Is there anything in 3d graphics that isn't patented?

[K.I.L.E.R]

I mean seriously? I think all 3d graphics is about getting a set of technolgoies and patenting them faster than the competition can.

Isn't that what 3dfx had done that kept them on top for the amount of time they were on top? nVidia's doing it and so is Ati.
It's just the matter of who has the most resources to patent faster, they will remain on top.

So I read a thread somewhere below me that Ati patented gamma corrected FSAA, is that why nVidia only included GC shaders and not AA? Can nVidia use GCAA in future despite Ati's patent?

 

[ERP]

Most corporations collect patents in order to cover their asses.

Most of the time lawsuits are only filed if it's something the company believes is a blatant infringement or they're having financial difficulties, even then most of the suits are settled out of court with exchanges of patents.

Personally I have a real problem with the concept of intellectual property in general, and most especially when the law doesn't allow for reinvention.

 

[Simon F]

So I read a thread somewhere below me that Ati patented gamma corrected FSAA

Really? I was doing gamma correct downsampling in my last job over 10 years ago.

 

[Reverend]

So I read a thread somewhere below me that Ati patented gamma corrected FSAA

Really? I was doing gamma correct downsampling in my last job over 10 years ago.

That's one of the reasons why lawyers exist and should be your best buddy, Simon.

 

[Sxotty]

A quick question, wasn't the PC developed when people rediscovered how IBM did some memory thing or other.

Like 7 guys went in a room with a sheet telling them what a peice of equipment needed to do, but not how to accomplish it. Then they figured it out and IBM tried to sue but lost so the clones were born.

Is the above true? That is what I heard.

 

[Dave Baumann]

IIRC The reverse engineered the BIOS, took their findings, slightly altered how it did its job (thus circumventing the patents) and made their own versions.

 

[KimB]

Most of the time lawsuits are only filed if it's something the company believes is a blatant infringement or they're having financial difficulties, even then most of the suits are settled out of court with exchanges of patents.

Or they are themselves being sued, or if the opposing company is having financial problems (to attempt to put that last nail in the coffin).

 

[Dio]

IIRC The reverse engineered the BIOS, took their findings, slightly altered how it did its job (thus circumventing the patents) and made their own versions.

The other key part of the 'trick' was that the reverse-engineering to produce the spec, and the implementation of the spec, were done by two different teams. There was therefore no possibility that the original (copyrighted) code could find its way into the copy.

 

[3dcgi]

So I read a thread somewhere below me that Ati patented gamma corrected FSAA, is that why nVidia only included GC shaders and not AA? Can nVidia use GCAA in future despite Ati's patent?

I don't think they patented gamma correct AA. I think they patented their gamma correction technique. That's the real hard part anyway, making the gamma correction run fast with minimal transistors.

 

[K.I.L.E.R]

So I read a thread somewhere below me that Ati patented gamma corrected FSAA, is that why nVidia only included GC shaders and not AA? Can nVidia use GCAA in future despite Ati's patent?

I don't think they patented gamma correct AA. I think they patented their gamma correction technique. That's the real hard part anyway, making the gamma correction run fast with minimal transistors.

Thanks, that makes perfect sense. I was slightly confused before about what exactly they patented.