Geoworks Gets Confirmation From WAP Forum That Member Companies Should Pursue Intellectual Property Rights Licensing Between Each Other
Forum and Members Support WAP Standards and Wireless Interoperability
ROME, Feb. 8 /PRNewswire/ -- In a meeting with the WAP Forum leadership
here, Geoworks Corporation (Nasdaq: GWRX) and the WAP Forum both agreed that
they support the WAP Forum policies and procedures guiding the assertion and
licensing of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR). Geoworks is a pioneer in
wireless data communications services and technologies, and the WAP Forum is
the industry association that is driving standards and technology for
accessing information via the Internet from wireless devices.
In May of 1999, Geoworks, in accordance with WAP Forum guidelines, was the
first WAP Forum member to announce that its patented technology is employed as
essential technology in the WAP standard. In accordance with the WAP Forum's
IPR guidelines, Geoworks informed all WAP Forum members that it is pursuing
licensing of its patented technology on fair, reasonable and
non-discriminatory terms and conditions.
"Geoworks is dedicated to promoting the development of WAP standards that
will accelerate the worldwide market for mobile devices that can easily and
instantly access and interact with information and services," said Dave
Grannan, President and CEO of Geoworks Corporation. "We already have a number
of industry participants who have recognized both our good intentions and the
validity of our IPR claims, and have entered into licensing discussions with
us. Today the WAP Forum reiterated their desire to have member companies
pursue licensing IPR claims between the member companies with no direct
involvement of the WAP Forum."
The WAP Forum is devoted to supporting a global standard for wireless
information and telephony services for digital mobile phones and other
wireless terminals. The process of building a standard often includes
licensing of intellectual property among individual member companies. To
support the standard, all WAP Forum members agree to license their essential
intellectual property on fair, reasonable and nondiscriminatory terms.
The Geoworks patent for invention of a flexible user interface for mobile
communications devices (US Patent #5,327,529) is potentially implicated by
products and services based on the WAP standard. Geoworks holds this patent
for devices, including mobile phones, which are based on the WAP standard and
placed into the stream of commerce in the United States and Japan.
Geoworks has posted on its web site (www.geoworks.com) a white paper
entitled "The Geoworks Wireless Internet Patent: Invention and Innovation in
Flexible User Interface Technology." The white paper details many issues of
interest to WAP Forum members and non-members, including licensing details,
legal issues and technical information. More than 8,000 copies of the white
paper have been downloaded from the Geoworks web site in just two weeks.
About the WAP Forum
The WAP Forum is an industry association that has developed the de-facto
world standard for wireless information and telephony services on digital
mobile phones and other wireless terminals. Handset manufacturers representing
95 percent of the world market across all technologies have committed to
shipping WAP-enabled devices. Carriers representing more than 150 million
subscribers worldwide have joined the WAP Forum. WAP Forum membership is open
to all industry participants. For further details on the Forum and its
members, please visit the Forum's Web site at www.wapforum.org.
About Geoworks
Geoworks Corporation is a pioneer in wireless data communications services
and technologies for the business and consumer markets. The company's vision
is to enable mobile Internet access in the business to business and business
to consumer markets. In the business to business market, the company provides
its server technology, wireless industry expertise and consulting services to
other technology companies to further advance the mobile medium. Geoworks
serves the consumer market through Mobile Attitude, the company's branded
mobile portal, delivered to the growing universe of digital mobile phones and
pagers. By licensing its essential Intellectual Property Rights for the
Wireless Application Protocol (WAP), Geoworks supports the worldwide market
for mobile devices that enable people to easily and instantly access and
interact with information and services. Based in Alameda, California, the
company has international offices in Sweden, Japan and the United Kingdom, and
can be found on the World Wide Web at geoworks.com. |
