In-flight content experts Altitude Media recently honored Seer Systems by telephone interview.

“Another in a two-decade line of ‘firsts,’ this is to my knowledge the first coverage of a synthesizer company by in-flight radio and magazines. It brings our story to the attention of over 10 million people.” founder Stanley Jungleib said.

The segment runs on Delta and USAir for all of September and October, 2011.

Listen: Altitude Media Interview

Though supported by no expert testimony, be assured Cohn’s ‘doubts’ prove she knows more about MIDI, music, and audio than the USPTO. Clearly too upset to be candid, you don’t read about the seven years of EFF’s resources squandered by her ignorance about her centerpiece argument on prior art; which USPTO dismissed without hesitation. And only in such a bewildered mind does the addition of six new claims result in an unequivocal ‘narrowing.’ A professional loser to the end, instead of acknowledging the decision and recommending fair-market licensing, she calls for ‘workarounds.’ I agreeably encourage all competitors to bet their future on Cohn’s technical chops, strategic wisdom, and curious speculative outbursts.

“Patent Bust” of Seer Systems’ Electronic Music Patent Sunk By USPTO Action

San Francisco, CA – October 29, 2010 – The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has rejected the EFF’s “Patent Busting” re-examination attack on Seer Systems’ patent #5,886,274. According to the EFF’s website, Seer and its ‘274 patent were “Wanted by EFF Marshalls” for “Crimes Against the Public Domain; Willful Ignorance of Prior Art; Eggregious Display of Obviousness.” The USPTO disagreed, ruling that the core original claims of the ‘274 patent are valid, as are six newly-added claims. From a technical standpoint the entire affair cost Seer only a few minor amendments of wording that rendered three of the original claims in the ‘274 patent no longer necessary.

Founder and Chairman Stanley Jungleib, responds: “Seer’s ‘274 Patent inventing scalable digital audio distribution has now withstood all reasonable tests and challenges. Seer Systems has already settled litigation with Microsoft, Yamaha, and Beatnik. Thanks to EFF this Patent has now received enough attention that no one in the MIDI or audio domain can claim ignorance of its validity and implications. Seer Systems looks forward to licensing responsible customers under fair terms. And, as necessary, we will continue defending our intellectual property consistent with our substantial record.”

Seer’s outside litigation counsel, Alex Weyand of the Weyand Law Firm, San Francisco, commented: “Why the EFF did not contact our client first, and instead chose to learn the hard way, remains a mystery.”

Seer Systems released the acclaimed Reality software synthesizer in 1997, at which time it was supported on Microsoft Windows 95, and eventually on Windows 98. Over the years, a recurring question has been “When will Reality be available on newer operating systems?” A decade later, Seer has not yet announced plans to release an upgraded version, a situation which many find confusing.

What the general public may not know, is that Seer has considered not only upgrading Reality to newer versions of Windows, but releasing the Reality source code to the public. For various reasons, however, Seer has done neither. A recent email exchange between a Remixer user and Stanley Jungleib, presented a new opportunity for the Seer Systems founder to update the legal and technical issues:

Seer Systems responds:

Revised: 20120709

Rick Davies explores the context and history of Seer Systems’ profoundly influential patent #5,886,274 with Chairman and inventor Stanley Jungleib. Jungleib explains the grounds of the patent’s strength and predicts why EFF’s notions about prior art would fail—exactly as they did in October, 2010 when USPTO reissued ‘274 not merely intact, but strengthened by six additional claims.

Errata:
In mentioning the review of General MIDI I misattributed a CMJ statement to the AES. Both reviews are available with the complete text at General MIDI [Book].