Re: [ECOS] OT: Unmining a patent through ecos

[Jonathan Larmour <jifl at jifvik dot org>]

Philippe Fremy wrote:
> Basically, they claim to patent message passing between two "applications" 
> using a reserved memory area and a flag.

They say specifically in the context of smartcards, but of course this is 
at best obvious, but I'm certain (as no doubt are you) that there's prior 
art. I don't know of any people who have done smartcards with eCos 
unfortunately, but maybe they'll speak up.

I feel obliged to observe that the US patent office is a complete waste of 
space, merely rubberstamping anything thrust under their noses and instead 
leaving it to the courts to sort out at massive expense, and frequently 
bullying of smaller businesses.

Unfortunately, the EU has also been threatening software patents for some 
time as well, and I only hope they see sense, but unfortunately like all 
very big government, they listen more to big business than real people and 
small businesses.

The free software community must fight against software patents as they 
are no longer the tool of the small business to preserve their invention, 
but of big business to bully or bankrupt small businesses and discourage 
the spread of information.  There's more information at 
<http://swpat.ffii.org/papers/eubsa-swpat0202/prop/index.en.html> and a 
call for action at 
<http://swpat.ffii.org/papiere/eubsa-swpat0202/appell/index.en.html>.

The EU parliament is meant to be debating this "at the end of this month", 
although I don't know exactly when. So write *now* to your MEP while you 
can still voice an opinion.

US citizens can act too by writing to their government representatives, 
but at the very minimum, there's the Petition Against Software Patents: 
<http://www.petitiononline.com/pasp01/petition.html> )and on a related 
note, the FSF also mentions the Anti-DMCA Petition: 
<http://www.petitiononline.com/nixdmca/petition.html>)

> Do you have anything similar in
> eCos or do you know where I could find public proof that this idea has been 
> used before the patent ? Would be nice if such prior evidence is found on 
> some embedded hardware.

Post to the comp.arch.embedded newsgroup too.

Jifl
--
--[ "You can complain because roses have thorns, or you ]--
--[  can rejoice because thorns have roses." -Lincoln   ]-- Opinions==mine


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