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Difference between revisions of "Microsoft FAT patents"
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* [http://www.google.com/patents?id=bUohAAAAEBAJ&dq=5,758,352 US5,758,352] (The [[EPO]] equivalent is EP0618550) | * [http://www.google.com/patents?id=bUohAAAAEBAJ&dq=5,758,352 US5,758,352] (The [[EPO]] equivalent is EP0618550) | ||
− | + | ===Timeline=== | |
+ | * December 2003: MS starts threatening people<ref>http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/12/05/1070351761346.html</ref> | ||
+ | * September 2004: The '517 patent is rejected<ref>http://www.pubpat.org/assets/files/MicrosoftFAT/Reynolds_517_Rejected_040916.PDF</ref> thanks to the work of [[PubPat]]<ref>http://www.pubpat.org/Microsoft_517_Rejected.htm</ref> and others. | ||
+ | * January 2006: The '517 patent is reinstated<ref>http://news.cnet.com/Microsofts-file-system-patent-upheld/2100-1012_3-6025447.html</ref> | ||
+ | * January 2009: [[Microsoft vs. TomTom, 2008|Microsoft uses it's FAT patents against TomTom]] | ||
==In [[Europe]]== | ==In [[Europe]]== |
Revision as of 12:59, 26 June 2010
Microsoft has a number of patents on how to deal with filename in their commonly used FAT filesystem. These patents have been issued in the USA, Germany, and surely a long list of other countries.
Contents
In the USA
The FAT patents granted to Microsoft in the USA include:
- US5,579,517 "The '517 patent"
- US5,758,352 (The EPO equivalent is EP0618550)
Timeline
- December 2003: MS starts threatening people[1]
- September 2004: The '517 patent is rejected[2] thanks to the work of PubPat[3] and others.
- January 2006: The '517 patent is reinstated[4]
- January 2009: Microsoft uses it's FAT patents against TomTom
In Europe
The patents granted by the European Patent Office are:
- EP0618550 - upheld in Germany, see below (equivalent to US5,758,352)
- ?
Upheld in Germany
- German appeal court upholds Microsoft FAT patent, The H, April 2010 (also: slashdot story)
- Federal Patent Court declares FAT patent of Microsoft null and void, The H, April 2007 (also: slashdot story)
- German original: WINDOWS - Dateiverwaltung beruht auf, patentfähiger Erfindung (English translations[?]: Google, bing translator)
- German original: Text of the appeal court decision (English translations[?]: Google, bing translator)
Related pages on ESP Wiki
- Microsoft
- Microsoft vs. TomTom - where MS forced TomTom to pay for patents, seemingly including their FAT patents
- Litigation
- Example software patents
External links
- PubPat: Microsoft FAT Patent (page out of date)
- Groklaw report on A patch to remove VFAT filename conversion from the Linux kernel,
- Microsoft's IP chief on TomTom, Linux and patents, techflash, Feb 2009