The Wall Street Journal is reporting that later today six major technology companies will announce the formation of a patent pool for WiMAX technology. WiMAX is the long range version of WiFi wireless technology.
I have long been an advocate for patent pools as a means of cutting through the patent thickets which can keep a technology on the shelf. Patent pools have a long history in the wireless industry - going back to the very beginning and the formation of Radio Corporation of America (RCA).
With multiple patents covering a technology, getting every patent holder to agree can be a daunting task. In the WiMAX case, it is not clear that all of the players are included. According to the Journal story Motorola is still "evaluate the merits and risks" and Qualcomm prefers use individual licensing agreements. This need not be a stumbling block to the patent pool, as both companies appear very willing to license out their technology. Last year, both Motorola and Qualcomm agreed to submit patents to a third-party clearinghouse to determine wireless standards (see earlier posting). So today's announcement should be another step toward the roll of the next generation of wireless.
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