Intellectual Property:
Build or License?
Beta or VHS? You decide!

In this world of DVD recorders and TV cell phones, the story seems almost quaint now.

Once upon a time, Sony had the VCR market all to itself with its Beta format, but refused to license the technology to other manufacturers. Along came VHS, a slightly inferior video taping format, and the rest is history.

"Had Sony licensed its technology at an early stage in the VCR's product lifecycle," according to the Fall 2005 issue of The Vertex Angle, "it would have likely obtained benefits from licensing that would have far exceeded the revenue obtained through its own manufacture and sale of product."

The Angle newsletter is produced by Dave Tyrell, P. Eng., and his Vertex Intellectual Property Strategies Inc. (vertexips.com) consultancy.

The decision to license your technology has its pros and cons, according to Tyrell. On the plus side, "the (licensed) competitor may be better able to make useful improvements to the base technology, which could be made available to the licensor via the license agreement."

Alternatively, not licensing your technology affords the chance to control "a market niche with a highly profitable specialty product."

Tyrell also outlines 17 steps to consider when pursuing a licensing agreement, as well as provides direction on joint technology development agreements.

Don't be caught  with a "Beta" in your company's basement!

Profitable surfing!
Mike Edwards, Editor,
DPN Magazine medwards@clbmedia.ca
Past e-LETTERs: go to dpncanada.com, then click Articles

USEFUL SITES

Engineering calculation tool survey. Maplesoft wants you to participate in a survey of engineers, scientists and researchers on the current state of design, calculation and collaboration tools in engineering (maplesoft.com/engsurvey.aspx).

Food industry energy management. Rockwell Automation white paper, How a Well-Planned Strategy Can Help the Food Industry More Effectively Manage Its Energy-Related Costs (rockwellautomation.com/industries/food).

Test & measurement. Sound and vibration systems from The Modal Shop, Inc. (modalshop.com).

O-rings. Apple Rubber Products website can be searched by min/max ID and cross section of an O-ring size (applerubber.com).
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                    DPN EXCLUSIVES

Photoelectric sensors. The Baumer Electric series 20 includes a background suppression sensor that integrates a teach function.

Harmonic drive gearing. CSD series size 32 harmonic drive gear from HD Systems provides zero-backlash, 1 arc min positional accuracy, and ±5 arc sec repeatability.

300 W brushless motor. The Maxon EC 45 electronically commutated brushless motor incorporates a 4-pole neodymium magnet to provide high torque without a gearhead.

Microstepping driver. The upgraded IM481H PLUS microstepping driver (model XIM481H) from Intelligent Motion Systems includes a patented new motion control chip.

Proportional regulator. Parker Hannifin has announced the P3HP Proportional Pressure Regulator, said to provide the advantages of a closed circuit regulator system.

        

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Rolf Kempf is president of the newly formed Intercontec Ltd. (intercontec.biz) of Mississauga, ON. The company provides signal and power circular connectors to the North American market that are IP67 (plugged condition), EMC rated and UL/CSA approved.

Bosch Rexroth Canada has announced its 2006 Training Schedule, starting with Basic Industrial Hydraulics February 27-March 3 in Edmonton (boschrexroth.ca/training). Other hydraulics and automation courses at different times and locations are also available.

Autodesk, Inc. (autodesk.com) of San Rafael, CA, has announced that it has completed the acquisition of Toronto-based 3D graphics software developer Alias for cash consideration of US$197 million. 
 

UPCOMING EVENTS

March 20-23, 2006. Rosemont, IL. National Manufacturing Week, including the National Design Engineering Show and Conference and the National Industrial Automation Show and Conference (manufacturingweek.com).

March 30-April 1, 2006. Bonita Springs, FL.
AEC Annual Meeting & Leadership Conference sponsored by the Aluminum Extruders Council (aec.org).

April 3-6, 2006. Detroit. SAE 2006 World Congress (sae.org/congress) sponsored by SAE International.

April 24-28, 2006. Hannover, Germany. Hannover Fair 2006 (hannovermesse.de) includes exhibitions for factory, process and industrial building automation, as well as energy and research & technology. Travel arrangements from Canada via The Traveldesk (callthetraveldesk.com).

November 14-17, 2006. Munich, Germany. International trade fair, electronica 2006 (global-electronics.net), for automotive, wireless, micro technology and embedded applications. Travel arrangements from Canada through Canada Unlimited Inc. (canada-unlimited.com).

CLICK HERE FOR MORE EVENTS
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Coming in:
     January/February DPN



     • Microwaved hot water on demand
     • Hydraulics research advancement
     • An electronics heat sink revolution
     • Engineering student racing