IPFilter Infriging on Bay Network Patent?

jorhan writes "Darren Reed, the author of IPFilter, recently posted this message to the IPFilter mailing list. Apparently IPFilter may infringe upon USA patents owned by Bay Networks, specifically, #5790554. The patent might seem to own just about every conceivable way one might wish to filter and forward data packets, but trying to read through all of the "wherein said first condition" started to give me a headache (ObIANAL). But when you read what application the authors specifically had in mind, it really has little to do with network layer firewalling. Even more important is the question Darren's mail indirectly poses, "Anyone know of any prior art?""

Comments

prior art

[imr]

internet?
Isn't this patent office a disguised tax office?

Ironic

[technoid_]

Its ironic that Darren Reed finds himself having to decipher legalese after he put OpenBSD through the mill over the legalese of his ambiguous (at the time) license.