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Path: utzoo!mnetor!seismo!columbia!rutgers!ames!amdahl!nsc!roger
From: roger@nsc.nsc.com (Roger Thompson)
Newsgroups: comp.arch,comp.sys.nsc.32k
Subject: Re: NS32532 Patents
Message-ID: <4214@nsc.nsc.com>
Date: Fri, 17-Apr-87 13:09:50 EST
Article-I.D.: nsc.4214
Posted: Fri Apr 17 13:09:50 1987
Date-Received: Sun, 19-Apr-87 12:25:44 EST
References: <4206@nsc.nsc.com> <18308@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU> <299@dumbo.mips.UUCP>
Distribution: na
Organization: National Semiconductor, Sunnyvale
Lines: 24
Keywords: branch prediction, cache coherence, microprocessor, cache
Xref: mnetor comp.arch:983 comp.sys.nsc.32k:85

In article <299@dumbo.mips.UUCP>, hansen@mips.UUCP (Craig Hansen) writes:
  
> Seems to me that all Roger said was that National has applied for these
> patents. For all we know, the applications might be rejected because they
> are considered either not "novel" or because they are judged to be "obvious
> to one skilled in the state of the art."
> -- 

I haven't disappeared.  I have been working on responding to several
email requests.  I have been working sort of as a FIFO and I'm
responding by time and date.  I have but one or two left.

As it relates to the patents, there is a difference between applying
for a patent and actually getting one. Our success rate is very very
high.  But in the time between applying and actually being granted
a patent and having the text available from the Gov't printing
office ------- well, it could be late 1988 or early 1989.  In the
interim, the text is held by the patent office as confidential
material so I can't send drafts of it off to anyone. In fact
I haven't seen the full drafts myself.  What I can do however is
answer questions in almost any detail one wishes.  I may have to
search out an answer or two.

Roger