Am I allowed to use the idea or algorithem of jpeg in my game? I mean the one that you slice the image into 8x8, then map it using DCT, then quantize it and finally make a loss-less compression. Am I allowed to make a file format of my own using this idea/algorithem? or is there a patnet on it that won't allow me to do so? Or am I only not allowed to use the exact format of the .jpeg file? Thanks in advance.

My advice: if someone thinks that what you're doing violates their patent then they can let you know. (of course I'll disavow ever saying this when you get sued)

Isn't making 8x8 blocks then applying DCT also used in MPEG and H.263 for video? If you're really paranoid, have a look at the PNG spec for some ideas that you won't be persecuted for reading.

If I will somehow improve a bit the compression algorithem, then they will no longer be able to sue me for violating their patent rights?
Jpeg is also quite old, isn't its patent should have expired already?

http://www.wired.com/news/business/0,1367,53981,00.html

That should answer all your questions.

Either way, I wouldn't be concerned.

It really shouldn't be a problem with a million jpeg decoders floating around as it is.

If you don't have any money, companies won't bother suing you....

(unless you're an 8-year-old girl downloading her favorite MP3 X-D

Quote: Original post by The C modest god
If I will somehow improve a bit the compression algorithem, then they will no longer be able to sue me for violating their patent rights?
Jpeg is also quite old, isn't its patent should have expired already?

JPEG is old, but it's not that old. Besides, as I understand the "claimed" JPEG patent (there are some ongoing disputes to see if the patent is actually legal, seeing as there is legal precidence), it only covers the explicit process that their algorithm covers. It'd be perfectly legal to design your own image compression algorithm using the bits that JPEG does, but I'd change the order of operations at least, and to do my best to comply with the patent I'd make a listing in my own patent application stating in all of the ways JPEG isn't my compression technique.

Besides, if the JPEG patent holds, part of MPEG-I and all of Motion JPEG are both in violation, and there will be some very pissed off businesses out there.

Quote: Original post by Tac-Tics
If you don't have any money, companies won't bother suing you....

(unless you're an 8-year-old girl downloading her favorite MP3 X-D

Don't forget the 43 year old women who've never owned or even operated a computer in their life... you gotta account for them getting sued over downloading mp3's when they don't even know what one is :D

Quote: Original post by Tac-Tics
If you don't have any money, companies won't bother suing you....

(unless you're an 8-year-old girl downloading her favorite MP3 X-D

While they might not be able to get any money they could certainly force you to stop distributing your product, so all the effort would be wasted.

Quote: Original post by Obscure

Quote: Original post by Tac-Tics
If you don't have any money, companies won't bother suing you....

(unless you're an 8-year-old girl downloading her favorite MP3 X-D

While they might not be able to get any money they could certainly force you to stop distributing your product, so all the effort would be wasted.

And of course, this is the biggest threat.

But then again, if you're just developing it to learn how it works, go for it.