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[News] [SOT] More Intellectual Monopoly Insanity from the USPTO

Patent shields customer support from customers

,----[ Quote ]
| A US patent granted to SNAPin details a process for spotting when a user is 
| trying to call support, and presenting them with a self-help package rather 
| than connecting the call.  
| 
| [...]
| 
| The patent (US Patent number 7,353,016) isn't limited to displaying self-help 
| support, and the possibilities are endless. Calls to companies could be 
| redirected to their web pages, and calls to friends could load up their 
| Facebook presence, avoiding that wasteful human interaction users seem so 
| keen on.    
`----

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/04/01/snapin_patent/

Also related to intellectual insanity:

The Problem Isn't Infringement, it's Indifference

,----[ Quote ]
| One of the interesting side-effects of the increasing number of artists 
| making their work freely available with great success is that it demonstrates 
| a deep and hitherto unappreciated facet of creativity: that the main problem 
| is never "infringement" but simply indifference.    
| 
| [...]
| 
| Oh, of course, it doesn't matter whether anyone *reads* your poetry, so long 
| as you get paid for it. The idea that a real poet might be more concerned 
| with the latter - and worry about the dosh later - is clearly an outmoded 
| idea.   
`----

http://opendotdotdot.blogspot.com/2008/04/problem-isnt-infringment-its.html


Related:

(Mis)Managing the Patent System

,----[ Quote ]
| The current patent system in the U.S. drains entrepreneurship and 
| small-business growth, a new study shows. Problems include high litigation 
| costs, a decline in patent quality and differences among nations in terms of 
| patent law.   
`----

http://news.thomasnet.com/mt/rst.cgi/1437


Patent police raid booths at CeBit trade show

,----[ Quote ]
| The police didn't name which people or companies were targeted, but they did 
| say the alleged patent violations deal with devices that have MP3, MP4, or 
| digital video broadcast functions; DVD players; and blank CDs and DVDs. They 
| managed to fill 68 boxes with gadgets, documents, and advertising material 
| and took down the identities of nine people, most of whom were reportedly 
| cooperative.     
| 
| The raid was a response to a rising number of "criminal complaints by the 
| holders of patent rights in the run-up to CeBit," and the patent holders had 
| warned the accused companies in "good time" about their lack of licenses, 
| police said, according to the AP.    
`----

http://www.news.com/8301-10784_3-9887955-7.html?part=rss&subj=news&tag=2547-1_3-0-20


CeBIT 2008: Alleged patent troll Sisvel throws wrench in works of several
smartphone and digital media player makers over MP3 licensing

,----[ Quote ]
| Italy-based Sisvel S.p.a., holder of a somewhat controversial MP3 patent, has 
| had the CeBIT 2008 booths of several Windows Mobile smartphone and digital 
| media player makers shut down over allegations that the devices of the makers 
| infringe on its patents.   
`----

http://www.digitimes.com/telecom/a20080306VL202.html

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