Subject: PWG> FYI: MIB Patent Issue

From: [email-masked] (Stuart Rowley)
Date: Fri, 8 May 1998 14:48:36 -0700

PWG Members,

It has come to my attention that on Feb 3, 1997, Canon filed Japanese 
patent number 10-74132 (translated title is "Image Creation Method and its 
Device").  On Mar 17, 1998 the Japanese patent office opened this proposed 
patent for public comment. This is a very broad patent which includes the 
use of SNMP and an extended MIB to configure or acquire status information 
from an imaging device such as a printer.  The patent text does not clarify 
the meaning of "extended MIB" and uses such basic examples as setting a 
device's copy count.

It is Kyocera's concern that if this patent is not challenged, any use of a 
MIB for device configuration or status feedback could be covered by Canon's 
patent. Our understanding is that if there is no similar patent covering 
the issue in the U.S. then the Japanese patent would also apply in the U.S. 

It is our hope that other companies review Canon's proposed patent, and if 
they share Kyocera's concerns regarding the implications of this patent, to 
voice their concerns to the Japanese patent authorities.

Thanks,

Stuart

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Stuart Rowley                              Kyocera Electronics, Inc. 
Network Product Development Mgr.           3675 Mt. Diablo Blvd. #105 
[email-masked]                  Lafayette, CA 94549
510 299-7206                               Fax: 510 299-2489 
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From: Randy Turner <[email-masked]>
Date: Sat, 09 May 1998 18:23:03 -0700

With all of the prior art concerning MIBs and device management via SNMP,
if this patent is allowed by any patent office, then I am going to submit a
patent for "independent heuristic thought". That way, any idea or product
that is ever conceived from now on would have to be licensed from me.....;) 

Randy