Microsoft patents by Brian Jones

Summary:

For fun we just did a quick search of published US patent applications with "Brian Jones" as an author, and "Microsoft" as the assignee.

Microsoft patents by Brian Jones

pieterh 14 Jan 2008 18:05

We see the following for US patents published since ODF was approved:

• US20060271574A1 - Exposing embedded data in a computer-generated document
• US20060259854A1 - Structuring an electronic document for efficient identification and use of document parts
• US20060206794A1 - Method and apparatus for maintaining relationships between parts in a package
• US20060190815A1 - Structuring data for word processing documents
• US20060149785A1 - Method and Apparatus for Maintaining Relationships Between Parts in a Package
• US20060149758A1 - Method and Apparatus for Maintaining Relationships Between Parts in a Package
• US20060143459A1 - Method and system for managing personally identifiable information and sensitive information in an application-independent manner
• US20060143195A1 - Method and Apparatus for Maintaining Relationships Between Parts in a Package
• US20060136816A1 - File formats, methods, and computer program products for representing documents
• US20060136812A1 - Method and system for linking data ranges of a computer-generated document with associated extensible markup language elements
• US20060136553A1 - Method and system for exposing nested data in a computer-generated document in a transparent manner
• US20060136477A1 - Management and use of data in a computer-generated document
• US20060136432A1 - Method and system for controlling software to facilitate cross-version collaboration of files
• US20060107225A1 - Method and computer-readable medium for interacting with a portion of an electronic document
• US20050278272A1 - Method and apparatus for maintaining relationships between parts in a package
• US20050268221A1 - Modular document format
• US20050149861A1 - Context-free document portions with alternate formats
• US20050125720A1 - Programmable object model for namespace or schema library support in a software application

Some of these, like the packing ones, seem to apply directly to OOXML. What isn't clear to us is why Microsoft would pursue patent protection for patents rights that their are promising that they won't assert over users of OOXML.

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Portfolio

Last edited on 14 Jan 2008 18:05 by pieterh Show more

Re: Microsoft patents by Brian Jones

podmokle 14 Jan 2008 18:14

For those interested to look them up:
http://www.google.com/patents

For those Americans interested to stop the US patent hell: Please sign the petition of our American partner campaign AFFII:
http://www.affii.org/

Reasons:
- incentive and performance rating systems inside Microsoft
- tax savings (Ireland!)
- defensive purpose
- stock market ratings: immaterial asset bubble
- …
- the OSP is worthless

?

Re: Microsoft patents by Brian Jones

Ed the Script 16 Jan 2008 15:39

AFFII has problems. I would report the problem there, except I cannot apparently post anywhere.

I believe what they are doing right now to be more harmful than doing nothing - with the site locked the way it is, it makes it look like only four people oppose software patents, when the issue is that they are not allowing anyone to comment.

It could be that they were planning on doing more before letting other people loose on their site, but if that is the case, they should've made it private. But, in any event, I certainly would not direct people to their broken site.

Note: I don't know that the petition itself is locked. However, I see no obvious way for users to see the comments on the petition, and I'm not about to become member 5, on a petition which hasn't had new members in over a month, without being able to say why I'm doing so. And if there's a non-obvious method to get the list, it doesn't matter, because ordinary visitors to the site would not spend the time to find a non-obvious method of seeing the comments.

Microsoft has a track record of allegedly breaking actual signed contracts - they've been sued for it numerous times. When they publish a document which claims to be an assertion they won't enforce patents, but does not have the signatures of anyone, let alone the majority of board members (including Bill) I would require to feel comfortable about it, who would believe them?

Re: Microsoft patents by Brian Jones

pieterh 17 Jan 2008 10:35

Thanks for noting the problems with affii.org. I've notified the site admins and the problems have been fixed. You should be able to post stories, and contact the team.

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Portfolio

Re: Microsoft patents by Brian Jones

zoobab 14 Jan 2008 19:25

Maybe they are part of the 45 patents that Microsoft claims Open Office violates (cfr CNN Money: Microsoft takes on the free world):

At the same time, Smith was having Microsoft's lawyers figure out how many of its patents were being infringed by free and open-source software. Gutierrez refuses to identify specific patents or explain how they're being infringed, lest FOSS advocates start filing challenges to them.

But he does break down the total number allegedly violated - 235 - into categories. He says that the Linux kernel - the deepest layer of the free operating system, which interacts most directly with the computer hardware - violates 42 Microsoft patents. The Linux graphical user interfaces - essentially, the way design elements like menus and toolbars are set up - run afoul of another 65, he claims. The Open Office suite of programs, which is analogous to Microsoft Office, infringes 45 more. E-mail programs infringe 15, while other assorted FOSS programs allegedly transgress 68.

Re: Microsoft patents by Brian Jones

zoobab 14 Jan 2008 19:29

And also remember that Microsoft leaves the option open to litigate them, as Bill Hilf said in an interview given to InformationWeek:

"Would we or could we ever litigate, yeah sure, it's always an option," says Hilf.

Last edited on 14 Jan 2008 19:29 by zoobab Show more

Re: Microsoft patents by Brian Jones

yuhong 21 Jan 2008 02:33

And that is where the problems of the MS-Novell deal comes from. If MS do litigate them and succeeds, the result could be that Linux is made effectively non-free software.