IBM Applies for Password Manager Patent

An anonymous reader writes "As of August 21, IBM has applied for a patent on "A convenient and secure system and method for access to any number of password-protected computer applications, web sites and forms without adding to the user cognitive load and without circumventing the inherent security of such password-protection schemes. An existing password field on a device display is overlaid with password wallet pop-up field which allows a wallet "master" key to unlock the wallet. An application-specific and/or user-specific password is automatically retrieved from the wallet and entered into the password field with no other user action required." This isn't much different from Mozilla's "Master Password"."

Comments

Not necessarily bad...

[PoiBoy]

Think of it this way. You could have IBM apply for this patent, or you could have some less scrupulous company. For all intents and purposes, IBM will never make a penny from this patent. Moreover, IBM is more likely to allow others to use this technology without filing patent infringement suits than some other company like amazon.com with its one-click shopping.

Said another way, IBM having the patent just prevents some VC-backed cyber squatter patent the idea and then demand royalties from everyone under the sun.

Re:Prior art

[the eric conspiracy]

the only thing the USPTO considers as prior art are previous patents, until the said patent challenged in the courts.

Not true at all. The USPTO does dog food as a preference, but if you try to patent something and include references to scientific literature in the patent, it is quite likely that the examiner will turn around and use those references against you.