phc-discussions - Re: [PHC] patents

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Message-ID: <20150719142144.GB1982@openwall.com>
Date: Sun, 19 Jul 2015 17:21:44 +0300
From: Solar Designer <solar@...nwall.com>
To: discussions@...sword-hashing.net
Subject: Re: [PHC] patents

On Sat, Jul 18, 2015 at 11:44:35PM +0300, Alexander Cherepanov wrote:
> On 2015-07-18 22:11, Solar Designer wrote:
> > Jeremy claims to have independently arrived at this in July
> > 2012, but intentionally not publishing it yet for the purpose of
> > patenting it.  I find this plausible.
> 
> I thought that, for a patentability, only the situation at the moment of 
> filing patent application matters, no?

Yes, and Jeremy told me (in the recent discussion) that he had submitted
a provisional application in July 2012, which already covered the
re-focusing / reuse of the term "blind hashing" from what he had blogged
earlier (obese database filled with mostly fake hashes) to what he ended
up patenting.  In the discussion this year, Jeremy sent me a copy of the
provisional application, which I took a brief look at - and it appeared
consistent with what he said.

> > I think Jeremy did nothing illegal.
> 
> Like knowing a specific piece of prior art and intentionally not 
> disclosing it? Hm.

The provisional application is July 2012.
My ZeroNights talk is November 2012.

> Anyway, you could consider contacting someone from the following projects:
> 
> http://www.linuxdefenders.org/
> https://www.openinventionnetwork.com/
> https://www.eff.org/patent-busting
> http://www.linuxfoundation.org/programs/legal/osapa
> 
> Perhaps start here:
> 
> http://en.swpat.org/wiki/What_to_do_if_worried_by_a_software_patent

What would my intent of contacting them be?

BTW, Openwall has been a member (licensee) of OIN (the 2nd URL above)
for many years now.

Alexander