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Time-Series Database patented by GE

patft.uspto.gov

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Re: Time-Series Database patented by GE

#31

Post by notahacker »

danieltillett wrote: post #15
easytiger wrote: post #2

I remember trolling the linked list patent people 10+ years ago. I sent them an email saying my software made extensive uses of linked lists and it had come to my attention that they had patented them. They sent me to their legal department to arrange an agreement. Insane. I wonder how influxdb et al will receive this news. Here is the list of people who should be thoroughly ashamed of themselves: Lin; Jerry (Latham,…

While I in no way agreeing with this decision why are these people responsible for the terrible decision of the USPTO? They just get to apply for a patent, not issue one. The employee(s) at the USPTO that approved this patent are the ones that should be ashamed.

Not everybody that patents a [generic description of] a system they're developing has any intention of doing anything other than protecting themselves from others' claims.

Aside: I had an interesting conversation a couple of months back with a guy who had a very broad patent on methods of operating a digital auction dating back to the early 2000s which as worded clashed with everything from Betfair to Priceline. He's still far more interested in building a consumer business once he can find people to run it and fund it rather than flogging it to a troll.

Re: Time-Series Database patented by GE

#32

Post by ipsn »

During my tenure at GE, quite a few years ago, there was an intense company-wide drive to patent practically anything at all. We were given incentives to do so, of course. We were told that GE only uses patents defensively, i.e. for negotiations other companies. The incentives got many employees to patent industry-wide practices, or trivially simple stuff, or really convoluted methods that no one in their right minds will use anyway.

I haven't followed GE's track record closely after I got out, but I think they still live by that guideline. In any case, GE is not a software company, and it's unlikely they'd want to (or can) go after software companies on the basis of patents such as this one.

The patent system is broken, and GE is just another company, in a long list, that is abusing it for some reason. But so far, GE has given me little reason to believe they'll come after me for infringing on these kinds of patents.

Re: Time-Series Database patented by GE

#33

Post by davelnewton »

easytiger wrote: post #2

I remember trolling the linked list patent people 10+ years ago. I sent them an email saying my software made extensive uses of linked lists and it had come to my attention that they had patented them. They sent me to their legal department to arrange an agreement. Insane. I wonder how influxdb et al will receive this news. Here is the list of people who should be thoroughly ashamed of themselves: Lin; Jerry (Latham,…

Bear in mind that sometimes the people on a patent listing aren't in favor of the idea being patented. A company I worked for started down the patent road for some processor emulation stuff I worked on; my name would have been on the patent even though I (a) didn't think it was patentable, and (b) didn't think it should be patented.

Because of the company's rules my name needed to be on the patent despite my objections.

Re: Time-Series Database patented by GE

#34

Post by davelnewton »

moron4hire wrote: post #20
dozzie wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Pretty much in no way whatsoever. RRDtool as a prior art example.

Unfortunately, USPTO only considers other patents or academic papers as prior art.

Are you sure? I've been involved in several instances where demonstrable systems were enough.

Re: Time-Series Database patented by GE

#35

Post by chollida1 »

moron4hire wrote: post #20
dozzie wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Pretty much in no way whatsoever. RRDtool as a prior art example.

Unfortunately, USPTO only considers other patents or academic papers as prior art.

Thankfully that is incorrect.

http://www.ipwatchdog.com/2010/10/02/what-is-prior-art/id=12...

Re: Time-Series Database patented by GE

#36

Post by phkahler »

davelnewton wrote: post #33
easytiger wrote: post #2

I remember trolling the linked list patent people 10+ years ago. I sent them an email saying my software made extensive uses of linked lists and it had come to my attention that they had patented them. They sent me to their legal department to arrange an agreement. Insane. I wonder how influxdb et al will receive this news. Here is the list of people who should be thoroughly ashamed of themselves: Lin; Jerry (Latham,…

Bear in mind that sometimes the people on a patent listing aren't in favor of the idea being patented. A company I worked for started down the patent road for some processor emulation stuff I worked on; my name would have been on the patent even though I (a) didn't think it was patentable, and (b) didn't think it should be patented. Because of the company's rules my name needed to be on the patent despite my objectio…

>> Because of the company's rules my name needed to be on the patent despite my objections.

Then you had the ability to stop it.

Re: Time-Series Database patented by GE

#38

Post by davelnewton »

phkahler wrote: post #36
davelnewton wrote: post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Bear in mind that sometimes the people on a patent listing aren't in favor of the idea being patented. A company I worked for started down the patent road for some processor emulation stuff I worked on; my name would have been on the patent even though I (a) didn't think it was patentable, and (b) didn't think it should be patented. Because of the company's rules my name needed to be on the patent despite my objectio…

>> Because of the company's rules my name needed to be on the patent despite my objections. Then you had the ability to stop it.

Even if I had quit my name would have been on the patent. I'm interested in hearing how I could have stopped it once the process started.

Re: Time-Series Database patented by GE

#39

Post by vonmoltke »

danieltillett wrote: post #24
jarcane wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Because flooding the USPTO with an unending flow of bogus patents are partly why those same patents get approved. They're taking part of a system that takes advantage of an underfunded and understaffed agency in order to profit from it in the long term, knowing that they will get away with it for years and be able to milk millions through the courts long before anyone big enough shuts them down. Patent trolling effec…

The USPTO is a profit center for the US government. Every extra patent submitted reduces the amount of tax everyone else has to pay. If the USPTO is approving bogus patents then should not the effort be on solving this rather than stopping people applying?

No, it isn't. Look at their budget[1]; very little money enters or leaves the office. The billions collected in the patent and trademark process are all spent on the patent and trademark process.

[1] http://www.uspto.gov/sites/default/files/documents/fy16pbr.p...

Re: Time-Series Database patented by GE

#40

Post by davelnewton »

davelnewton wrote: post #38
phkahler wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>> Because of the company's rules my name needed to be on the patent despite my objections. Then you had the ability to stop it.

Even if I had quit my name would have been on the patent. I'm interested in hearing how I could have stopped it once the process started.

(Without changing my name.)
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