Re: [idn] Alternative Solutions

["Sean X. Zhang" <sean_xzhang@yahoo.com>]

--- Kenneth Whistler <kenw@sybase.com> wrote:
> > First, let's make sure we all mean the same thing when we say "ACE".
> > When I say "ACE", I mean a reversible algorithmic mapping from Unicode
> > strings to LDH strings.
> > 
> > What started this thread was the possibility that patents might prevent
> > us from using an ACE.
> 
> Has it actually been determined that the WALID patent covers *all*
> possible "reversible algorithmic mappings from Unicode strings
> to LDH strings"? That seems like a stretch to me.

What can be "actually determined" has already been commented upon by John.

[...]

> 
> Or has WALID actually gotten a patent on a generic concept without
> actually specifying a particular technique to accomplish it??
> 
> --Ken

He claimed only "a method". But it appears to be a very broad one.

>From the US Patent Office's web site, www.uspto.gov, you can get the 
text of the 6,182,148 patent. Its claim 1 states (with [my comments]
in square brackets):

       1. A method of converting an internet international domain name 
          [that's an IDN] to an RFC1035 compliant format [or, an LDH string],
          where the international domain name includes non-English characters
          which are RFC1035 non-compliant, the method comprising [i.e.,
          requires at least the following]: 
              intercepting the international domain name, where the
                   intercepting is transparent to the user 
                   [this appears to be the role of the "DNS proxy" 
                   discussed at http://www.apng.org/idns/]; 
              transforming the international domain name to an RFC1035
                   compliant domain name 
                   [convert the IDN to an LDH string in any way you want,
                   reversible or not; no, a particular technique is not
                   specified for this step, and yes, this step does seem
                   to correspond to a generic concept; 
                   following steps 1, 2, and part of step 3 discussed at
                   http://www.apng.org/idns/ might be one particular
                   technique to accomplish this]; 
             automatically generating a redirector string 
                   [this is probably the string "ar.i18n.net" referred to 
                   in the "Detailed Description" section, in association 
                   with Fig. 2 and numeral "130"; if so, that would 
                   correspond to "idns.apng.org" in the "Note" section 
                   on www.apng.org/idns and the appended string in step 3,
                   above] 
                which includes information for resolving 
                   [cannot tell what information is required; maybe simply
                   another way of saying that the "redirector string" cannot 
                   be arbitrary and must be something like the ones above]
                the RFC1035 compliant domain name; and 
             appending the redirector string to the RFC1035 compliant 
                   do main [appears to be a typo; should be "domain"] name
                   [if above interpretation of "redirector string" is
                   correct, this would be the second half of step 3, above].

If my understanding of the claim language, the technology and the terminology
is correct, then yes, he seems to have a patent covering the generic concept
of converting IDNs to LDH strings. In claim 1, nothing's said about reversible
algorithmic mappings, though it seems to be broad enough to cover the concept.
In particular, his claim 1 would seem to cover the method discussed at
http://www.apng.org/idns/. 

Maybe someone could look at other claims or take a closer look at claim 1 to
see what kind of patent he has obtained?

--
Sean

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