To: Maurice Winn who wrote (68194 ) 8/24/2007 4:48:43 PM From: Eric L Read Replies (4) | Respond to Appropriation Without Compensation Broadcom has been confronted by a licensor who participated in a standard setting process insisting that, as a condition to being granted a royalty-bearing license to the intellectual property essential to practice the standard, Broadcom would have to give back a royalty-free license to a much broader sweep of Broadcom intellectual property, including IP covering features and functions entirely unrelated to the standard. To usurp the blood, sweat, tears and genius of innovative companies in such a manner as a condition to practicing an industry standard runs directly contrary to the fundamental objectives of standard setting bodies. If this sort of practice is allowed, what incentive will any company have to innovate or invest, knowing that unrelated technology can be appropriated in this way as a price for making standardized products? ...
