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Hugin and patents
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| Source code as such (certainly in the case
| of compiled languages) does not implement
| an invention â it merely describes an
| algorithm. As such, I believe that the
| source code of a Free Software
| implementation of some patented algorithm
| (as if it makes sense to patent an idea,
| but hey, some patent offices hand these
| things out) cannot infringe the patent
| even if you accept the validity of
| algorithmic patents because itâs just
| describing something that has already been
| published â the patent text itself! On the
| other hand, compiled forms of the same do
| implement the algorithm in a machine and
| might be covered. Iâm not sure if anyone
| has really dug into the implications of
| the division between source and object
| code in this area.
|
| In cases like this, the Open Invention
| Network might be of use. Itâs a patent
| pool organization for Linux. Since Hugin
| isnât part of Linux (as in, the kernel
| bits) itâs unlikely to be helped out
| directly. The OIN folks are some of the
| most pragmatic and sensible people Iâve
| talked to about the effect (negative)
| software patents have on us all.
|
| [...]
|
| While looking for the SIFT patent, I did
| find US patent numbers 7,639,897 and
| 7,711,262 which both cover guiding a user
| of a digital camera in making a panorama
| photo. They seem awfully similar to me,
| although obviously thereâs a giant
| difference (sarcasm doesnât work in
| writing unless Penny Arcade does it)
| between sweeping a scene and then re-
| photographing it and indicating already-
| photographed areas as the scene is swept.
| I guess thereâs no patent yet on not
| helping at all.
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http://blogs.fsfe.org/adridg/?p=869
New iPhone Patents Extend Apple's Control Over Apps, Potentially Squeezing Out Many Developers
http://industry.bnet.com/technology/10007982/apples-iphone-os-40-patents-throttle-third-party-apps/
Apple Looking Into Location-Temporary Apps
http://macapper.com/2010/05/18/apple-looking-into-location-temporary-apps/
Recent:
Apple Patent filing portends Google ad war
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| Apple has filed a patent to enable info and
| apps to be automagically loaded onto your
| iPhone/Pod/Pad based on your location - but
| exactly how it would affect location-based
| ads remains fuzzy.
|
| The patent application, "Location Specific
| Content", was published by the US Patent and
| Trademark office this Thursday, after
| originally being filed in November of 2008.
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http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/05/14/apple_location_specific_content_patent/
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