Posted Dec 12, 2007 23:37 UTC (Wed) by neiljerram (subscriber, #12005)
Parent article: Specifying codecs for the web
Perhaps this kind of situation could be resolved by inventing a legal way of flushing out
submarine patents. Someone wanting to develop or standardize something would make a
declaration to the relevant patent offices, and there would then be a period during which
possible patent holders would have to declare themselves, or else hold their peace forever
after.
What objections to this are there?
Posted Dec 13, 2007 0:30 UTC (Thu) by clugstj (subscriber, #4020)
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Those with submarine patents will surely object.
Flushing out submarine patents
Posted Dec 14, 2007 19:15 UTC (Fri) by neiljerram (subscriber, #12005)
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True, but that doesn't count, as they have no justification - either moral, or in terms of the
usual reasoning for the existence of patents - for that "business" model.
Flushing out submarine patents
Posted Dec 13, 2007 3:15 UTC (Thu) by clugstj (subscriber, #4020)
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This could easily backfire. Big companies that wanted to avoid a small guy's patent would put
out a continuous stream of declarations to keep him so busy that he doesn't notice the one
that actually applies to his patent.
Flushing out submarine patents
Posted Dec 14, 2007 19:21 UTC (Fri) by neiljerram (subscriber, #12005)
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Good point; that's a more tricky one. I'll report back if I can think of a solution.