Press Release - September 8, 2006

International Characters to Participate In Community Patent Review Project

International Characters, Ltd., a private, Canadian software licensing company specializing in the commercialization of high-performance character processing and XML technology using a patent-based, open-source business model, has agreed to become a participant in the Community Patent Review project. International Characters will be the first software licensing company to allow some of its published patent applications to be peer reviewed as part of the community peer review pilot program in partnership with the USPTO.

"We have founded a company to commercialize inventions under a licensing model that supports open source and encourages more invention by others," according to Dr. Rob Cameron, President of International Characters, Ltd. "International Characters is excited by the prospect of improving the quality of software patents through its participation in the Community Patent Review process. Because several of us associated with International Characters have long been involved with and committed to the open source community, we want to reassure people that it isn't just the big companies but also small open source inventors who can profit from valid, patentable innovations when coupled with a business model that is fair to open source software development," added Dr. Cameron.

Professor Beth Noveck, Director of the Institute for Information Law & Policy at New York Law School, said "we are delighted to welcome International Characters as a participant in this innovative patent reform project. We are especially pleased that a company like International Characters which works with small open source inventors recognizes the value of expert peer review as an integral part of patent reform. We hope to include many, more such innovative, private companies in this endeavor."

For press inquiries, contact Nancy Guida at nguida@nyls.edu.