In a decision holding that a patent relating to 4G wireless telecommunications was valid and essential to the relevant standard, the High Court held that the relevant date was the date at the patent office at which the priority application was filed, and that only date and not time mattered. (Unwired Planet International Ltd v Huawei Technologies Co Ltd and others [2015] EWHC 3366 (Pat), 23 November 2015.)

NOTE: On 12 April 2017, the Court of Appeal dismissed an appeal against the decision of the High Court (see Legal update, Court of Appeal upholds High Court decision on time of disclosure of patent prior art published on the internet). (See details of Practical Law IP&IT and Media & Telecoms policy on annotating case reports.)