[M4IF Discuss] Re: [M4IF News] Results M4IF Fairfax Meeting

[Eric Scheirer]

Hi Rob and all,
I just wanted to make a note regarding the following part of
the results:
> 5. In order to facilitate deployment of MPEG-4 Structured Audio 
> and Face/Body Animation, it will be necessary to assess the 
> patent situation. M4IF resolves to have a "Call for Existence 
> of Patents Essential to the Implementation of MPEG-4 Structured 
> Audio and Face/Body Animation" at the June M4IF meeting. If 
> such a Call results in statements by parties that believe that 
> such essential patents may exist, M4IF will recommend that 
> there be a third-party process to: 
> a) Determine if there are such essential patents, and, if so
> b) Establish a joint licensing scheme for each of these two 
> pieces of technology.

In particular, regarding MPEG-4 Structured Audio and MPEG-4
AudioBIFS Version 1, it is my strongly held belief that these
parts of the standard are completely patent-free.  That was
always the intent of MIT in taking the lead role in developing
and integrating technology for these parts of the standard,
and MIT at least has officially released all of its pertinent
technology into the public domain.
Further, as an individual contributor with a fair knowledge
of the patent landscape in the music-synthesis space, I 
continue to believe that there are no applicable patents 
governing the use of MPEG-4 Structured Audio.  I will point out
that most of the basic concepts in this standard are much
older than the basic concepts in lossy audio/video coding,
dating back to the work of Mathews in the early 1960s.
I definitely support the statement (5) in the precise form
articulated above, namely, to demand that those who believe
there are patents applicable and required for the implementation
of MPEG-4 Structured Audio to come forward with appropriate
documentation.  However, as part of this support, I must 
strongly articulate my belief that it is not appropriate 
for others to say "well, maybe there are still patents" or 
"nobody knows if there are patents."
I say in response: *I* know, and it is the case that there
are none (of course I am not a lawyer and this is not 
legal advice).  I will continue to say this and to encourage
the open development and deployment of Structured Audio 
tools until convincing evidence by the appropriate stakeholders, 
not just "concern" by third parties, is presented to the 
contrary.
Best to all,
 -- Eric
----
Eric D. Scheirer, Ph.D.
edsmedia   alum.mit.edu
+1 617 666 8905
http://sound.media.mit.edu/~eds