Slashdot Mirror
IBM Granted "Paper-or-Plastic?" Patent
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?"
The idea is not new or innovative. It is likely that there is prior art about capturing of customer preferences on bagging. A simple example is a sticker on the card that indicates their preference. I do not think that the method (using computers, databases, etc) is innovative when the big picture concept is "capture a customers preferences on bagging choice". In general, most any idea that is already well-developed without computers can be redefined as a
"new" method using a computer. I don't think the use of a computer to implement common concepts is a reasonable basis for a patent.
This is obviously confusing some people.
in the UK we have one card from debit(Maestro) , one for credit (M/c, visa etc)
Other countries (I've found it in Australia) appear to be able to access several accounts from one card
the reason the merchant prefers debit is because it is a fixed per payment charge for them, but credit card payments are a fraction of the amount charged.
MP3 Search Engine
In the UK, Marks and Spencers started charging about 5p for a carrier bag. I changed my habits to re-using carrier bags almost instantly. They seem to have stopped that and just give out really posh carrier bags with proper handles and everything. This also works as they look too posh to just stuff with rubbish and throw out.
Aide-toi, le Ciel t'aidera - Jeanne D'Arc.
Many ATMs do this in Europe, they take the fact that you have a non-local card and either offer you a menu in the country of origin or offer you a choice. I have taken a German ATM card to the UK and the ATM switched to German automatically.
See my journal, I write things there
And I'm saying that this doesn't meet that definition. This is not a novel way of putting things together. I can put a lead bar in a loaf of bread but that wouldn't get a patent. Jsut because a thing can be done doesn't make it patentable.
um, a debit card can be used like a debit card, or like a credit card.
From a use standpoint, the money still comes out the same.
The Kruger Dunning explains most post on
At the risk of killing my karma, this may help illuminate that oblique reference.
Not all plastic comes from oil. Most forms of biodegradable plastics actually comes from organic substances, normally plant.
That's what makes them biodegradable.
I don't read AC A human right