Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

AvantGo Gets a Patent

Posted by michael on from the slashdot.org/palm/ dept.

AnElder writes: "Yahoo's Daily News Technology section is carrying a story reporting that AvantGo has received a patent for its synchronization technology. And here's an excerpt: "In legal jargon, AvantGo said the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office had issued it patent No. 6,341,316 covering the system, method and computer program product for synchronizing content between a server and a client." Why didn't I think of this?" In all fairness, the patent doesn't seem to be as bad as many that have been issued. It cites many other patents as references (which helps ensure that AvantGo is doing something *different*), and is rather specific about the process - I would expect that there are many ways to "synchronize" data that wouldn't run into this patent.

4 of 128 comments (clear)

  1. And, naturally... by Chagatai · · Score: 4, Funny
    [Obligatory Inevitable MS Lawsuit Reference]

    [Obligatory Common Tool/Application Reference]

    [Obligatory Comment Such As, "I bet the US Patent Office could give me a patent for my ass."]

    I think that covers it...

    --
    --Chag
  2. Windows Roaming Profiles by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    Isn't this fairly similar to Windows, and Romain Profiles? Microsoft ought to have a field day with this one.

  3. Completely fucking unreadable by startled · · Score: 4, Funny

    I couldn't make heads nor tails of the damned thing-- no wonder the USPTO is so backlogged, the legalese has really reached ridiculous heights. Is babelfish ever going to release Lawyer to English? I'm not sure what's more unreadable-- legalese or babelfish translations.
    However, I know Marimba was doing its Castanet updater before this was filed, so this application will have to be fairly specific to not get clobbered by that.

  4. New Calculator by hahn · · Score: 3, Funny

    I just developed a new calculator that performs additions using a novel method. X+Y is calculated as X-(-Y). It never uses the add function!!! Warning to you thieving bastards: patent is pending.

    --
    "The only normal people are the ones you don't know very well."