From the
PHAT dept.:
The FAT file system is the file system used by MS-DOS and earlier versions of Windows. It's a relatively simple and straightforward file system, supported by just about any operating system, making it the favoured file system on memory cards and the like. FAT is an ECMA and ISO standard, but these only apply for FAT12 and FAT16 without support for long file names, and therein lies a problem.
...The new patch offers support for long file names without infringing any of Microsoft's patents. This isn't just an empty claim; several patent lawyers with expertise in this area have investigated the patch and concluded that it does not infringe the patents.
osnews.com