On Technology Transfer

摘要

The DRR experience suggests that "giving away" technology facilitates technology transfer while the IP Lookup experience suggests that obtaining patents and pricing them reasonably, makes companies value even small inventions. The apparent contradiction is resolved by realizing that there are many paths to technology transfer. Starting a company allows an idea to be more fully developed in context, while working with standards bodies allows the community to gather around an idea. Since no approach is guaranteed success, it seems best to enjoy each attempt as an adventure, with the benefit of at least learning about new, real problems on the frontiers of research.