REX, updates, patents and prior art

Hi all,

some of you may be aware that France Telecom has, according to the W3C patent policy, disclosed patents and patent applications which they claim cover functionalities which are essential for implementing the REX specification. A list of the patents and applications is available at http://www.w3.org/2004/01/pp-impl/38482/status#current-disclosures

There is now a W3C Patent Advisory Group looking at various approaches that would enable us to develop a royalty-free specification if possible. Among the various steps that we are taking, one is to look for any indications of "prior art" - that is, implementations that were made before the patent application was lodged.

So, if you know of an implementation of something you believe is the same as what one or more of the Patent documents describe, that predates the applications, we would like to hear about it as part of the input to how we proceed. In the first instance, please mail me with details and I will pass them on. They may be listed on a public web page if we feel they are important to the particular issues at hand.

Note that neither I nor W3C make nor imply any comment whatsoever on the relevance or validity of France Telecom's claims. 

We are merely seeking to better understand the context within which we analyse those claims and the options avalable to the relevant working groups as we try to ensure that the fundamental technology of the web can be freely implemented.

Thanks in advance for your help

Chaals (with his chair hat on).

-- 
  Charles McCathieNevile, Opera Software: Standards Group
  hablo español  -  je parle français  -  jeg lærer norsk
chaals@opera.com          Try Opera 9.1     http://opera.com

Received on Monday, 26 February 2007 00:15:50 UTC