----- Original Message -----
From: "Chris T. Daida" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> If this is correct, does Canon still hold the patent on the
> feature? Would Nikon employ ECF if given the opportunity, despite
> any outstanding patents? For instance, doesn't Canon have a
> patent on in-lens image stabilization? Yet Nikon released their
> own version of the same with VR.
Well, I'm no expert in the patent area, but I'm pretty sure that someone
can't get a patent for a feature, but only for the way this feature is
achieved. Take Image Stabilization for example, Canon can't get a patent for
"a feature which stabilizes the image", but they can gat a patent for "a
certain technology used to achieve image stabilization" . This of course
makes it possible for Nikon to make their own implementation of this
feature, as long as they don't do it the same way as Canon.
/Andy
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