Les brevets sur les logiciels et leur danger pour le shareware

Europe Shareware software patents newsletter #10
30 October 2003

Webpage: http://www.europe-shareware.org/pages/brevets/brevets.fr.html
PDF    : http://www.europe-shareware.org/pages/brevets/newsletter10.us.pdf
Archive: http://www.europe-shareware.org/pages/brevets/newsletter10.us.html


CONTENTS:

1. IP enforcement directive: JURI report 

2. Web administration of computer systems patented

3. Latests news on the Eolas 'plugin' patent case

4. Paypal sues Bank One over online bill-payment patent

5. Patent on customization of network documents

6. Timeline patents data mart automation

7. Spam distribution patented

8. New Amazon patent on user interfaces

9. German Multimedia Federation supports EU Parliament's amendments

10. SPD expert supports EU Parliament's vote




----
1. IP enforcement directive: JURI report 

An EU directive on the enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR)
is actually on the European Parliament agenda.
The directive proposal included patents. That would have meant that
infringing a patent would be as grave as infringing a copyright.
While you wishfully (in most cases) infringe a copyright you almost never
know when you infringe a patent (as we've seen in the software patents
debate).

Fortunately our - to confirme - victory in the software patents debate
had a very good effect on the Members of the European Parliament's minds.


In her report for the JURI commission, MEP Janelly Fourtou is proposing
to exclude patents from the range of IP that the measures would apply to. 

To download the report:
http://www.europarl.eu.int/meetdocs/committees/juri/20031001/498789EN.pdf

We still need to be very cautious about this directive, but I can say
that Europe Shareware welcomes this report and supports the view that
patents are different matter which can't be treated like other IPR.




----
2. Internet administration of computer systems patented

Patent: US 6,636,857

http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?
Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=/netahtml/
srchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=6,636,857.WKU.&OS=PN/6,636,857&RS=PN/6,636,857

The Texas firm Bluecurrent has been granted on October 21 a patent on the
remote administration of computer systems through internet. Such basic
features as remote software installation, updates and installation of a
user environment on a new computer. Any company using such administration
scheme must pay Bluecurrent 15.00 USD per computer.



"US-Patent auf Systemverwaltung per Internet"
http://www.heise.de/newsticker/data/boi-22.10.03-002/

A few quotes:

  « Bluecurrent hält dennoch an seiner 
    "Geschäftsidee" fest, betonte die Firma 
    gegenüber dem Wall Street Journal, und will 
    Unternehmen, die gegen das Patent verstoßen, 
    innerhalb der nächsten 45 Tage vor den Kadi 
    zerren. »




----
3. Latests news on the Eolas 'plugin' patent case

Patent: US 5,838,906

http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?
Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=/netahtml/search-
bool.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=ptxt&s1=5,838,906.WKU.&OS=PN/
5,838,906&RS=PN/5,838,906


- W3C asks the USPTO to remove Eolas' 'plugin' patent

"World Wide Web Consortium Presents US Patent Office with Evidence 
Invalidating Eolas Patent"
http://www.w3.org/2003/10/27-rogan.html

Here you find the press release from the W3C where Tim Berners-Lee urges
USPTO president James E. Rogan to reexaminate Eolas' patent.

A few quotes:

  « "W3C urges the USPTO to initiate a 
    reexamination of the '906 patent in order to 
    prevent substantial economic and technical 
    damage to the operation of World Wide Web," »

  « "The impact of this patent will be felt not 
    only by those who are alleged to directly 
    infringe, but all whose web pages and 
    application rely on the stable, 
    standards-based operation of browsers 
    threatened by this patent. In many cases, 
    those who will be forced to incur the cost 
    of modifying Web pages or software 
    applications do not even themselves infringe 
    the patent - assuming it is even valid. »

"Detailed Filing"
http://www.w3.org/2003/10/301-filing.html


"Zum Schutz des Web: das W3C gegen das Eolas-Patent"
http://www.heise.de/newsticker/data/hps-29.10.03-000/

Here you find the article from Heise about the W3C's letter to the USPTO.



- "Browserpatent mit Breiteneffekt"
http://www.telepolis.de/deutsch/inhalt/te/15848/1.html

The german website Heise ran a very good article summarizing the Eolas case.

Here are a few quotes:

  « Es geht darin um jegliche "hypermedialen" 
    Dokumente, die mit Hilfe einer Browser-
    Applikation in einem Netzwerk zwischen Client 
    und Server gestartet werden. »

  « Deutlich problematischer würde das Vorhaben 
    der Redmonder aber, wenn der Nutzer das Laden 
    aller erdenklichen Applets und Flash-Bildchen 
    erst gesondert für gut heißen müsste. Dem 
    Besuch einer einzigen hochgerüsteten Website 
    würde dann eine ganze Klickorgie vorausgehen. »

  « Zumal müssten vermutlich Millionen von 
    Homepages umgeschrieben werden, um das Patent 
    wirklich zu umgehen. »

  « Einer potenziellen Ironie der ganzen 
    Geschichte dürfte aber auch der Forscher nur 
    wenig entgegenhalten können: Microsoft bleibt 
    als Ausweg aus dem Schlamassel schließlich 
    auch noch die Möglichkeit, weitere 
    multimediale Funktionen direkt in den Browser 
    zu integrieren. Ganz ohne Applets und 
    Plug-ins. Die Übermacht der Redmonder auf der 
    Basisebene des Webs würde damit wohl weiter 
    zementiert. »




----
4. PayPal sues Bank One over online bill-payment patent

"PayPal files lawsuit against Bank One"
www.chicagotribune.com/technology/chi-0310010335oct01,0,310124.story?
coll=chi-technology-hed

EBay's PayPal unit sues Bank One over online bill-payment patent infringement.
This patent has been granted by the US Patent Office in 1998.




----
5. Patent on customization of network documents

Patent: US 6,632,248

http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?
Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=/netahtml/
srchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=6,632,248.WKU.&OS=PN/6,632,248&RS=PN/6,632,248

Microsoft was granted a patent on the customization of network documents.
This patent seems to be aimed at Yahoo! and its MyYahoo! service which
offers since a few years exactly what the patent describes. 


Abstract:

  « User-selected customization information for 
    a network (e.g., HTML) document is stored at 
    a server with reference to user identifying 
    information that uniquely identifies the 
    user. Whenever the user navigates back to 
    the network address of the HTML document, 
    the user is identified automatically and 
    receives a customized HTML document formed 
    in accordance with the customization 
    information. »




----
6. Timeline patents data mart automation

Patent: US 6,631,382

http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?
Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=/netahtml/search-
bool.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=ptxt&s1=6,631,382.WKU.&OS=PN/
6,631,382&RS=PN/6,631,382


"Timeline Receives Sixth U.S. Patent for Data Mart Automation"
http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/031007/75706_1.html

Timeline Inc. has been granted its sixth US Patent on data mart
automation, that is to say financial reporting software.
This patent contains 30 new claims, bringing the total number of claims
to 137.


Abstract:

  « Data retrieval method and apparatus with 
    multiple source capability »

  « Generation of output or reports on 
    information contained in a data source which 
    may be any of two or more types of source 
    data, in a standardized or uniform manner is 
    provided. A plurality of drivers are provided 
    specific to different types of source data 
    which include programming for identifying 
    structural or other characteristics of the 
    various data sources, e.g. for use in 
    defining a new database. Preferably the new 
    database is configured to permit highly 
    flexible and/or rapid output or reporting or 
    is otherwise optimized for reporting 
    purposes. In one embodiment, the present 
    invention includes conversion of one or more 
    data sources into one or more uniform 
    databases, preferably generating one or more 
    key categories for organizing the data, 
    optionally generating category groupings or 
    rollups and additional data or optional 
    references. In one embodiment, one or more 
    databases are created which have a degree of 
    uniformity of structure, even though they may 
    be based on two or more different data sources 
    which may have very different structures. 
    The different data sources are automatically 
    analyzed and this analysis can be used to 
    identify and/or create categories of data for 
    use in organizing the database. »




----
7. Spam distribution patented

Patent: US 6,631,400

http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?
Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=/netahtml/
srchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=6,631,400.WKU.&OS=PN/6,631,400&RS=PN/6,631,400


Abstract:

  « A method for managing bulk e-mail 
    distribution can include the steps of 
    matching a target recipient profile with a 
    group of target recipients; transmitting a 
    set of bulk e-mails to the target recipients 
    in the matched group; and, calculating a 
    quantity of e-mails in the set of bulk 
    e-mails which have been successfully received 
    by the target recipients. If the calculated 
    quantity does not exceed a prescribed minimum 
    quantity of successfully received e-mails, 
    the matching, transmitting and calculating 
    steps can be repeated until the calculated 
    quantity exceeds the prescribed minimum 
    quantity.
    Notably, in the preferred embodiment, the 
    group of target recipients is an opt-in list. »




----
8. New Amazon patent on user interfaces

http://appft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?
Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PG01&p=1&u=
%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.html&r=1&
f=G&l=50&s1=%2220030200156%22.PGNR.&OS=DN/20030200156&RS=DN/20030200156

Amazon applies for a patent on the user interface of its webstore. 


Abstract:

  « User interfaces and methods for facilitating user-to-user sales »

  « An online marketplace system provides various 
    features for assisting users in listing 
    products for sale, locating the listings for 
    a product, and performing related actions. A 
    user wishing to sell a product can browse to 
    an existing description of the product in an 
    electronic catalog and then select an option 
    to create a corresponding listing. If the 
    user previously purchased the product via the 
    system, the user may alternatively select the 
    product from a personal purchase history. 
    To create the listing for the selected 
    product, the user preferably specifies the 
    product's condition and a selling price. The 
    pending listings for a product are preferably 
    displayed or summarized on the product's 
    detail page in the catalog. When no such 
    listings exist, an option to preorder the 
    product from an unspecified seller may be 
    provided. In one embodiment, the catalog 
    also servers as a retail sales catalog of 
    an online merchant. »




----
9. German Multimedia Federation supports EU Parliament's amendments

"EU-Parlament erhält Unterstützung bei Software-Patenten (Update)"
http://www.heise.de/newsticker/data/anw-23.10.03-004/

The 'Deutsche Multimedia Verband' (DMV), which comprise many SMEs,
welcomes the EU Parliament's amendments made to the software patents
directive. Therefore the DMV asks the Ministers of the EU to support
these amendments during the Council of Ministers' vote on this directive.


A few quotes:

  « Die mittelständische Softwareindustrie sehe 
    in ihr einen "guten Kompromiss zwischen der 
    internationalen Wettbewerbsfähigkeit Europas, 
    zu der grundsätzlich auch der Patentschutz 
    gehört, und dem Interesse gerade kleinerer 
    Unternehmen" »

  « "Mit den neuen Formulierungen in Artikel 2 
    ist eine computerimplementierte Erfindung 
    klar definiert und es kann nach unserer 
    Ansicht auch nicht über Umwege ein 
    'Datenverarbeitungsprogramm', also alleine 
    die Software, in den Genuss des 
    Patentschutzes gelangen. »

  « Im Gegenzug ist nach unserer Ansicht die 
    Möglichkeit einer Patentierung für die 
    Bereiche, in denen dies auch aus 
    wettbewerbspolitischen Gründen notwendig 
    ist, weiter möglich", kommentiert 
    dmmv- Vizepräsident Rudi Gallist das 
    Parlamentsvotum. »




----
10. SPD expert supports EU Parliament's vote

"SPD-Experte fordert Respekt vor Softwarepatent-Votum des EU-Parlaments"
http://www.heise.de/newsticker/data/jk-28.10.03-004/

Following some pressures from the software patents lobby on the Council
of Ministers to drop EU Parliament's amendments, Jörg Tauss of the German
Socialist Party (SPD) says that the vote of the Members of the European
Parliament must be respected. 
Heise quotes some parts of his letter to Romano Prodi (President of the
EU Commission).


A few quotes:

  « "Diese Form der Kritik an einem Votum eines 
    direkt gewählten europäischen 
    Gesetzgebungsorgans" sei selbst bei einer 
    -- demokratisch sinnvollen -- kontroversen 
    Auseinandersetzung in Sachfragen "in 
    höchstem Maße unangemessen", empört sich 
    Tauss. »

  « Seiner Entrüstung hat der Medienexperte der 
    SPD in einem Schreiben an 
    Kommissionspräsident Romano Prodi Luft 
    gemacht, das heise online vorliegt. Darin 
    bittet Tauss den Italiener, "im weiteren 
    Verfahren in dieser Angelegenheit mäßigend 
    auf Herrn Bolkestein einzuwirken." Er 
    selbst begrüße "im Wesentlichen die 
    Änderungen des Europäischen Parlamentes 
    an dem Kommissions-Vorschlag." »

  « Sie seien ein Schritt in die richtige 
    Richtung "im Sinne unserer drei politischen 
    Hauptforderungen bei der Frage der 
    Patentierbarkeit von Softwareprodukten: dem 
    effektiven Ausschluss von Trivialpatenten, 
    der Berücksichtigung der wachsenden 
    Interoperabilitätsanforderungen und der 
    Sicherung verlässlicher Rahmenbedingungen 
    für Open-Source-Entwicklungskonzepte". » 

 

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