Last updated $Date: 2004/11/15 12:28:52 $
This document lists patent disclosures by W3C Members relating to the Multimodal Interaction Activity Proposal. A separate page lists patent disclosures relating to Voice Browsers.
Based upon current knowledge, and without making an exhaustive search, the following companies indicated that they do not have essential patent claims relating to this proposal:
Access, Alcatel, Apple, AT&T, Avaya, BeVocal, Canon, Cardiff Software, Charles Schwab, Cisco Systems, Comverse Technology, Corel, CWI, Daimler Chrysler, Ecole Mohammadia d'Ingénieurs, EDS, Equal Access Testing, Ericsson, France Telecom, Fraunhofer Gesellschaft, Genesys, HP, INRIA, Intel, KAIT, Kirusa, Loquendo, Mitsubishi Electric, Motorola, Nokia, Nortel Networks, Nuance Communications, OnMobile, Openstream, Openwave Systems, Opera Software, Oracle, Panasonic, Philips, PipeBeach, RNIB, Scansoft, SpeechWorks International, Snowshore Networks, SAP, Sun Microsystems, Syntellect, Tellme Networks, T-Online International, Toshiba, Toyohashi University of Technology, Unisys, V-enable, VoiceGenie, Voxeo, Voxpilot.
The following companies have stated that they may have essential claims and have not offered them on royalty free terms. W3C expects detailed disclosures on these claims:
This is the verbatim text.
Alcatel stated:
Based upon our current personal knowledge, and without making an exhaustive search, we are not aware of essential patent claims relating to the Multimodal Interaction Working Group. In the event that Alcatel has essential patent claims relating to the Multimodal Interaction Working Group, Alcatel will make these patents available for licensing, under nonexclusive, reasonable and non-discriminatory terms and conditions.
Avaya stated:
Based upon our current knowledge, and without making an exhaustive search, we do not have essential patent claims relating to this proposal, however, should Avaya determine otherwise, it will license at reasonable and non-discriminatory terms, with the potential for charging fees.
Ericsson stated:
Based upon our current knowledge, and without making an exhaustive search, we do not have essential patent claims relating to the Multimodal Interaction Working Group.
Ericsson may or may not own patents or patent applications which apply to the "...MultiModality..." specifications of the W3C. If implementation of a W3C standard based on the "...MultiModality..." specification requires the use of Ericsson patents, Ericsson will grant, upon written request, a non-exclusive license under such patents on reasonable and non-discriminatory terms. Ericsson expressly disclaims any and all warranties regarding this "Contribution" including any warranty that this "Contribution" does not violate the rights of others or is fit for a particular purpose.
The definitions of "Essential Claims," "Member," "Affiliate," "RAND License," and "Royalty-Free License" in effect for the above statement are those found in the W3C Patent Policy Framework dated 16 August 2001.
IBM stated:
Based upon our current knowledge, and without making an exhaustive search, we believe we may have essential patent claims relating to this proposal. We are in the process of further assessing the situation in this regard and will get back to W3C as soon as we have the final results. In the event that IBM has essential patent claims relating to this proposal, IBM will make these patents available for licensing, under nonexclusive, reasonable and non-discriminatory terms and conditions.
Microsoft stated:
Given the absence of any specification and the lack of clarity in the description of the scope of this activity, it is not possible to identify patents that are essential at this time. However, if during the course of this activity Microsoft becomes aware of any essential patents Microsoft expects that they will be licensed on royalty-free and other reasonable and non-discriminatory terms.
Motorola stated:
Based upon our current knowledge, and without making an exhaustive search, we are not aware of any essential patent claims relating to this proposal. However, should Motorola determine otherwise, it will license on reasonable and non-discriminatory terms, with the potential for charging fees.
NEC stated:
We do have patent claims that we believe will be essential for the implementation of the proposed W3C Specification and have chosen to make them available to all on reasonable and non-discriminatory terms, with the potential for charging fees.
Nortel Networks stated:
Based upon our current personal knowledge, and without making an exhaustive search, we are not aware of essential patent claims relating to this proposal; provided, however, that in the event that an essential claim(s) (which would be necessary for a compliant implementation of the proposal, or the final standard) is subsequently identified, Nortel Networks would be willing, upon written request, to grant a nonexclusive license under such essential patent claims, on a non-discriminatory basis and on reasonable terms and conditions.
Openwave stated:
Based upon our current knowledge, and without making an exhaustive search, we do not have essential patent claims relating to this proposal. Openwave has a pending patent application bearing on multimodal input [US Patent Office Serial Number 09/558,900, entitled "Constrained Keyboard Disambiguation Using Voice Recognition"] Should this include essential claims with respect to W3C Recommendations on multimodal interaction, Openwave will offer royalty free licenses to all implementers whether or not they are W3C Members.
Siemens stated:
We do have patent claims that we believe will be essential for the implementation of the proposed W3C specification. We have chosen to make them available on reasonable and non-discriminatory terms. Siemens is in the process of filing an International patent application with the German Patent Office. The title is: "Multimediaplattform und Verfahren zur Unterstützung von einem interaktiven, sprachorientierten Zugriff auf zu übermittelnde Informationen" - Patent Antrag Nummer: 2000P23901.
VoiceGenie stated:
Based upon our current knowledge, and without making an exhaustive search, we do not have essential patent claims relating to this proposal, however, should VoiceGenie determine otherwise, it will license at reasonable and non-discriminatory terms, with the potential for charging fees.