Patents and Standard-Setting: Hot Issues for Patent Owners

Jennifer Jannuska

1/01/2005
(Original Publish Date: 6/19/2002)

The intermingling of standard-setting and patents has been a contentious topic in legal and technology circles in the last several years. Some say there is an inherent conflict between standard-setting (as an open and public activity) and patents (which are by nature closed and proprietary). Disclosure and licensing are two areas of concern for patent owners interested in participating in standard-setting. Several recent news items highlight these issues for patent owners.