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Huawei has scored a notable win in its escalating global patent dispute with MediaTek, as China's intellectual property authority has upheld the validity—partially—of one of Huawei's core 5G standard-essential patents (SEPs).

The contested patent, ZL201810211560.X, covers technology related to 5G Polar Code, a channel coding scheme strongly advocated by Huawei during the 5G standardization process. Alongside Qualcomm's LDPC code, Polar Code was adopted by 3GPP as a fundamental 5G coding method, marking a major milestone in China's 5G innovation. 

The patent has been challenged at least ten times by various companies, including Finnish phone maker HMD Global and Taiwan-based network equipment supplier WNC (Wistron NeWeb Corporation), according to records from the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA). So far, none of those efforts have succeeded. In 2023, CNIPA also upheld the patent following a similar invalidation request by HMD, after Huawei revised parts of the patent text.

This Polar Code patent has become a key asset in Huawei's licensing efforts. It was included in its license deal with HMD and is one of three patents cited in Huawei's initial lawsuit against MediaTek at the Shenzhen Intermediate People's Court. The other two patents had previously been used in Huawei's disputes with HMD and Samsung.

Disputes between Huawei and MediaTek began in mid-2024 and has evolved into a complex, multi-jurisdiction legal battle. The two companies are now facing off in courts across China, Germany, the UK, and before the Unified Patent Court (UPC) in Europe. Most recently, MediaTek filed a complaint against Huawei in the UPC's Mannheim division—likely in response to Huawei's earlier filing with the court in April.

MediaTek has launched lawsuits in cities including Shenzhen, Zhengzhou, Hangzhou, Beijing, and Munich, as well as in the UK, covering a range of claims including 4G/5G patent infringement, antitrust, and royalty rate disputes. In some of these cases, it is also seeking injunctions.

Huawei, meanwhile, has filed its own suits in Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, and at the UPC.

At the heart of the dispute lies a fundamental industry question: should patent royalties be based on the price of the end device, like a smartphone, or the chip that powers it? Most licensing practices today focus on the end device. But Huawei is challenging that model, aiming to charge royalties at the chip level instead—a move that, if successful, could reshape how licensing is handled in a market dominated by just a few major chipmakers.

Reports indicate that negotiations collapsed primarily over this pricing model dispute, driving both parties to litigation. Each is deploying dozens of patents in its legal arsenal while also seeking to invalidate the other's intellectual property. Many of MediaTek's challenges to Huawei's patents are still under review by CNIPA.

Related:

SPC Rules in Huawei's Favor in Jurisdiction Dispute with MediaTek