Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Path: utzoo!decvax!ucbvax!NOSC.ARPA!joel%gould9
From: joel%gould9@NOSC.ARPA.UUCP
Newsgroups: mod.telecom
Subject: Re: Pending FCC ruling threat to modem users
Message-ID: <8701210649.AA18968@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU>
Date: Mon, 29-Dec-86 01:30:52 EST
Article-I.D.: ucbvax.8701210649.AA18968
Posted: Mon Dec 29 01:30:52 1986
Date-Received: Wed, 21-Jan-87 18:48:14 EST
Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU
Organization: The ARPA Internet
Lines: 19
Approved: telecom@xx.lcs.mit.edu
Summary: patent suit

BizComp and Hayes may have the biggest threat to modem users.  BizComp
claims a patent on auto-dialing technology, controling dialing with
the data line (unlike the earlier UNIX modems, which required a
separate calling unit.)

Apparently Hayes paid about $2 million to license (or buy off, if you
like) BizComp's patent threat, and also claims its own patent on the 1
second before and after the +++ escape.

BizComp has sued Prometheus, a modem clone company.  Needless to say,
if Hayes and BizComp win, cheap competition in the modem market would
be threatened.  US Robotics has filed a pre-emptive lawsuit alleging
antitrust violations against both companies, but if the patents are
valid, it doesn't stand a chance.
-- 
	Joel West			     MCI Mail: 282-8879
	Western Software Technology, POB 2733, Vista, CA  92083
	{cbosgd, ihnp4, pyramid, sdcsvax, ucla-cs} !gould9!joel
	joel%gould9.uucp@NOSC.ARPA