🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <469@xchelsys.chelgraph.CO.UK>, bill@chelgraph.CO.UK (bill davy) writes:
> >	
> >	Path: chelgraph!nott-cs!ukc!mcsun!uunet!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!mips!apple!voder!pyramid!leadsv!cberg
> >	From: cberg@leadsv.UUCP (Charles R Berg)
> >	Newsgroups: comp.lang.postscript
> >	Subject: Re: Chelgraph patent on compression...
> >	Message-ID: <10100@leadsv.UUCP>
> >	Date: 27 Feb 90 20:41:21 GMT
> >	References: <8167@lindy.Stanford.EDU> <120@xchelsys.chelgraph.CO.UK>
> >	Reply-To: cberg@leadsv.LEADS.LMSC.COM.UUCP (Charles R Berg)
> >	Organization: LMSC-LEADS, Sunnyvale, Ca.
> >	Lines: 7
> >	
> >	In article <120@xchelsys.chelgraph.CO.UK> bill@xchelsys.UUCP (bill davy)
> >	writes:
> >	>Chelgraph has a patent on compression to/from disc for bitmap output
> >	>devices.
> >	
> >	Would you care to elaborate on this?  I mean, without revealing your
> >	proprietary technology, what exactly have you patented?
> 
>         THIS REPLY IS ENTIRELY MY PERSONAL VIEW
> 
> Very briefly, our British Patent Application No 8900368.5 "Bit Map
> 
> Frankly, I abhor patents; if you're smart enough to invent, then you
> should be smart enough to exploit (directly or indirectly).  But we
> get hassled too (remember the Linotron 202 for example), and it
> would be nice to see the royalties flow in the other direction, for
> a change.



One of my hobbies is digging thru patents.  In order to patent something
in the US, one must "disclose enough information that a person reasonably
skilled in the field can reproduce it".  Secondly, a patent gives you the
right to sue someone for using it. Thirdly, you can make ANYTHING for your
own use.  You cannot sell it, give it away, or transfer it in anyway to
any other party.  If I get a copy of say a patent for wigit x and make a
wiget x for my own use, I am pretty safe.  I think that is protected by
law, but if not, it is protected by simple economics.  A company is not
likely to go after a single copy of something that a person makes.  However,
if you transfer it in any way, then they can claim infringement and sue,
and probably win.  Patent documents are also public domain.  You can
get a copy of any patent from the commissioner of patents for 2 or 3 dollars.
You can do anything you want with the copy of the patent. Thus people
sell collections of patent copies freely.  Any patent created by a US
government employee, is automaticly granted a royalty-free license.  It is
essentialy in the public domain.

Cheers
Woody
e