Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Gold/Mining/Energy : Canadian Oil & Gas Companies -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Tim Davies who wrote (6305)	4/23/1999 7:00:00 PM
From: Zeev Hed	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 24910

Tim, I do not agree with you, there is more danger that the "technology" will leak or that someone will duplicate it. The truth is, if SFD is indeed radically different from any other remote sensing technology, an extremely strong patent can be obtained. On the other hand, if it is just a variant of existing remote sensing technologies, than its value is limited. I would presume that a big part of the proprietary system need not even be divulged in the patent, particularly the details of the statistical tools used, or possibly the correlation transforms, or possibly the projection technologies , or even the neural network algorithms, which ever data crunching approach is used to reduce the SPD readings to three dimensional images of sub teranean structures. I am always wary of mystical technological breakthroughs which are too secret to patent. Zeev

To: Tim Davies who wrote (6305)	4/24/1999 12:35:00 AM
From: Dilution	Respond to of 24910

Tim, regarding SFD patents vs. no patents... You are exactly right. One small change and bingo. Also, how would they know if someone was using the devise? Like I say, so what if others eventually figure it out, those companies will keep it a major secret too. Split the world up four ways, 8 ways, pick a number. It is a lot. However, my fantasy is this: We never have to find out if one of the majors develops the SFD because Pinnacle sells it to them. Within say 12-24 months, this device will have been used all around the world in many different types of geography. At this point its strengths and weaknesses are known (for example, it will not work in the middle east as those are sandy deposits and there is not any stress involved with the structures. Carbonate reefs it finds all day long. Other structures are a little more tricky than others to pick out of the waveforms. Stuff like that.) Anyway, at that time put the company up for bid. I called Exxon and they said they budget $900 million a year for exploration (this includes land acqu, seismic, teams, and exploratory well costs. They would not break each component out for me.) So what would they spend for access to the SFD? What multiple or fraction of that yearly budget? Better yet, sell 5% of the company to each of the "7 sisters." Then the 7 largest oil companies in the world would have a vested interest in protecting "their" technology. Just my fantasy... But again, you are absolutely correct, patents are worthless. -Dilution