On 4/8/05, Lucky Green <shamrock@cypherpunks.to> wrote:
U.S. Patent 4,759,063 "Blind Signature Systems" will expire on July 19, 2005. A Tuesday. Since no patent litigator will consider litigating on a Monday morning over patent infringement for a patent that expires the next day, it appears safe to say that come the preceding Saturday, technologies that make use of this patent can be displayed to the public. That Saturday is July 16, 2005.
It took us 20 long years to get to this date. For those of us that tried to use this technology, it was 20 very, very long years. Fortunately, the 20 years are over. Which is as much reason for celebration as I can imagine. The expiration of the Blind Signature patent surely calls for a party. And as I promised so many years go, I will take it upon myself to throw that party. Anybody that knows what blind signatures are is welcome, no, make that implored, to come to the expiration party at my house (or other venue if there are too many people for my place) to celebrate the expiration of the patent on Saturday, July 16. As for me, I am counting the days. Ping me for details.
That's very exciting. Perhaps we could aim for the release of some new software packages that use the blind signature patent technology. Are there any applications which have been waiting for this patent to expire? CP