To the Biometrics TC:
We've been asked how a possible change in
IPR Mode would work, if the committee wishes to pursue it.
Our TC Process and
IPR Rules frame that as a closure and re-opening (so that all members are clearly notified of the change in the licensing ground rules), but as a practical matter, it's usually feasible, and has been done before. I encourage you to look at the records of our
DSS-X TC, which converted its
IPR mode in ~2007:
https://lists.oasis-open.org/archives/tc-announce/200706/msg00012.html
As you can see, the new committee (
DSS-X) chartered itself to take over the development and profiling of the prior committee's (
DSS) work.
There are a few specific rules in the TC Process that can be invoked to make this smoother. The current Biometrics TC itself took a similar path in inheriting some work from the BIAS TC, with the latter's permission.
The re-start may also require that material prior work in Biometrics (or BIAS) also be explicitly re-contributed by its members contributors to the new TC ("Biometrics-X", for example) when it opens. Again, we've managed this before, and easily, assuming that the body of known work and its contributors are relatively compact.
Chet and our staff will be happy to assist with the rules issues, which would include writing an updated charter; but essentially, you should view a conversion as feasible, by a closure and re-start, if you wish to do so.
I am happy to answer IPR rules questions for anyone who wishes to raise them.
Of course, your choice whether to do this, and under what IPR licensing mode the project is most likely to flourish, is a matter for you to consider, as a TC, as you evaluate such a re-start.
Kind regards JBC