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IBM Granted "Paper-or-Plastic?" Patent

Posted by kdawson on from the not-the-onion dept.

theodp writes "On Tuesday, IBM was granted US Patent No. 7,407,089 for storing a preference for paper or plastic grocery bags on customer cards and displaying a picture of said preference after a card is scanned. The invention, Big Blue explains, eliminates the 'unnecessary inconvenience for both the customer and the cashier' that results when 'Paper or Plastic?' must be asked. The patent claims also cover affixing a cute sticker of a paper or plastic bag to a customer card to indicate packaging preferences. So does this pass the 'significant technical content' test, IBM'ers?"

4 of 517 comments (clear)

  1. Re:meanwhile abroad... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Man, I'd stock up on the -$1 bags!

  2. Re:debit or credit by BerkeleyDude · · Score: 5, Funny

    How about we also solve the "debit or credit" problem I have to deal with each time I visit the mini-mart?

    Let me guess: I'll have to put a "credit" sticker on my credit cards, and a "debit" one on my debit cards.
    If only there was a way to store this bit of data electronically, and somehow attach it to the card itself...

  3. Re:This won't have an effect in Belgium by Chrisq · · Score: 5, Funny

    Would you like to kill a tree or a turtle?

    If I can chop down a tree so it lands on a turtle can I have both?

  4. Re:debit or credit by Chrisq · · Score: 5, Funny

    And you can work around IBM's patent by tattooing your preference for paper or plastic on your forehead!

    No they'll still have you "A computational device indicating preference". You'll have to pay royalties or forfeit your head.