At the same time it still (potentially) brings the technology to the marketplace. Just because Philips has the patent doesn't mean it keeps it out of the hands of other companies, it means that:
1) Philips has the option to license it
2) Other companies may develop similar technologies and try to get away with justifying them as "just different enough"
The real problem is that the entertainment industry may get behind the tech, thus pushing manufacturers to include this or similar functionality.
I was actually part of the class you mention here. Let me say that the prof, while eccentric, routinely made it a point to distinguish between legal and illegal actions. One of his favorite sayings was "...you would be one click away from breaking the law."
That being said, there would never be an assignment coming out of the class this questionable.
Slashdot Mirror
At the same time it still (potentially) brings the technology to the marketplace. Just because Philips has the patent doesn't mean it keeps it out of the hands of other companies, it means that:
1) Philips has the option to license it
2) Other companies may develop similar technologies and try to get away with justifying them as "just different enough"
The real problem is that the entertainment industry may get behind the tech, thus pushing manufacturers to include this or similar functionality.
Remember, Scooty Puff Jr sucks!
In Soviet Russia, system patents you!
I was actually part of the class you mention here. Let me say that the prof, while eccentric, routinely made it a point to distinguish between legal and illegal actions. One of his favorite sayings was "...you would be one click away from breaking the law." That being said, there would never be an assignment coming out of the class this questionable.