Re: mp3 encoding patents.

[Ingo Saitz <Ingo.Saitz@stud.uni-hannover.de>]

MoiN

On Sat, Sep 16, 2000 at 12:23:21PM +0200, Simon Richter wrote:
> AFAIK the MP3 compression function isn't protected, the psychoacustic
> model they use is (represented by the tables). lame has its own
> psychacustic model, so it should be safe to use and package.

I think you might be wrong with that. The whole format seems to
be encumbered by patents. Thomson/Fraunhofer even want to charge
the distribution of electronic music. According to

	http://www.mp3licensing.com/

we even might run into trouble with mp3 Decoders:

 "No license fee is expected for desktop software mp3
  decoders/players that are distributed free-of-charge via the
  Internet for personal use of end-users."

However, I don't know if their patents are really applicable to
all the uses they claim on that page...

    Ingo "not a lawyer"
-- 
<PRE>      _
          ( )  ASCII Ribbon Campaign
          /~\  Against HTML Mail
</PRE>   '   `