- From: Jim Davies <jdavies@neocore.com>
- Date: Thu, 04 Oct 2001 13:51:26 -0600
- To: www-patentpolicy-comment@w3.org
Hello, I understand (from reading http://www.gtwassociates.com/answers/ftccom.html) that the FTC contended in 1996 that an undisclosed patent required to implement a standard (the VESA VL bus for personal computers) couldn't be enforced by Dell Computer, since Dell's representative on the standard committee didn't disclose the patent during the standardization process. This seems like a relevant precedent for future "hidden" patents -- rather than allowing the holders to collect royalties, the FTC seems to feel that such patents should be essentially invalidated. -- Jim Davies Senior Engineer Neocore Inc. jdavies@neocore.com "There is a difference between knowing the path and walking the path." -- Morpheus, "The Matrix"
Received on Thursday, 4 October 2001 15:51:35 UTC