Digital BW, The Print

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, Ernst Dinkla <edinkla@...> ...
...
> HP either must have that patent or have a license to use more than 2 
> neutral greys in an inkset, all the Z models and the B9180 + B8850 have 
> that 4 or 3 neutral grey inks as the spine in the color mode as the only 
> inks used in a neutral B&W print.
> 

I don't have a legal understanding of what is patentable or licenseable, but this escapes me completely. Is this possible for a pretty run of the mill idea? Didn't most of us all back in the early days of quads with MIS, Lyson, Sundance, etc all want this? It occurred to me one day back in 1998, do I have some money coming? I don't think anyone working in B&W ink would even feel the need to express such an idea, it's just a given.
HP got in this game pretty late compared to most of us. They deserve credit for developing it and bringing it to market successfully, but the basic obvious idea is somehow worthy of infringement protection?
Actually, weren't the NK7s the first multiply density neutral mono inks on the market?
I have an idea, cars should use less gas. I thought of it a long time ago. Who do I invoice?
Tyler
http://www.custom-digital.com/