From July 3–5, 2025, the Jiwei Semiconductor Summit in Shanghai served as a global stage for innovation, bringing together industry leaders, innovators, and policymakers to discuss the future of the semiconductor industry. Among the standout participants was PurpleVine IP Group, a Shenzhen-based intellectual property (IP) service provider with a global footprint, which made a significant impact by launching advanced IP solutions and delivering a keynote on standard essential patent (SEP) licensing in video coding and decoding. This blog post explores PurpleVine’s contributions at the summit, the engineering advancements behind their new IP solutions, their strategic focus on SEP licensing, and the broader implications for the semiconductor industry.

PurpleVine IP Group: A Global Leader in Semiconductor IP

Founded in 2018, PurpleVine IP Group has rapidly established itself as a leader in providing comprehensive IP services, including patent prosecution, IP consultancy, transactions, licensing, enforcement, and dispute resolution. With over 400 employees across 10 global offices, the company offers a one-stop solution for semiconductor firms navigating the complex IP landscape. At the Jiwei Semiconductor Summit 2025, PurpleVine showcased its expertise in enabling domestic and international companies to overcome IP barriers, particularly in high-stakes areas like video coding and decoding, which are critical for applications in consumer electronics, automotive, and AI-driven technologies.

Key Highlights from the Jiwei Semiconductor Summit 2025

1. Launch of Advanced IP Solutions

PurpleVine unveiled a suite of advanced semiconductor IP solutions designed to address the evolving needs of the industry. These solutions focus on enhancing design efficiency, reducing time-to-market, and ensuring compliance with global IP standards. Key offerings include:

1. Video Coding and Decoding IP Cores: PurpleVine introduced IP cores optimized for next-generation video compression standards, such as Versatile Video Coding (VVC/H.266) and Low Complexity Enhancement Video Coding (LCEVC). These cores are tailored for high-performance, low-power applications, supporting 8K Ultra HD video, real-time streaming, and 3D panoramic video. By leveraging pre-verified IP blocks, PurpleVine enables fabless companies and system vendors to accelerate the development of complex System-on-Chip (SoC) designs for consumer electronics, IoT, and automotive infotainment systems.
2. AI-Optimized IP for Edge Computing: Building on the growing demand for edge AI, PurpleVine showcased IP solutions for neural processing units (NPUs) and image signal processing (ISP). These IPs are designed to support low-latency, high-efficiency processing for intelligent vision applications, such as autonomous vehicles and smart surveillance systems. The solutions align with industry trends, as seen in VeriSilicon’s ISP9000 series, which PurpleVine complements with its licensing and consultancy expertise.
3. Custom Silicon Services: PurpleVine emphasized its ability to provide tailored IP solutions under a “Silicon Platform as a Service” (SiPaaS) model, similar to industry peers like VeriSilicon. This approach allows clients to move from chip definition to testing and packaging efficiently, reducing development costs and enhancing competitiveness.

These solutions underscore PurpleVine’s engineering prowess in delivering reusable, pre-verified IP cores that streamline chip design and ensure compatibility with advanced process nodes (e.g., 3nm and 5nm), which are critical for TSMC’s clients like NVIDIA and AMD.

2. Keynote on SEP Licensing in Video Coding and Decoding

A highlight of PurpleVine’s participation was its keynote address on SEP licensing challenges and strategies in video coding and decoding. Standard essential patents (SEPs) are patents that are necessary to implement industry standards, such as those for video compression (e.g., HEVC/H.265, VVC/H.266, and LCEVC). These patents are critical in enabling interoperability but often lead to complex licensing disputes due to their essential nature.

Key Points from the Keynote:

1. Navigating SEP Licensing Complexities: PurpleVine highlighted the challenges of SEP licensing, particularly in video coding, where multiple patent holders (e.g., Dolby, Philips, Mitsubishi Electric) form patent pools like HEVC Advance. The company shared insights from its recent success in assisting TCL Electronics to join the HEVC Advance Patent Pool, resolving years of global litigation with a 90% success rate in invalidating asserted patents. This experience underscores PurpleVine’s expertise in crafting FRAND-compliant (Fair, Reasonable, and Non-Discriminatory) licensing strategies.
2. China’s Evolving Patent Landscape: PurpleVine discussed the impact of recent regulatory changes, such as the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) draft amendment to Patent Examination Guidelines (released April 30, 2025). These guidelines aim to tighten standards for video codec patent applications, limiting right holders from claiming excessive licensing income across multiple links of the streaming industry (e.g., generation, storage, transmission). PurpleVine’s strategies help clients comply with these regulations while maximizing IP value.
3. Boosting Global Competitiveness: The keynote emphasized how PurpleVine’s IP solutions and licensing expertise enable domestic Chinese firms to compete globally. By providing strategic guidance on SEP licensing and patent invalidation, PurpleVine helps companies avoid costly litigation and secure favorable licensing terms, as demonstrated in its landmark victory for a top Chinese conglomerate against Hydis in South Korea.

Engineering and Legal Synergy:

PurpleVine’s approach integrates technical expertise with legal acumen. Its team, which includes SEP experts from the telecommunications industry and former attorneys from top international law firms, designs IP solutions that align with standards like MPEG-5 Essential Video Coding (EVC), which offers royalty-free base tools and individually licensable enhancements to mitigate patent risks. This synergy ensures that clients can adopt cutting-edge video coding technologies while navigating licensing complexities.

3. Strategic Focus on Globalization

PurpleVine’s participation at the Jiwei Summit underscored its commitment to the globalization of the semiconductor sector. The company highlighted:

1. Cross-Border IP Management: With offices in 10 countries, PurpleVine provides seamless support for global patent prosecution, licensing negotiations, and dispute resolution. Its collaboration with international law firms, as seen in the TCL and Hydis cases, ensures effective management of multi-jurisdictional IP challenges.
2. Support for Domestic Firms: PurpleVine is empowering Chinese semiconductor companies to expand globally by offering IP solutions that meet international standards. This includes compliance with TSMC’s advanced process nodes and integration with global patent pools, enhancing the competitiveness of Chinese fabless firms in AI, HPC, and consumer electronics markets.
3. Partnerships with Industry Leaders: PurpleVine’s partnerships, such as with VeriSilicon for IP licensing and Alphawave IP for connectivity solutions, strengthen its ability to deliver comprehensive silicon services. These collaborations align with TSMC’s ecosystem, where advanced IP cores are critical for clients leveraging 3nm and 2nm nodes.

Key Impacts and Outcomes

1. Accelerating Innovation in Video Coding

PurpleVine’s new IP cores for VVC and LCEVC address the growing demand for high-efficiency video compression in applications like 8K streaming, virtual reality, and video conferencing. By providing pre-verified IP blocks, PurpleVine reduces development costs and time-to-market, enabling clients to focus on product differentiation. The company’s focus on low-power, high-performance designs aligns with industry trends, as seen in VeriSilicon’s VC9000D_LCEVC decoder IP.

2. Strengthening Global Competitiveness

PurpleVine’s expertise in SEP licensing empowers domestic firms to navigate the complex global IP landscape. Its success in resolving TCL’s HEVC Advance disputes demonstrates its ability to secure favorable licensing terms, reducing financial and legal risks. This is particularly critical as Chinese firms expand into markets dominated by patent pools and face increasing litigation from global SEP holders.

3. Mitigating Patent Risks

The company’s strategic approach to patent invalidation and FRAND-compliant licensing, as seen in its 90% success rate in invalidating HEVC patents, sets a benchmark for the industry. PurpleVine’s ability to challenge SEP licensing rates in Chinese courts, as in the TCL case, establishes legal precedents that could reshape global SEP practices, benefiting the broader semiconductor ecosystem.

4. Enabling TSMC’s Ecosystem

PurpleVine’s IP solutions complement TSMC’s advanced manufacturing capabilities, particularly in 3nm and 2nm nodes, which accounted for 58% of TSMC’s Q1 2025 wafer revenue. By providing IP cores optimized for these nodes, PurpleVine supports TSMC’s clients in AI, HPC, and automotive applications, reinforcing the foundry’s technological leadership.

Challenges and Considerations

1. SEP Licensing Disputes: The complexity of SEP licensing, especially in video coding, remains a challenge due to overlapping patent claims and high royalty costs. PurpleVine’s expertise mitigates these risks, but ongoing global litigation could impact adoption of new standards like VVC.
2. Regulatory Shifts: CNIPA’s tightened guidelines for video codec patents may increase scrutiny on patent applications, requiring PurpleVine to adapt its prosecution strategies to ensure client patents remain robust and enforceable.
3. Competition: PurpleVine faces competition from established IP providers like VeriSilicon, Arm, and Synopsys, which dominate the IP core market. Its focus on niche areas like video coding and SEP licensing differentiates it but requires continuous innovation.

Conclusion

PurpleVine IP Group’s debut at the Jiwei Semiconductor Summit 2025 marked a pivotal moment in its mission to drive innovation and globalization in the semiconductor industry. By launching advanced IP solutions for video coding and decoding, delivering a keynote on SEP licensing, and showcasing its cross-border expertise, PurpleVine is empowering domestic and global firms to overcome IP barriers and compete in high-growth markets like AI, HPC, and consumer electronics. With a strategic focus on engineering excellence and legal acumen, PurpleVine is poised to shape the future of semiconductor IP, supporting TSMC’s ecosystem and advancing the global technology landscape.

What’s next for PurpleVine and the semiconductor IP market? As demand for advanced nodes and video compression standards grows, the company’s role in bridging technical innovation and IP strategy will be critical. Stay tuned for more updates!

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