RE: How can we submit code patches that implement our (pending) patents?

From: "Tsunakawa, Takayuki" <tsunakawa(dot)takay(at)jp(dot)fujitsu(dot)com>
To: 'Nico Williams' <nico(at)cryptonector(dot)com>
Cc: Andres Freund <andres(at)anarazel(dot)de>, David Fetter <david(at)fetter(dot)org>, 'Craig Ringer' <craig(at)2ndquadrant(dot)com>, "pgsql-hackers(at)lists(dot)postgresql(dot)org" <pgsql-hackers(at)lists(dot)postgresql(dot)org>
Subject: RE: How can we submit code patches that implement our (pending) patents?
Date: 2018-07-12 00:29:12
Message-ID: 0A3221C70F24FB45833433255569204D1FA4E121@G01JPEXMBYT05
Views: Raw Message | Whole Thread | Download mbox | Resend email
Thread:
Lists: pgsql-hackers

From: Nico Williams [mailto:nico(at)cryptonector(dot)com]
> You're proposing to include code that implements patented ideas with a
> suitable patent grant. I would be free to not read the patent, but what
> if the code or documents mention the relevant patented algorithms?
>
> If I come across something like this in the PG source code:
>
> /* The following is covered by patents US#... and so on */

I got it. Your concern makes sense.

> My advice is to write up a patent grant that allows all to use the
> relevant patents royalty-free with a no-lawsuit covenant. I.e., make
> only defensive use of your patents.

How can one make defensive use of his patent if he allows everyone to use it royalty-free? Can he use his patent for cross-licensing negotiation if some commercial database vendor accuses his company that PostgreSQL unintentionally infringes that vendor's patent?

Regards
Takayuki Tsunakawa

In response to

Responses

Browse pgsql-hackers by date

  From Date Subject
Next Message Andres Freund 2018-07-12 00:29:28 Re: patch to allow disable of WAL recycling
Previous Message David Pacheco 2018-07-12 00:25:18 Re: patch to allow disable of WAL recycling