Date:         Wednesday, June 24, 1998
From:         Miles Smid
To:           Burt Kaliski
Subject:      Re: P1363 patent update
 
Burt:
 
The following is the NIST response to your EMAIL of March 18, 1998
regarding the P1363 update and NIST patent related questions.
 
1. The NIST patent on DSA is number 5,231,668 entitled "Digital Signature
Standard" which issued on July 27, 1993.  NIST will not seek any royalties
or license fees regarding the use of DSA.
 
2. NIST is not aware of any U.S. patent which might be infringed by the
practice of the invention claimed in its patent on DSA.
 
3. NIST published the SHA for public comment on January 31, 1992.  Since 
NIST did not patent the SHA algorithm, NIST has no rights to license with
respect to the use of SHA or SHA-1.
 
4. NIST is not aware of any U.S. patent which might be infringed by the
use of SHA or SHA-1.
 
I will FAX you the Department of Commerce press release of October 11,    
1994, the NIST Fact Sheet on the Digital Signature Standard, and the Fact 
Sheet on Patent Issues Relating to the Digital Signature Standards dated  
October 11, 1994.  These documents will provide you additional information
on the DSA.  Unfortunately, I do not have this information in electronic
form.  Please send me your FAX number.
 
Sorry to take so long in responding,
 
Miles