Re: [seul-edu] Patent abuse...

[John Munro <jmunro@uvi.edu>]

The validity, reasonableness, rightness of this patent is beyond (my)
belief. 
Isn't there a sanction for patent fraud? 

The concepts mentioned in the patent have been widely used in a multitude
of applications for 25 years.
Ethernet, collision-detection, random-delay retransmission, radio
communication in educational institutions...

Why not patents on a pencil???

This is really discouraging.



At 02:34 PM 10/24/01, you wrote:

> WITHOUT
> PREJUDICE 
>
> Hi 
>
> The world-wide patent equivalent to below is being used in
> the UK to stop educational institutions from using wireless networks to
> collect attendance data or to access it for reporting purposes. One
> education authority in the UK has settled out of court to allow it to
> continue using its wireless network infrastructure. We believe that this
> patent is not applicable on systems that use generic networking
> technology and PCs, but we need something to show to the lawyers.
>
> We would be interested in any evidence of prior electronic
> registration data systems, in particular those that involved a wireless
> data transfer at some point in the process e.g. a point ot point
> microwave link or used standard network protocols (TCP/IP, IPX) or
> applications (telnet , ftp, http). Of greatest interest are systems that
> can be shown to be in use before 1993, but also anything that is well
> established is useful.
>
> It seems likely the late addition of the world patent is a
> possible moneyspinner for a company whose primary product has been
> outclassed by standard PC based apps. 
>
> All help appreciated. 
>
> Regards 
>
> Chris Puttick 
>
> http://164.195.100.11/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=/netahtml/srchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=%275956696%27.WKU.&OS=PN/5956696&RS=PN/5956696