Networking Methods and Systems

• US 20080270170A1
• Filed: 05/09/2008
• Published: 10/30/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ParkerVision, Inc.
• Original Assignee: ParkerVision, Inc.
• Inventors: Sorrells, David F.
• Granted Patent: US 8,407,061 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting

Abstract

A network system includes integrated radio transceivers and digitizers, integrated baseband processors and device controllers, digital interfaces there between, and architectures and partitions for same. Licensing methodologies are provided for implementing the features described herein, and for other products and services.

Claims

1. A method of licensing a primary technology and a secondary technology to facilitate adoption of said primary technology in a market where one or more third party technologies compete with said primary technology, wherein said secondary technology is operable with said primary technology and said third party technologies, the method comprising:

(a) licensing, by a licensor, said secondary technology to a product manufacturer according to a license agreement; and

(b) receiving, by said licensor, license revenue from said product manufacturer according to said license agreement, wherein step (b) comprises;

(i) receiving a first license fee from said product manufacturer;

(ii) receiving a second license fee from said product manufacturer if said product manufacturer manufactures products that include said secondary technology and said primary technology;

(iii) receiving a third license fee from said product manufacturer if said product manufacturer manufactures products that include said secondary technology and one of said third party technologies; and

(iv) receiving a fourth license fee from said product manufacturer if said product manufacturer manufactures products that include said secondary technology, and that do not include but enable access with at least one of (1) said primary technology, and (2) one or more of said third party technologies;

wherein terms of said license agreement relating to said secondary technology, including said first license fee, are structured to provide favorable terms to said product manufacturer, to thereby encourage said product manufacturer to manufacture products using said secondary technology; and

wherein said second license fee is less than said third and fourth license fees, to thereby encourage said product manufacturer to manufacture products using said primary technology.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of said primary technology and said secondary technology is patented.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said primary technology and said secondary technology are not patented.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said primary technology comprises transceiver technology.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said primary technology comprises direct conversion transceiver technology.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein said primary technology comprises heterodyne transceiver technology.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein said primary technology comprises wireless direct conversion transceiver technology.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said secondary technology comprises baseband processor (BBP) and media access controller (MAC) technology.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein each of said primary technology and said secondary technology is one of a tangible-related object or an intangible-related object.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein each of said primary technology and said secondary technology comprises one or more of know-how, a trade secret, a product, an apparatus, a manufacture, a composition, a component, a system, a schematic, a layout, a model, an algorithm, a method, a prototype, a cell library, a core and a topography, and intellectual property rights relating thereto.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein in step (b) only one of steps (ii), (iii) and (iv) is performed for each product sold by said product manufacturer that comprises said secondary technology.

12. A method of licensing a primary technology and a secondary technology to facilitate adoption of said primary technology in a market where one or more third party technologies compete with said primary technology, wherein said secondary technology is operable with said primary technology and said third party technologies, the method comprising:

(a) licensing, by a licensor, said secondary technology to a product manufacturer according to a license agreement;

(b) receiving, by said licensor, first license revenue from said product manufacturer according to said license agreement, wherein step (b) comprises receiving a first license fee from said product manufacturer for each product comprising said secondary technology sold by said product manufacturer;

(c) receiving, by said licensor, second license revenue from said product manufacturer according to said license agreement, wherein step (c) comprises;

(i) receiving a second license fee from said product manufacturer for each product sold by said product manufacturer that comprises said secondary technology and said primary technology;

(ii) receiving a third license fee from said product manufacturer for each product sold by said product manufacturer that comprises said secondary technology and one of said third party technologies; and

(iii) receiving a fourth license fee from said product manufacturer for each product sold by said product manufacturer that comprises said secondary technology, and that does not include but that enables access with at least one of (1) said primary technology, and (2) one or more of said third party technologies;

wherein terms of said license agreement relating to said secondary technology, including said first license fee, are structured to provide favorable terms to said product manufacturer, to thereby encourage said product manufacturer to manufacture products using said secondary technology; and

wherein said second license fee is less than said third and fourth license fees, to thereby encourage said product manufacturer to manufacture products using said primary technology.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein in step (c) only one of steps (i), (ii) and (iii) is performed for each product sold by said product manufacturer that comprises said secondary technology.

14. A method of licensing a primary technology and a secondary technology to facilitate adoption of said primary technology in a market where one or more third party technologies compete with said primary technology, wherein said secondary technology is operable with said primary technology and said third party technologies, the method comprising:

(a) licensing, by a licensor, said secondary technology to a product manufacturer according to a license agreement;

(b) receiving, by said licensor, first license revenue from said product manufacturer according to said license agreement, wherein step (b) comprises receiving a first license fee from said product manufacturer for each product comprising said secondary technology sold by said product manufacturer;

(c) receiving, by said licensor, second license revenue from said product manufacturer according to said license agreement, wherein step (c) comprises;

(i) receiving a second license fee from said product manufacturer for each product sold by said product manufacturer that comprises said secondary technology and said primary technology; and

(ii) receiving a third license fee from said product manufacturer for each product sold by said product manufacturer that comprises said secondary technology and one of said third party technologies;

wherein terms of said license agreement relating to said secondary technology, including said first license fee, are structured to provide favorable terms to said product manufacturer, to thereby encourage said product manufacturer to manufacture products using said secondary technology; and

wherein said second license fee is less than said third license fee, to thereby encourage said product manufacturer to manufacture products using said primary technology.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein step (c) further comprises:

(iii) receiving a fourth license fee from said product manufacturer for each product sold by said product manufacturer that comprises said secondary technology, and that does not include but that enables access with at least one of (1) said primary technology, and (2) one or more of said third party technologies;

wherein said second license fee is less than said third and fourth license fees, to thereby encourage said product manufacturer to manufacture products using said primary technology.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein in step (c) only one of steps (i), (ii) and (iii) is performed for each product sold by said product manufacturer that comprises said secondary technology.