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For the curious, a quick search yields claims of 2025 and 2028 as the last patent expiration date. This announcement shouldn't please anyone.

• modeless 17y ago
  How can that be if the standard was ratified in 2003?
  • jws 17y ago
    Some of the patents may have been applied for, but not granted until after ratification.
    • modeless 17y ago
      For patents filed after 1995 the patent term is based on the filing date of the application, not the date the patent is granted.
  • wmf 17y ago
    Perhaps some of the patents cover optimizations that don't affect the bitstream format. Or maybe they're just bogus patents.