Lineo has decided to license patented FSMLabs technology for its
products. It's an interesting case of a patent being used to
benefit work on GPL'd code, and it's centered around a body of code
the embedded community isn't entirely sure deserves a patent:
"The furor is an example of the complications that can
arise in reconciling the popular open-source development model with
businesses that are based on intellectual property.
Complicating the matter, however, is the fact that FSMLabs is
not looking to profit from the patent, unless licensees are
themselves profiting. The distinction is important, because many
developers use RTLinux or similar systems for noncommercial or
research work.
The license gives Lineo the right to use FSMLabs' patented
dual-kernel real-time technology, which allows the full
capabilities of Linux to be made available without distracting from
the real-time tasks important in robotics, medical instruments,
network appliances and other areas that rely on embedded
technologies."
