Newsgroups: sci.crypt
Path: msuinfo!caen!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!qt.cs.utexas.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!world!jeffb
From: jeffb@world.std.com (Jeffrey T Berntsen)
Subject: Re: VCR+ code question: Was it cracked and legal action taken?
Message-ID: <BHrM2v.5vG@world.std.com>
Organization: The World @ Software Tool & Die
References: <1992Jan7.221526.26499@athena.mit.edu> <1992Jan8.214949.4367@news.cs.brandeis.edu> <13806@oasys.dt.navy.mil>
Date: Thu, 9 Jan 1992 15:08:55 GMT

curt@oasys.dt.navy.mil (Curt Welch) writes:

>In sci.crypt, topgun@chaos.cs.brandeis.edu (Chandra Bajpai) writes:
>>I'm curious to see if VCR+ is protected by patents or trade secrets.
>>Can someone who owns a VCR+ look on the device itself, box or manual
>>for a patent # or a Patent Pending/Patent Applied For label.

>The device says Patent Pending.

>>If I'm not mistaken, you must apply the patent # or Patent Pending
>>message on the product by law.  Is this correct?

>I don't think so.  A patent is valid whether you tell people about it or
>not.  And you don't have to enforce it.  You can let people violate your
>patent for years, and then decide one day to enforce it.

[stuff deleted...]

>And, if they have a patent on the algorithm, then the algorithm is
>public knowledge.  I could just get a copy of the patent and post it. 

>They have, or are getting, a patent on the device.  I don't think that
>they will try to use that keep us from releasing our program.  I think
>they are trying to use the copyright laws.  We expect to hear the
>details of their legal position in about a week.  Unless I'm advised
>otherwise, I will post a summary of this.

Last I knew, anything that said "patent pending" was _not_ legally protected
in any way.  Also, why are folks so certain that the applied for patent is to
cover the encryption algorithm?  It might be for a new keypad design or some
other aspect of the unit (a bit of a stretch, I'll admit, but possible).

Jeff Berntsen
jeffb@world.std.com
