RE: Re: KAT5 Website Updated

["Phil Harris" <phillip.harris1@xxxxxxx>]

If you want to see a reason why Keith's probably being cautious then you
want to see the online publication of Xantechs patent for their IR
stuff!

It is so wide ranging that it encompases pretty much any way of taking
any controlling signal, transforming it into another format or encoding
it intoo another medium and retransmitting the controlling signal in
such a way that the original controller and the controlling equipment do
not have to be in direct line of sight!

I have lost the URL at the moment but it is such an all enveloping
patent it is scary and there is not one mention in there of a PCB design
.... It's all the description of the actual function which has been
patented!

I went to help someone decide what kit they needed to populate their
system last night and no matter which way we turned we always came back
to "what we need is Keiths matrix switch but can you wait?"

Phil

> -----Original Message-----
> From: BUTLER, Tony, FM [mailto:tony.butler@xxxxxxx]
> Sent: 30 January 2002 09:11
> To: 'ukha_d@xxxxxxx'
> Subject: RE: [ukha_d] Re: KAT5 Website Updated
>
>
> >The criteria for a patent are more complex. Basically the
invention
> >has to demonstrate a novelty (a unique approach to a design
problem)
> >and invention in solving that problem. I'm not a patent lawyer,
but
> >suspect that Keith may struggle to find a novel aspect to his
design
>
> Maybe not for the modules themselves, but perhaps for the
> switch and the IR signalling over already used pairs (though
> of course I don't know how unique this is as it's still a
> secret :-)).  If the switch is to be programmable etc then
> there are probably unique bits to it.....
>
>
> Tony
>
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