[M4IF Technotes] RE: [M4IF News] New Patent Holder Group Pres s Releases

[Rob Koenen]

Bill,
couple of answers.
1) M4IF is not sanctioned by MPEG, and certainly not to deal with
   patents. Nobody is, for the simple reasons that noboday can sanction
   anyone to deal with these issues.
   Actually, M4IF only acts as a catalyst which doesn't deal with patents
   iteself either.
2) M4IF and MPEG and ISMA all have good relationships (no wonder, it's
   often the same people) and there is no disconnect here.
3) M4IF has already done everything necessary to have the patent work
   started for Advanced Simple (because its members had asked to do so,
   and also following a request from ISMA). So has MPEGLA.
4) The only gating factor is now that the standard with Advanced Simple
   still cannot be bought from ISO. I am looking for a National Body
   (even a single one will do) that sells the pre-final version 
   ISO/IEC 14496-2:2001 FDAM 2. The text of this document is identical to
   that of the final amendment that will be published by ISO.
> This is very encouraging news; however, I noticed that while 
> ISMA 1.0 maps to both Simple and Advanced Simple (at level 
> 3), this news about likely licensing activities mentions only 
> Simple and Core.  I do realise that the M4IF and the ISMA are 
> not at all the same organization, and I realize that it is 
> the M4IF that is sanctioned by the MPEG and charged with 
> coordinating licensing activities.  Also, I realize I may be 
> asking about things that can't be revealed publicly at 
> present and if so then no worries, I apologize and understand.
> 
> That said, I'm wondering if anybody can shed any light on (a) 
> whether or not Advanced Simple expected to be licensable in 
> early 2002 and 

ASAP yes. MPEGLA is ready to issue the call, who the licensing
agent will be - I do not know.
> (b) if so, is that through the MPEG 
> LA/M4VisualPGH or perhaps just through MPEGLA sans 
> M4VisualPHG or perhaps some other means altogether and 

Doesn't matter to me, as long as it is fast.
I would be happy if it were available from multiple parties.
> how big a difference does the motion compensation 
> that is in Advanced Simple provide over Core, which does not 
> have motion compensation AFAIK, 

Core has no MC? Of course it does.
Anyway, Advanced Simple has quarter pel MC and Global MC; Core
only has 1/2 pel. The gains are significant, but I do not have
percentages. Perhaps someone else on the list does.
THanks for allowing me to explain where we are and to correct 
a few possible misunderstandings,
Best,
Rob