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ABOUT COMMITMENTS
CommitmentsCommitments are enforceable promises in which patent holders agree they will not, under certain terms and conditions, assert patent rights against third parties who are engaging in activities that might otherwise give rise to a claim of patent infringement. The US patent laws, for example, give patent holders the right to prevent others from making, using, offering for sale, selling, or importing the invention into the United States. Commitments give permission for others to engage in those activities provided they comply with the Commitment's terms and conditions. Most Commitments include the following:
Our Library organizes Commitments by type depending on key characteristics that also help you understand some of the more important differences between them. You can use these characteristics to search the Commitment database by Commitment type. ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Commitments provide legal protection for activities that might otherwise be considered infringement. By making a Commitment, a Contributor gives permission for others to engage in activities it could otherwise prevent, or for which the Contributor could collect damages or royalties. Courts have concluded it is unfair and inequitable for Contributors to encourage others to rely on their promise they will not enforce their patents and then sue them for infringement for doing so. |