RE: [pki-tc] Re: [egov] e-Gov: Distributing confidential informat ion

[Mike Burati <mburati@bowstreet.com>]

It does seem baffling that one can patent obvious uses of existing
technology - patents are supposed to encourage innovation, not stifle it...

From Tumbleweed's website, 

http://www.tumbleweed.com/en/company/legal_notices.html#top

Patents
Some of the processes, arrangements, user interfaces, transaction sequences,
site and system architectures, data arrangements, and data processing
algorithms, described or embodied in this site and any affiliated or related
sites, are covered by one or more of the following U.S. Patents:   
  »    Patent No. 5,790,790 
  »    Patent No. 6,061,448 
  »    Patent No. 399,836 
  »    Patent No. 6,192,407 
  »    Patent No. 6,119,137 


If anyone figures out what these patents really cover (especially in terms
of how much of the obvious use of https for upload/download and mailing
https URLs), please let me know...


..Mike (speaking on behalf of myself, not my employer with regards to the
above opinions)


-----Original Message-----
From: James Bryce Clark [mailto:jbc@lawyer.com]
Sent: Sunday, February 16, 2003 7:15 PM
To: Anders Rundgren; pki-tc@lists.oasis-open.org
Subject: Re: [pki-tc] Re: [egov] e-Gov: Distributing confidential
information


     Anders, I am fascinated that someone thinks they have an enforceable 
claim to having invented the idea of sending someone a HTTPS web link by 
e-mail.
     It would be even more fascinating if they think such a patent holds up 
outside of the United States.
     Did your correspondent provide either a patent registration number, or 
an identity, or a convincing line of argument, that can be shared with the 
list?

Warm regards    Jamie

At 03:59 PM 2/16/2003 +0100, Anders Rundgren wrote:
>Oops!
>I have off-list just been informed that this method [unfortunately] is
>patented by Tumbleweed Communications.  I was encouraged to
>buy some of their shares as well...
>Anders R
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Anders Rundgren" <anders.rundgren@telia.com>
>To: <pki-tc@lists.oasis-open.org>
>Cc: <egov@lists.oasis-open.org>
>Sent: Saturday, February 15, 2003 17:05
>Subject: [egov] e-Gov: Distributing confidential information
>
>Here are some thoughts regarding how e-governments (and companies) could 
>efficiently distribute confidential information to citizens (or 
>employees).  Note: The following discussion only applies to information 
>from an (non-personal) authority to an individual.
>
>* * *  e-Governments could preferably e-mail the recipient a web-link (or 
>just a notification) that he or she uses to fetch the confidential 
>information with. That is, after the recipient have authenticated to the 
>on-line authority.
>This scheme is also aligned with an "account-based" authority where
>you may have tasks in various stages. * * *

~ James Bryce Clark
~ 1 310 293 6739   jbc@lawyer.com
~ Chair, US ABA Business Law E-Commerce Subcommittee
~ This message is not legal advice or a binding signature.  Feel free to 
ask me why.