Re: [VANILLA-LIST:3019] technical question

[Dave Ahn <ahn@vec.wfubmc.edu>]

On Tue, Mar 21, 2000 at 10:52:44AM -0800, Carlos Y. Villalpando wrote:
> 
> I did a quick read of the patent, and it looks like its for
> aggregating packets from a peer-to-peer type game where each computer
> talks to every other computer. Instead of talking to each other, the
> peers will talk to a server, which will then aggregate the packets and
> send them to the peers. I'll read it more carefully after work. I wish
> I could see the figures.

Hey Carlos, you haven't done much patent work, have you?  :)  The focus
needs to be on addressing and invalidating the claims.  Their example
of a peer-to-peer type game is just that...an example to support their
claims.

Besides, Netrek does use peer-to-peer if you think about it.  The
most obvious example are the individual and team messages and RCDs...

> Um, Yes, I believe.  How to prove it?  Who's got netrek_acm.pdf?

I do, but it was published in 1997.

> Patent agent? Are they trying to enforce the patent?  And do we get a
> donation for helping? *grin*

I suspect that this attorney is trying to overturn the patent by the
"broad usage" method.  You can challenge a patent by filing your own
patent, then proving that there is a conflict with the other patent
(I forgot the term for this motion.)  Or, you can challenge a patent
by asserting that the idea is not original enough to be patentable.

Since this attorney is not working for us, I assume he's trying to do
the latter.  But you'd never know!

If we're really concerned about this, we should contact FSF and the
open source community to patent the concept on our behalf, then hand
over the patent to FSF for unrestricted, royalty-free usage for anyone
for any purpose.  This would prevent other companies from trying to
patent this concept again.

Dave

-- 
Dave Ahn <ahn@vec.wfubmc.edu>        |  "When you were born, you cried and the
                                     |  world rejoiced.  Try to live your life
Virtual Endoscopy Center             |  so that when you die, you will rejoice
Wake Forest Univ. School of Medicine |  and the world will cry."  -1/2 jj^2