[ Date Index ] [ Thread Index ] [ <= Previous by date / thread ] [ Next by date / thread => ]
After a recent thread here about the dangers of software patents to "pure
software", this has cropped up on one of the mailing lists discussing the
computer implemented directive.
I've added links to the actual patent documents by using a pattern match -
apologies if any don't actually work, but they should.
Since word processing is an often used example, this list of
granted patents may be handy (by Carsten Svaneborg):
EP0094515 Method in word processing system for queuing cursored pages
of a document.
http://swpat.ffii.org/pikta/txt/ep/0094/515/
EP0145202 Word spelling checking system.
http://swpat.ffii.org/pikta/txt/ep/0145/202/
EP0179279 Method to control placement of image of document to be
printed on paper in an interactive text processing system.
http://swpat.ffii.org/pikta/txt/ep/0179/279/
EP0205082 Word processing text justification method.
http://swpat.ffii.org/pikta/txt/ep/0205/082
EP0240909 Text editor for multidimensional or multidirectional text.
http://swpat.ffii.org/pikta/txt/ep/0240/909/
EP0241646 Document processing apparatus.
http://swpat.ffii.org/pikta/txt/ep/0241/646/
EP0249089 Word processing system.
http://swpat.ffii.org/pikta/txt/ep/0249/089/
EP0250677 Document processing apparatus.
http://swpat.ffii.org/pikta/txt/ep/0250/677/
EP0253108 Text processing system.
http://swpat.ffii.org/pikta/txt/ep/0253/108/
EP0259957 Text processing device.
http://swpat.ffii.org/pikta/txt/ep/0259/957/
EP0262804 Data input and processing apparatus having spelling-check
function and means for dealing with misspelled word.
http://swpat.ffii.org/pikta/txt/ep/0262/804/
EP0269875 Forms processor with controlled remote revision.
http://swpat.ffii.org/pikta/txt/ep/0269/875/
EP0274436 Word processing apparatus.
http://swpat.ffii.org/pikta/txt/ep/0274/436/
EP0281742 Method for verifying spelling of compound words.
http://swpat.ffii.org/pikta/txt/ep/0281/742/
EP0288906 Computer input by color coding.
http://swpat.ffii.org/pikta/txt/ep/0288/906/
EP0293161 Character processing system with spelling check function.
http://swpat.ffii.org/pikta/txt/ep/0293/161/
EP0314516 Document data processing apparatus.
http://swpat.ffii.org/pikta/txt/ep/0314/516/
EP0315957 Word processor.
http://swpat.ffii.org/pikta/txt/ep/0315/957/
EP0322333 Method for providing a dynamic tutorial display.
http://swpat.ffii.org/pikta/txt/ep/0322/333/
EP0323381 Adaptive help/dialogue system.
http://swpat.ffii.org/pikta/txt/ep/0323/381/
EP0323795 Improvements in sharing word-processing functions among
multiple processors.
http://swpat.ffii.org/pikta/txt/ep/0323/795/
EP0330170 European language processing machine with a spelling
correction function.
http://swpat.ffii.org/pikta/txt/ep/0330/170/
EP0347254 Document processing system.
http://swpat.ffii.org/pikta/txt/ep/0347/254/
EP0348031 Display system.
http://swpat.ffii.org/pikta/txt/ep/0348/031/
EP0349456 Method for nesting and processing mixed data objects within a
data stream utilizing selective environment inheritance.
http://swpat.ffii.org/pikta/txt/ep/0349/456/
EP0349459 Method for accessing selected windows in a multi-tasking
system.
http://swpat.ffii.org/pikta/txt/ep/0349/459/
EP0351871 Word processing device with an automatic address-input
function.
http://swpat.ffii.org/pikta/txt/ep/0351/871/
EP0358860 Apparatus and method for processing data corresponding to
labels.
http://swpat.ffii.org/pikta/txt/ep/0358/860/
EP0361422 Word processing apparatus with function of image-format
control.
http://swpat.ffii.org/pikta/txt/ep/0361/422/
EP0363176 Word organised data processors.
http://swpat.ffii.org/pikta/txt/ep/0363/176/
EP0370778 Method for manipulating digital text data.
http://swpat.ffii.org/pikta/txt/ep/0370/778/
EP0381892 Computer display windowing systems.
http://swpat.ffii.org/pikta/txt/ep/0381/892/
EP0385545 Desktop publishing system.
http://swpat.ffii.org/pikta/txt/ep/0385/545/
EP0391706 A method encoding text.
http://swpat.ffii.org/pikta/txt/ep/0391/706/
EP0413485 Performance improvement tool for rule based expert systems.
http://swpat.ffii.org/pikta/txt/ep/0413/485/
EP0424052 Document processing apparatus.
http://swpat.ffii.org/pikta/txt/ep/0424/052/
EP0435349 Document revising system for use with document reading and
translating system.
http://swpat.ffii.org/pikta/txt/ep/0435/349/
EP0435805 Method of forming a search criteria and saving a search
result.
http://swpat.ffii.org/pikta/txt/ep/0435/805
EP0436459 Method and apparatus providing intelligent help explanation
paralleling computer user activity.
http://swpat.ffii.org/pikta/txt/ep/0436/459/
EP0458629 Document processing method and apparatus.
http://swpat.ffii.org/pikta/txt/ep/0459/174/
EP0459174 Scrollbar having system or user provided information.
http://swpat.ffii.org/pikta/txt/ep/0459/174/
EP0471536 Document processing apparatus.
http://swpat.ffii.org/pikta/txt/ep/0471/536/
EP0488649 Page printer composition line spacing revision.
http://swpat.ffii.org/pikta/txt/ep/0488/649
EP0522645 Multi-media handling system.
http://swpat.ffii.org/pikta/txt/ep/0522/645/
EP0597611 Aligning texts.
http://swpat.ffii.org/pikta/txt/ep/0597/611/
EP0621528 Multiple level undo/redo mechanism.
http://swpat.ffii.org/pikta/txt/ep/0621/528/
EP0622730 Encapsulation of extracted portions of documents into objects.
http://swpat.ffii.org/pikta/txt/ep/0622/730/
EP0630146 Interactive user support and method using sensors and machine
knowledge.
http://swpat.ffii.org/pikta/txt/ep/0630/146/
EP0640913 Multilingual standard resources.
http://swpat.ffii.org/pikta/txt/ep/0640/913/
EP0644493 Method and system for locating field breaks within input data.
http://swpat.ffii.org/pikta/txt/ep/06444/493/
EP0650129 Method and system for automatic formatting of user selected
text.
http://swpat.ffii.org/pikta/txt/ep/0650/129/
EP0652512 Method and system for management of component connections.
http://swpat.ffii.org/pikta/txt/ep/0652/512/
EP0660231 Method and system for dynamically generating object
connections.
http://swpat.ffii.org/pikta/txt/ep/0660/231/
EP0665489 System and method for computer cursor control.
http://swpat.ffii.org/pikta/txt/ep/0665/489/
EP0667012 Method and system for connecting objects in a computer system.
http://swpat.ffii.org/pikta/txt/ep/0667/012/
EP0669021 Multi-lingual computer programs.
http://swpat.ffii.org/pikta/txt/ep/0669/021/
EP0672277 A method and system for in-place interaction with embedded
objects.
http://swpat.ffii.org/pikta/txt/ep/0672/277/
EP0689133 Method of displaying multiple sets of information in the same
area of a computer screen
http://swpat.ffii.org/pikta/txt/ep/0689/133/
EP0693740 Method of font rendering employing greyscale processing of
grid-fitted fonts
http://swpat.ffii.org/pikta/txt/ep/0693/740/
EP0706690 Method and system for the link tracking of objects
http://swpat.ffii.org/pikta/txt/ep/0706/690/
EP0713172 Slide out interface bar
http://swpat.ffii.org/pikta/txt/ep/0713/172/
EP0715731 Method and system for scrolling through data
http://swpat.ffii.org/pikta/txt/ep/0715/731/
EP0717344 Taskbar with start menu
http://swpat.ffii.org/pikta/txt/ep/0717/344/
EP0767419 Method and system in a data processing system windowing
environment for displaying previously obscured information
http://swpat.ffii.org/pikta/txt/ep/0767/419/
EP0783149 Clipboard for interactive desktop system
http://swpat.ffii.org/pikta/txt/ep/0783/149/
EP0790565 Word processor
http://swpat.ffii.org/pikta/txt/ep/0790/565/
EP0814455 Scalable three-dimensional window borders
http://swpat.ffii.org/pikta/txt/ep/0814/455/
EP0835484 Method and system for stacking toolbars in a computer display
http://swpat.ffii.org/pikta/txt/ep/0835/484/
EP0838765 A document searching system for multilingual documents
http://swpat.ffii.org/pikta/txt/ep/0838/765/
EP0843283 Method of font rendering employing grayscale processing of
grid fitted fonts
http://swpat.ffii.org/pikta/txt/ep/0843/283/
EP0859329 Method and system for the link tracking of objects
http://swpat.ffii.org/pikta/txt/ep/0859/329/
EP0892355 Method and system for committing modifications to
hierarchically structured data
http://swpat.ffii.org/pikta/txt/ep/0892/355/
EP0892521 Method and apparatus for long term verification of digital
signatures
http://swpat.ffii.org/pikta/txt/ep/0892/521/
EP0992006 A method for rendering glyphs using a layout services library
http://swpat.ffii.org/pikta/txt/ep/0992/006/
EP1104563 Multilingual user interface for an operating system
http://swpat.ffii.org/pikta/txt/ep/1104/563/
EP1145102 Text input system for ideographic and nonideographic languages
http://swpat.ffii.org/pikta/txt/ep/1145/102/
Anyone with sufficient time and inclination can produce similar lists for any
other field of software.
PLEASE - everyone - understand these issues.
There is no free software if there are legal software patents.
At present, these have been *granted* in the EU but remain to be ratified by
governments. That ratification is the essence of the computer implemented
inventions directive. Passing the directive "as-is" WILL legalise these
patents!
Some may have already lapsed, some may not be maintained, but not all.
The details can be found here:
http://webdb4.patent.gov.uk/patents
e.g. entering the first in the list indicates:
REGISTER ENTRY FOR EP0094515
09.04.1987 EPO: Search report published on 08.04.1987
19.07.1989 IBM UNITED KINGDOM LIMITED,
16.11.1992 Patent ceased on 20.04.1992
RENEWALS DATA
Date Filed 20.04.1983
Date Not in Force 20.04.1992
Date of Last Renewal 27.03.1991
Year of Last Renewal 9
Date Next Renewal Due 20.04.1992
Status CEASED
Ceased patents: Note here, once a patent claim has been marked as CEASED, it
cannot be resurrected. There is a strict timeframe during which a company can
purchase a patent that has recently ceased to be in force. After that time,
(and it's months not years), the patent can never be resurrected and remains
forever on the database as prior art.
By no means all of the list above are designated "ceased"!
If anyone has time to enter each one into the patent database (or construct a
form that will do the same), please feel free to re-post the list with only
those that are *not* designated as "ceased".
A little job for someone there, a little Perl, a little time, enormous
benefits to the free software community. Go on, someone, please help out by
parsing this list and tell me which of those may still be active!
It is also worth pointing out that this is NOT a comprehensive list. It relies
on work done by FFII to OCR (yes, OCR) patent documents and build a web-based
directory. There are new software patents being claimed all the time - and
granted - and just because this list may be out of date, it does not mean the
danger is any less real.
If you do sift this list, please take time to also search for recent patents
using the FFII site.
Fighting even one spurious claim from a patent-only para-legal company can
cost tens to hundreds of thousands of pounds.
Good story to remember:
When company A was sued for infringing 7 patents, they took time to
deconstruct each of the 7 and the patent holder didn't bat an eyelid. They
instantly came back with 70 more.
These things are poison. If you want free software next year, you need to
fight the directive NOW.
--
Neil Williams
=============
http://www.dcglug.org.uk/
http://www.nosoftwarepatents.com/
http://sourceforge.net/projects/isbnsearch/
http://www.neil.williamsleesmill.me.uk/
http://www.biglumber.com/x/web?qs=0x8801094A28BCB3E3
Attachment:
pgp00001.pgp
Description: PGP signature