From: srctran@world.std.com (Gregory Aharonian)
Subject: 55 software patents in just one week  !!!
Organization: The World Public Access UNIX, Brookline, MA
Date: Sun, 26 Jul 1992 02:19:48 GMT

 
     The issue of software patents can be quite interesting.  Consider, for
example, the following list of 55 patents awarded by the Patent Office during
just ONE WEEK of July '92.  Of these, 13 (or 20%) were awarded to IBM.  While
both the total number, and the number awarded to IBM, are atypically high,
they are symptomatic of the trend that the Patent Office is awarded more and
more software patents, many of which have prior art, and that IBM is building
up a tremendous body of software patents that they intend to exploit quite
aggressively (they got $20 million out of Microsoft, who surprisingly has
very few software patents).
    If you are afraid about the patenting of software, you have good grounds.
If you like the game of patents and infringements, the software arena is the
next big playground.
 
                                             
                        SOFTWARE PATENTS AWARDED TO IBM
 
Method for automatic generation of document history log exception reports
in a data processing system
 
Method and apparatus for modeling words with multi-arc Markov models
 
Apparatus and method for loading a system reference diskette image from a
system partition in a personal computer system
 
Dynamic selection of recursively nested logical element data formats
 
Performance improvement tool for rule based expert systems
 
System and method for simulating the I/O of a processing system
 
Method for presenting compressed electronic day calendar information in
an interactive information handling system
 
Method for cursor control of scrolling movements on certain computer
workstations
 
Specifying 3D reference points in 2D graphic displays
 
Data processing method to create virtual disks from non-contiguous groups
of logically contiguous addressable blocks of direct access storage devices
 
Computer system and a method of monitoring transient data structures in a
computer system
 
System and method for intercommunicating between applications and a database
manager
 
Method and system increasing the operational availability of a system of
computer programs operating in a distributed system of computers
 
 
                  SOFTWARE PATENTS AWARDED TO OTHER COMPANIES
 
 
Computer network with shared memory using bit maps including flags to
indicate reserved memory areas and task status
 
Object container transfer system and method in an object based computer
operating system
 
Conditional object creating system having different object pointers for
accessing a set of data structure objects
 
Method and apparatus for searching database component files to retrieve
information from modified files
 
System for processing data using logic language
 
Method of using the memory in a information processing system of the
virtual addressing type, and apparatus for performing the method
 
Apparatus and method for interface register handshaking for controlling
devices
 
Word processor utilizing image inputting means
 
Decomposition of arbitrary polygons into trapezoids
 
Method for automatically converting a data flow description of a source
program directly into a function design chart
 
Recurrent neural network with variable size intermediate layer
 
Neural network with selective error reduction to increase learning speed
 
Neural network for performing beta-token partitioning in a Rete network
 
Method of generating a numerical calculation program which simulates a
physical phenomenon represented by a partial differential equation using
discretization based upon a control volume finite differential method
 
System for registration of documents
 
Image registration
 
Graphics image editor
 
Detecting line segments and predetermined patterns in an optically scanned
document
 
Method and apparatus for retrieving image data
 
Pattern recognition device
 
Voice recognition method by analyzing syllables
 
Symbol state trellis maximum likelihood detection method
 
Traffic flow control and call set-up in multi-hop broadband networks
 
Updating link state information in networks
 
Method for estimating the location of a sensor relative to a seismic energy
source
 
Method for sharpening prestack depth migration images by removing residual
moveout from common image point gathers before stacking
 
Remote plotting of integrated circuit layout in a network computer aided
design system
 
Method of draw forming analytically determined binder wrap blank shape
 
Apparatus and method for allocation of resources in programmable logic
devices
 
Automated high precision fabrication of objects of complex and unique
geometry
 
Method and apparatus for determining inclination angle of a borehole while
drilling
 
Pore pressure prediction method
 
Method for determining the semantic relatedness of lexical items in a text
 
Method for computing tomographic scans
 
Inventory control method and system
 
Manufacturing or service system allocating resources to associated demands
by comparing time ordered arrays of data
 
Electronic accident estimating system
 
Prioritized image transmission system and method
 
Dynamic predictive keyboard
 
Selective call signalling system
 
Search technique for identifying slaves devices connected to a serial bus
 
Convolution filtering for decoding self-clocking glyph shape codes
Xref: sparky comp.software-eng:2996 comp.specification:332 comp.specification.z:358