How VLC free open source project coexists with royalty license model of MPEG?
Thank you
VLC and MPEG patent portfolio
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Please read the forum's rules carefully before posting. This forum should not be used to post VLC usage related questions.
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Jean-Baptiste Kempf
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Re: VLC and MPEG patent portfolio
Those patents are not valid in Europe.
Jean-Baptiste Kempf
http://www.jbkempf.com/ - http://www.jbkempf.com/blog/category/Videolan
VLC media player developer, VideoLAN President and Sites administrator
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http://www.jbkempf.com/ - http://www.jbkempf.com/blog/category/Videolan
VLC media player developer, VideoLAN President and Sites administrator
If you want an answer to your question, just be specific and precise. Don't use Private Messages.
Re: VLC and MPEG patent portfolio
I'm not sure about EP, but there are patents filed in DE, FR, GB covering US essential portfolio counterpart. What I’m trying to understand that if any patent analysis was done.
It seems I cannot use it in US legally, unless $5 paid to MPEG LA, unfortunatly we are not free from software patents
It seems I cannot use it in US legally, unless $5 paid to MPEG LA, unfortunatly we are not free from software patents
Re: VLC and MPEG patent portfolio
I’ve done a little research.
There are about 95 US granted patents covering essentials for MPEG2 coding/decoding, some of them expired or soon will be expired and some of them valid up until 2030ish
There is pretty much equivalent number of EP patents covering the same subject, so it is enforced or somewhat enforced in Europe.
My question again, how you deal with this or do you push liability to person that downloads the program?
Another question stumble in my mind, you release under GPL, which clearly states that if subject matter covered by patents is must be license for free , which is not a case, at least in general, so are you in violation of GPL terms?
I know those are the hard questions from the person who just want to use the program, but they have to be answered.
Thank you.
There are about 95 US granted patents covering essentials for MPEG2 coding/decoding, some of them expired or soon will be expired and some of them valid up until 2030ish
There is pretty much equivalent number of EP patents covering the same subject, so it is enforced or somewhat enforced in Europe.
My question again, how you deal with this or do you push liability to person that downloads the program?
Another question stumble in my mind, you release under GPL, which clearly states that if subject matter covered by patents is must be license for free , which is not a case, at least in general, so are you in violation of GPL terms?
I know those are the hard questions from the person who just want to use the program, but they have to be answered.
Thank you.
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ajmas
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Re: VLC and MPEG patent portfolio
It should be noted that software patents in Europe are either not possible in certain European countries or in a gray zone. See:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software_p ... Convention
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software_p ... Convention
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