Interesting People mailing list archives
more on more on more on Google wireless patents
From: David Farber <dave () farber net>
Date: Thu, 30 Mar 2006 08:06:35 -0500
Begin forwarded message: From: John Shoch <shoch () alloyventures com> Date: March 29, 2006 7:30:57 PM EST To: dave () farber net, ip () v2 listbox com Cc: John Shoch <shoch () alloyventures com> Subject: RE: [IP] more on more on Google wireless patents Dave, For IP, if you wish.I hate to be the one throwing a blanket of reality of this, but the argument below regarding "defensive patents" is a little off target:
-----Original Message----- From: Glenn Fleishman <glenn () glennf com> Date: March 29, 2006 6:25:43 PM EST To: dave () farber net Subject: Re: [IP] more on Google wireless patents "I thought it worth pointing out that there was Sturm und Drang when Amazon.com had patents granted left and right on things like 1-Click and so forth. I was working at Amazon.com from late 96 to early 97 when some patents were written, and drafted instructions for one of them (but wasn't the inventor). My understanding at the time which has been born out is that the patents were methods to prevent large, direct competitors from obtaining a market advantage by describing technology. Without the patents, Amazon.com certainly would have been enjoined from all kinds of behavior and would be paying royalties left and right." ---------------------------If the writer of this note believes that Amazon (and others) only want to protect their own ability to use an idea without paying royalties, there are actually a number of ways to protect "freedom to operate" without bothering to patent an innovation.
For example, those of us who have been around for a while will remember the IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin. IBM could decide that an idea was not worth the expense of patenting, but could protect themselves by publishing it in their own Bulletin. This did not give them exclusive rights, but instead served as the published prior art which would stop anyone else from patenting the same idea. [These journals were filled with both interesting and useless stuff.]
IBM has stopped publishing their own Disclosure Bulletin: http://www.ibm.com/ibm/licensing/patents/disclosures.shtmlBut they, and others, now make use of a third party to disclose ideas, and to protect their own ability to use them in the future:
http://www.researchdisclosure.com/If any company claims they "only want to protect their own ability to use an idea without paying royalties" they do not need to go to the expense of getting a patent.
Your loyal curmudgeon, John Shoch Alloy Ventures ------------------------------------- You are subscribed as lists-ip () insecure org To manage your subscription, go to http://v2.listbox.com/member/?listname=ip Archives at: http://www.interesting-people.org/archives/interesting-people/
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- more on more on more on Google wireless patents David Farber (Mar 30)