Thor Lancelot Simon <tls@rek.tjls.com> writes:

> >     Thor> Note that in addition to the EPO patent, which covers most nations
> >     Thor> in Europe, the PCT patent essentially allows Ascom to have a patent
> >     Thor> issued in any industrialized nation for the cost of filing fees.

Thank you thor. However despite your long list (which is quite
interesting), and the (apparent) ease at which secondary patents maybe
granted via PCT, which I have some doubts as to the efficacy of as the
Japanese patent was in pending for quite some time, you will note than
Ascom hasn't bothered to apply for patent protection in 90% of these
countries -- either because the market is too small to bother with
(most likely), or because PCT and software patents don't mix as easily
as you suggest.