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canopic jug writes:

The EFF is writing an update on the case where Google has been trying to patent the use of the asymmetric numeral systems (ANS) alogrithm. The ANS algorithm is for video compression and has long since been placed in the public domain by its designer, Jarek Duda. The US Patent and Trademark Office has just issued a preliminary rejection of Google's request to patent the algorithm based in part on Duda's third-party formal contact with the patent examiner. The EFF points out that tiny variations on existing methods are inappropriate for patent claims and that the case Alice vs CLS Bank rejects the notion of being able to patent methods such as software.

At EFF, we often criticize software patents that claim small variations on known techniques. These include a patent on updating software over the Internet, a patent on out-of-office email, and a patent on storing data in a database. Now, Google is trying to patent the use of a known data compression algorithm - called asymmetric numeral systems (ANS) – for video compression. In one sense, this patent application is fairly typical. The system seems designed to encourage tech giants to flood the Patent Office with applications for every little thing they do. Google's application stands out, however, because the real inventor of ANS did everything he could to dedicate his work to the public domain.

Jarek Duda developed ANS from 2006-2013. When he published his work, he wanted it to be available to the public free of restrictions. So he was disappointed to learn that Google was trying to patent the use of his algorithm. In his view, Google's patent application merely applied ANS to a standard video compression pipeline. Earlier this summer, Timothy B. Lee of Ars Technica published a detailed article about the patent application and Duda's attempt to stop it.

The Ars Technica article linked to in the quote provides a detailed background on the situation. Actually, it's two situations since Google has also applied at Trademark Office and the European Patent Office despite relevant current European treaty prohibiting patents on software, maths, and business methods.

More about ANS on Wikipedia.

Earlier on SN: Google Accused of Trying to Patent Public Domain Technology (2017)

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