Sale ** *****
********* *** **** ** patents ** *****, ***** ***** ********* as ******** **:
******** ****** ************ ************ covering ***** ********, ***** recognition, ****** *******, ****** mechanical/housing ************; *** ******** camera ******* **** ** retail *** ***** ********** buildings ** **** ** in ***** **** ************
Partnering **** ****** *****
********* **** ** ********** with **** *** ****** money ** ***** ******* security ****** *********, ** WiLAN **********:
*** *********** *** **** under *****'* *********** ******* which ******** *** ******* of ******** ********* **** a ********* *******.
No **** ** ******* ******
**** *** ****** ** patents *** *********, *** the ******** ****** ******* or ******** ********.
Panasonic *********
********* ********* ** **** that:
********* *** *********** ** WiLAN ***** *** ******* which ***** ******** ****** technology. ** ************ *** evaluating ***** ******* ** a ******** **********. ** make ******** ************, *********** or **** ********* ** the ******* ** *** evaluation, ** **** **** is **** *** **** of **.
Patent ********* / ********
***** *****, ** *** name *******, *** ********** focused ** ******** **********, for *** **** ** years *** ******* *** been*******, ** ** ********* it, ** "********** *** monetizing ******** **********" ** as**** **** ****, * patent *****:

Commitment ** ********* **********
** ** ******** ** the ***** ** ************* for ** *******, ********* security ******** ** **** off *** *******. *** only *********** *** *** Labs *** ****** ***** who **** **** *** their ******* *** ***** companies **** ************* ****.
Compared ** ********
** **** ****, ***** is ****** ** *** role ** ********, ******** patent *********. *******, **** recently, **** ****** *** Motorola ****, ******** ************** in ********* ****** ********* has **********, **** **** we **** **** **** industry *******.
Risk ** ******* ******** - *** **
** ** ******* **** the ********* ** *** Panasonic's *********** ** *** up. ***** **** ** targeting ********* **** **** believe ******** *** *** best ********* *** ****** Panasonic's ***********. *** **** WiLAN **** ****** ** unclear ***, ** *******, it ** ****** ** be * ********. ** the ******** **** *** Panasonic ***********, ****** ********, WiLAN ** * *********** fully ******* ** ****** licensing.
Dumb ********* ************ ** *******
******** **** *** ****** sale, **** ****,******** ***** ********* ** article******** *** ********* ******* sales *******:
********* ** *********, ********* opened * *** *** sale ** *** ****, and ******* ********* ********* US ********** **** ******* Group *** **** ******* responded. *** ****** **** is ******** ** ** several **** ** ******* yen. [*** ******* ******* USD]
*********, ** ********,****** * ***** ************* "********* ******* ********** to ******** ********* ********" declaring ****:
*** [******** *****] ****** is *** ************* ** any ******** ********* **********.
**** ** *** **** of ********* *** **** when ****** *** ******* is **** ** **** think ******** **** ** dumb. *** **** ** either ********* ** ***. If ********* **** *** want ** ******* ** at ***, *** *******. But **** *** *********, so **** ********* *** capable ** ****** '**************' or ******* **.
Panasonic ******** ****** ************
********* *** ************** **** security ****** ******* ** a ***** *** ** virtually ********* ******* *** its **** ******** ****** factory. *** **** *********** point ** ***** ***** release ** *** ***** about ***** ****** *********** offering. *******, ** ********* thinks *** ******** ** difficult ******** ****** ***** is ** ***** ** be * ****** *********** provider, **** *** ** far ****** ******* **** they *******.
Bonus - ****** ** ****** ********
** *** ******** ****, for ***** ** *** who **** ** ****** from ********* ****** ********, you *** ****** ** investor ** *****'* ****** company,***********, * ******** ******* trading *** $*.** *** at **** ** **** publication.
Comments (22)
Undisclosed Distributor #1
Selling your patents is basically declaring that you're out of the business and have no intention of getting back in, right?
Create New Topic
Undisclosed Manufacturer #2
If I were an evil empire kind of person, I would think this is a brilliant way to let someone else take the heat for creating disruption with your competitors and OEM's.
Sell patents to Troll, keep rights to patent functions as a part of the agreement.
Troll creates drama for competition, not you. Panasonic has plausible deniability.
Create New Topic
Undisclosed #3
Does any company survive Bain Capital?
Create New Topic
Undisclosed #4
No, this is NOT how to do it. You just sell the patents and walk away. Then you have nothing to do with their enforcement down the line. Less ill-will and no counter-suits from other camera manufacturers directed at your products.
Unless Panasonic really does intend to get out altogether...
Let’s see if the industry will come together to fight these or submit one by one behind NDA’s, like in the past.
Create New Topic
Undisclosed #5
It sounds to me like Panasonic just issued the Brooklyn Greeting to their security industry 'partners'
Create New Topic
John Honovich
Someone messaged me saying they bought 1,500 shares of Quarterhill (WiLAN). A few thoughts:
Create New Topic
Skip Cusack
Patents can tend to be a polarizing subject. Seems like some think patents are a dirty word, the playthings of trolls and a drag on our industry. There is another side too. They are the result of investment, innovation and forward thinking. Those willing to take the risk must have an upside to look forward to, a way to monetize their inventions IF there is in fact a market for them.
People won't stay awake a night thinking, designing and building new things if there is not a way to protect that investment. Trade secrets is a legitimate approach, but patents bring the ideas into the light of day for all to see.
If Panasonic was not going to use their IP, then I'm glad to see them divest it. With any luck, we'll see WiLAN breath new life into the new ideas and perhaps some interesting innovations may find their way to our industry.
Create New Topic
Jason Brown
How about a poll? Guess on the amount of time until a suit is filed against a Panasonic competitor? I vote 4 months.
Create New Topic
Undisclosed End User #7
What does this mean for end users? I recently purchased a VideoInsight system and intend to purchase a dozen or more Panasonic cameras, as there is no license fee if used with VideoInsight. I noticed they did not indicate which patents were sold, so there may or may not be an impact to me, specifically, but in the broader scope, what can we expect?
Create New Topic
Undisclosed #8
It is articles like this that make me wish all of these large manufacturers were publicly traded and not buried in a larger company. I enjoy John's evaluation of the financials. IPVM has been prescient of impending implosion/acquisition even if predicted years out. It is starting to look as though there is smoke but no fire so far.
If they ever do exit the market I will be greatly disappointed. Of the former three "never VMS until it is too late" greats - Pelco, Bosch, and Sony I would have expected Panasonic to be the last to fail. Panasonic at least adopted IP surveillance fairly quickly.
Create New Topic