Mike:
RE: "However you dont "know didley about politics""
I will agree wholeheardely on that point. No, I don't. I do believe that the US will fight this standard, but what might happen is what is ahppening now. I believe that Europe and Asia will unite to one standard and, unfortunately, the US will be a melting pot of standards.
"I feel very confident in my belief that the IPR's will hold up as laverage to broker a deal(in the worst case)"
Of course. That is why the US agreed to the Patent Cooperation Treaty and changed their rules under GATT from 17 years from date of patent, to 20 years from date of filing.
Patents, are becoming a commodity, and companies, in order to survive, must seekout cross licensing agreements. Let's face it, devleoping all the R&D/IPR is formidable enough challenge by yourself. That is why you sign crosslicensing agreemnets. You get the Patent, BUT you don't get the Integration knowlege and/or the Trade Secret stuff.
dave |
