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From: jcburt@ipsun.larc.nasa.gov (John Burton)
Newsgroups: comp.graphics
Subject: Re: Pixar's patent on stochastic image generation
Message-ID: <1990Oct26.131122.2169@abcfd20.larc.nasa.gov>
Date: 26 Oct 90 13:11:22 GMT
References: <SP6RAAD@cs.swarthmore.edu> <67527@iuvax.cs.indiana.edu>
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In article <67527@iuvax.cs.indiana.edu> shirley@iuvax.cs.indiana.edu (peter shirley) writes:
>gessel@cs.swarthmore.edu (Daniel Mark Gessel) writes:
>
>>As I understand it, Pixar's patent on using stochastic processes to Anti-Alias
>>an image covers all forms of image generation, and all things one would want
>>to anti alias (space, time, depth of field, etc).
>
>>Every year, techniques for generating really cool pictures based on stochastic
>>sampling are published in the SIGGRAPH conference proceedings.
>
>>Does anybody know why?
>
>I would assume that any such patent would NOT hold up... stochastic sampling
>is just a classic form of Monte Carlo integration known in fields other
>than Comp Graphics since the 1950s.  Of course, given our courts, you
>never know!  Can I patent applications of quicksort to application X?
>(Hey, nobody ever used it on X before!).
>
>pete shirley
>shirley@cs.indiana.edu

Hey,  don't laugh...read the article in Nov 1990 issue of Dr. Dobbs Journal...
The authors bring up an interesting patent infringement that X windows is 
worrying about...seems someone patented the use of XOR for non-destructive
cursor movement...if you get a chance...READ THE ARTICLE!!!
no area of computer science is safe...

John Burton
(jcburt@cs.wm.edu)
(jcburt@ipsun.larc.nasa.gov)