George Neuner <gneuner@dyn.com> wrote:
+---------------
| >Regardless of one's development process or knowledge, if the subsequent
| >result matches the claims, it's infringing.
| 
| It can be technically infringing and yet be allowed.  Proof of clean
| or black box development is a valid defense.
+---------------

Sorry, it is *NOT*, at least not for patents in the U.S.  I think you're
confusing it with copyright. A patent is an exclusive right to manufacture
and sell. Independent reinvention is no defense. (Neither is "obviousness",
at least, once the patent has been granted.)

Many companies (including one I worked for back in the early 80's) who
made CRT display terminals were surprised to get a little letter one day
from RCA because it turned out that RCA had a patent on (roughly) storing
fonts in ROM, and they wanted a cut from every terminal you shipped.
We had good patent attorneys. We still paid...  :-{


-Rob

-----
Rob Warnock, 31-2-510		<rpw3@sgi.com>
SGI Network Engineering		<http://reality.sgi.com/rpw3/> [until 8/15]
1600 Amphitheatre Pkwy.		Phone: 650-933-1673
Mountain View, CA  94043	PP-ASEL-IA

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