"Hello, I'm Orff. President of Compuserve, Inc. Orff looked Zhou Shuo up and down, and asked cautiously, "Are you Shuo. Zhou, inventor of a new network transmission compression algorithm? ”

In Orff's eyes, it is still difficult to believe that a Chinese mainland can achieve such results. If he was Japanese, Taiwanese or even Singaporean, it wouldn't surprise him too much. But a Chinese mainland can lead the Americans in technology, which is too challenging his common sense.

Techniques are produced only when there is a real demand, but does China have such a soil? They only connected to the Internet last year, and all the network equipment was imported from the United States. For what would someone in China, research data pumps, special chips for network equipment. It's as strange as someone in the Sahara Desert who has researched a submarine.

"That's right, Mr. Orff, I'm Zhou Shuo." Zhou Shuo nodded and said, "But we Chinese are used to putting our surname in front, you must have seen my name from the patent technology documents." ”

"Zhou—Shuo—" Orff re-read it, smiled, and said, "I'm sorry, I don't know about your customs. ”

Orff didn't answer Zhou Shuo's question, I can't say that I had already investigated you before I came.

"Don't mind, I don't know what you're looking for me?" Zhou Shuo waved his hand and said with a smile.

Orff looked around and invited, "If it's convenient, why don't we find a place to talk in detail?" ”

Zhou Shuo nodded, smiled and said, "Then the restaurant here, has Mr. Orff had lunch?" If you don't dislike it. Let me please. ”

Orff patted his stomach, and Ha Lu Ha Da Lu smiled: "Then thank you so much." I just got off the plane and happened to be empty. ”

Zhou Shuo asked Orff to wait. First make arrangements for Robert to bring the programmers back to the room, leaving Shao Shiming alone.

Watching Robert greet and take the group of programmers away, Zhou Shuo was the only one left by his side. Orff and Bewason also consciously left Charles, the branch manager, behind, and the four of them walked towards the restaurant.

Zhou Shuo asked for a new seat in the restaurant, and the four of them sat down. Orff and Beverson unceremoniously ordered two set menus, and then asked as they watched the waiter walk away.

"Mr. Zhou must have heard of our Compuserve company, right?"

Zhou Shuo made an exaggerated expression. smiled: "Of course, the second largest ISP service provider in the United States, how can I not know the way?" ”

Orff also laughed, and said reassuringly: "That's good, you should also know my intentions if you want to come." Regarding compression algorithm patents, I think we can do some collaboration. ”

"Cooperation, what do you mean?" Zhou Shuo asked curiously.

Orff organized the language and said cautiously: "You see, our Compuserve company is the first in the United States to engage in commercial ISP services. It can be said that it has a very large influence on industry standards. And your compression algorithm, if you can get our support, it will not be a problem at all in terms of promotion. Together, we can form a company to produce data pump chips that use this compression algorithm. What do you think? ”

This plan was decided by Orff after pondering on the plane. From the standpoint of Compuserve, he could not overstimulate Zhou Shuo's nerves. And try your best to take the lead in your own hands.

Orff himself started from a small company little by little, and he knows very well the heart of technical talents when they are in joint ventures. On the one hand, they want to get the opportunity for enterprise development. On the other hand, they are very afraid that capital will usurp their fruits. If Zhou Shuo can't make a good first impression, the subsequent negotiations will be very difficult.

So he doesn't talk about the methods that big companies are used to. If you come up, you have to buy his patent, or get the exclusive authorization of the patent.

However, what Orff didn't expect was that in the face of such conditions, Zhou Shuo still vetoed: "It is impossible for me to take out the patent and inject it into the joint venture company......"

There are so many lessons to be learned, both in the past and in the future. Compuserve is definitely a behemoth compared to Zhou Shuo, and after the patent injection, as long as the financing dilution is continued, it is easy to squeeze him out of the company in the end.

Orff hurriedly waved his hand and said, "You don't need to inject patents, just exclusive authorization!" ”

After all, the new production company is a joint venture between Zhou Shuo and Compuserve, and Orff feels that Zhou Shuo should not be too difficult to accept the exclusive authorization of his own company.

Zhou Shuo hesitated for a moment, and said embarrassedly: "That's ......."

"I know your concerns." Orff sighed and said to Zhou Shuo: "It's nothing more than hoping that more companies will use this compression algorithm, but this will also lead to full competition in the market." As the profits of manufacturers fall, the profit that can be obtained from the patent licensing fee is very limited. If you only license to one company, the profit is guaranteed, and your patent can be more valuable. ”

"How can I trust your sincerity?" Zhou Shuo nodded and agreed with Orff's words. He thought about it for a while, and simply said straight to the point: "Since President Orff said it so thoroughly, then I won't go around in circles." After all, the patent is in my hands, and I don't think Compuserve will be willing to be suppressed, right? The compression algorithm is not the only one I can, how can I guarantee that the technique will not be hidden after the exclusive license? Maybe after two years, you'll work out other alternative techniques and kick me away. ”

If a joint venture production company is established, the production side will definitely be dominated by Compuserve. When the time comes, as long as you find a few excuses, you can delay the production deadline by a few years. When Compuserve can replace its own compression algorithm and then close the joint venture, Zhou Shuoke will really be empty.

Orff was silent for a moment, then nodded heavily and agreed: "I have to say, Mr. Zhou, your concerns are very reasonable. ”

He gritted his teeth, as if he had made a lot of determination, and said categorically: "We can sign a contract, if the joint venture company cannot sell more than 10 million chips within two years, the insufficient part will be compensated by Compuserve." ”

"That's not going to work." Zhou Shuo shook his head and said simply: "Ten million chips, the dividend profit of the joint venture company is about 25 million US dollars, with all due respect, Compuserve is fully capable of swallowing this compensation." ”

Orff's so-called part of the less than 10 million chips will be made up within two years, and Zhou Shuo really wants to compensate it two years later. This period of time was enough for them to find a replacement technique and then kick Zhou Shuo out of this market. The key is that at this point in time, it will be two years before they can judge whether they are in default.

But even if the chips are actually produced in the past two years, Compuserve will not promote the technology. Desperately compensating 25 million US dollars, but also waiting for their own skills to come out, Zhou Shuo's interests are still not guaranteed.

Orff frowned and asked distressedly, "What then?" Mr. Zhou, you can tell us what you think. ”

When Zhou Shuo heard this, he asked with a smile: "President Orff should know that my compression algorithm patent is designed with a chip, otherwise the patent office would not have passed my patent application so easily." ”

Orff nodded and said, "Yes, I noticed that you have submitted a series of application patents, not just software patents. ”

Zhou Shuo spread his hands and said sincerely: "But in fact, this is not a patent registration technique, but we really plan to produce this kind of chip." You should know that this compression algorithm chip can be applied not only to dial-up modems, but also to many other network devices. ”

"Do you have the production capacity?" Orff asked in surprise.

"The original plan was to use OEM in Taiwan." Zhou Shuo shook his head and said, "But there is a limit to the output of the foundry, and the output in the first year should be controlled at five million." So I'm not going to cooperate with other people to produce compression algorithm chips, but I can set up a joint venture trading company and sell the chips exclusively to the joint venture trading company. ”

"And then eat the chips in your hands and resell them to modem manufacturers?" Orff reacted sharply and immediately said Zhou Shuo's afterwords.

Zhou Shuo nodded and said, "That's right, I won't authorize other companies in this way." The market capacity in the early stage of promotion is limited, and I definitely won't tear down my business, what do you say, President Orff? ”

The key to this is that Zhou Shuo is worried that Compuserve is not concerned about the promotion of his patents, which is the focus of the game between the two sides. Compuserve certainly prefers to hold this core patent in its own hands in order to gain a firm foothold in the market.

A joint venture was established to establish a trading company, and then the inventory in Zhou Shuo's hands was eaten. There still seems to be no guarantee that Compuserve will promote his compression algorithm, but it leaves Zhou Shuo with plenty of room to maneuver. If Compuserve is successfully rolling out compression algorithms to industry standards according to its plan, then there is certainly no need for him to make any extrasistence.

But if Compuserve wants to go back on it, Zhou Shuo can take out the patent and license it to Compuserve's competitors, thus forming a deterrent countermeasure.

It is best if the two sides can cooperate smoothly, and the worst thing is that he can still earn the cost of patent licensing.

"Please let me think about it." Orff waved his hand and said with a frown.

"Don't think about it, if you don't do it, we'll do it!" (To be continued......)