The IEEE Standards Association (IEEE-SA) has signed an agreement with Via Licensing that will see the two foster patent licensing programmes for IEEE standards.

With the patent pools, the industry-standard-setting organization aims to accelerate and broaden adoption of IEEE standards-based technologies. The IEEE-SA has a portfolio of 950 approved standards and close to 500 standards projects in development.

The two partners plan to build awareness of the perceived benefits of patent pools in the IEEE-SA corporate stakeholder community. Via will administer the licensing programmes that come from these efforts.

"The collaboration with Via Licensing is a groundbreaking step for the IEEE in addressing the needs of our industry stakeholders to see their significant investment in standards development rewarded," Judith Gorman, managing director of the IEEE Standards Association, said in a statement yesterday.

"We expect that our participation at the earliest stages of the patent pooling process will reduce the barriers that prevent the rapid adoption of technology standards."

Patent pools provide an expedient business construct for holders of patents related to a specification or standard. Licensors in the pool facilitate access to their IP by establishing a single royalty rate and license for all of the patents in the pool.

While far from loved by all, many industry participants believe that patent pools can bring a measure of stability to patent licensing for a particular technology by reducing litigation risks and establishing a market rate. Supporters say that licensees find it easier to obtain licenses, and licensors can monetize their research investment in a market-enabling and cost-effective manner.

"The interdependence of intellectual property rights and markets combined with the accelerated pace of development has created the need for greater visibility of licensing requirements both within and across individual standards," said Robert Syputa, senior analyst and partner at Maravedis, in the statement yesterday.

"This makes a coordinated licensing framework that includes patent pools, a valuable asset if not an outright necessity for the advancement of electronics, particularly of IT and telecommunications related technologies and markets."

The IEEE announcement also came with support from Mentor Graphics, NXP, and Fraunhofer IIS.

By Suzanne Deffree, Managing Editor, News - Electronic News

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