MQX MFS - Long File Names and Microsoft Patents

[hworrall]

The MQX File System (MFS) is compatible with the MS-DOS file system. The MFS supports the DOS long file names. Microsoft registered a patent for the long file name conversion method in 1993 and 1996 (patent 517 & 352). Does the MQX MFS infringe Microsoft's patents for long file names and if so can long file names be turned off in the MFS?

Regards,

Hugh

[danielchen]

Hi Hugh:

The MFS does have support for long filenames.

The patents you mentioned describe the technique used to store long file names along with  short filenames inside legacy FAT directory structure.

This is quite ridiculous because in fact there is no invention in it, it is merely a hack to overcome limitations of the FAT filesystem and MFS uses this solely for compatibility.

Please see Microsoft FAT patents - software patents wiki (en.swpat.org) 

Fortunately the patent no.517 already expired and patent no. 352 is going to expire in 5 days (as it was filed on Setpember 5 th 1996), at least in US (I am not sure about other countries,  I suggest consulting this with a lawyer)

Regards

Daniel

[hworrall]

Hi Daniel,

When I checked patent no.517 and 352 it looked like they were both due to expire in September but there was no talk about this on the internet that I could find which I thought was a bit odd, especially when Microsoft was make so much money from it. Our equipment is sold in New Zealand and Australia so I'll get the company lawyers to check. As it has not expired yet its a bit odd this hasn't come up before (I found just one other post regarding this a few years back with no replies). I assume there must be a lot of people out there with code infringing the patents. Looks like MS has only bothered with TomTom, Apple, Samsung and other phone manufacturers from what I can tell.   

Regards,

Hugh