Radio age research, manufacturing, communications, broadcasting, television (1941)

several domestic and foreign organ- izations, RCA was given a unique opportunity and responsibility fur- ther to develop the radio art and to promote progress of the radio industry. In effect, it was given the radio "ball" to carry forward. Early in its history RCA adopted a practice of making its inventions available to responsible applicants by means of patent licenses. Such licenses include all unexpired pat- ents of RCA and all with respect to which it has or may have the right to license others during the periods of the licenses which it grants. They, therefore, include both the present and future inventions made both in RCA Laboratories and in those of several other organiza- tions. May Extend Licenses More than 200 such licenses have been granted. Some of them extend to 1947 and others to 1948. All of them may be extended by the licensees at their options to 1955, which is the latest date of expira- tion of the agreements by which RCA acquired rights to grant licenses under the patents of cer- tain other organizations. These licenses impose no restrictions upon the volume or proportions of the business that licensees may do, nor upon the prices at which they sell their products. Under these condi- tions it is not possible for RCA to monopolize any part of the radio or electronic business, nor for RCA nor any of its licensees to suppress any licensed invention. For many years the Industry Service Division of the Labora- tories has rendered technical serv- ices to the many licensees of RCA. It furnishes them with technical information concerning advances in the radio art, informs them period- ically of the inventions which be- come available to them under their licenses, and assists in putting them into practical use. Facilities are also provided for testing and measuring apparatus developed by licensees. These laboratories like all others have recently devoted their efforts exclusively to war work. However, when the require- ments of war diminish, they will again undertake to serve licensees, and it is the intention greatly to improve and develop this service. INGENIOUSLY PLACED BEHIND THE WALL PANELS OF THE E.XECUTrVE CONFERENCE ROOM AT RCA LABORATORIES IS THIS ARRANGEMENT FOR DISPLAYING MAPS, CHARTS, DRAWINGS, AND MOTION PICTURES. During and shortly following its organization agreements were made between RCA and a number of for- eign concerns under which RCA acquired the right to use their in- ventions in the United States and to permit others to use them, and under which RCA granted rights to the foreign companies. Most of these agreements have tci'minated or will expire by the end of 1944. In the postwar period it is the in- tention of RCA to grant non-exclu- sive licenses under its foreign i)at- ents, as in the United States, and to u.se them to expand the markets for its products. In concluding this article, it seems appropriate to say that the continued aggressive conduct of re- search, inventive and development work in RCA and other laboratories is dependent to a large degree upon the maintenance of a healthy pat- ent system. Without the protection afforded by such a system only such constructive work could justifiably be undertaken as could be paid for out of immediate sales and use of new ideas. No one would be willing at his own expense to undertake major, long-range and expensive developments if the complete prac- tical results of his vision and cour- age, and of his efforts, expenditures and sacrifices, could be appropri- ated by others without their con- tributing to the development and without their making the slightest compensation to the entrepreneur. It is inconceivable that the radio art could possibly have made such accelerated progress, or could have attained such an advanced state as it has, if it had not been for the encouragement and protection af- forded by patents. There is no bet- ter example of how the patent sys- tem stimulates and accelerates scientific research and industrial progress than is afforded by the development of electronic television which has already required more than two decades of persistent ef- forts. System Provides Incentive To make television its present reality reiiuired imagination to visualize its potentialities for serv- ice and benefit to the public; initia- tive, courage and determination to create and develop it into a prac- tical medium of communication; perseverance in original and con- structive efforts; and the expendi- ture of many millions of dollars. It was the stimulus and incentive af- forded by the patent system, and the reasonable assurance of reim- bursement and reward which it provides, that induced the televi- sion pioneers to devote their talents and resources to such a hazardous undertaking. Surely it must have been enter- prise of this character, which is so definitely in the public interest, that the framers of the Constitu- tion intended to encourage and re- ward when in that document they empowered the Congress to pass laws which would "promote the progress of science and the useful arts by securing for limited times to authors and inventors the exclu- sive rights to their respective writ- ings and discoveries." [10 RADIO AGE]