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UK Firm Patents Software Downloads
spike1 writes "The Register has a story about BTG (British Technology Group) acquiring a patent on software downloads ... If this is one area of tech that's not covered by prior art, I don't know what is.
Although, the Reg doesn't include a link to the actual patents, out-law.com is also carrying the story and contains links to the patents, and looking at some of their patent synopses, it looks like it's a pretty broad brush."
BTG seem to be the worst sort of patent parasites, if we go by the "success stories" on their website. Here's an excerpt bragging about locking down the rights to Interferon, a vital anti-cancer drug developed by the UK Medical Research Council:
Because Dr Isaacs and Dr Lindenmann published their findings before any patent applications were filed, it was not possible for BTG to secure patents except in countries whose patent laws offered a 'grace period', namely USA, Canada and Germany.
BTG applied for a US patent for Interferon in 1958, and after a long struggle with the US Patent Office, was granted its patent in 1972. BTG signed licence agreements with three of the largest pharmaceutical companies of the time: Schering Plough, Hoffmann-La Roche and Wellcome. This paved the way for the development of the manufacturing process which would eventually take Interferon to market. The first sales of Interferon occurred before the expiry date of the patents and BTG generated over 3.8 million from the technology in just those few countries. The patents were relevant to Interferon as sold even though it had been produced by recombinant DNA technology, which had not yet been invented when Interferon was discovered. This justified BTG's 14-year-long persistence in pursuing the grant of patents on the original discovery.
Patent 5,694,546: System for automatic unattended electronic information transport between a server and a client by a vendor provided transport software with a manifest list
Patent 6,594,692: Methods for transacting electronic commerce
Patent 6,125,388: System for transporting information objects between a user station and multiple remote sources based upon user modifiable object manifest stored in the user station
Patent 6,658,464: User station software that controls transport, storage, and presentation of content from a remote source
Patent 6,611,862: User station software that controls transport and presentation of content from a remote source
Patent 6,557,054: Method and system for distributing updates by presenting directory of software available for user installation that is not already installed on user station
If my enemy's enemy is my friend, what happens if my enemy is his own worst enemy?
Various TV programmes in the UK did similar things. Tomorrows world back in the early 80s tried a few methods of downloading from the telly.
:)
The old tape recorder next to the tv while we play you the loading sound was the first (I tried that with the ZX81 one they broadcast... didn't work, they also did vic 20 and later, spectrum, iirc). Later, they tried a direct connection to the computer via a light sensor stuck to the screen, and a flashing black and white square. (Think that one was only for the BBC micro though)
The BAUD rate must've been in the 10s but it's still a software download...
Other more game oriented computer programmes used to broadcast the loading sound to things on a weekly basis.
Of course... All of this is forgetting Prestel and the games downloadable from teletext if you had the correct peripheral for your computer (again, BBC Micro only iirc)
BT, Britain's monopolist telephone company. A phone company that makes you pay by the second for local calls.
Ok, I have family that works for BT so I'll bite on this one. BT used to be a part of the post office, it was then split off as a private company and I believe it had a monopoly for a number of years. I think in about the last 10 years or so competition has been introduced (NTL, various others - I don't pay much attention) and the industry regulated by oftel (I believe a name change has happen recently).In the early-ish days of this non-monopoly market BT were thinking about offering free local calls, however oftel objected as this would kill the competition (which is a fair point, to some degree). Since then BT's market share has reduced and are now not in a position to offer such an attractive package.
Before I get flamed into oblivion I would just like to add that I appriecate BT doesn't have the best of public images, however some of the competition make them smell of roses.