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<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=595164523-29012010><FONT color=#0000ff>First
I want to make it clear that I am not a lawyer, I am not speaking for the Intel
legal team.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=595164523-29012010><FONT
color=#0000ff></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=595164523-29012010><FONT color=#0000ff>I had
a meeting with our (Intel) lawyers about this today. They were having a
hard time understanding how this is any different than other IEEE protocols
implemented in Open Source. I have to agree with them, seems like the same
problem is with most of them as well, like wireless for
example.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=595164523-29012010><FONT
color=#0000ff></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=595164523-29012010><FONT
color=#0000ff>Anyway, one of our lawyers is going to contact the RH legal to
asks what's going on. There isn't much that can happen at this point as it
would be a fairly high expense to try to get patent releases from all the patent
holders. While this is still being looked at we really need to hear what
RH is thinking about here, at least at the legal level.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=595164523-29012010><FONT
color=#0000ff></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=595164523-29012010><FONT color=#0000ff>Once
I hear back I'll post again.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=595164523-29012010><FONT
color=#0000ff></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=595164523-29012010><FONT
color=#0000ff>Sorry, I wish the news was better.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV><!-- Converted from text/rtf format -->
<P><SPAN lang=en-us>Cheers,</SPAN> <BR><SPAN lang=en-us>John</SPAN> <BR><SPAN
lang=en-us>-----------------------------------------------------------</SPAN>
<BR><SPAN lang=en-us>"...that your people will judge you on what you can build,
not what you destroy.", B. Obama, 2009 </SPAN></P>
<DIV> </DIV><BR>
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<HR tabIndex=-1>
<FONT face=Tahoma size=2><B>From:</B> gertjan hofman
[mailto:ghofman@gmail.com] <BR><B>Sent:</B> Thursday, January 21, 2010 4:57
PM<BR><B>To:</B> Ronciak, John; ptpd@lists.infradead.org<BR><B>Subject:</B>
Re: Re: IEEE1588 patent encumbered -<BR></FONT><BR></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>A quick glance at some of the Agilent patents show that US 5566180
would definitely infringe (not that I am a lawyer). It is essentially the 1588
protocol. Most the "Letters of Assurance" received by IEEE from Agilent
on this subject do not exclude charging license fees, merely guarantee license
will be provided to all interested parties. <BR><BR>It seems to me that
it is not the code as such that is the problem, but message algorithm. Hence
there should be simple answers to our questions: National Instruments,
Intel, IXXAT, Hirshman etc are all selling products that use the protocol
(whether in soft or hardware) and either all pay nominal license fees or
Agilent isn't interested in charging it.<BR><BR>I will get our lawyers
involved in 2 weeks if I don't find out anything in the
meantime.<BR><BR>Cheers and thanks<BR><BR>Gertjan<BR><BR><BR><BR>
<DIV class=gmail_quote>On Thu, Jan 21, 2010 at 1:41 PM, Ronciak, John <SPAN
dir=ltr><<A
href="mailto:john.ronciak@intel.com">john.ronciak@intel.com</A>></SPAN>
wrote:<BR>
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<DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN><FONT color=#0000ff>We have started the
discussion here, including our lawyers. As soon as I know more
I'll post an update to this list.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<P><SPAN lang=en-us>Cheers,</SPAN> <BR><SPAN lang=en-us>John</SPAN>
<BR><SPAN
lang=en-us>-----------------------------------------------------------</SPAN>
<BR><SPAN lang=en-us>"...that your people will judge you on what you can
build, not what you destroy.", B. Obama, 2009 </SPAN></P>
<DIV> </DIV><BR>
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<HR>
<FONT face=Tahoma size=2><B>From:</B> <A
href="mailto:ptpd-bounces@lists.infradead.org"
target=_blank>ptpd-bounces@lists.infradead.org</A> [mailto:<A
href="mailto:ptpd-bounces@lists.infradead.org"
target=_blank>ptpd-bounces@lists.infradead.org</A>] <B>On Behalf Of
</B>gertjan hofman<BR><B>Sent:</B> Thursday, January 21, 2010 1:35
PM<BR><B>To:</B> <A href="mailto:ptpd@lists.infradead.org"
target=_blank>ptpd@lists.infradead.org</A><BR><B>Subject:</B> Re: Re:
IEEE1588 patent encumbered -<BR></FONT><BR></DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV class=h5>
<DIV></DIV><BR>I would like to add my voice to request for patent
info. We have (had ?) every intention of running Ptp on some of our
products and are far down the development road. I am in the middle
of sorting out other GPL license issues when finally looked at the patent
note and now see your e-mails.<BR><BR>We would be very interested in
knowing whether the original code on sourceforge (by Kendall) breaches any
patents. I do have access to a team of lawyers ( I work for
very large corporation) , but I want to find out a little more if I can,
or at least be able to direct them better.<BR><BR>Much
appreciated<BR><BR>Gertjan<BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR>==================================================<BR>Gertjan
Hofman<BR>ghofman [at] <A href="http://gmail.com"
target=_blank>gmail.com</A>
<BR><BR>604-982-3574<BR>==================================================<BR></DIV></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV><BR><BR
clear=all><BR>--
<BR>==================================================<BR>Gertjan
Hofman<BR>ghofman [at] <A href="http://gmail.com">gmail.com</A>
gertjan.hofman [at] <A
href="http://honeywell.com">honeywell.com</A><BR><BR>604-982-3574<BR>==================================================<BR></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>