Patents on Parade

[amz-fx]

Patents on Parade -  a new feature I have added to the AMZ Lab Notebook. Enjoy!

http://www.muzique.com/lab/main.htm

regards, Jack

[troubledtom]

very cool jack!!!!!! by the way how the heck are you ?
        thanx, for another great idea
                   peace,
                      - tom

[Doug H]

Good stuff, Jack.  Thanks!

Doug

[Brett Clark]

Thanks, Jack! Very good article, but I do have a comment:

WARNING: I Am Not A Lawyer!
... but I did manage "Intellectual Property" for a telecom company for many years, working with patents every day.

The schematic shown is NOT what they are claiming in their patent. They have 2 independent claims:

1. An "assembly" of equipment including a recorder, amp, etc. and "an audio interface device, including a transformer and a potentiometer, configured to adjust said high level, low impedance audio signal to a relatively low level, relatively high impedance audio signal, representative of the modified live audio performance and in a manner substantially reproducing the sound quality and audio characteristics of the live audio performance"

2. "A method of modifying a sound track recording of a live audio performance comprising the steps of:
producing from said sound track recording of the live audio performance a relatively high level, relatively low impedance audio signal representative of the recorded live audio performance;
adjusting said high level, low impedance audio signal to a relatively low level, relatively high impedance audio signal, representative of the modified live audio performance and in a manner substantially reproducing the sound quality and audio characteristics of the live audio performance; and
inputting said relatively low level, high impedance audio signal through an amplifying device configured to receive relatively low level, high impedance audio signals for amplification of said relatively low level, high impedance audio signal. "

SO, they don't "have a patent" on the (likely Jensen-derived) device, just on the connection and use of it as a "re-amplification adapter".  Almost any appropriate impedance adapter (of whatever design) would seem to "infringe" the means claim if used as their device is intended to be used.

? The real question, then, is whether anyone was doing "reamplification" with an impedance adapter prior to 1994.

ONCE AGAIN: I Am Not A Lawyer!!! - You should consult a qualified patent attorney before taking any action (or inaction) based on the information and opinions here!

[Skreddy]

Out of control.

The level of expertise required to do even a summary background search on most technical patents clearly outstrips the personnel assigned those duties.

Consider the software industry; two cases in point:

1. Microsoft's Internet Explorer plugin technology.  There were sued, successfully, by Eolas, a company who apparently does precious little but create software patents and then sue for infringement.  The concept of an embedded object in a document had obviously been around long before the web, but somehow this company got the patent for the web browser plugin/embedded object.  Here's an interesting take on that, however; http://www.zeldman.com/daily/0903b.shtml#losetowin it seems Microsoft could have made mincemeat out of the patent claim, but instead chose to lose the case, thereby crippling ALL similar vendors of the technology, because they are on the virge of releasing a new version of Windows that hardwires web services to Microsoft technology.

2. Paypal has just settled with Tumbleweed Software for, get this, personalized links in emails.  That's right; when Paypal notifies you of a transaction and they include a link which takes you to their site and shows you that transaction, this technology is patented by Tumbleweed.  Bull crap.  That's all I can say.  If you coded a big, complicated, data-driven website; how obvious would it be to create the means of sending a link to a subscriber which opens a screen to whatever information you choose to show them??  What a load of crap.

For more on software patents http://www.google.com/search?q=software+patents

[amz-fx]

Brett,

I Am Not A Lawyer either!  I do have the frequent oppotunity to consult with real IP lawyers....

The claims of the Rxxxx patent are certainly overly broad...  what would you do with the basic Jensen circuit but use it in the manner described in the Jensen app note which is to drive an amplifier from a line output. the "assembly" is just a basic description of the specifications of a mixing board, the interface and an amp. The typical Pro console at +4db will output a  high level, low Z signal. Given.  A guitar amp has a high input z and needs a low level signal. Again given.  The Jensen device is the interface to convert the console to the amp.  Put them together and you have the "assembly"...  

Impedance match and level conversation is the crux of the method 2 claim... that's the Jensen device exactly.  BTW, the H-pad and Zobel are actually irrelevant but I threw them in to show how easily even a low-skill person could assemble a circuit from the basics that was very close to the device shown in the patent.

No doubt the patent office is understaffed and overworked and bad patents get through...   not saying  that this patent is a "bad one".   I have no interest at all in the device or patent except as a curiosity.

I'm not going to bog the articles down with too much IP discussion....  The patent articles I'm posting are not about revealing questionable patents (not all of them anyway). Some will be about cool devices of patents that have expired, or alternate ways to accomplish an unusual sound from a patent without infringing (coming up soon).  

regards, Jack

[ExpAnonColin]

Legal system... pfft

-Colin

[Eb7+9]

...  a new feature I have added to the AMZ Lab Notebook. Enjoy!

I like your article on the RAT bypass - nice presentation !

[amz-fx]

The second patent article is now available:

http://www.muzique.com/lab/main.htm

regards, Jack

[Luke]

thats intersting stuff. Thanks for incoludiong it oin your site.
Luke

[amz-fx]

I just added another article....

-Jack