Reminding Customers Patented by Amazon

theodp writes "When your little Hogwart checks out the latest Harry Potter book at Amazon, he or she may be reminded that they've already ordered the book. It's all part of CEO Jeff Bezos latest patent for the Contextual presentation of information about related orders during browsing of an electronic catalog, which also covers warning customers about drug interactions ('you previously purchased Drug ABC'). The USPTO allowed the patent after four years and five rejections."

Comments

Is there no prior art on this at all??

[jurt1235]

Relations in database do this kind of things all the time, and warn users about the consequences (usually blocking it completely).

A simple question is warranted

[AutopsyReport]

So what changed their mind the sixth time?

You would think that after five rejections, the patent office would lend significantly less weight to the credibility of the patent, and presumably would not approve it.

What about Brick and Mortar?

[ehaggis]

I know this is a common argument, but what if we applied the same patent rules to Brick and Mortar? Can we restrict people and businesses from using common business practices and logic? I.e. I patent "How may I help you?" as a lead question. Now no one can use that line. I know it is ridiculous.

I am in favor of people protecting their unique inventions and developments, but securing patents for the obvious and mundane is a typical symptom of US litigious culture.

Re:Self Defense?

[alvinrod]

Why not just release the "concept" or whatever you'd call it into the public domain? This way everyone can use it and no one can sue Amazon over it. I can understand wanting to patent a new engine or a radically different type of CPU that no one's ever though of before, but trying to slap a patent something that seems obvious and has more than likely been done a thousand times over since the beginning of time is a little ridiculous.

Re:Self Defense?

[A beautiful mind]

Heh. Parent is probably karma whoring by plagarism. It's nice to know that he even copied my typo (USPO vs. USPTO).