http://hd.engadget.com/2007/10/07/swarmcast-granted-patent-for-internet-video-delivery/ Engadget HD Comments for Swarmcast granted patent for internet video delivery http://hd.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://hd.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://hd.engadget.com/2007/10/07/swarmcast-granted-patent-for-internet-video-delivery/http://hd.engadget.com/2007/10/07/swarmcast-granted-patent-for-internet-video-delivery/Oct 8th 2007 1:00AMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2007/10/07/swarmcast-granted-patent-for-internet-video-delivery/http://hd.engadget.com/2007/10/07/swarmcast-granted-patent-for-internet-video-delivery/
The original patent application was first filed in 2000, but the final version was not filed until December 2001. Bit Torrent was published in April 2001, yet the patent does not mention it as "prior art." Clearly BT existed in the marketplace before the priority date of this patent, so not only does it not affect BT, but it may well be "obvious" or an attempt to patent another's invention. The lack of mention of BT is a red flag to me.

I find it rather annoying that public-domain software folks neglect to patent their inventions, think it will keep everything "free", when in fact it just confuses things.]]>Oct 8th 2007 11:51AM