By Chris A. Ciufo
VITA’s ex ante patent procedures will be voted on in January 2007. This may be a day that will live in “VME infamy”.
At today’s VSO (VITA Standards Organization) meeting, executive director Ray Alderman shared with the 60 or so attendees the culmination of over 18 months’ work with $700/hour lawyers, VITA members, the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). At issue are VITA’s ex ante patent procedures – a formal set of procedures the standards organization will use to protect its members from patent trolls and patent parking issues.