[Asterisk-Users] Digium and mailing lists

[Steve Underwood]

Kevin Walsh wrote:

>I seem to remember you asking several people to do some research
>before asking dumb questions.  It's probably about time for me to
>suggest that you take your own advice.
>
>If you do, you'll find that "signal processing" algorithms, in fact
>all forms of mathematics, are NOT PATENTABLE in the free world.
>(Americans don't understand freedom.)
>  
>
Correct. Signal processing algorithms are not patentable in most places. 
Applied signal processing methods are. Don't twist what I said to suit 
your argument. Just look up the patent databases. The trick is to make 
the patent general enough you can't work around it, yet narrow enough it 
won't get rejected. There are plenty of road blocks granted outside the US.

>To use your own example, a physical device that implements a signal
>processing function may be patentable, but the general function that
>the device performs is not (well, not in the free world, anyway).  The
>reason for this is to allow someone may invent a new way of doing the
>same thing, rather than locking up the whole idea and handing exclusive
>control to a monopolist.
>  
>
Patent specifically are to lock things up under the control of a 
monopolist for a limited period. What other purpose could they possibly 
have? :-\

Look up a few patents and see how the physical devices are described. 
They are carefully worded, in all but the most inept patents, to cover 
pretty much any realisation of the method.

Regards,
Steve