Re: [Gimp-print-devel] Article: adaptive methods for dithering color images

[Jean-Jacques de J. <jea...@hp...>]

sh...@al... wrote:
> 
> > Isn't it better just to let possible patent holders send a
> > "cease and desist" letter asking us to stop using their patented methods?
> 
> I don't think so.  It would mean having to go back and rip out a lot of
> working code if such a letter actually arrived.  It's a lot of work which
> is better avoided.  It's actually simpler and easier to check if it's
> patented.  If it is, that's still not a show-stopper.  Some patent holders
> grant royalty-free licenses to free software.
> 

This is a nice place to check for patents:

http://ep.espacenet.com/espacenet/ep/en/e_net.htm?search5

I checked with the authors of the above article as inventors and didn't
find anything. There is however a black period: patents are published
only upon grant in the US and 18 months after their filing date in the
other countries. If the patent was filed only in the US, we might well
be in the black period.

JJJ