Posted by chicagomedia.org on September 08, 2008 at 10:48:12:
Music Survey Patent To Be Auctioned
Max Gluteus Properties' patent for its home music survey is going on the auction block under an agreement with Ocean Tomo, which will include U.S. Patent 5913204 in its fall auction to be held Oct. 29 & 30 in Chicago.
Max Gluteus president Tom Kelly was granted the patent in 1999 for the music survey method he developed for the radio and the recording industries, which enabled participation in music surveys at home without a moderator rather than travel to a test site. Kelly's market research company, Kelly Music Research, first utilized the patented method with a mail-delivered survey product called the Living Room Music Test, which was later delivered through e-mail with the proliferation of the Internet.
Says Kelly, “Since the patent was granted, there has been considerable interest, particularly in the last few years, not only among users, but also from holding companies interested in controlling the licensing rights and prohibiting unauthorized use of the patented method.”
Following the auction, Max Gluteus Properties will retain the right to use the patented invention for the benefit of Kelly Music Research clients. However, the winning bidder will have the authority to restrict use of the patented method by other companies and to impose license fees for the use of the method.
To date, Kelly says he has not pursued potential infringers of his patent.
(R&R)