tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3574235276633529061.post5349411707657421766..comments2023-03-03T22:50:00.254-08:00Comments on Coder's Central: Why most programmers are wrong about software patents.Jerry Coffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05654532802780255271noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3574235276633529061.post-30659847264612783292012-10-02T11:04:56.106-07:002012-10-02T11:04:56.106-07:00First a warning: it's almost impossible to say...First a warning: it's almost impossible to say much that's intelligent at all about a hypothetical patent on a hypothetical system, without any claims to tell you what the patent really does (and doesn't) cover.<br /><br />That said, many (most?) gas-engine air planes have had exhaust gas temperature gauges and a fuel mixture knob for decades. I'm pretty sure some of have automated that function quite a while ago as well (run the engine as lean as possible without exceeding some safe exhaust gas temperature).<br /><br />As such, to be valid, such a patent would probably have to be quite specific about what was being sensed, what was to be adjusted, thresholds for adjustment, etc.<br /><br />In short, by the time it was specific enough to be valid, it would also become specific enough to rule out application to air conditioning in nuclear submarines.<br /><br />I also generally try to keep a rather simple question in mind: if I replaced software running on a computer with dedicated hardware, would that actually change anything? In your case, it doesn't seem like it would -- which means you're not really arguing against a patent on software, per se, but against patents in general.Jerry Coffinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05654532802780255271noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3574235276633529061.post-73434027186046779212012-09-27T03:37:50.158-07:002012-09-27T03:37:50.158-07:00Hallo Jerry
Your opinion is well argued,
havin...Hallo Jerry<br /><br />Your opinion is well argued, <br /><br />having worked in the field of patents and software patents I do have my doubts about software patents;<br /><br />a long time ago , 20 years or so , somebody had a goog idea to control the fuel amount in cars with a computer /program according to the rich/lean state of the exhaust gas (detected by a so called lamda sensor ;<br /><br />Do You see a problem with a patent for <br /> " a program for a computer for controlling the fuel amount according to the rich/lean state of the exhaust" ??<br /><br />Well<br /><br />1. problem)<br /><br />you can imagine a computrer where the control is built into the hardware and the information in the so called program woud be: giving a 1 or a 0 for executing the hardware control or not ; <br /><br />so what does a specific program look like ???<br />I don´t know, do YOU ?<br /><br /><br />2. problem) <br /><br />You have a patent and you have found a software program that is capable of controlling fuel in the invented way ;<br />can You sue for an infringment ???<br /><br />Well . the computer on which the program is running would be capable of controlling the fuel amount , if connected to the proper input sensors and output actuators, <br />but the computer -as usual- is incapoable of knowing the true origin/destination of inputs/outputs <br /><br />in fact the computer on which the infringing program is running is incapable of controlling the fuel amount in a car because the computer is in a nuclear submarine controlling the air conditioning units <br /><br /><br />Well what is Your software patent really for??<br /><br />I do not know , would You ?<br /><br /><br /><br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10328632593453909881noreply@blogger.com