-essential patents in federal patent infringement litigation involving FRAND royalty rates, patent damages, patent pool licensing, and competition and antitrust counterclaims.