On September 10, 2026, Canon, Sony, Huawei, and OPPO partnered with Tulip Licensing—the parent company of Tulip Innovation—to launch a new imaging patent licensing program called “Tulip Imaging.” The program will manage a portfolio of more than 125,000 patents related to advanced digital imaging and information processing.

It is reported that since its establishment in May 2024, Tulip Innovation (now renamed Tulip Battery on its official website) has managed over 5,000 core lithium-ion battery patents on behalf of LG Energy Solution and Panasonic Energy. In a press release, Tulip stated that potential licensees can “tailor” agreements to include patents relevant to their specific products, technologies, and business needs.

Fan Zhiyong, Chief Intellectual Property Officer at Huawei, said, “Through this landmark collaboration with leading partners, we are jointly opening up what was once proprietary imaging technology to help our licensees deliver vivid imaging experiences to everyone.”

OPPO Chief Intellectual Property Officer Feng Ying noted that OPPO’s collaboration with leading innovators in the imaging industry reflects the company’s strength in imaging technology innovation and underscores its commitment to building a healthy, sustainable intellectual property ecosystem to support continuous innovation and industry growth.

Hideki Sanatake, Executive Director and Group Executive Officer of the Intellectual Property and Legal Headquarters at Canon, described the project as “an opportunity to support continued investment and drive future breakthroughs.”

Yuko Tsuda, Representative Director and President of Sony Intellectual Property Services, added: “Broad access to innovation should be supported by efficient and transparent licensing, and Tulip offers a viable option for achieving this goal.”

It is worth noting that Tulip has filed cross-border patent lawsuits against several Chinese battery companies this year. In January 2026, it filed a complaint with the Korea Trade Commission targeting Sunwoda’s battery cells and Geely Automobile’s battery packs; in July 2026, acting on behalf of LG Energy Solution, it simultaneously initiated an ITC Section 337 investigation and a federal infringement lawsuit in the Eastern District of Texas against EVE Energy. The ITC case also named downstream manufacturers such as Bosch, Koki Holdings, and Quanfeng as defendants.