Date: Mon, 11 Jun 2001 18:05:53 -0500 From: Jonathan Lemon <jlemon@flugsvamp.com> To: Mikulas Patocka <mikulas@artax.karlin.mff.cuni.cz> Cc: Jonathan Lemon <jlemon@flugsvamp.com>, hackers@freebsd.org Subject: Re: Patented algorithm in FreeBSD Message-ID: <20010611180553.N82158@prism.flugsvamp.com> In-Reply-To: <Pine.LNX.3.96.1010612004932.15006D-100000@artax.karlin.mff.cuni.cz> References: <200106112237.f5BMbuh06004@prism.flugsvamp.com> <Pine.LNX.3.96.1010612004932.15006D-100000@artax.karlin.mff.cuni.cz>
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On Tue, Jun 12, 2001 at 12:53:33AM +0200, Mikulas Patocka wrote: > > So it looks like we have prior art by around 6 years, which would > > invalidate the patent iff it was the same thing. > > Does it mean that the algorithm is free to use by everyone or free to use > only in freebsd? I would like to implemet these page table back pointers > too and I'm scared by the patent... I don't know how US patent system > works. The patent system works.... badly. In general, prior art will invalidate an existing patent. So if you find examples of non-patented prior art, the patent is essentially worthless. HOWEVER, the patent will stand until someone challenges it (which basically involves dragging things into court, and proving the prior art claims). The latter may be an expensive proposition, so some companies will try to use bogus patents like this one to extort money from other people on the theory that its cheaper for them to pay up than go to court. If I were you, I'd ignore it. If you actually had enough money to be a worthwhile target of the company, you'd also have enough money to hire a decent lawyer. -- Jonathan To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-hackers" in the body of the message
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