[Asterisk-Users] Asterisk Fax

[Steve Underwood]

Hi Lee,

Lee Howard wrote:

> Brian West wrote:
>
>> Just an FYI http://www.groklaw.net/article.php?story=2005080914234645
>
>
>
> Although Groklaw seems to think that these suits are about faxing, I 
> don't think that they really are.  See:
>
>  http://www.hylafax.org/archive/2005-08/msg00107.html

That message isn't really well thought out, and seems more wishful 
thinking than analysis. You are correct that what Asterisk does is not 
relevant to the patents, as it is too new. The rest of what you said 
doesn't make a lot of sense. Be assured, the people being sued are in 
the FAX business. This is very much about FAX. I used to do a lot of 
store and forward voice mail and FAX through e-mail and proprietary 
communications in the mid 90's. However these days there is really 
little need to do this with voice. Store and forward now is pretty much 
only about FAX.

DID type FAX and voice to a retrieval box, and FAX and voice to e-mail 
has been used heavily for a long time. Also FAX to e-mail to FAX, very 
much like T.37 is old. I did that in 1994, and I didn't think it was 
very novel at the time. One of those patents has its  origin in 1988, 
but Brian West has found www.pan.com proudly claim they did FAX to 
e-mail and e-mail to FAX gatewaying in 1987. :-) With enough searching I 
think they patents can be shot down thoroughly. However, you can never 
count on that, even if the evidence is clear and overwhealming.

Regards,
Steve