[Asterisk-Users] [ot] Grandstream hardware

[Nicolas Bougues]

On Tue, Jan 20, 2004 at 08:57:32AM -0600, Eric Wieling wrote:
> On Tue, 2004-01-20 at 01:12, Nicolas Bougues wrote:
> 
> Yes, but with a Pentium you don't have to pay a license to use MMX in
> your software, since the MMX instructions are part of the product you
> are allowed to use them with that product.
> 

MMX is not an algorithm. It's an instruction set. I'm not sure whether
there is a patent about it, but sure Intel grants you the right to use
the MMX instructions on their chips.

> If I understand things correctly, the companies that make DSP chips can
> implement whatever codec(s) they want and NOT have to pay the patent
> holders to sell this product with the patent holder's codec in it?
> 

DSP are really processors. Just like your favourite pentium or AMD
device. The only difference is that DSP (usually) have special
instructions set designed to ease the development of programs
performing repetitive (often mathematical) operations on continuous
data set.

But for instance in GS devices, the main CPU *is* a DSP, simply
because :
- this DSP can do all the CPU tasks (read, non signal processing
  tasks)
- it was the cheapest option

> I ask again, how does Grandstream (from all accounts a very small
> company) afford to provide the patented codecs in their products?
> 

What's odd about that ? They are licensing software "bricks" from one
or more DSP *software* vendors. These vendors probably take care of
the patent issues themselves. But bear in mind that these vendors are
*not* the DSP vendor (TI, in the present case). Hardware vendors sell
hardware. Software vendors sell licensing, which include patent rights.

That kind of agreement usually involves an upfront cost (probably in
the tens of thousand dollars or so), and then a "per seat" cost. Say
a few dollars per phone, for instance. No big deal.

-- 
Nicolas Bougues
Axialys Interactive