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Re: zip chip schematic
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In article <coSdnbCJ3e0ScnbenZ2dnUVZ_sWdnZ2d@comcast.com>,
Michael J. Mahon <mjmahon@aol.com> wrote:
>aiiadict@gmail.com wrote:
>> the patent explains that the "new invention" uses very little high
>> speed memory, eliminating the need to duplicate motherboard RAM in high
>> speed RAM in the acceleration hardware.
>
>The prinary benefit of cache technology--though hardly novel
>in the timeframe of this patent!
>
>Most patents are much more "formal" and less specific in their
>descriptions. It's quite unusual to have chip numbers, not just
>logic gates. I'd say that this application was prepared by
>someone other than a patent attorney!
Indeed. If you look at the patent Apple obtained for the switching power
supply, it doesn't even have component values on it. You see that there's a
resistor, but there's no clue as to what it should've been.
Then again, the whole idea behind a patent is that someone else can't come
along and make a knockoff product without the approval of whoever holds the
patent. That's what tripped up the RocketChip folks (who most likely just
took the ZipChip design and cranked up the speed a little bit). A complete
schematic (including part values) doesn't make the patent any less useful
for the holder.
(Would a patent issued in 1988 have run out already? For the longest time,
patents were good for 17 years, but at some point, they switched to 20
years. Even if the issued patent was for 20 years, it might already have
run out if the periodic maintenance fees weren't paid. There's no
indication on the USPTO website of whether the ZipChip patent is still
valid.)
_/_
/ v \ Scott Alfter (remove the obvious to send mail)
(IIGS( http://alfter.us/ Top-posting!
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