This article was originally published by RFID Update.
February 1, 2005—RFID manufacturer Intermec Technologies of Everett, Washington, on Tuesday published a statement entitled “Intermec’s Comments On EPCglobal’s IP Assessment,” seeking to clear any confusion about the company’s stance and intentions regarding the enforcement of its intellectual property licensing program. The document, written in FAQ format, is blunt in style and firm in message. The central theme is that while GEN 2 is technically royalty-free, only the most rudimentary, impractical GEN 2-compliant RFID deployments would not require additional functionality covered by Intermec’s patents. In other words: the vast majority of RFID deployments will require paid licensing of Intermec technology. The 6-page document is concise and too dense to completely relate here. It is required reading for anyone involved in the purchase and planning of a deployment. Pay particular attention to the list of RFID functionality not included in GEN 2 that would require Intermec IP. Some key quotes:
- “Every firm that wants to succeed in the RFID space will require IP licenses from Intermec.”
- “We’re not required to grant … licenses and we can establish any terms and conditions we think are appropriate.”
- “If you implement the Generation 2 standard and it turns out that your implementation infringes Intermec’s patents, EPCglobal won’t do anything to defend you or your customers.”
- “You should insist that your vendors give you a representation and warranty that they have obtained the Intermec licenses required for their RFID systems and an indemnity that ensures that your vendor will defend and hold you harmless from patent infringement claims.”
