Re: Subject: [Discuss-gnuradio] APCO 25

[Mark Smith]

On Sun, Jan 19, 2003 at 12:31:00PM -0800, Eric Blossom wrote:
> > If at all possible, the better answer is to get the patent holders to 
> > allow non-comercial use free of charge.  Then, there would be no problems
> > for someone like me to use the code, or better yet, help write the code.
> 
> Or Plan B:  Design a non-encumbered digital voice system.  
> How about RTP over IPSEC over 802.11b, using the unencumbered 4800 b/s
> FED-STD 1016 CELP vocoder.

I agree this would be a better idea.  However, be aware that it breaks 
all semblance of interoperability.  If we could get everyone else to use
_OUR_ standard, that'd be fine.  As it is, most (all?) the digital voice
used in 2-way today uses a patented codec; if you want to be able
to listen/talk with these people, we need this protocol and codec.

> In my experience with standards groups, there is often a bunch of
> maneuvering to get somebody's, perhaps marginally better, but patented
> technology worked in to the standards, instead of using the straight
> forward unencumbered solution.

They're not always better, but they do usually have an existing 
installed base, otherwise the patent holder wouldn't have a leg to
stand on.  But, having worked with both the IETF and 3GPP2, I will
agree that standards bodies are usually more politics than anything
else.

-Mark
-- 
Mark Smith - finger address@hidden for GPG v1.0.1 public key

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