[OT] browser plugin patents - warning!

[Dar Scott]

On Friday, September 12, 2003, at 07:32 PM, Mark Brownell wrote:

>> I don't think this patent requires TCP/IP.
>
> from:
> http://164.195.100.11/netacgi/nph- 
> Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=/netahtml/ 
> srchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1='5838906'.WKU.&OS=PN/5838906&RS=PN/5838906
>
> The Internet provides a uniform and open standard for allowing various  
> computers and networks to communicate with each other. For example,  
> the Internet uses Transfer Control Protocol/Internet Protocol  
> ("TCP/IP") that defines a uniform packet-switched communication  
> standard which is ultimately used in every transfer of information  
> that takes place over the Internet.

This is in the background.  I'm guessing that the important parts of  
the background are those parts that provide definitions for words and  
phrases in the claims.

>
> and
>
> FIG. 7A is a flowchart describing some of the functionality within the  
> HTMLparse.c file of routines. The routines in HTMLparse.c perform the  
> task of parsing a hypermedia document and detecting the EMBED tag. In  
> a preferred embodiment, the enhancements to include the EMBED tag are  
> made to an HTML library included in public domain NCSA Mosaic version  
> 2.4. Note that much of the source code in is pre-existing NCSA Mosaic  
> code. Only those portions of the source code that relate to the new  
> functionality discussed in this specification should be considered as  
> part of the invention. The new functionality is identifiable as being  
> set off from the main body of source code by conditional compilation  
> macros such as "#ifdef . . . #endif" as will be readily apparent to  
> one of skill in the art.

This is in the embodiment.

The broadest claim does not mention TCP/IP.

It is interesting that the background mentions HyperCard:
> A hypertext document is a document that allows a user to view a text    
>    document displayed on a display device connected to the user's  
> computer      and to access, retrieve and view other data objects that  
> are linked to      hypertext words or phrases in the hypertext  
> document. In a hypertext      document, the user may "click on," or  
> select, certain words or phrases in      the text that specify a link  
> to other documents, or data objects. In this      way, the user is  
> able to navigate easily among data objects. The data      objects may  
> be local to the user's computer system or remotely located      over a  
> network. An early hypertext system is Hypercard, by Apple Computer,     
>   Inc. Hypercard is a standalone system where the data objects are  
> local to      the user's system.

Dar Scott