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Amazon Takes Pikachu To The Patent Office

Posted by Hemos on from the it's-not-"would-be-nice-to-catch-them-all" dept.

theodp writes "On Tuesday, Amazon was awarded a patent for Search Query Autocompletion. From the Summary of the Invention--'For example, if Pokemon toys are currently the best selling or most-frequently-searched-for items within the database, the term POKEMON may be suggested whenever a user enters the letters "PO," even though many hundreds of other items in the database may start with "PO.'" See, Amazon practices the mantra "Gotta catch 'em all" with patents.

17 of 334 comments (clear)

  1. Next year.. by grub · · Score: 5, Funny

    Amazon tries to patent:
    Patent Application 20040182-2774a - Fibrous cellulose sheeting for the removal of extraneous faeces from the posterior opening of the alimentary canal.
    --
    Trolling is a art,
    1. Re:Next year.. by brakk · · Score: 5, Funny

      then "one sheet wiping"

    2. Re:Next year.. by kzinti · · Score: 4, Funny

      Amazon tries to patent: Patent Application 20040182-2774a - Fibrous cellulose sheeting for the removal of extraneous faeces from the posterior opening of the alimentary canal.

      And in the bargain, giving a bizarre new meaning to the phrase "Prior Art."

  2. erm.. is this patent G rated? by trmj · · Score: 5, Funny

    This is so not gonna work unless they put a filter on it.

    If going by search engine queries is any example, pokemon is not the most commonly searched for word that begins with po...

    --
    Work sucked, until it became unemployment, when it became slightly more tolerable. -Tet
    1. Re:erm.. is this patent G rated? by wo1verin3 · · Score: 2, Funny

      Bah I keep trying to search for "Pope For Dummies" but they keep trying to sell me the new pokemon game.. AHHHHHHHHH

  3. Quick! by mattsucks · · Score: 5, Funny

    Someone patent searching for '*' and '%', which between them will cover all other searches! ...
    3. Profit!

    1. Re:Quick! by Rick.C · · Score: 2, Funny
      Everyone go there and search for goatse.cx!

      It's not the most searched-for, it's the most-purchased match.

      Quick! Everyone go to amazon and buy goatse.cx!
      --
      You were 80% angel, 10% demon. The rest was hard to explain. - Over The Rhine
      "Math in a song is good."-Linford
  4. Quick! by da3dAlus · · Score: 4, Funny

    Everyone go there and search for goatse.cx!

    --

    Sometimes I doubt your commitment to Sparkle Motion.
  5. Patents are good! by Basje · · Score: 4, Funny

    Let me get this straight. This is what they patented, right?

    select * from items where name like 'PO%'
    order by number_of_requests_last_week

    I'm really glad that I'm studying to become an IP lawyer. The more stupid patents, the merrier :)

    --
    the pun is mightier than the sword
    1. Re:Patents are good! by gregfortune · · Score: 2, Funny

      No, No... It's way more than that... They can do it for any two letter prefix. I'm just waiting for the advances in technology that will allow them to complete 3, 4, and even 5 letter prefixs. It can't be more than a couple years away ;o)

  6. Bad example by arvindn · · Score: 5, Funny

    When the user starts typing PO, obviously your first suggestion should be PORN :)

    1. Re:Bad example by sebi · · Score: 2, Funny

      Porn? Is that internet speak for pr0n? Does Amazon even carry that?

      --
      Hank! White!
  7. Re:Items in the database starting with PO by DespotBob · · Score: 2, Funny

    Hmmm... PO... dunno but PORN sounds like a viable alternative. Pokemon as an example for PO seems like wishful thinking.

  8. Unlikely Situation by BigBadBri · · Score: 2, Funny
    'For example, if Pokemon toys are currently the best selling or most-frequently-searched-for items within the database, the term POKEMON may be suggested whenever a user enters the letters "PO," even though many hundreds of other items in the database may start with "PO."'

    Any fule nose that typing 'PO' will always autocomplete to 'PORN', no matter how popular Pokemon is at any one time.

    --
    oh brave new world, that has such people in it!
  9. Linux for REAL men by siskbc · · Score: 2, Funny
    just a pain with rpm's missing dependencies

    RPM's are for pussies. Real men install everything using .tar.gz. On their Slackware box.

    No, wait, that's too easy. Real men code their Linux from scratch. Without a compiler. Straight machine code. Input by ASCII.

    Naturally, this prevents holding down a real job. So real men also live in their parents' basement. And priorities prevent time for useless things like girls. So real men masturbate. A lot. While looking at a picture of Stallman. Naked. Fucking that queer GNU ox mascot.

    Any more questions?

    --

    -Looking for a job as a materials chemist or multivariat

    1. Re:Linux for REAL men by FurryFeet · · Score: 2, Funny

      Thanks for that lovely image. Now that it is firmly planted in my head, I'm ready for a life of celibacy.
      Hate to break the news to the wife, tough.

  10. At the risk of being Really Obvious... by KC7GR · · Score: 2, Funny

    I just can't help myself. Every time I hear someone say the word 'Pikachu,' my gut-level reaction is to offer them a Kleenex and say 'Gesundheit.'

    I know, I know... Probably off-topic... There go my karma points (again).

    --

    Bruce Lane, KC7GR,

    Blue Feather Technologies