Re: [dhcwg] Regarding Draft-ietf-dhc-subscriber-id-X.txt

On Jan 29, 2004, at 9:52 AM, Mats Jonsson wrote:
> The document draft-ietf-dhc-subscriber-id-X.txt describes technology 
> or solutions for which PacketFront has related patents or patent 
> applications pending.
>
> If a document based on this draft becomes an IETF standard PacketFront 
> is prepared to license, on reasonable and non-discriminatory terms, 
> any related PacketFront patents to the extent required to comply with 
> the standard.

That's somewhat encouraging, but can you say what terms you would 
offer?   I'm personally not at all happy with the idea that any part of 
the DHCP protocol suite might be subject to a license fee.

The only standard in the DHCwg that contains any patented IP (that I 
know of) is the relay agent information option draft, and to the best 
of my recollection Motorola stated that they would not demand any 
compensation from software or hardware manufacturers who implement 
RFC3046, other than in cases where there might be cross-licensing 
issues.

I think that PacketFront owes the DHCwg an explanation for why they 
have added these trivial patents on top of a protocol that is otherwise 
unencumbered - how you justify this kind of action toward a group that 
has produced something of great value to you and offered it to you with 
no strings attached.   If these are purely defensive patents, that's a 
good explanation, but if that's the case, your licensing terms should 
be stated in way that's compatible with that interpretation.

Unfortunately, "reasonable" is far too vague to satisfy this.   I 
personally am against advancing this draft until we have some assurance 
that there will be no license fees for this patent except in cases 
where there is a need for cross-licensing.   I have no objection to you 
protecting your interests, but I do object to the DHCwg advancing a 
draft which encumbers the DHCP protocol suite in this way, and I don't 
think this draft adds sufficient value to justify advancing the draft 
under the present circumstances.

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