* Paul Vixie: > in <http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/09/21/802_11n_patent_threat/>, we see: > > Letters of Assurance are requested from all parties > holding patents which may be applicable to any IEEE > standard. Basically they state that the patent owner > won't sue anyone for implementing the standard. ... > > i was thinking, what a great policy. why doesn't IETF have one like it? Perhaps because IEEE hasn't got anything like that, either? The IEEE has got a very expansive patent policy: | 7.14 Patent Rights of Employed Engineer Inventors | | In order to promote the progress of electrical arts and sciences, it | is IEEE policy to encourage the establishment of appropriate | incentive systems for the development and disclosure of | inventions. Implementation of this policy may include actions | directed toward the improvement and revitalization of patent laws to | extend protection of inventions in newer fields of technology not | currently covered, and greater incentives to government contractors | for the commercial utilization of inventions resulting from | government support, and improving laws to provide equitable | distribution of rights between employed inventors and their | employers, as well as to promote equitable standard patent | pre-assignment agreements. The spelled-out policy for standards is available under: <http://standards.ieee.org/guides/bylaws/sect6-7.html> I don't think it's fundamentally different from the IETF policy (that is, RAND is acceptable). _______________________________________________ Ietf@xxxxxxxx https://www1.ietf.org/mailman/listinfo/ietf