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IBM Seeks US Patents For Offshoring US Jobs

Posted by kdawson on from the quite-a-royalty-stream dept.

theodp writes "IBM and other corporations are seeking patents for inventions covering the offshoring of US jobs. The USPTO is considering IBM's patent application for Outsourcing of Services, a 'method for identifying human-resource work content to outsource offshore of an organization' to 'countries where cheaper labor prices and/or cheaper materials are available.' Then there's Big Blue's Electronic Marketplace for Identifying, Assessing, Reserving and Engaging Knowledge-Workers for an Assignment Using Trade-Off Analysis, which provides a handy-dandy IBM calculator that drives home the point that you'll pay less for IGS India workers, whether onshore or offshore. And with its System and Method of Using Speech Recognition at Call Centers to Improve Their Efficiency and Customer Satisfaction, IBM describes how to operate in 'low cost foreign countries' with 'support people not having good English language skills, or having an accent that makes it difficult to understand them' by exploiting technology developed for students who are deaf or hard of hearing, as well as other accent reduction techniques."

12 of 203 comments (clear)

  1. I will apply for a patent of India style English. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    1: Apply for a patent of India style English
    2: ???
    3: ???
    4: Profit!

  2. Wow. by similar_name · · Score: 2, Funny

    I'm going to patent the process for getting patents.

    That'll show 'em.

  3. anyone else notice this? by ILuvRamen · · Score: 5, Funny

    If they're sucessful in holding up that first patent, that means no other companies could do it!!!! I hope they win when someone sues them or they sue someone over it. Then you'll only get cheap foreigners that don't speak english well when you call IBM support. I'm all for this one!

    --
    Google's Super Secret Search Algorithm: SELECT @search_results FROM internet WHERE @search_results = 'good'
  4. Hey don't worry by Colin+Smith · · Score: 4, Funny

    Be happy.

    In a couple of years the dollar will have fallen so far that the Indians will be off shoring to you!

    --
    Deleted
    1. Re:Hey don't worry by maxwell+demon · · Score: 5, Funny

      Be happy.

      In a couple of years the dollar will have fallen so far that the Indians will be off shoring to you! Then we'll see if your Hindi is better than their English! :-)
      --
      The Tao of math: The numbers you can count are not the real numbers.
  5. Re:At least Windows is made in the USA by marcello_dl · · Score: 4, Funny

    Nice to see you're proud Windows is made in your country. I'm proud it's not made in mine.

    --
    ---- MISSING MISCELLANEOUS DATA SEGMENT --- [sigdash] trolololol
  6. Re: Can they do this? by ls+-la · · Score: 4, Funny

    Yes. The US Congress streamlined patent litigation by setting up a special court to cover it, and that court immediately set about ruling that everything under the sun is patentable.
    That gives me a great idea. Hold on while I patent sunlight.
  7. Re:Time for the Revolution! by Kamineko · · Score: 3, Funny

    Lazlow: "Let's go over here to line 4, hello caller, what's your name?"
    Jeff: "Jeff from Rockford."
    Lazlow: "Hello Jeff, what's up?"
    Jeff: "I want to tell you and your listeners about a once-in-a-lifetime
                chance to make a difference. There's a rally tomorrow evening at
                the park. Starting at 7. Although we'll be painting banners and
                singing songs and all day to prepare for it. Then, when tens-of-
                thousands have gathered in the park, we're gonna march onto Town
                Hall. Lazlow, the people have spoken! And they have said 'no, not
                in my town!' So folks, if you're listening, and want to make a
                difference, get yourself down to the park, and prepare to bring
                democracy back to the people."
    Lazlow: "So...what's this rally about, Jeff?"
    Jeff: "It's about people standing up and being counted. It's about the
                future. It's about telling those morons in the suits 'no thanks!
                Not in my town! Not while I have a breath in my body and hope in
                my soul! I will not, I cannot let this pass!'"
    Lazlow: "Let what pass?"
    Jeff: "It's about grabbing the town by the balls and saying 'listen son,
                either put-up, or shut up! No more Mr. Nice-guy. No more easy
                solutions for difficult problems!' It's about what it means to be
                an American. It's about giving something back."
    Lazlow: "Giving what back, Jeff?"
    Jeff: "Hope! Dreams! Belief!"
    Lazlow: "Belief in what, I mean, look Jeff, I..I admire your passion,
                    really I do, but...what will people be marching for? Wh..what's
                    your rally about!?"
    Jeff: "It's about justice, Mr. Low! A chance to shine and make a
                difference! About thousands of people walking side-by-side as
                brother marchers. Only one thing on their minds - the chance to
                make a difference! Bring your friends! Nothing shows a man how
                much you mean to him more than the chance to walk together for
                justice! Bring your kids! They can paint signs, and we'll even
                have a face-painter, and a vegen bar-be-que. Bring your parents,
                dude, even the elderly care about tomorrow!"
    Lazlow: "I understand that, it sounds like a great rally, but w..we're
                    not a political station and you haven't really told us why
                    people should do this...what is it about?!?"
    Jeff: "Look..look, do you wanna help or not??"
    Lazlow: "I don't know what I'm helping!"
    Jeff: "You're helping America! What kind of patriot are you? It's a
                rally!!"
    Lazlow: "You don't know what it's for, do you!?!"
    Jeff: "It's for hope. Please come, everybody! It'll be real good!"
    Lazlow: "Alright, you fight the power, brother!"
  8. Re:Go for it by Artifakt · · Score: 2, Funny

    But, people who are not very skilled in English will have even more trouble communicating with someone else who has different deficiencies. So even though he or she isn't making the point very well, that inadvertently makes the point.

    --
    Who is John Cabal?
  9. System and method by Foerstner · · Score: 2, Funny

    I won't argue that these patents might make some cash in the short term, but I'm curious if they've factored in the value of consumer good will...

    For placing a projectile travelling at high velocity into the foot of person holding the projectile launcher, or metaphorically performing the same function on a company.

    One can only hope that if IBM is granted these patents, their rigourous enforcement will make offshoring less attractive.

    --
    The US free market: two halves of a government-granted duopoly are free to set the market price.
  10. Re:Go for it by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    So what? Nobody forces you to read posts on /. and yet you clearly feel that you're entitled to criticize them.

  11. Re:Go for it by Scamwise · · Score: 3, Funny

    A call center representative is paid to have the ability to communicate effectively, if your customers are from an English speaking country that means speaking clear and understandable English.
    A poster on the internet however is not...

    --
    Sam "to lazy to register" Look