[geeks] ipix

[Joshua D Boyd]

On Tue, Jul 02, 2002 at 11:12:06AM -0400, Kurt Huhn wrote:

> > I'm currently in a photosession with an Ipix rep.  This is one of
> > those lame Quicktime 3D type things (although he is quick to point how
> > ipix is superior).  According to him, ipix has a bunch of patents on
> > stitching.  The one that stuck out to me is that if you use a lense
> > larger than 24mm (say because all you have is a 50mm lense) you are
> > infringing on their patents for large image stitching.  Yuck.
> 
> Um.  What?
> 
> So if I stitch together a bunch of photos that I took with a 50mm lens,
> regardless of what software, method, or hardware I use, I'm guilty of patent
> infringment?

Yeah, that is what he said.  I haven't read the patent myself.  Seems
pretty flimsy to me, but then even the flimsiest patents are hard to
break.  Obviously this patent can't really apply to software since
software doesn't need to know what size lens you used.  Nor can this
patent apply to hardware since they aren't using any special
hardware.  A business process patent doesn't seem right here, but what
do I know.   Things were a lot easier to understand before what was
patentable changed in the 80s (or when ever it was).


-- 
Joshua D. Boyd