Re: A note from the acting chair: Patents and the P1788 working group
Dear P1788 members,
On 12/27/08 3:50 PM, "R. Baker Kearfott" <rbk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> 1. Anyone with knowledge of a patent that could have a bearing
> on the standard should point it out.
If I do an advanced search at the US Patent and Trademark Office:
http://patft1.uspto.gov/netahtml/PTO/search-adv.htm
For "IN/walster and in/william"
I get 29 patents issued to Bill Walster, et al., and assigned to Sun
Microsystems:
7,296,047 Full-Text Method and apparatus for solving overdetermined
systems of interval linear equations
7,289,122 Full-Text Method and apparatus for approximating an
arbitrary shape with a closed Bezier curve
7,222,146 Full-Text Method and apparatus for facilitating
exception-free arithmetic in a computer system
7,222,145 Full-Text Method and apparatus for solving systems of
equations in fixed-point form
7,171,343 Full-Text Computing interval parameter bounds from
fallible measurements using systems of nonlinear equations
7,099,851 Full-Text Applying term consistency to an equality
constrained interval global optimization problem
7,062,524 Full-Text Method and apparatus for solving an inequality
constrained global optimization problem
7,028,065 Full-Text Applying term consistency to an inequality
constrained interval global optimization problem
7,028,016 Full-Text Applying term consistency to the solution of
unconstrained interval global optimization problems
6,993,548 Full-Text Method and apparatus for bounding the solution
set of a system of linear equations
6,976,048 Full-Text Method and apparatus solving problems having
interval parameters
6,961,743 Full-Text Method and apparatus for solving an equality
constrained global optimization problem
6,950,844 Full-Text Method and apparatus for solving systems of
linear inequalities
6,922,713 Full-Text Method and apparatus for solving an
unconstrained global optimization problem
6,920,472 Full-Text Termination criteria for the interval version of
Newton's method for solving systems of non-linear equations
6,915,321 Full-Text Method and apparatus for solving systems of
nonlinear equations using interval arithmetic
6,915,320 Full-Text Termination criteria for the one-dimensional
interval version of newton's method
6,895,574 Full-Text Method and apparatus for automatically producing
efficient code for computing derivatives
6,895,422 Full-Text Method and apparatus for computing roots of a
polynomial equation with interval coefficients
6,859,817 Full-Text Solving systems of nonlinear equations using
interval arithmetic and term consistency
6,842,764 Full-Text Minimum and maximum operations to facilitate
interval multiplication and/or interval division
6,823,352 Full-Text Solving a nonlinear equation through interval
arithmetic and term consistency
6,779,006 Full-Text Performing dependent subtraction on arithmetic
intervals within a computer system
6,751,638 Full-Text Min and max operations for multiplication and/or
division under the simple interval system
6,728,953 Full-Text Selectively enabling expression folding during
program compilation
6,668,268 Full-Text Method and apparatus for compiling dependent
subtraction operations on arithmetic intervals
6,658,444 Full-Text Method and apparatus for performing a
mask-driven interval division operation
6,658,443 Full-Text Method and apparatus for representing arithmetic
intervals within a computer system
6,629,120 Full-Text Method and apparatus for performing a
mask-driven interval multiplication operation
Several of those concern algorithms that probably are beyond the likely
scope of a P1788 standard. In my opinion, the following patents ARE within
the likely scope of a standard:
7,222,146 Full-Text Method and apparatus for facilitating
exception-free arithmetic in a computer system
6,842,764 Full-Text Minimum and maximum operations to facilitate
interval multiplication and/or interval division
6,823,352 Full-Text Solving a nonlinear equation through interval
arithmetic and term consistency
6,779,006 Full-Text Performing dependent subtraction on arithmetic
intervals within a computer system
6,751,638 Full-Text Min and max operations for multiplication and/or
division under the simple interval system
6,728,953 Full-Text Selectively enabling expression folding during
program compilation
6,668,268 Full-Text Method and apparatus for compiling dependent
subtraction operations on arithmetic intervals
6,658,444 Full-Text Method and apparatus for performing a
mask-driven interval division operation
6,658,443 Full-Text Method and apparatus for representing arithmetic
intervals within a computer system
6,629,120 Full-Text Method and apparatus for performing a
mask-driven interval multiplication operation
If I search for other interval patents assigned to Sun:
(ttl/interval or abst/interval) and an/"sun microsystems" andnot abst/time
I get no additional hits.
I join Baker in apologizing for earlier comments which should not have been
made in this forum.
Dr. George F. Corliss
Electrical & Computer Engineering
Haggerty Engineering #296
Marquette University
P.O. Box 1881
1515 W. Wisconsin Ave.
Milwaukee WI 53201-1881
George.Corliss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
414-288-6599; -288-4400 (GasDay); -288-5579 (Fax)
Www.eng.mu.edu/corlissg
> Dear P1788 members,
>
> I have started to study IEEE policy concerning patents, and
> the issue is being discussed among the officers. Along these
> lines, the IEEE requires the chair to issue a "call for patents"
> at the beginning of each meeting. The call for patents includes
> showing the slides that I have attached. Please study them
> for yourself.
>
> I have gathered that:
>
> 0. The chair should issue a "call for patents" at the beginning
> of each meeting.
>
> 1. Anyone with knowledge of a patent that could have a bearing
> on the standard should point it out.
>
> 2. Under certain conditions, a patent holder should submit a
> Letter of Assurance to IEEE. I have also attached the
> letter of assurance form, to be filled out by patent
> holders. (The letter of assurance is probably a good idea for
> someone who might have an "essential patent claim," where "essential
> patent claim" means one such that the standard cannot be
> implemented without a license corresponding to that patent.)
>
> 3. The secretary should record patents that are mentioned.
>
> 4. See the last slide in the attached slides. In particular, there
> are certain things that should not be discussed at meetings,
> including interpretation, validity, or essentiality of patent
> claims. Furthermore, people should object if such things are
> discussed.
>
> Since we intend to conduct substantial business by email, we
> need to adhere to these rules. I suggest that, instead of
> the "call for patents" at the beginning of each meeting, the
> chair (or acting chair) issue an official call for patents
> quarterly. That said, here is my view of how we are doing
> so far with these procedures:
>
> 0. Bob Davis has, essentially, issued a "call for patents"
> with his informal inquiry about whether interval arithmetic
> can be implemented without patent licenses. Consider
> this email to be a corresponding formal call for patents.
>
> 1. Arnold Neumaier, Siegfried Rump, Nate Hayes, and others
> have contributed their knowledge of patents. In particular,
> Arnold has listed all of the patents of which he is aware,
> and Nate has explained patents that Sunfish Studios owns.
>
> 2. I suggest that Sunfish Studios submit a Letter of Assurance.
> (The form is the second attachment to this email.) As far
> as I can tell, this document is mainly a statement that
> there is a patent that potentially impacts the standard,
> and a statement of the patent holder's position regarding
> licensing, but does not obligate or constrain the holder.
> However, please read it and interpret it yourself.
>
> Sun Microsystems should also probably submit a Letter of Assurance.
> (David Hough: Can you do that?)
>
> 3. I will contact William Edmonson (our secretary) concerning
> required recording into the minutes of the patents that
> have been mentioned.
>
> 4. Regarding inappropriate discussion, I feel we have failed
> somewhat in this regard. In particular, several of us
> (me included, unfortunately) have discussed interpretation,
> validity, and essentiality of patents. This is against
> IEEE policy at meetings, and, since postings to this
> mailing list constitute both formal proceedings and discussion
> at an "electronic meeting," we should not discuss such things
> further on the stds-1788 list. (Of course, private discussion
> cannot be prohibited, but it shouldn't be posted on the IEEE
> list.) I am sorry that I did not catch this policy sooner,
> and I apologize for violating it myself.
>
> As far as I can tell so far, the actual standard wording is
> not constrained by patents, but implementation of it may be.
> (I am continuing to study IEEE policies and documents.)
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Baker
> --
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------
> R. Baker Kearfott, rbk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx (337) 482-5346 (fax)
> (337) 482-5270 (work) (337) 993-1827 (home)
> URL: http://interval.louisiana.edu/kearfott.html
> Department of Mathematics, University of Louisiana at Lafayette
> (Room 217 Maxim D. Doucet Hall, 1403 Johnston Street)
> Box 4-1010, Lafayette, LA 70504-1010, USA
> ---------------------------------------------------------------
>