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Amazon Releases 1-Click Patent Sequel

Posted by timothy on from the early-gift-from-jeff-bezos dept.

theodp writes "Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos is seeking a patent for coordinating the delivery of a gift. The invention was bundled with the 1-Click claims in this 1998 EPO filing, but its USPTO filing was allowed to lapse. Amazon refiled with the USPTO in July, 2002--a few months after settling the BN 1-Click lawsuit." Update: 12/13 05:35 GMT by T : Ben Silverman writes "Please note that Shel Kaphan is no longer the CTO of Amazon.com and has not been with the company for over three years. I apologize for any inconvience this has caused Mr. Kaphan and to readers for the error. Mr. Kaphan pointed out my error in an email this evening." (Kaphan is identified as CTO in the linked NY Post story.)

3 of 236 comments (clear)

  1. Bad news by Henry+V+.009 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Oh shit--Amazon just patented Christmas.

  2. Instead... by craenor · · Score: 5, Funny

    They should patent how to never make money and stay in business. That's their big secret...

  3. Exercise a cat... by Tackhead · · Score: 5, Funny
    > > [method of exercising a cat] "...directing an intense coherent beam of invisible light ~ to produce a bright highly-focused pattern of light at the intersection of the beam and an opaque surface ".
    >
    > (emphasis mine) Now I don't know about them, but all those years of college physics taught me that unless the wavelength is altered, "invisible" light cannot become "visible," and focusing light doesn't alter its wavelength. Therefore, this patent is impossible to implement, and therefore a waste of cash and ink.

    Naw. Infrared light, such as that produced from a CO2 laser, is invisible to the human eye.

    So you use a 10W CO2 laser. Believe me, you'll get plenty of light wherever the beam intersects with an opaque surface, and while I'm not convinced that "fascinated" is the right word to use, I can guarantee you that any cats in the vicinity will move very quickly.

    (Note: If your cat moves towards the light, you'll need to get a new cat. But think of it as Darwin's way of telling you that you probably needed a new cat anyways.)