Availability of these patents will encourage researchers,
entrepreneurs and companies of all sizes in any industry to create,
apply, and further develop their consumer or industrial products,
processes, and services in a way that will help to protect and respect
the environment.
Patents pledged to the Eco-Patent Commons -- originally
proposed at IBM's Global Innovation Outlook conference -- feature
innovations focused on environmental matters and innovations in
manufacturing or business processes where the solution provides an
environmental benefit. For example, a company may pledge a patent for a
manufacturing process that reduces hazardous waste generation, or
energy or water consumption. A pledged patent covering a procurement or
logistics solution may reduce fuel consumption.
Examples of the environmental benefits expected for pledged patents include:
“The Eco-Patent Commons provides a unique and significant
leadership opportunity for business to make a difference –- sharing
their innovations and solutions in support of sustainable development,”
said Bjorn Stigson, president of the WBCSD. “The Eco-Patent Commons
also provides an opportunity for companies and other entities to
identify areas of common interest and establish new relationships that
can lead to further development in the patented technologies and
elsewhere.”
“Innovation to address environmental issues will require both
the application of technology as well as new models for sharing
intellectual property among companies in different industries,” said
Dr. John E. Kelly III, senior vice president and director of IBM
Research. “As the leader in U.S. patents for 15
consecutive years, with 3,125 patents issued in 2007, IBM is excited to
bring its patent resources to bear in service of the environment. In
addition to enabling new players to engage in protecting the
environment, the free exchange of valuable intellectual property will
accelerate work on the next level of environmental challenges. We
strongly urge other companies to contribute to the Eco-Patent Commons.”
The Eco-Patent Commons was originally proposed at IBM's Global
Innovation Outlook (GIO) conference, which brings together hundreds of
the world's thought leaders from business, politics, academia, and
not-for-profits to discuss business and social challenges,
demonstrating the power and benefits of open, collaborative innovation
models.
The member companies of the Eco-Patent Commons today issued the following statements:
Donal O’Connell, director of intellectual property, Nokia,
said, “Environmental issues have great potential to help us discover
the next wave of innovation because they force us all to think
differently about how we make, consume and recycle products. From Nokia
we have pledged a patent designed to help companies safely re-use old
mobile phones by transforming them into new products like digital
cameras, data monitoring devices or other electronic items. Recycling
the computing power of mobile phones in this way could significantly
increase the reuse of materials in the electronics industry.”
Angelo Chaclas, vice president & deputy general counsel,
intellectual property and technology law at Pitney Bowes, said, “The
Eco-Patent Commons offers an effective framework to develop and make
available technology that helps combat climate change and reduce the
release of carbon dioxide. Our objective for the Eco-Patent Commons is
to promote the spread of environmentally conscious technologies that
make conservation and preservation a priority.”
