The Museum of HP Calculators

HP Forum Archive 20

[ Return to Index | Top of Index ]

HP IP for sale
Message #1 Posted by hpnut on 2 Oct 2011, 10:50 p.m.

I was wondering if this is part of HP's strategy to sell off PC manufacturing.

http://h20229.www2.hp.com/hpvps/OnlinePatentSales.html

talk about selling off the family's silver ;-)

Calculator Division next?

      
Re: HP IP for sale
Message #2 Posted by Katie Wasserman on 3 Oct 2011, 1:39 a.m.,
in response to message #1 by hpnut

I don't know how to judge this.

The purchase and sale of IP is a gigantic business these days. It might be that HP felt these groups of patents don't enhance its portfolio at all and don't threaten it either if they were held by a competitor. So it made good sense to sell them.

Or, like you suggest, selling these patents (one of the 2 examples came from the EDS acquisition) is a prelude to getting out of the PC business.

            
Re: HP IP for sale
Message #3 Posted by Lincoln R. on 3 Oct 2011, 10:57 a.m.,
in response to message #2 by Katie Wasserman

These patents don't seem *that* exciting. Not to mention, there are almost certainly terms and conditions in the sales contract, one of which may very well be "You agree to grant HP an indefinite, irrevocable, royalty-free license to use this patent." Given the proliferation of patent trolls in today's world I'd almost bet money that's in there somewhere, HP really doesn't want to get sued by someone who bought one of their own patents.

                  
Re: HP IP for sale
Message #4 Posted by Lincoln R. on 3 Oct 2011, 11:05 a.m.,
in response to message #3 by Lincoln R.

Yup.

http://h20229.www2.hp.com/hpvps/Online%20Patent%20Sales%20Agreement.pdf Page 7

Quote:
License Grant from Purchaser to HP. Effective as of the Closing Date, Purchaser agrees to grant and hereby grants to HP and its current and future Affiliates a worldwide, non-exclusive, perpetual, irrevocable, royalty-free and fully paid up license, without any right to sublicense, under each of the Licensed Patents, to make, have made, use, sell, offer for sale, have sold, lease, import, export, and/or otherwise transfer any product or service, and to practice or have practiced any method or process for the manufacture or use of any product or service.
      
Re: HP IP for sale
Message #5 Posted by Tim Wessman on 3 Oct 2011, 1:53 a.m.,
in response to message #1 by hpnut

There is a "buy it now" button if you look closely. . .

TW

            
Re: HP IP for sale
Message #6 Posted by hpnut on 3 Oct 2011, 2:08 a.m.,
in response to message #5 by Tim Wessman

Tim,

not surprising given that Meg is in the driving seat now :-)

hpnut in Malaysia

            
Re: HP IP for sale
Message #7 Posted by John B. Smitherman on 3 Oct 2011, 7:01 a.m.,
in response to message #5 by Tim Wessman

Do they accept PayPal? Will they ship outside of the US? ;-)

John

[ Return to Index | Top of Index ]

Go back to the main exhibit hall