Sisvel US and the RFID Consortium announced the launch of the UHF RFID patent licensing program. The new program is a joint effort by 3M, ETRI, France Telecom, HP, LG Electronics, Motorola, ThingMagic, and Zebra Technologies to promote rapid adoption of UHF RFID technology by creating a single license to a portfolio that currently includes all their patents essential to the EPCglobal and ISO/IEC standards for UHF RFID. This provides a convenient and economical way for UHF RFID developers and manufacturers, as well as firms interested in adding UHF RFID functionality to other products, to license essential patents in a single transaction. With today's launch, this broad portfolio license is now available to all interested parties.
Those who act by March 2011 can take advantage of a special "early adopter" discount to lock in the lowest available royalty rates for a five-year term. This limited-time discount can bring the royalty rate for UHF RFID label products to as little as $. 80 per one thousand units For UHF RFID readers, the discount brings the royalty rate to as low as $5.00 per unit. The effective rates for licensees may vary based upon volume and require execution of a license agreement, which contains other terms and conditions, on or before March 30, 2011. Full details of these terms and the license agreement can be obtained from Sisvel.
"Our early adopter discount delivers great value to licensees looking to grow in the space in the medium to long term," said Giustino de Sanctis, Chairman of Sisvel US. "This short term offer goes beyond the program's regular volume discounts to promote adoption of UHF RFID, and it complements special offers available to holders of essential UHF RFID patents that join the Consortium early."
"The UHF RFID licensing program provides greater certainty and predictability for users of this remarkable technology, and that will only increase as the numbers of both licensors and licensees in the program grow," said Jim O'Hagan, a spokesperson for the RFID Consortium and Director of Patents and Technology for Zebra Technologies Corporation. "In addition, Sisvel brings administrative expertise, decades of licensing experience, and a practical approach that will benefit licensees, licensors, and end users of RFID."
Participation in the UHF RFID licensing program and the RFID Consortium remains open to all holders of essential patents, regardless of whether they were involved in the development of RFID standards.
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