IBM leads Eco-Patent Commons push

Stephen Withers
Tuesday, 15 January 2008 06:21

IT Industry - Strategy

"Our objective for the Eco-Patent Commons is to promote the spread of environmentally conscious technologies that make conservation and preservation a priority," said Angelo Chaclas, vice president & deputy general counsel, intellectual property and technology law at Pitney Bowes. 

Nokia's contribution is a scheme for reusing old cell phones as clocks, calculators, remote controls, and other electronic gadgets. "Recycling the computing power of mobile phones in this way could significantly increase the reuse of materials in the electronics industry," said Donal O’Connell, director of intellectual property at Nokia.

Sony has provided a patent for an environmentally friendlier flocculating agent that uses renewable (plant) resources and can be recycled. (A flocculating agent causes solid particles dispersed in a liquid to form clumps, typically to help purify the liguid.)

Hidemi Tomita, general manager of Sony Corporation's corporate social responsibility department, said, "To more effectively protect the environment, it is time for business to join efforts rather than tackling the issue alone. We truly believe this joint effort with our peers will mark a significant step and help transfer innovative ideas and technologies across industries and beyond to developing countries."

Any individual or company can join the Commons by pledging one or more patents.

"Asking an enterprise to relinquish such key assets is not the objective of the Commons," said World Business Council for Sustainable Development officials.

"However, leading businesses may hold some patents that provide environmental benefit and do not represent an essential source of business advantage for them. Though these patents may provide nominal license or exclusivity potential for companies, they may provide greater value in a public commons."