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Amazon Gift Ordering Patent Revoked In EU

Posted by Zonk on from the merriest-gift-of-all dept.

Elektroschock writes "The Amazon gift ordering patent was revoked by the European Patent Office. In a press release they write: 'The so-called 'Gift Order Patent' has been revoked by the EPO in an opposition proceeding today after a hearing involving three opposing parties and the patent proprietor, Amazon Inc. The patent relates to a method for purchasing goods over the Internet to be sent as gifts.' Santa did not have to lodge opposition against the patent. The opponents were Fleurop, the FFII and the German computer science society. What strikes me is that so many parties were infringing upon the patent, and yet you need very few organizations to file an opposition. Why are not more patents opposed?"

5 of 62 comments (clear)

  1. Somebody obviously didn't get their cut. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

    Amazon in the US must be more on the ball with their gifts to the patent office.

  2. Why? by RecoveredMarketroid · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Why are not more patents opposed?
    Um... Because if I'm infringing on someone's patent, I may be a little reluctant to attract the attention of their legal department with my hostile patent-challenge action?
  3. Re:your patents revoked == you can't file patents by heinousjay · · Score: 2, Interesting

    And by "impede everyone's effort to innovate" you mean "impede everyone's effort to copy other people's successes without putting in the work to come up with them in the first place" right? Because patents pretty much force people to innovate.

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    Slashdot - where whining about luck is the new way to make the world you want.
  4. Why bother by bgspence · · Score: 1, Interesting

    A patent gives the holder the right to defend the patent.

    If the patent holder doesn't bother you, why mess with them?

    The longer they let it go, the better your chances of defending against a bad patent.

    You do run a risk ignoring a strong one.

  5. There is a simpler explanation by Chemisor · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Nobody reads the patent database. Not only is it full of crap, but if you do happen to come across something that you are actually using, then in case of a lawsuit you'd be risking doubling your damages for "willful infringement". These days nobody wants to state the obvious truth that the vast majority of infringed patented ideas are not stolen but reinvented.