EFF Runs Patent-Busting Challenge

markclong writes "Every year numerous illegitimate patent applications make their way through the United States patent examination process without adequate review. The problem is particularly acute in the software and Internet fields where the history of prior inventions (often called "prior art") is widely distributed and poorly documented. As a result, we have seen patents asserted on such simple technologies as One-click online shopping (U.S. Patent No. 5,960,411.), Online shopping carts (U.S. Patent No. 5,715,314.), The hyperlink (U.S. Patent No. 4,873,662.). The EFF is hosting a patent busting project to fight the most egregious abuses of the patent system."

Comments

The EFF's a little late to the party.

[sharkb8]

Anyone notice that the EFF announced that they were going to be challenging bogus patents 2 days after PubPat announced that they had submitted a request to have Microsoft's FAT patent re-examined?

Re:Might this not rather support the patent system

[Anonymous Coward]

US patent system does not want to spend the time/money

The problem is that Congress won't give the USPTO the money it requires to do its job. This is on its way to changing with the new fee bill H.R. 1561, but it may take some time. It is still largely a step in the right direction.

Problem started in 91

[opencity]

Probably partisan of me but this problem started at the end of the previous Bush (41) admin when downsizing the government starting forcing the patent office to pay for itself.

I got called for a job once when some friends had a patent and wanted me to dummy the technology in Flash - they already had the patent(?!), which I scrolled through, and some fun double talk about the technology. I said this was the 'Artist conception of flying car' patent. We haven't built it, but we want to sue you if you figure it out.

Re:So what's new?

[stinkfoot]

Is this article a duplicate of an article from nearly two months ago? Or is there some specific news about this patent-busting project? The blurb didn't seem to help.

the public call-for-submissions ("contest") part of the project was launched yesterday. the post wasn't very clear about that...

contest:
http://www.eff.org/patent/contest/

press release:
http://www.eff.org/news/archives/2004_06.php#00160 0

How to improve patents.

[AeiwiMaster]

There is a wiki page on How to improve patents here.

If your add to the page, remember to add a how not a just a what.

Knud

Try reading the articles you link to...

[valisk]

As it's obvious from the tone of your comments that you didn't read either of them.

I just like to point out that Mr. Keogh applied for his patents to highlight the fact that so many bogus patents are allowed to stand.
Not to try and grab royalties from wheel users.

So show him the respect he deserves for standing up for common sense instead of trying to sound righteous about his nefarious act.