diff --git a/NOTICE b/NOTICE index 0c70022..a30a796 100644 --- a/NOTICE +++ b/NOTICE @@ -14,3 +14,45 @@ the Apache 2.0 grant above. See docs/COMMERCIAL_BOUNDARY.md. "BlockSiFr", "TTP" and "PCTR" are trademarks of BlockSiFr. Trademark use is governed by docs/TRADEMARKS.md and, per section 6 of the License, no trademark rights are granted by the License itself. + +-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- +PATENT GRANT AND IMPLEMENTATION ASSURANCE +-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- + +TTP is released under the Apache License 2.0 and is intended to remain a +permanently open protocol. BlockSiFr's commercial interests are in managed +services and enterprise tooling built on top of the protocol -- not in +controlling the protocol itself. + +The Apache 2.0 license's express patent grant covers any patents BlockSiFr +holds that are necessarily infringed by implementing the protocol +specification as published in this repository. + +In plain language: if you implement what's in the spec, you're covered. + +You may, royalty-free: + + - Implement the TTP protocol as described in the specification. + - Use the reference aggregation algorithm from protocol/aggregation-spec.md + in any product, commercial or otherwise. + - Build competing Trust Authority services, SDKs, issuers, or verifiers that + conform to the protocol. + - Deploy TTP for internal enterprise use without paying BlockSiFr anything. + - Fork and modify the reference implementations under Apache 2.0. + +BlockSiFr commits that: + + 1. The core TTP specification will never be made patent-encumbered in a way + that blocks royalty-free implementation. + + 2. If TTP is submitted to a standards body (IETF, W3C, etc.), BlockSiFr will + provide the patent grants required by that body's IP policy. + + 3. Any protocol change that introduces a new patent-pending mechanism will be + clearly flagged in the RFC process, and the patent grant will be updated + before the change is accepted into the normative specification. + +None of BlockSiFr's commercial offerings gate access to the open protocol. +Alternative Trust Authority implementations are possible and encouraged. + +For questions about IP or licensing: hello@blocksifr.com diff --git a/docs/README.md b/docs/README.md index f6d622e..46f4051 100644 --- a/docs/README.md +++ b/docs/README.md @@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ Start here in order: Start here in order: -1. [`COMMERCIAL_BOUNDARY.md`](../COMMERCIAL_BOUNDARY.md) +1. [`COMMERCIAL_BOUNDARY.md`](COMMERCIAL_BOUNDARY.md) 2. [`docs/enterprise/security-model.md`](./enterprise/security-model.md) 3. [`docs/enterprise/threat-model.md`](./enterprise/threat-model.md) 4. [`docs/enterprise/deployment-patterns.md`](./enterprise/deployment-patterns.md) diff --git a/docs/patent-strategy.md b/docs/patent-strategy.md deleted file mode 100644 index 5b7e605..0000000 --- a/docs/patent-strategy.md +++ /dev/null @@ -1,70 +0,0 @@ -# TTP Intellectual Property and Patent Strategy - -## Open Source Commitment - -TTP is released under the Apache License 2.0 and is intended to remain a permanently open protocol. BlockSiFr's commercial interests are in managed services and enterprise tooling built on top of the protocol — not in controlling the protocol itself. - ---- - -## What is Patented (or Patent-Pending) - -BlockSiFr has filed patent applications covering specific implementations of: - -1. **Issuer weight normalization in multi-source behavioral trust aggregation** — the specific algorithm for capping per-issuer contribution weights to prevent single-source domination. - -2. **Negative signal amplification in trust scoring** — the approach of applying differential weighting to below-threshold behavioral scores to prioritize safety signals in aggregation. - -These patents, if granted, cover specific implementations of these methods. - ---- - -## What This Means for You - -### You CAN, royalty-free: - -- **Implement the TTP protocol** as described in the specification. -- **Use the reference aggregation algorithm** from [protocol/aggregation-spec.md](aggregation-spec.md) in any product, commercial or otherwise. -- **Build competing Trust Authority services**, SDKs, issuers, or verifiers that conform to the protocol. -- **Deploy TTP** for internal enterprise use without paying BlockSiFr anything. -- **Fork and modify** the reference implementations under Apache 2.0. - -The Apache 2.0 license's express patent grant covers any patents BlockSiFr holds that are **necessarily infringed** by implementing the protocol specification as published in this repository. - -In plain language: **if you implement what's in the spec, you're covered.** - -### What is NOT covered: - -- Substantially different aggregation mechanisms that happen to be described in the same patent claims. But implementing the spec as written is covered. -- Modifications that add patented capabilities not present in the open specification. - ---- - -## BlockSiFr's Commercial Model - -BlockSiFr earns revenue through: - -1. **Managed Trust Authority** — hosted, SLA-backed Trust Authority infrastructure for enterprises that don't want to self-host. - -2. **Enterprise features** — audit logging, compliance reporting, multi-tenancy, advanced threat detection. - -3. **Professional services** — implementation support, custom issuer development, security assessments. - -None of these commercial offerings gate access to the open protocol. The protocol remains open, and alternative Trust Authority implementations are possible and encouraged. - ---- - -## Long-Term IP Commitment - -BlockSiFr commits that: - -1. The core TTP specification will never be made patent-encumbered in a way that blocks royalty-free implementation. - -2. If TTP is submitted to a standards body (IETF, W3C, etc.), BlockSiFr will provide necessary patent grants as required by that body's IP policy. - -3. Any protocol change that introduces a new patent-pending mechanism will be clearly flagged in the RFC process, and the patent grant will be updated before the change is accepted into the normative specification. - ---- - -## Questions - -For questions about IP or licensing, contact: hello@blocksifr.com diff --git a/protocol/spec.md b/protocol/spec.md index 1759782..98dcb35 100644 --- a/protocol/spec.md +++ b/protocol/spec.md @@ -15,5 +15,5 @@ For the current scope and grammar, see: - [`../README.md`](../README.md) - [`../SPECIFICATION.md`](../SPECIFICATION.md) -- [`../docs/MVP.md`](../MVP.md) +- [`../docs/MVP.md`](../docs/MVP.md) - [`../THREAT_MODEL.md`](../THREAT_MODEL.md)