IANAL, but here's the difference as I understand it:
> Under the LOT Agreement, every company that participates grants a portfolio-wide license to the other participants, but the license becomes effective ONLY when the participant transfers one or more patents to an entity other than another LOT Network participant, and ONLY for the patent(s) actually transferred.
LOT protects the patents from ever being used by trolls, but still allows LOT members to earn royalties from their patents from EVERYONE who uses it until the LOT license is triggered.
> With these patents under the DPL, anyone can license them royalty-free as long as they license their own patents (and commit to licensing future patents) under the same terms—even if they don't have any patents at all.
DPL gives you access to lots of patents for free, but you can only earn licensing fees from entities that have non-DPL licensed patents (or haven't committed to licensing future patents as DPL?).
I suspect that both license agreements can be be offered. DPL seems aimed at incentivizing free access to patents, especially for smaller companies. LOT seems targeted at preventing patents from ever being acquired by trolls. I am not clear on if DPL provides much future-proofing against sale to trolls.)
> Under the LOT Agreement, every company that participates grants a portfolio-wide license to the other participants, but the license becomes effective ONLY when the participant transfers one or more patents to an entity other than another LOT Network participant, and ONLY for the patent(s) actually transferred.
LOT protects the patents from ever being used by trolls, but still allows LOT members to earn royalties from their patents from EVERYONE who uses it until the LOT license is triggered.
> With these patents under the DPL, anyone can license them royalty-free as long as they license their own patents (and commit to licensing future patents) under the same terms—even if they don't have any patents at all.
DPL gives you access to lots of patents for free, but you can only earn licensing fees from entities that have non-DPL licensed patents (or haven't committed to licensing future patents as DPL?).
I suspect that both license agreements can be be offered. DPL seems aimed at incentivizing free access to patents, especially for smaller companies. LOT seems targeted at preventing patents from ever being acquired by trolls. I am not clear on if DPL provides much future-proofing against sale to trolls.)