Web Payments Working Group PAG Charter

Scope

The Web Payments Working Group PAG has the scope to:

• explore ways to obtain an RF licensing commitment from the current owner of disclosed patent claims so that the W3C Royalty-Free Patent Policy Requirements are met;
• seek relevant prior art;
• discuss ways to design around the disclosed patents;
• if necessary, request an analysis of the claim by a W3C patent counsel. This analysis will be made only if sufficient funds for that purpose are made available via the Web Legal Support Fund.

Deliverable

This PAG is chartered to recommend to the W3C Director a path forward following the identified disclosures. The recommendations must be chosen from among the options in section section 7.5.1 of the Patent Policy:

1. The initial concern has been resolved, enabling the Working Group to continue.
2. The Working Group should be instructed to consider designing around the identified claims.
3. The Team should seek further information and evaluation, including and not limited to evaluation of the patents in question or the terms under which W3C RF licensing requirements may be met.
4. The Working Group should abandon the work.
5. Alternative licensing terms should be considered. The procedure in section 7.5.3 must be followed.

Participation

In accordance with section 7.3 of the W3C Patent Policy, the following people are invited to participate in this PAG:

• Advisory Committee Representatives of each W3C Member participating in the Web Payments Working Group. AC Representative registration form
• (Optional) Each Advisory Committee Representative may also designate a second individual (usually legal counsel) to participate in the PAG.
• Co-Chairs of the Web Payments Working Group
• W3C Team contacts for the Web Payments Working Group
• W3C counsel and PAG Chair
• Others invited by the PAG Chair and approved by the W3C Director

Participation in this PAG (attending meetings, following the mailing list) is expected to require one-half a day per week per participant.

Confidentiality

Following a decision at the PAG's 17 February 2021 meeting, the proceedings of PAG meetings will be Member-visible and communicated on the list member-wpwg-pag@w3.org (member mailing list archive).

This charter, the PAG's recommendations to the W3C Director, and any prior art will be public and communicated on public-wpwg-pag@w3.org (mailing list archive).

Meetings

The Web Payments Working Group PAG primarily conducts its work via mailing lists and teleconferences. Exceptionally, the PAG Chair may convene a face-to-face meeting.

The Chair may invite (non-participant) individuals to specific meetings to further the work of the PAG.

About this charter

On 4 February 2021 W3C launched this PAG in accordance to Section 7.1 (PAG Formation) of the Patent Policy and in accordance with the Procedures for Launching and Operating a Patent Advisory Group.

This PAG is chartered through 4 July 2021. The W3C Director may extend the charter.

See also information about previous PAGs for this Working Group: the 2019 PAG, the 2017 PAG, and the 2016 PAG.