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List:       namedroppers
Subject:    Re: Key-rollover IPR disclosure
From:       Ben Laurie <ben () algroup ! co ! uk>
Date:       2005-03-25 12:51:53
Message-ID: 42440969.6040309 () algroup ! co ! uk
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Ólafur Guðmundsson /DNSEXT co-chair wrote:
> We have received a response from Diversinet.com about more detailed
> licence terms and the status of their patent applications in other
> countries and here is their response:
> 
> <quote>
> "Diversinet's position at this time is that it is worthwhile, from a 
> public relations perspective, for it to license its technology on terms 
> that are reciprocal, reasonable and royalty free, if such technology is 
> incorporated into a specification. Our general license would contain 
> terms that are typical in a commercial intellectual property license, 
> and would include a requirement that any organization using  the 
> technology covered by our patent would have to disclose prescribed 
> language indicating that the licensee's service or product incorporates 
> intellectual property owned by Diversinet, and that such organization 
> would agree to be referenceable by Diversinet in any publicity regarding 
> Diversinet's patent portfolio."
> 
> We also have a patent application #2306505 that was filed in Canada on 
> Aug 13, 1998. The application is identical to the patent that was 
> obtained from Israel.
> 
> I am planning to update our 2 IPR filed for IETF to include the above 
> paragraph and the Canadian patent application.
> </quote>
> 
> Chairs are not sure what exactly what the next step is, but we will
> keep you posted when we find out.

This statement does not seem to lead to anything usable in several ways. 
Firstly, it only states their position _at this time_, and so could 
change at the drop of a hat. Secondly, it is still unclear whether they 
intend _end users_ to be referencable (certainly that's what they say if 
read literally). Thirdly, reciprocity may be ok for implementers, but 
again, it is not clear whether this applies to end users - if it does, I 
can't imagine end users being interested, in general.

Cheers,

Ben.

-- 
http://www.apache-ssl.org/ben.html       http://www.thebunker.net/

"There is no limit to what a man can do or how far he can go if he
doesn't mind who gets the credit." - Robert Woodruff

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