On Sat, Jan 05, 2002 at 01:53:09PM -0500, John Kane wrote:
Someone has applied for a US patent on the technique of
using a symmetric session key on a document, and then using
multiple public keys to encrypt the session key to multiple
recipients. Newton Hammet newton(at)hammet.net brought
this to our attention.
http://appft1.uspto.gov/netahtml/PTO/srchnum.html
(search for 20010055396)
http://lists.gnupg.org/pipermail/gnupg-users/2002-January/011444.html
http://lists.gnupg.org/pipermail/gnupg-users/2002-January/011445.html
He cites RSA as prior art, but not RFC1991/RFC2440.
I've not read the patent, but if there really is a prior art conflict
with PGP:
http://www.uspto.gov/web/menu/helpfaq.htm#a50
#50 How does one file protest on patents that are pending?
Protests by a member of the public against pending applications will
be referred to the examiner having charge of the subject matter
involved. A protest specifically identifying the application to
which the protest is directed will be entered in the application file
if: (1) The protest is submitted prior to the publication of the
application or the mailing of a notice of allowance under rule
1.311, whichever occurs first; and (2) The protest is either served
upon the applicant in accordance with rule 1.248, or filed with the
Office in duplicate in the event service is not possible. For more
detailed information on protesting a patent, you may visit our Web
site at http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/pac/mpep/mpep.htm for the
Manual of Patent Examining Procedure (MPEP) Chapter 1900.
The specific document referred to is at
http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/pac/mpep/mpep_e8_1900.pdf
David
--
David Shaw | dshaw(_at_)jabberwocky(_dot_)com | WWW
http://www.jabberwocky.com/
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