Discussion:
[bitcoin-dev] AsicBoost
Timo Hanke via bitcoin-dev
2016-04-01 04:41:40 UTC
Permalink
Hi.

I'd like to announce a white paper that describes a very new and
significant algorithmic improvement to the Bitcoin mining process which has
never been discussed in public before. The white paper can be found here:

http://www.math.rwth-aachen.de/~Timo.Hanke/AsicBoostWhitepaperrev5.pdf

Regards,

Timo
Peter Todd via bitcoin-dev
2016-04-01 09:00:50 UTC
Permalink
Post by Timo Hanke via bitcoin-dev
Hi.
I'd like to announce a white paper that describes a very new and
significant algorithmic improvement to the Bitcoin mining process which has
http://www.math.rwth-aachen.de/~Timo.Hanke/AsicBoostWhitepaperrev5.pdf
What steps are you going to take to make sure that this improvement is
available to all ASIC designers/mfgs on a equal opportunity basis?

The fact that you've chosen to patent this improvement could be a
centralization concern depending on the licensing model used. For example, one
could imagine a licensing model that gave one manufacture exclusive rights.
--
https://petertodd.org 'peter'[:-1]@petertodd.org
Mustafa Al-Bassam via bitcoin-dev
2016-04-04 23:01:43 UTC
Permalink
Alternatively scenario: it will cause a sudden increase of Bitcoin mines
in countries where the algorithm is not patented, possibly causing a
geographical decentralization of miners from countries that already have
a lot of miners like China (if it is patented in China).
Post by Peter Todd via bitcoin-dev
Post by Timo Hanke via bitcoin-dev
Hi.
I'd like to announce a white paper that describes a very new and
significant algorithmic improvement to the Bitcoin mining process which has
http://www.math.rwth-aachen.de/~Timo.Hanke/AsicBoostWhitepaperrev5.pdf
What steps are you going to take to make sure that this improvement is
available to all ASIC designers/mfgs on a equal opportunity basis?
The fact that you've chosen to patent this improvement could be a
centralization concern depending on the licensing model used. For example, one
could imagine a licensing model that gave one manufacture exclusive rights.
_______________________________________________
bitcoin-dev mailing list
https://lists.linuxfoundation.org/mailman/listinfo/bitcoin-dev
Marek Palatinus via bitcoin-dev
2016-04-06 11:57:31 UTC
Permalink
To my understanding it is purely software thing. It cannot be detected from
outside if miner uses this improvement or not. So patenting it is worthless.

slush

On Tue, Apr 5, 2016 at 1:01 AM, Mustafa Al-Bassam via bitcoin-dev <
Post by Mustafa Al-Bassam via bitcoin-dev
Alternatively scenario: it will cause a sudden increase of Bitcoin mines
in countries where the algorithm is not patented, possibly causing a
geographical decentralization of miners from countries that already have a
lot of miners like China (if it is patented in China).
Hi.
I'd like to announce a white paper that describes a very new and
significant algorithmic improvement to the Bitcoin mining process which has
http://www.math.rwth-aachen.de/~Timo.Hanke/AsicBoostWhitepaperrev5.pdf
What steps are you going to take to make sure that this improvement is
available to all ASIC designers/mfgs on a equal opportunity basis?
The fact that you've chosen to patent this improvement could be a
centralization concern depending on the licensing model used. For example, one
could imagine a licensing model that gave one manufacture exclusive rights.
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
bitcoin-dev mailing list
https://lists.linuxfoundation.org/mailman/listinfo/bitcoin-dev
Mustafa Al-Bassam via bitcoin-dev
2016-04-06 12:09:33 UTC
Permalink
It will prevent companies from legally selling mining rigs with the
improvement, which stems access to the improvement in patented
countries. Or miners can export rigs with the improvement from companies
that sell it in non-patented countries.

It is not purely a software thing - it is intended to be used by
modifying hardware. From the paper: "The performance gain is achieved
through a high-­level optimization of the Bitcoin mining algorithm which
allows for drastic reduction in gate count on the mining chip. AsicBoost
is applicable to all types of mining hardware and chip designs."

Ultimately though, I think you're right in that Bitcoin's mining and
decentralized design combined with an international economy makes
patenting mining algorithms effectively pointless.

Mustafa
Post by Marek Palatinus via bitcoin-dev
To my understanding it is purely software thing. It cannot be detected
from outside if miner uses this improvement or not. So patenting it is
worthless.
slush
On Tue, Apr 5, 2016 at 1:01 AM, Mustafa Al-Bassam via bitcoin-dev
Alternatively scenario: it will cause a sudden increase of Bitcoin
mines in countries where the algorithm is not patented, possibly
causing a geographical decentralization of miners from countries
that already have a lot of miners like China (if it is patented in
China).
Post by Peter Todd via bitcoin-dev
Post by Timo Hanke via bitcoin-dev
Hi.
I'd like to announce a white paper that describes a very new and
significant algorithmic improvement to the Bitcoin mining process which has
http://www.math.rwth-aachen.de/~Timo.Hanke/AsicBoostWhitepaperrev5.pdf
<http://www.math.rwth-aachen.de/%7ETimo.Hanke/AsicBoostWhitepaperrev5.pdf>
What steps are you going to take to make sure that this improvement is
available to all ASIC designers/mfgs on a equal opportunity basis?
The fact that you've chosen to patent this improvement could be a
centralization concern depending on the licensing model used. For example, one
could imagine a licensing model that gave one manufacture exclusive rights.
_______________________________________________
bitcoin-dev mailing list
https://lists.linuxfoundation.org/mailman/listinfo/bitcoin-dev
_______________________________________________
bitcoin-dev mailing list
https://lists.linuxfoundation.org/mailman/listinfo/bitcoin-dev
Timo Hanke via bitcoin-dev
2016-04-08 20:58:57 UTC
Permalink
Slush,

You can actually detect the use of this improvement by looking at the I/O
of the chip, the I/O of an on-board micro-controller or even at the system
I/O because all the communication including the mining pool protocol is
different.

Timo
Post by Marek Palatinus via bitcoin-dev
To my understanding it is purely software thing. It cannot be detected
from outside if miner uses this improvement or not. So patenting it is
worthless.
slush
On Tue, Apr 5, 2016 at 1:01 AM, Mustafa Al-Bassam via bitcoin-dev <
Post by Mustafa Al-Bassam via bitcoin-dev
Alternatively scenario: it will cause a sudden increase of Bitcoin mines
in countries where the algorithm is not patented, possibly causing a
geographical decentralization of miners from countries that already have a
lot of miners like China (if it is patented in China).
Hi.
I'd like to announce a white paper that describes a very new and
significant algorithmic improvement to the Bitcoin mining process which has
http://www.math.rwth-aachen.de/~Timo.Hanke/AsicBoostWhitepaperrev5.pdf
What steps are you going to take to make sure that this improvement is
available to all ASIC designers/mfgs on a equal opportunity basis?
The fact that you've chosen to patent this improvement could be a
centralization concern depending on the licensing model used. For example, one
could imagine a licensing model that gave one manufacture exclusive rights.
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
bitcoin-dev mailing list
https://lists.linuxfoundation.org/mailman/listinfo/bitcoin-dev
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