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0 pointspgeorgi2y ago0 comments

No codec (or any other technical development, really - edit: except for 20+ years old stuff, and only if you don't add any, even "obvious" improvements) is known patent free, or clear on "who owns what."

Folks set up pools all the time, but somehow they never offer indemnification for completeness of the pool - because they can't.

See https://en.kangxin.com/html/2/218/219/220/11565.html for a few examples how the patent pool extortion scheme already went wrong in the past.

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7 comments · 2 top-level

dogma11382y ago· 4 in thread

No one said that Opus is the only one suffering from licensing ambiguity, but comparing it to say AptX and its variants which do have a clear one stop shop for licensing (Qualcomm) it’s a much riskier venture especially when it comes to hardware.

pgeorgiOP2y ago

A drive-by patent owner can show up on anything, and if they don't want to license to you, your entire product is bust.

Even if it's AptX and Qualcomm issues you a license in exchange for money. I wouldn't even bet on being able to claw back these license costs after being ordered to destroy your AptX-equipped product after it ran into somebody else's patent.

The risk that this happens is _exactly_ the same for Opus or AptX.

tux32y ago

Making a patent troll is just a matter of putting up a press release and a web page.

I could claim to have a long list of patents against AptX. Anyone could.

Of course I'm not willing to disclose the list of patents at this time, but customers looking to be extorted may contact me privately.

rockdoe2y ago

FhG and Dolby did eventually put up a list of patents you are licensing from them.

It makes for some funny reading if you're familiar with the field. (This should not be construed as legal advice as to the validity of the pool)

bdowling2y ago

At least in the U.S., anyone can look up all the patents a person/entity owns. So, your fraud wouldn’t get very far.

https://assignment.uspto.gov/patent/index.html#/patent/searc...

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xoa2y ago· 1 in thread

FWIW, submarine patents are long dead, so it is possible to feel assured that old enough stuff is patent free. Of course that denies a lot of important improvements, but due to diminishing returns and the ramp of tech development it's still ever more significant. A lot of key stuff is going to lose monopoly lock this decade.

pgeorgiOP2y ago

You're right. I could still amend the post, so I added the 20+ years caveat. Thanks!

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7 comments · 2 top-level

dogma11382y ago· 4 in thread

pgeorgiOP2y ago

A drive-by patent owner can show up on anything, and if they don't want to license to you, your entire product is bust.

The risk that this happens is _exactly_ the same for Opus or AptX.

tux32y ago

Making a patent troll is just a matter of putting up a press release and a web page.

I could claim to have a long list of patents against AptX. Anyone could.

Of course I'm not willing to disclose the list of patents at this time, but customers looking to be extorted may contact me privately.

rockdoe2y ago

FhG and Dolby did eventually put up a list of patents you are licensing from them.

It makes for some funny reading if you're familiar with the field. (This should not be construed as legal advice as to the validity of the pool)

bdowling2y ago

At least in the U.S., anyone can look up all the patents a person/entity owns. So, your fraud wouldn’t get very far.

https://assignment.uspto.gov/patent/index.html#/patent/searc...

1 more reply

xoa2y ago· 1 in thread

pgeorgiOP2y ago

You're right. I could still amend the post, so I added the 20+ years caveat. Thanks!

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse