The AsicBoost debate is really interesting, I appreciate those folks that are taking the time to develop arguments here (whatever the position). I haven't really formulated an opinion on this issue, but this debate has jogged my memory about a patent I saw months ago while searching the Patent Office's records. I'll have to go back through some old notes to find what I think I read originally, but its something like the patent found here:
https://www.google.com/patents/WO2015138506A1. The title is: "A system and method for detecting intrusions through real-time processing of traffic with extensive historical perspective." A word search for "Bitcoin" will take you to this paragraph:
[00027] In some embodiments, a score module may be implemented to analyze the extracted item memory, score the detections in the type- structured data, and correlate the detections with host ID data. In some embodiments, the score module can run checks on the type- structured data to determine if any thresholds have been exceeded. In some embodiments, the score module may edit or update the host ID data (e.g. in host data) with new detection information. For instance, the score module may correlate newly detected bitcoin mining activity to an existing host ID and update the host ID with further information regarding the recent bitcoin activity. In some embodiments, the score module further comprises an alert agent which can generate alert data if a network attack threshold is exceeded. In some embodiments, the score module comprises a query agent which can retrieve data from the extracted item memory in response to network security
administrators or other network security devices. In some embodiments, the score module may generate the alert data or query responses as reporting output.
This means an internet provider, who probably sub-licenses routers to its customers fwiw, may be able and/or required to detect bitcoin mining and possibly node activity. This is a bigger potential threat than licensing a particular bit of ASIC tech IMHO; that's not to say the same strategy being debated RE: ASICBoost isn't applicable to mining detection. Consider what would happen if miners have to go through KYC compliance or meet some other regulation. Internet providers may be forced to act as deputies and report any detected mining or other related activity. If that is the case, home-miners could be persuaded to give up mining; miners able to continue might just decide to relocate and/or congregate in more friendly environments. I'm not intending to create a staw-person or a slippery slope argument here, I just think there may be bigger fish to fry (or to consider frying) vis-a-vis the patent scene.