Re: [Patents] info needed

[Holger Blasum <holger@blasum.net>]

Hello Irixx,

On Wed, Apr 17, 2002 at 12:22:09AM +0100, iriXx wrote:
> a couple of excerpts from http://www.delphion.com/details?pn=US05761663__
> 
> can anyone tell me precisely *what* it is that IBM is claiming to have
> patented here... and if it is what i think it is? ;-)
> many thanks

For me the claim 1 (all what really counts is claims, not the description) 
basically would cover any CGI application, e.g. when a web form runs a 
Perl script.
The other claims can be found here: 

http://l2.espacenet.com/espacenet/bnsviewer?CY=ep&LG=en&DB=EPD&PN=US5761663&ID=US+++5761663A1+I+

The 2nd claim covers doing the things in claim 1 via a authentificated 
connection. (e.g. .htaccess).

The anatomy of the 35 claims (all valid indepently) is typical of a modern 
software patent: do some of the claims very broad (though practically 
unenforceable)
to get the broadest cover possible (so that the burden of invalidating the 
patent claim by claim is passed onto the attacker).

Regards,

-- 
Holger Blasum <holger@blasum.net>   pls sign http://petition.eurolinux.org
GnuPG 1024D/995D35846FBC717E3562    against software patents in Europe!