Business Description
Our principal business is the development, licensing and protection of our
intellectual property assets. We presently own fifty-one (51) patents including
(i) our remote power patent ("Remote Power Patent") covering the delivery
of power over Ethernet (PoE) cables for the purpose of remotely powering network
devices, such as wireless access ports, IP phones and network based cameras;
(ii) our Mirror Worlds patent portfolio (the "Mirror Worlds Patent Portfolio")
relating to foundational technologies that enable unified search and indexing,
displaying and archiving of documents in a computer system; (iii) our Cox patent
portfolio (the "Cox Patent Portfolio") relating to enabling technology
for identifying media content on the Internet and taking further action to be
performed based on such identification; (iv) our M2M/IoT patent portfolio (the
"M2M/IoT Patent Portfolio") relating to, among other things, enabling
technology for authenticating and using embedded sim cards in next generation
IoT, Machine-to-Machine, and other mobile devices, including smartphones, tablets
and computers; and (v) the QoS patents (the "QoS Patents") covering
systems and methods for the transmission of audio, video and data in order to
achieve high quality of service (QoS) over computer and telephony networks.
In addition, we continually review opportunities to acquire or license additional
intellectual property.
Our Remote Power Patent (U.S. Patent No. 6,218,930) relates to several technologies
which describe a methodology for controlling the delivery of power to certain
devices over an Ethernet network.
The Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) is a non-profit,
technical professional association of more than 420,000 members. The Standards
Association of the IEEE is responsible for the creation of global industry standards
for a broad range of technology industries. In 2000, at the urging of several
industry vendors, the IEEE formed a task force to facilitate the adoption of
a standardized methodology for the delivery of remote power over Ethernet networks
which would ensure interoperability among vendors of switches and terminal devices.
On June 13, 2003, the IEEE Standards Association approved the 802.3af Power
over Ethernet standard (the "Standard"), which covers technologies
deployed in delivering power over Ethernet networks. The Standard provides for
the Power Sourcing Equipment (PSE) to be deployed in switches or as standalone
midspan hubs to provide power to remote devices such as wireless access points,
IP phones and network-based cameras. The technology is commonly referred to
as Power over Ethernet ("PoE"). In 2009, the IEEE Standards Association
approved 802.3 at, a new PoE standard which, among other things, increased the
available power for delivery over Ethernet networks. We believe that our Remote
Power Patent covers several of the key technologies covered by both the 802.3af
and 802.3at standards.
Ethernet is the leading local area networking technology in use today. PoE technology
allows for the delivery of PoE cables rather than by separate power cords. As
a result, a variety of network devices, including IP telephones, wireless LAN
Access Points, web-based network security cameras, data collection terminals
and other network devices, are able to receive power over existing data cables
without the need to modify the existing infrastructure to facilitate the provision
of power for such devices through traditional AC outlets. Advantages such as
lower installation costs, remote management capabilities, lower maintenance
costs, centralized power backup, and flexibility of device location as well
as the advent of worldwide power compatibility, led to PoE becoming widely adopted
in networks throughout the world.
PoE provides numerous benefits including quantifiable returns on investment.
The cost of hiring electricians to pull power cables to remote locations used
for access points or security cameras can rival or exceed the cost of the devices.
Another key benefit is the need for Voice over IP power reliability in the face
of power failures. Using PoE enables data center power supply systems to ensure
ongoing power - a function that would be difficult and expensive to implement
if each phone required AC outlets.
These and other advantages such as remote management capabilities, lower maintenance
costs, and flexibility of device location have resulted in PoE technology being
widely adopted in networks throughout the world.
