Amazon Seeks 1-Nod Ordering Patent

theodp writes "Amazon.com is famous for its patented 1-Click ordering system. But what about 1-Nod ordering? Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos is seeking a patent on a system that would let people make purchases with a nod, a smile, or even a raise of the eyebrow. Bezos' invention — 'Movement Recognition as Input Mechanism' — envisions a computing device that could interpret certain facial expressions and enhance or potentially replace conventional input devices such as keypads and touch screens."

Comments

Isn't this standard practice at auctions?

[cjonslashdot]

I thought that simply automating a non-automated process is not sufficient to obtain a patent. At many auctions one can bid simply with a nod.

What will be next?

[PerformanceDude]

1-frown refund?

I'd like to see that... Now where is that patent application form?

Re:What will be next?

[mike260]

Parent post made me LOL but unfortunately an ad saw this, misinterpreted it, and I now own an IBM z10 mainframe.

I'd cry but I'm afraid that Amazon would notice.

Not exactly innovative.

[BiggerIsBetter]

He wants a patent on a centuries old auction bid technique? But on a computer? Whateva... besides, there must be plenty of published techniques for more generic movement-as-input already - it's been a popular research topic.

1-Touch balls buy

[Anonymous Coward]

I want to buy when I touch my balls.

And if I have an erection I want to buy with fastest shipping method.

But it is on a *computer*

[dsginter]

The patent office will rubber-stamp anything obvious if it is done on a computer. The one-click patent is a wonderful example: for decades, bartenders have been taking a patron's credit card and setting it aside. This allows the patron to simply "run a tab" and order a beer with just one click of the finger. This can't be patented because it is obvious to everyone.

But, if you do it on a computer, you can patent it for some reason. The mind boggles.

Re:But it is on a *computer*

[qubezz]

The beauty here: this is patenting the problem and not the solution.

Where are the code snippets, the algorithms to detect the motions, the heuristics to reject false positives in this patent application?

It would have been so much easier for Edison if he could patent the idea 'glass bulb that produces light when electricity flows through it', instead of actually showing that he could do it.

The USPTO seems to think that this is fine these days though - patenting an idea instead of an invention.

Re:Online auctioning ?

[night_flyer]

SOLD!

It's been done before...

[FoboldFKY]

To quote Douglas Adams from one of the HHGTTG books (forget which one; it's the one involving the Krikkit):

"Let us bow our heads in payment."

WWSWHD?

[thijsh]

... make purchases with a nod, a smile or even a raise of the eyebrow ...

I want to bet this system will be so sensitive it will lead to a lot of 'purchases', which will be defended in court with reasoning along the lines of: "our patented method can even detect the body language of subconscious wants and needs with over 99% accuracy, which is a higher success rate than our patented 'one click buy' button which has a slightly higher error rate because of accidental clicks."

>>> FAST FORWARD >>>

Year 2042 history books describing the rise of the Amazon mega-conglomerate identify this patent as the most important one in Amazon's history:

This of course would lead to the infamous landmark lawsuit of Amazon VS Stephen Hawking who had an Amazon pop-up on his wheelchair-computer and accidentally ordered everything on Amazon.com by staring blankly at the screen...
The argument of SWH's lawyers that he could not possibly operate a Segway for lack of motor control and thus had no use for it - and did not want to order it - was refuted by the Amazon legal team because, according to them, "the lack of motor control gave him the strong subconscious urge to walk an do all the things a walking man can do, and thus order a Segway".

After losing this exhausting case Stephen commented: "One cannot really argue with a mathematical theorem, but it is clear that intelligence has no long-term survival value.".

This legal tactic that set a precedent causing a new advertising phenomenon called 'drive by shopping'. Every pop-up ad from Amazon now has a mandatory purchase when you look at it, because they can prove 'without a doubt' you *want* to purchase the items they sell using their unique patented method...

Opera ASA has prior art

[netux]

Introducing Opera Face Gestures

It's not my bag.

[saider]

We see by your expression that you really like this Swedish made penis enlarger. One has been ordered in your name. Additionally, we have posted a "like" on your Facebook page as well as posting a Twitpic on your twitter account. Please smile again if you would like to cancel this operation.

Class action lawsuit possible?

[cjonslashdot]

I wonder if it would be possible to mount a class action lawsuit against the Patent Office, listing a volume of inappropriate software patents, and challenging them all based on the same allegation of incorrect application of patent case law. The plaintiffs could be the industry of software authors who are prevented from using the "methods" in these specious patents.

2-click patent

[orthicviper]

i always wondered why amazon didn't patent a 2-click and 3-click ordering system to really stick it to barnes and noble