Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Washington Mutual Patents the Bank Branch

Posted by michael on from the argh dept.

ewhac writes "Okay, so it's not a bank branch per se, but a particular kind of bank branch -- one that has play areas for kids, serves coffee and popcorn, and has kiosks instead of teller windows. Washington Mutual has dubbed this branch design, "Occasio" (a generic Latin word meaning, "favorable opportunity," and which has probably been trademarked). The San Francisco Chronicle reports that it may be the first time the USPTO has awarded a patent for the design of a retail store/presence."

1 of 291 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Rerun by robogun · · Score: 0, Troll

    What is made in the United States anymore? Nothing. Except intellectual property (the type to block competition, rather than coming up with innovative ideas) and lawyers. Unless you live in China, do you, or anyone you know, make anything for a living. Half the people around here (Calif.) get their livings by re-re-financing their houses, which actually go up in value $1,000 a day. The rest push around paper and IM each other in offices all day in "service" livelihoods.
    And they all think this "productivity" will continue forever.