Editing CSIRO (section)

===802.11 patent===
In the early 1990s, CSIRO radio astronomy scientists John O'Sullivan, Graham Daniels, Terence Percival, Diethelm Ostry and John Deane undertook research directed to finding a way to make wireless networks work as fast as wired networks within confined spaces such as office buildings. The technique they developed, involving a particular combination of [[forward error correction]], frequency-domain interleaving, and [[multi-carrier modulation]], became the subject of {{US Patent|5487069}}, which was granted on 23 January 1996.

In 1997 [[Macquarie University]] professor David Skellern and his colleague Neil Weste established the company Radiata, Inc., which took a nonexclusive licence to the CSIRO patent for the purpose of developing commercially viable integrated circuit devices implementing the patented technology.<ref name=Radiata>{{cite web |last=Matthews |first=Mark |title=Creating and Exploiting Intangible Networks: How Radiata was able to improve its odds of success in the risky process of innovating |url=http://www.dest.gov.au/NR/rdonlyres/3C2255E6-B6E5-49EB-BB96-1FBA94EB0EA4/1372/radiata.pdf |publisher=Australian Government, Department of Education, Science and Training |access-date=13 May 2012 |author2=Bob Frater |pages=8–9 & 16 |date=November 2003}}</ref>

During this period, the [[IEEE 802.11]] Working Group was developing the 802.11a wireless LAN standard. CSIRO did not participate directly in the standards process, however David Skellern was an active participant as secretary of the Working Group, and representative of Radiata.<ref>{{cite web |last=Skellern |first=David |title=Tentative Minutes of the IEEE P802.11 Full Working Group |url=https://grouper.ieee.org/groups/802/11/Minutes/Cons_Minutes_99July.pdf |publisher=Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers |access-date=13 May 2012 |date=5–9 July 1999}}</ref> In 1998 it became apparent that the CSIRO patent would be pertinent to the standard. In response to a request from Victor Hayes of Lucent Technologies, who was chair of the 802.11 Working Group, CSIRO confirmed its commitment to make non-exclusive licenses available to implementers of the standard on reasonable and non-discriminatory terms.<ref>{{cite web |last=Cooper |first=Dennis |title=Letter to Mr V Hayes, Chair, IEEE P802.11 |url=https://standards.ieee.org/wp-content/uploads/import/governance/patcom/loa-802_11a-csiro-04Dec1998.pdf |access-date=13 May 2012 |date=4 December 1998}}</ref>

In 1999, [[Cisco Systems]], Inc. and [[Broadcom]] Corporation each invested A$4&nbsp;million in Radiata, representing an 11% stake for each investor and valuing the company at around A$36&nbsp;million.<ref name=Radiata/> In September 2000, Radiata demonstrated a chip set complying with the recently finalised IEEE 802.11a Wi-Fi standard, and capable of handling transmission rates of up to 54&nbsp;Mbit/s, at a major international exhibition.<ref name=Radiata/>

In November 2000, Cisco acquired Radiata in exchange for US$295&nbsp;million in Cisco common stock with the intention of incorporating the Radiata Baseband Processor and Radio chips into its Aironet family of wireless LAN products.<ref>{{cite web |title=Press Release: Cisco Systems to Acquire Radiata, Inc. |url=http://newsroom.cisco.com/dlls/fspnisapi08cd.html |publisher=Cisco Systems, Inc. |access-date=13 May 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20011124055012/http://newsroom.cisco.com/dlls/fspnisapi08cd.html |archive-date=24 November 2001  }}</ref> Cisco subsequently took a large write-down on the Radiata acquisition, following the 2001 [[telecoms crash]],<ref>{{cite news |last=Heskett |first=Ben |title=Cisco still confident after networking shock |url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/cisco-still-confident-after-networking-shock/ |access-date=13 May 2012 |newspaper=ZDNet |date=9 May 2001}}</ref> and in 2004 it shut down its internal development of wireless chipsets based on the Radiata technology in order to focus on software development and emerging new technologies.<ref>{{cite news |last=Reardon |first=Marguerite |title=Cisco retires wireless chipsets |url=http://news.cnet.com/2100-1033_3-5151131.html |access-date=13 May 2012 |newspaper=CNET News |date=30 January 2004}}</ref>

Controversy over the CSIRO patent arose in 2006 after the organisation won an injunction against [[Buffalo Technology]] in an infringement suit filed in Federal Court in the Eastern District of Texas.<ref>{{cite news |last=Moses |first=Asher |title=CSIRO wins landmark legal battle |url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/wireless--broadband/csiro-wins-landmark-legal-battle/2006/11/15/1163266614119.html |access-date=13 May 2012 |newspaper=The Age |date=15 November 2006}}</ref> The injunction was subsequently suspended on appeal, with the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit finding that the judge in Texas should have allowed a trial to proceed on Buffalo's challenge to the validity of the CSIRO patent.<ref>{{cite news |last=Venkatesan |first=Arun |title=Buffalo Allowed to sell wireless products again (for now) |url=https://techcrunch.com/2008/12/03/buffalo-allowed-to-sell-wireless-products-again-for-now/ |access-date=13 May 2012 |newspaper=TechCrunch |date=3 December 2008}}</ref> In 2007, CSIRO declined to provide an assurance to the IEEE that it would not sue companies which refused to take a license for use in 802.11n-compliant devices, while at the same time continuing to defend legal challenges to the validity of the patent brought by [[Intel]], [[Dell]], [[Microsoft]], [[Hewlett-Packard]] and [[Netgear]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Winterford |first=Brett |title=No backdown from CSIRO over Wi-Fi patents |url=http://www.zdnet.co.uk/news/systems-management/2007/10/02/no-backdown-from-csiro-over-wi-fi-patents-39289756/ |access-date=13 May 2012 |newspaper=ZDNet |date=2 October 2007}}</ref>

In April 2009, Hewlett-Packard broke ranks with the rest of the industry becoming the first to reach a settlement of its dispute with CSIRO.<ref>{{cite news |last=Moses |first=Asher |title=CSIRO cashes in on patent claim |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald |url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/technology/biztech/csiro-cashes-in-on-patent-claim/2009/04/01/1238261630683.html |access-date=13 May 2012 |date=1 April 2009}}</ref> This agreement was followed quickly by settlements with Microsoft, [[Fujitsu]] and [[Asus]]<ref>{{cite news |last=Duckett |first=Chris |title=Microsoft, Fujitsu, Asus settle with CSIRO |url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/microsoft-fujitsu-asus-settle-with-csiro/ |access-date=13 May 2012 |newspaper=ZDNet |date=15 April 2009}}</ref> and then Dell, Intel, [[Nintendo]], [[Toshiba]], Netgear, Buffalo, [[D-Link]], [[Belkin]], [[SMC Networks|SMC]], [[Accton]], and [[3Com]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Stevens |first=Tim |title=CSIRO's patent lawsuits conclude with the final 13 companies set |url=https://www.engadget.com/2009/04/22/csiros-patent-lawsuits-conclude-with-the-final-13-companies-set/ |access-date=13 May 2012 |newspaper=Engadget |date=22 April 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Flynn |first=David |title=CSIRO could scoop billions from Wi-Fi patent |url=http://apcmag.com/csiro-could-scoop-billions-from-wi-fi-patent.htm |access-date=13 May 2012 |newspaper=APC Magazine |date=23 April 2009}}</ref>

The controversy grew after CSIRO sued US carriers [[AT&T Inc.|AT&T]], [[Verizon]] and [[T-Mobile International AG|T-Mobile]] in 2010, with the organisation being accused of being "Australia's biggest patent troll", a wrathful "patent bully", and of imposing a "WiFi tax" on American innovation.<ref>{{cite news |last=Popper |first=Ben |title=Australia's Biggest Patent Troll Goes After AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile |url=http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505124_162-43340647/australias-biggest-patent-troll-goes-after-at038t-verizon-and-t-mobile/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130506135649/http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505124_162-43340647/australias-biggest-patent-troll-goes-after-at038t-verizon-and-t-mobile/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=6 May 2013 |access-date=13 May 2012 |newspaper=CBS News |date=3 June 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Stevens |first=Tim |title=CSIRO's patent fight targets more victims: AT&T, Verizon Wireless, and T-Mobile |url=https://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/csiros-patent-fight-targets-more-victims-atandt-verizon-wireles/ |access-date=13 May 2012 |newspaper=Engadget |date=21 May 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Masnick |first=Mike |title=CSIRO Wants To Expand Its WiFi Tax: Sues Mobile Operators |url=http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20100601/1913309652.shtml |access-date=13 May 2012 |newspaper=TechDirt |date=2 June 2010}}</ref>

Further fuel was added to the controversy after a settlement with the carriers, worth around $229&nbsp;million, was announced in March 2012.<ref>{{cite news |last=Chirgwin |first=Richard |title=Champagne at CSIRO after WiFi patent settlement |url=https://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/04/01/csiro_settles_with_carriers/ |access-date=13 May 2012 |newspaper=The Register |date=1 April 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Brodkin |first=Jon |title=WiFi patent case results in $229 million payment to Australian government |url=https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2012/04/wifi-patent-case-results-in-229m-payment-to-australian-government/ |access-date=13 May 2012 |newspaper=Ars Technica |date=3 April 2012}}</ref> Encouraged in part by an announcement by the Australian Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills Science and Research, Senator Chris Evans,<ref>{{cite web |title=Media Release: Aussie scientists bring home millions in wifi windfall |url=http://minister.innovation.gov.au/chrisevans/MediaReleases/Pages/millionsinwifiwindfall.aspx |publisher=Australian Government |access-date=13 May 2012 |date=1 April 2012}}</ref> an article in [[Ars Technica]] portrayed CSIRO as a shadowy organisation responsible for US consumers being compelled to make "a multimillion dollar donation" on the basis of a questionable patent claiming "decades old" technology.<ref>{{cite news |last=Mullin |first=Joe |title=How the Aussie government "invented WiFi" and sued its way to $430 million |url=https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2012/04/how-the-aussie-government-invented-wifi-and-sued-its-way-to-430-million/ |access-date=13 May 2012 |newspaper=Ars Technica |date=5 April 2012}}</ref> The resulting debate became so heated that the author was compelled to follow up with a defence of the original article.<ref>{{cite news |last=Mullin |first=Joe |title=Responses and clarifications on the CSIRO patent lawsuits |url=https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2012/04/op-ed/ |access-date=13 May 2012 |newspaper=Ars Technica |date=6 April 2012}}</ref> An alternative view was also published on [[The Register]], challenging a number of the assertions made in the Ars Technica piece.<ref>{{cite news |last=Chirgwin |first=Richard |title=CSIRO patent-trolls ALL OF AMERICA! |date=10 April 2012|url=https://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/04/10/csiro_patent_trolls_wifi/ |access-date=13 May 2012 |newspaper=The Register }}</ref>

Total income to CSIRO from the patent is currently estimated at nearly $430&nbsp;million.<ref>{{cite news |title=CSIRO wins legal battle over wi-fi patent |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-04-01/csiro-receives-payment-for-wifi-technology/3925814 |access-date=13 May 2012 |newspaper=ABC News |date=1 April 2012}}</ref> On 14 June 2012, the CSIRO inventors received the [[European Patent Office]] (EPO) [[European Inventor Award]] (EIA), in the category of "Non-European Countries".<ref>{{cite web |title=EPO's European Inventor Award 2012 goes to outstanding inventors from Germany, France, Denmark and Australia 
|url=http://www.epo.org/news-issues/news/2012/20120614.html |publisher=European Patent Office |access-date=18 June 2012 |date=14 June 2012}}</ref>