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Graphics Rendering Patent Suits Target Apple, Samsung, HTC, RIM, LG and Sony

Posted by Soulskill on from the i-invented-the-pixel dept.

angry tapir writes "Formerly known as Silicon Graphics, Graphics Properties Holdings has filed six separate patent cases against Apple, Samsung, Research In Motion, HTC, Sony and LG with the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware. The patent at issue in the lawsuits relates to floating point calculations to render graphics, and is registered as patent number 8,144,158 with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office."

4 of 159 comments (clear)

  1. An cue the standard reply by maroberts · · Score: 5, Insightful

    You've only read the damn abstract haven't you?

    How many times do people have to say READ THE CLAIMS before it sinks in that the abstract normally only gives an example and the patents claims normally go far beyond that. In some patents the abstract comes close to being completely misleading. Incidentally the claims are not restricted to 16 bit floating point representations or any other size of floating point accuracy, plus it's a continuation of other patents, so don't forget to read their claims too.

    --

    Donte Alistair Anderson Roberts - hi son!
    Karma: Chameleon

    1. Re:An cue the standard reply by BSAtHome · · Score: 5, Insightful

      But I read the claims and they are ludicrous. They basically state if you implement/use math in a specific manner, you are owned by us. And that is besides the obviousness to use floating point instead of integer/fixpoint (actually, integer and fixpoint approximations were created to overcome slow hardware). Once hardware is fast enough, you most often move to the more precise solution; there is nothing inventive about that, but a natural evolution.

    2. Re:An cue the standard reply by Chrisq · · Score: 4, Insightful

      They actually say exactly that in the patent itself:

      In an effort to gain the advantages conferred by operating on a floating point basis, some prior art systems have attempted to perform floating point through software emulation, but on a fixed point hardware platform. However, this approach is extremely slow, due to the fact that the software emulation relies upon the use of a general purpose CPU...

      But as advances in semiconductor and computer technology enable greater processing power and faster speeds; as prices drop; and as graphical applications grow in sophistication and precision, it has been discovered by the present inventors that it is now practical to implement some portions or even the entire rasterization process by hardware in a floating point format.

      By the same method I could patent an electric car that has a 500-mile plus range, top speed of over 90mph and a charge time of under an hour. When the hardware catches up (i.e. other people do the real work) I cash in as having invented it. God, what a stupid system. No wonder people want to be lawyers rather than actually invent something - the lawyers can claim to have "invented" it on paper and take the money and credit.

    3. Re:An cue the standard reply by jbolden · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Remember that SGI had a strong partnership with MIPS and jointly developed a lot of video and audio technology. They might very well have also invented the silicon.

      Lets not treat SGI like a patent troll with fake claims. This was a company that did a lot to advance our industry it is a pity of our law that bankrupt companies can have their memories tarnished this way.