[xiph-commits] r18683 - websites/opus-codec.org/license

[jm at svn.xiph.org]

Author: jm
Date: 2012-11-01 06:27:28 -0700 (Thu, 01 Nov 2012)
New Revision: 18683

Modified:
   websites/opus-codec.org/license/index.shtml.en
Log:
Including "other disclosures" section on the license/ page


Modified: websites/opus-codec.org/license/index.shtml.en
===================================================================
--- websites/opus-codec.org/license/index.shtml.en	2012-10-30 21:10:22 UTC (rev 18682)
+++ websites/opus-codec.org/license/index.shtml.en	2012-11-01 13:27:28 UTC (rev 18683)
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@
 patents are available under open-source-compatible, royalty-free licenses. If you are not trying to attack Opus
 with your patents, you will not have problems with these licenses.</p>
 
-<h3>Xiph.Org Foundation</h3>
+<a name="xiph"><h3>Xiph.Org Foundation</h3></a>
 
 <p>The Xiph.Org foundation has several patent applications on techniques used in Opus. When issued, these patents will be automatically available under the terms provided in the below license. The license
 covers the listed patent applications, along with any other patent or application covering Opus that is owned by Xiph.Org.</p>
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@
 <a href="https://datatracker.ietf.org/ipr/1524/">IETF site</a>.
 </blockquote>
 
-<h3>Broadcom</h3>
+<a name="broadcom"><h3>Broadcom</h3></a>
 
 <p>Broadcom has both issued patents and outstanding applications covering Opus. These are available under the same license as the Xiph.Org patents. The license
 covers the listed patents and patent applications, along with any other patent or application covering Opus that is owned by Broadcom.</p>
@@ -200,7 +200,7 @@
 <a href="https://datatracker.ietf.org/ipr/1526/">IETF site</a>.
 </blockquote>
 
-<h3>Microsoft</h3>
+<a name="microsoft"><h3>Microsoft</h3></a>
 
 <p>Microsoft acquired patents and applications related to Opus through their purchase of Skype. These patents (and any other Microsoft might have had) are available
 under a different, but still royalty-free, license detailed below. The license
@@ -400,4 +400,54 @@
 <a href="https://datatracker.ietf.org/ipr/1670/">IETF site</a>.
 </blockquote>
 
+
+<a name="other"><h3>Other disclosures</h3></a>
+
+<p>
+While Xiph.Org, Broadcom, and Microsoft filed IPR disclosures giving
+ royalty-free licenses to their patents used in Opus, two companies that did
+ not directly participate in the development of Opus, Qualcomm and Huawei,
+ filed IPR disclosures with potentially royalty-bearing terms.
+The IETF allows <b>anyone</b> (and their dog) to file an IPR disclosures if
+ they <b>think</b> that their patents "covers or <b>may</b> ultimately cover"
+ a standard.
+In fact, for any organization who can be said to have <i>contributed</i> in any
+ (very loosely defined) way, these IPR statements are not just allowed, but
+ required.
+It is thus safer for organisations to declare as much as they can.
+As an example, one can find similar non-free Qualcomm IPR statements on both
+ <a href="https://datatracker.ietf.org/ipr/1390/">SIP</a> and
+ <a href="https://datatracker.ietf.org/ipr/1389/">SDP</a>.
+To our advantage, however, the IETF IPR disclosure policies require companies
+ to provide the actual patent numbers.
+This allows anyone to verify these claims for themselves, which is definitely
+ a good thing.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+When it comes to patents, it is difficult to say much without
+ making lawyers nervous.
+However, we can say something quite direct: <b>external counsel has advised us that Opus can be
+ implemented without the need to license the patents disclosed by Qualcomm or
+ Huawei</b>.
+We can also say that Mozilla is confident enough in Opus to ship it to hundreds
+ of millions of Firefox users.
+Similarly, Cisco is also supporting Opus in at least one product.
+More companies are expected to do the same soon.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Mozilla invested significant legal resources into avoiding known patent
+ thickets when designing Opus.
+Whenever possible, we used processes and methods that have been long known in
+ the field and which are considered patent-free.
+In addition, we filed numerous patent applications on the new things we 
+ invented to help defend the Opus community.
+As a result, Opus is available on a royalty-free basis and can be deployed by
+ anyone, including other open-source projects.
+Everyone knows this is an incredibly challenging legal environment to operate
+ in, but we think we've succeeded.
+</p>
+
+
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