[Patents] Re: Patent problem

[Juhana Sadeharju kouhia@nic.funet.fi]

Hello. A few weeks ago I mailed about patents US 5811706 May 1997
and its continuation US 6008446 Jun 1998. Their first page states:

"A synthesizer system includes a CPU and host memory operating a software
routine. The software routine stores a first part of each waveform
signal in a sample pool of host memory and provides remaining portitions
of selected musical sounds from the hard drive to a stream cell array
without an audio perceivable delay. The synthesizer system utilizes
a caching system which allows low cost, high storage devices to be utilized
in an audio synthesizer system. MIDI control signals are provided to
an audio processor for selection appropriate digital waveform signals."

Earlier I quoted only the sentence starting "The software routine stores
a first part..." if the above doesn't look familiar.

The main idea is simple: to get a sound file on a disk to play very
fast the beginnings of the files should be kept in memory; and those
beginnings should be kept in memory in case user retriggers the same
sound file while it is still playing.

Ok, I cannot prove that I indeed "invented" the same feature earlier
or that a friend implemented it a way earlier in a system installed
to two public sport halls.

But, I found following from www.deja.com, Deja News:

   >> Forum: rec.audio.opinion
   Subject: Re: Why buy a digital transport?
   Date: 04/12/1995
   Author: Mark Brindle <brindle@lf.hp.com>
   
   Erik T. Heidt () wrote:
   
   : Given that the data is binary and digital in nature. Just like the
   : binary files I read with my 2x CDROM drive into my coputer with
   : 100% accuracy. ( or the programs wouldn't run !! ). Why would I
   : need to spend $$$ on a transport.
   
   Agree.  IMO, all you need for "exceptional" audio quality is a ratty,
   just-barely-works mechanism and an "exceptional" DAC.
   
   :                                It seems an ultimate transport
   : would have a 4x CDROM reading the whole disk onto a hard disk
   : so I could random access the audio data. Now I know that the
   : CD "standard" has some language about un-buffered reading...
   : but in fact the data must be buffered for the error correction
   : algorithm. So with a 4xCDROM ( 250$/unit), a scsi2 500MB HD
   : ( $450/unit ), a digital out circut and microcontroler ( $100/unit
   ),
   : and some enginering and programing time -- you could easly create
   : a totaly error free transport system which would alow random play
   and
   : near ( sub 10ms ) access to any audio on the cd-rom ??
   
   You've just described a hard-disk recorder.  But, if you want
   to save some money, and you don't plan to edit the music, you
   could get by without the hard drive.  Substitute a few megs of
   RAM;  and if you need *INSTANT* access, cache the first second
   of every "cut" in memory -- then, you could start playing any track
   with only a few microseconds delay.  Of course, anything
   quicker than about 50ms seems instantaneous to mere mortals.
   
   ...it's "only" software,
   
   Mark


Right, could the above be used for bringing the mentioned patents down?

As I understand the patents broadly covers any arrangement where
the first parts of the sound files are kept in the memory. As I see it,
the patent covers also the above kind of hard-disk recorder/player
application, and a like. So, maybe the above is enough for bringing
down the patents because it is covering something which is published
earlier in the Usenet.

Because I'm not skilled in reading patent claims, would it be nice
if any of you could read the claims in the patents. Has the patent
really covered every application which has the "instant play" feature
for sound files?

Sure I would like to see the patents brought down because they have
made many to believe we cannot implement "instant play" feature
to free software (and made me to spend a lot of time and money for
searching).

Please notice that I'm not (and possibly R. Stallman) on this patent
mailing list. But in any case, I will read possible replies from the
archives.

Yours,

Juhana