With all of the prior art concerning MIBs and device management via SNMP,
if this patent is allowed by any patent office, then I am going to submit a
patent for "independent heuristic thought". That way, any idea or product
that is ever conceived from now on would have to be licensed from me.....;)
Randy
At 02:48 PM 5/8/98 -0700, Stuart Rowley wrote:
>PWG Members,
>>It has come to my attention that on Feb 3, 1997, Canon filed Japanese
>patent number 10-74132 (translated title is "Image Creation Method and its
>Device"). On Mar 17, 1998 the Japanese patent office opened this proposed
>patent for public comment. This is a very broad patent which includes the
>use of SNMP and an extended MIB to configure or acquire status information
>from an imaging device such as a printer. The patent text does not clarify
>the meaning of "extended MIB" and uses such basic examples as setting a
>device's copy count.
>>It is Kyocera's concern that if this patent is not challenged, any use of a
>MIB for device configuration or status feedback could be covered by Canon's
>patent. Our understanding is that if there is no similar patent covering
>the issue in the U.S. then the Japanese patent would also apply in the U.S.
>>It is our hope that other companies review Canon's proposed patent, and if
>they share Kyocera's concerns regarding the implications of this patent, to
>voice their concerns to the Japanese patent authorities.
>>Thanks,
>>Stuart
>>---------------------------------------------------------------------
>Stuart Rowley Kyocera Electronics, Inc.
>Network Product Development Mgr. 3675 Mt. Diablo Blvd. #105
>stuart.rowley at kyocera.com Lafayette, CA 94549
>510 299-7206 Fax: 510 299-2489
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