Licensors: facing unexpected bumps in the road

01-01-2012

Daniel Papst

The licensing of patents across the world requires dealing with various different licensors from diverse cultural backgrounds. But that’s not always easy, says Daniel Papst.

Of particular interest on the licensing map is South East Asia—a manufacturing powerhouse for all sorts of electronics, electrical components and electronic devices, such as cell phones, semiconductor chips, hard disk drives and brushless DC fans.

Licensors know well that some licensees are more reliable and trustworthy than others. Companies should learn how to deal with the less reliable kind before they have to solve a problem.

As a result of arm’s length negotiations in personal meetings in Taiwan, a Taiwanese DC fan manufacturer entered into an agreement with a licensor, which covered brushless DC fans for sale anywhere in the world. The licence agreement also covered the Taiwanese fan manufacturer’s subsidiaries, including in the US and in Japan.


Technology, patent licensing

WIPR