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November 2006

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2006.11.25 01:55 "Queries on Copyright and Patents for HD Photo format", by Brad Hards

G'day,

I'm interested in the possibility in using the HD Photo format DPK to support 
HD Photo in the libtiff (http://www.remotesensing.org/libtiff/) library, 
which is a cross-platform implementation of most of the TIFF 6.0 
specification. The license for the libtiff library can be viewed at 
http://www.remotesensing.org/libtiff/misc.html

I have a number of questions that relate to copyright on the Feature and 
Bitstream specifications, and on the reference codec implementation.  I'm not 
sure I understand the license well enough, and would like some clarification.

Q1. Will Microsoft provide explicit approval for the reference codec 
implementation (as provided in the DPK Version 1.0 dated 16 November 2006) to 
be included in the libtiff library under the existing libtiff license?

Q2.  Can the Feature and Bitstream specifications be used to create an 
independent implementation without infringing on Microsoft's copyright?

Q3. Are their any patents that Microsoft is aware of that apply to the 
reference codec or are necessary to the implement the techniques described in 
the Bitstream or Feature specifications?

Q4. If the answer to Q3 is yes, is Microsoft willing to provide a royalty free 
license for the applicable patents (as held by Microsoft) for libtiff, and 
for any application that supports HD Photo through libtiff?

Q5. If the answer to Q3 is yet and there are known patent holders other than 
Microsoft, can Microsoft identify the other patent holders?

Thanks.

Brad