E-Pass Can Resue Patent Case Against Palm

kisrael writes "The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit has ruled that a patent held by E-Pass may have been infringed by Palm and other PDA makers even though their devices are larger than 'credit-card sized.' The 1994 patent describes a 'multifunction, credit card-sized computer that allows users to securely store a multitude of account numbers, PIN codes, access information and other data from multiple credit cards, check cards, identification cards and similar personal documents.'"

Comments

I've got one too.

[Malicious]

Someone should put a patent on numbers entered sequentially. They'd make a fortune.

Dear E-PASS

[Anonymous Coward]

It's 2003, where is my credit-card sized device to store all my passwords, pin-codes and other similar personal information that you patiented in 1994? Oh, you don't have any engineers or expertise in designing such a device. Well I can dream too. I'm dreaming that you can bite my shiney credit-card sized ass.

Sincerely,

Bender

Solution...

[bersl2]

/me starts mumbling.
/me reaches into the shed.
/me slaps E-Pass execs and appellate judges with a 2x4 of Enlightenment.

/me wakes up.

What the patent is actually trying to claim...

[Anonymous Coward]

> The 1994 patent describes a "multifunction, credit card-sized computer that allows users to securely store a multitude of account numbers, PIN codes, access information and other data from multiple credit cards, check cards, identification cards and similar personal documents."

However, any computer is "multifunction", and "allows users to securely store a multitude of account numbers, PIN codes, access information and other data from multiple credit cards, check cards, identification cards and similar personal documents."

Therefore, this is actually a patent for:

>>> A small ("credit card-sized") computer.

Gee. I'll bet nobody else thought of that.

Look for prior art on Star Trek.

Re:Man, talk about vague...

[teamhasnoi]

After all, the human brain is a "computer" that allows its user to "securely store a multitude of account numbers, PIN codes, access information and other data from multiple credit cards, check cards, identification cards and similar personal documents".

And in the case of E-Pass executives, the human brain is credit card sized as well.

Yikes!

[joelsanda]

Imagine the poor slob running a version of Linux on his PalmOS with a pirated MP3 file. SCO, RIAA, and E-Pass should coordinate their efforts.

"May you litigate in interesting times".

Note to self:

[cliffy2000]

Patent "Utilizing the Bathroom in a Manner Such that Feces is Deposited." Pooping is profitable!

E-Pass - it's for casinos, music, and drugs

[linuxtelephony]

From the patent:

An additional advantage of this single multi-function card represents its use as key, master key or any other an access to e.g. buildings, cars enabling system or means.

and from their website:

Presented here are just some of the applications that will benefit from the e-pass concept... e-Casino e-Music e-Pharmaceuticals e-Entertai nment
and others

Are they based in Vegas or something?

Palm security?

[eyegone]

I don't see how Palm can possible be infringing this patent. AFAICT, there's no way to store anything securely on my Palm V.