emv@math.lsa.umich.edu (Edward Vielmetti) (08/22/90)
FYI. How do you patent a protocol? Does anyone know the patent # ? From: adnan@sgtech.uucp (Adnan Yaqub) Newsgroups: comp.protocols.misc,comp.protocols.tcp-ip FYI: In the August 1990 edition of Data Communications there is an article titled "DEC Plays the Royalty Card" which describes how DEC has patented its Local Area Transport (LAT) protocol and is now enforcing its patent with licenses. According to the article, "DEC's strategy for enforcing its patent on LAT is to levy a royalty on every LAT-based terminal server a third-party vendor makes. Under the licensing terms DEC announced last November, vendors wanting to use LAT would have to pay $15 for each terminal port on every terminal server they sell." The article also said the DEC is seeking retroactive royalties. It went on to say that at press time 21 vendors have signed licensing agreements and another 80 are in negotiations. However, it mentioned that two of the largest LAT terminal server manufacturers, Datability Software Systems Inc. and Emulex Corp., have so far resisted DEC's licensing program. -- Adnan Yaqub (adnan@sgtech.uucp) Star Gate Technologies 29300 Aurora Rd, Solon, OH, 44139, USA, +1 216 349 1860 --Ed Edward Vielmetti, U of Michigan math dept <emv@math.lsa.umich.edu>