Town Gets Patent On Being the Center of Europe

An anonymous reader writes "And you thought software patents were going to far? How about geography patents? Apparently, as a part of the weird fight over what place in Europe represents the 'geophysical center of Europe,' the Austrian town of Frauenkirchen has received a patent (Austrian patent AM 7738/2003) declaring it the center of Europe. Not clear how one 'infringes' on such a patent, but then again, it's not clear why anyone's patenting this either."

Comments

Doubtful

[symes]

And the rest of the article goes on to say:

"Unfortunately, the details are really sparse. Wikipedia notes that it holds the Austrian patent AM 7738/2003, but navigating the Austrian patent website didn't work very well (um... language barrier...). The only source cited by Wikipedia is a speech from a few years ago, which mentions in passing that a woman's church the town had patented it."

Any Austrian patent experts here that can verify this claim? I call BS.

Re:Doubtful

[Anonymous Coward]

I am no expert, but it seems more likely that it is actually a trademark.
The german sources call AM 7738/2003 "Aktenzeichen" which translate to something like reference number (clearly not patent number) and the austrian "patent amt" is also responsible for trade marks...

Re:Doubtful

[mysidia]

This should be considered more like a 'trademark' perhaps... "The center of Europe"

You don't even have to be physically in the exact center to make such a claim.

You can say things like "Slashdot is at the center of the blogoverse"

"Silicon valley is the center of the dot com boom"

There are other explicit and implicit meanings possible with the word 'center'

You can refer to something as 'in the middle' even when it's not exactly in the center.

However, due to the local nature of patent laws.... it's doubtful such a patent could be enforced outside the country where it was registered.

The real center of Europe is probably in the UK, Germany, France, or Russia. Austria must be some small country. never heard of that one..

Re:Doubtful

[Marcika]

And the rest of the article goes on to say:

"Unfortunately, the details are really sparse. Wikipedia notes that it holds the Austrian patent AM 7738/2003, but navigating the Austrian patent website didn't work very well (um... language barrier...). The only source cited by Wikipedia is a speech from a few years ago, which mentions in passing that a woman's church the town had patented it."

Any Austrian patent experts here that can verify this claim? I call BS.

IANAPE, but I took the time to navigate through the database search. The Austrian patent office issues not just patents, but also design patterns and trademarks -- this one probably is the latter. However, I actually didn't find the above patent number in any of the categories...

Re:Doubtful

[Anonymous Coward]

Yah, I am Austrian and can confirm zat ze tsentrum of Europe and ze vurld iz in Austria. Also, Siegmund Freud iz ze tscentrum of everyvone's mind, vizout him you vood not know you are nutz.

Re:Doubtful

[danlip]

Austria must be some small country. never heard of that one..

Seriously? Ever hear of Vienna (in Austria), one of the most important cities in European cultural history? Mozart? Strauss? Freud? Schrödinger? and many others.

Re:Doubtful

[MrNaz]

GP may or may not have heard of Schrödinger...

Re:Doubtful

[Dachannien]

The Austrian Patent Office website is pretty obtuse to navigate, but if you manage to find the search page, you can put "7738/03" in the trademark search box and get this result:

Anm.: IMAGEWORX MEDIENPRODUKTIONS-, VERLAGS- UND EVENTMARKETING GMBH *FRAUENKIRCHEN ^ST. MARTINSGASSE 5

Vertr: ZUST.ADR.: CORINO FABIANI *A-7132 FRAUENKIRCHEN ^ST. MARTINSGASSE 5

So there is at least some truth to the story, inasmuch as someone has registered a trademark there. But not a patent.

Re:Doubtful

[hachete]

Or Hitler??????? Ye gods, there's no hope left.

Re:Doubtful

[Anonymous Coward]

Austria must be some small country. never heard of that one..

It's a big island way down south. I don't know why they'd even think they were part of Europe. In fact, it was originally a prison colony.

Re:Doubtful

[Anonymous Coward]

If you look it up, you'll find that it is registered as a "Marke" (trademark), not a patent. This seems to be a non-story.

Re:Doubtful

[Convector]

Also Arnold Schwarzenegger and Wolfgang Puck.

Re:Doubtful

[Estanislao Mart�nez]

And I think there was once a war fought over the death of a Crown Prince of Austria or something like that.

Re:Doubtful

[ZippyTheWonderDog]

yes, trademark is radically different than a patent (even though that is still dumb). This whole story smacks of inaccuracy.. not just patent instead of trademark, but also assuming that "geophysical" == "geographical". Language is picky - you really have to learn to use the *right* words.

Re:Doubtful

[digitig]

And the Family von Trapp!

Re:Doubtful

[Ecuador]

I think the point is that he both has and has not heard of Schrödinger...

Re:Doubtful

[maxwell demon]

There are no kangaroos in Austria.

Re:Doubtful

[Beardo the Bearded]

/. does not differentiate between patents, trademarks, copyright, industrial design, or trade secrets.

Re:Doubtful

[oodaloop]

The real center of Europe is probably in the UK, Germany, France, or Russia. Austria must be some small country. never heard of that one..

Have you ever seen a map of Europe? Like, ever? How would the UK be at the center? I can forgive you for Germany, since it's right next to Austria. France is next to Germany, so not quite. Russia is almost as bad as UK.

Re:Doubtful

[evilbessie]

I would have gone for an Austrian patent clerk...

Re:Doubtful

[tangelogee]

...but now he's forced to choose one of the two states...

Re:Doubtful

[Wiarumas]

Austria? Let's throw another shrimp on the Barbie!

Re:Doubtful

[piquadratCH]

I would have gone for an Austrian patent clerk...

That was actually a German patent clerk in a Swiss patent office. Europe is complicated...

Re:Doubtful

[Chris Mattern]

No, Klaus really was German. Born near Bonn, actually.

Re:Doubtful

[ooshna]

No that's the MPAA and RIAA and American Government. Poor us. :(

Re:Doubtful

[mysidia]

The slashdot summary claims this is about the Geophysical center of europe, but there's no article to back the claim that that's what they're talking about.

A link to the patent/document hasn't been posted, so how are we supposed to know?

There are other definitions for 'center' besides take the highest latitude, lowest latitude and average them; take the highest longitude and lowest longitude and average them.

For example there are concepts such as "center of mass" and elevation

Some areas have more land than others, mountains, etc. Which causes the center of mass to be different from the average geometrically.

Re:Doubtful

[oodaloop]

For example there are concepts such as "center of mass" and elevation Some areas have more land than others, mountains, etc. Which causes the center of mass to be different from the average geometrically.

Yeah, I follow you. Could be more than one center, depending on how you calculate. Now please look at a fucking map of Europe and explain how the UK might possibly be the center. While you're looking at it, look at the center of Europe and you're likely to find this country called Austria, which is pretty far from UK. Get it?

Re:Doubtful

[Yaotzin]

Yeah, but it's not like a lot of people were involved in that war or anything. (Funny story actually, most people blame the war on the Germans when it was really Austria who set the stones rolling.)

Re:Doubtful

[cjonslashdot]

A case of true entanglement!

Re:Doubtful

[Anonymous Coward]

Have you guys seen my cat?

Re:Doubtful

[Platinumrat]

Obviously, you need to be an Einstein to navigate the Austrian Patent Office website.

Re:Doubtful

[mysidia]

And there's this European country called Canada pretty far from UK in the opposite direction.

And Russia stretches practically around the globe.

So taking the curvature of earth, and the land under the oceans of European waters into account, the center of Europe is pretty deep below the earth's surface anyways.

No above-ground town is anywhere near the physical center of Europe.

I'm talking about cultural/economic centers of Europe. There's a concept of 'Center' which has nothing to do with physical location (other than it be somewhere in Europe and a very popular place, as in: a nexus).

Re:Doubtful

[GumphMaster]

He was actually a German-born Swiss patent clerk. Einstein renounced his German (Württemberg) citizenship in 1896 (avoiding military service) and took up Swiss citizenship in 1901 (and was stateless in between). Swiss citizenship was a requirement of employment in the Swiss patent office, which he started 1902. In order to take up a post in Prague, then part of the Austro-Hungarian empire, he took up citizenship there (circa 1911). So, at least for some of his life he was "Austrian", although not in the modern sense of Austria and never while working at the Swiss patent office. He later resumed German citizenship (without ceding the Swiss) in order to take up a post in Berlin.

Re:Doubtful

[oodaloop]

And there's this European country called Canada pretty far from UK in the opposite direction.

If there was any doubt you weren't playing with a full deck of cards, you wiped it out with this. Canada is part of this continent I like to call NORTH AMERICA, which would mean it's not part of Europe.

I'm talking about cultural/economic centers of Europe.

Boy, that would have been helpful to throw out there up front. If it were true. Which I doubt. Your first two posts made no mention of it, and only talked about centers of mass, calculating centers, etc. And no shit, this little town in Austria isn't the cultural/economic center of Europe, so I guess maybe that's not what the article is talking about. But somehow you were. I guess. But hey, given you never heard of Austria, and think Canada is part of Europe, I guess anything's possible.

Re:Doubtful

[Anonymous Coward]

YHBT. YHL. HAND.

Re:Doubtful

[Jeremiah Cornelius]

LADY'S CHURCH?

You must be kidding...

Re:Doubtful

[yuri benjamin]

Yeah, but it's not like a lot of people were involved in that war or anything. (Funny story actually, most people blame the war on the Germans when it was really Austria who set the stones rolling.)

Actually it was a Serb nationalist who started it. But that event was just a spark in an already volatile situation. The real reason that the European countries were itching to have a go at each other was imperialism on all sides. They were all expanding their empires/colonies throughout Asia and Africa and were fierce rivals.

The assassination of the Austrian duke just gave them an excuse to start open hostilities.

Re:Doubtful

[Yaotzin]

All true. I was just thinking that the Austro-Hungarian government was the first to actually declare war. In any case, I just think it's kind of funny since some people seem to think Germany actually started two world wars.

Re:Doubtful

[Psaakyrn]

You also forgot Fucking, Austria. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fucking_austria

Re:Doubtful

[yuri benjamin]

In any case, I just think it's kind of funny since some people seem to think Germany actually started two world wars.

I tend to think of the two world wars as one war with a twenty year cease-fire in the middle of it. If the Allies hadn't been so harsh with their terms of surrender at the end of WW1 then Germany might not have gone through the hardship that breed such extreme fascism. If we give our defeated enemies a little dignity they hopefully won't rise up twenty years later and clobber us. But we never learn.

Re:Doubtful

[Arvisp]

This is all disputable. There are more than 5 places that claim to be centre of Europe. The strongest candidate being in Lithuania :D After a re-estimation of the boundaries of the continent of Europe in 1989, Jean-George Affholder, a scientist at the Institut Géographique National (French National Geographic Institute) determined that the Geographic Centre of Europe is located at 5454N 2519E.[2] The method used for calculating this point was that of the centre of gravity of the geometrical figure of Europe. This point is located in Lithuania, specifically 26 kilometres (16 miles) north of its capital city, Vilnius. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Center_of_europe#Lithuania

Re:Doubtful

[Anonymous Coward]

Don't forget sausages and fingers.

Re:Doubtful

[timbos]

Or Hitler??????? Ye gods, there's no hope left.

I call Godwin's Law

Re:Doubtful

[mysidia]

Canada is part of this continent I like to call NORTH AMERICA, which would mean it's not part of Europe.

Canada is a colony of the UK. And still part of the UK, due to its control of the Canadian constitution.

The UK is a member of the EU, therefore Canada is a part of Europe.

Re:Doubtful

[zoom-ping]

Seriously? Ever hear of Vienna (in Austria), one of the most important cities in European cultural history? Mozart? Strauss? Freud? Schrödinger? and many others.

Also Adolf Hitler and Falco.

Re:Doubtful

[mcvos]

You'd be amazed how many churches have been dedicated to a lady. Most of them to the same one, even.

Re:Doubtful

[mcvos]

Have you ever seen a map of Europe? Like, ever? How would the UK be at the center? I can forgive you for Germany, since it's right next to Austria. France is next to Germany, so not quite. Russia is almost as bad as UK.

Russia is bigger than you think. Actually, it's smaller now than it used to be, but it wouldn't surprise me at all if by some measurements, the center of Europe is in Belarus.

Re:Doubtful

[mcvos]

Non sequitur on so many levels.

Re:Doubtful

[Anonymous Coward]

You forgot Hitler.

Re:Doubtful

[oodaloop]

You must be trolling at this point. Or at least I hope so, otherwise Holy Fucking Shit, are you retarded.

1. Colonies do not magically become part of the continent of the mother country. Or do you think Hong Kong was in Europe?

2. Canada is no longer a colony.

3. Being a part of any economical union does not mean you are a part of that continent. Continents are geographically determined. You can't become a "member" of one. I'll grant there are differences of opinion as to whether some countries are in one or the other, like Turkey.

Re:Doubtful

[oodaloop]

If they made all of Russia part of Europe, then the middle of Europe may as well be in Russia. I usually figure Russia to be part of Asia, that being where most of it is. Still, definitely NOT in UK or France.

Re:Doubtful

[clemdoc]

It's an idiotic/automatic translation. The village is called Frauenkirchen. Frau means woman/lady/wife, Kirche means church.
sic transit gloria mundi.

Re:Doubtful

[mcvos]

I think the border between Europe and Asia is officially around 66 degrees east, somewhere near the Ural mountains. The western part of Russia is a lot smaller than the eastern part, but it's still a lot bigger than any other European country.

Re:Doubtful

[cameljockey91]

Not to be a troll, but... Hitler?

Re:Doubtful

[Anonymous Coward]

Nevermind all that, Hitler was born in Austria.

Re:Doubtful

[JAlexoi]

Actually, geographically speaking Europe ends at the Ural mountains in the East and a line between the northern part of Sea of Azov and opposing side of Kaspian sea. So, there are 2 points now "fighting" for the title: onw in Lithuania the other is in Belarus.
Maybe Austrians declared themselves to be the center of EU?

Re:Doubtful

[mcvos]

Maybe Austrians declared themselves to be the center of EU?

Could be. The center of the EU has moved eastward recently, but for a long time, it looked a lot like the center of the EU was in Switzerland. That'd be a nice bit of irony, wouldn't it?

Re:Doubtful

[Alok]

I'm talking about cultural/economic centers of Europe. There's a concept of 'Center' which has nothing to do with physical location (other than it be somewhere in Europe and a very popular place, as in: a nexus).

So they're trying to confuse people by saying its Terminus when really, it should be Trantor we're looking for?

Re:Doubtful

[c6gunner]

We didn't give Japan much "dignity" either, but they turned out just fine. On the other hand, we gave North Korea plenty of "dignity" .....

The idea that WW2 might never have happened if it weren't for the conditions imposed on Germany after WW1 is fun to think about, but is rather simplistic, and not at all realistic.

Re:Doubtful

[mysidia]

I know what you are talking about, but I intentionally disavow the existence of that place.

It's a case of one bad Apple spoilt the bunch in the past 100 years. Most regretable that I had to disavow the existence of Mozart, Strauss, Freud, and Schrödinger (or maybe not Schrödinger), but alas, war has its price.

Re:Doubtful

[Anonymous Coward]

. Colonies do not magically become part of the continent of the mother country.

They are part of the territory of the mother country. And Europe is not a continent, but a political body.

Specifically: Europe consists of the members of the EU

Europe
1. A political entity; the European Union.
2. A continent north of Africa, west of Asia and east of the Atlantic Ocean.

Canada would be part of Europe under definition (1).

2. Canada is no longer a colony.

Maybe 'colony' is not the term you would be most familiar with today. However, they are not sovereign either, not until they can control and amend their own constitution without the UK's approval.

3. Being a part of any economical union does not mean you are a part of that continent...

Hopefully, you realized your error when I showed you that Europe is a political body, and when we say 'Europe', we are talking about a political entity that has member territories in certain places, and is not constrained to a particular content.

The expansive definition would include both, all countries on the same continent AND all countries and territories of countries that are members of Europe (the political body also called the EU).

Re:Doubtful

[sciencewhiz]

Canada is a colony of the UK. And still part of the UK, due to its control of the Canadian constitution.

That hasn't been true since 1982.

When Turkey gets the go ahead

[Anonymous Coward]

Obviously this patent should be revoked when Turkey Joins the EU, as the center should shift eastwards

Re:When Turkey gets the go ahead

[gsslay]

EU != Europe

Re:When Turkey gets the go ahead

[Attila Dimedici]

If this had been modded "Funny" instead of "Interesting". I would have let it pass. However, even if Turkey joins the EU, it will still be in Asia rather than Europe and since this "patent" is for being the "geophysical center of Europe" it would apply to the geographical meaning of Europe, not the political meaning.

Re:When Turkey gets the go ahead

[turbidostato]

"it would apply to the geographical meaning of Europe, not the political meaning."

Do you really think "Europe" has any kind of geographical meaning?

Re:When Turkey gets the go ahead

[Sique]

Oh yes.
It is the continent north of Africa and west of the Ural mountains.

Re:When Turkey gets the go ahead

[trb]

Northwestern Turkey is on the continent of Europe, most of Turkey is not. There are large parts of the European contient (like Norway and Russia) that are not in the EU. Membership in the EU does not seem to be relevant to this question.

Re:When Turkey gets the go ahead

[Attila Dimedici]

As someone else pointed out, the geographical meaning of "Europe" is a reference to the continent of Europe. Historically, it is only recently that "Europe" had any meaning other than this geographical meaning. While the exact geographical area denoted by the word "Europe" has changed over time, that particular usage of the word goes back to at least Herodotus. Additionally, the modern definition of Europe as a continent is actually based on physical facts.

Re:When Turkey gets the go ahead

[ktappe]

If this had been modded "Funny" instead of "Interesting". I would have let it pass. However, even if Turkey joins the EU, it will still be in Asia rather than Europe.

You are aware that part of Turkey is on the European continent, right?

Re:When Turkey gets the go ahead

[Attila Dimedici]

Yes, but that would not change in any way if/when Turkey joined the EU (and it is a very small part of Turkey).

Re:When Turkey gets the go ahead

[Anonymous Coward]

He meant that adding a country to the EU does not shift Europe's "geophysical center". ...maybe it's time to build that dam and drain the mediterranian sea, just to piss them off! :)

Re:When Turkey gets the go ahead

[Anonymous Coward]

I hate to be the one to point this out,,,but most of Russia is actually Asia. Yeah...look it up

Re:When Turkey gets the go ahead

[Rhaban]

And what physical fact defines europe and asia as two different continents?

Re:When Turkey gets the go ahead

[Anonymous Coward]

Like, the fact that they are two different tectonic plates..
The Urals, like any mountain range, were created by the collision of two plates: Europe and Asia (some geologist will probably correct me with the proper geologic name of the plates, but that they are two plates is a fact, as referred to by GP).

I know why

[spiffmastercow]

It's to make sure that when the Germans invade next time they'll be forbidden from either a.) renaming the town, or b.) declaring a new center of Europe.

Re:I know why

[mysidia]

"next time" It won't be the Germans. It will probably be one of those underestimated countries like Spain.

Nobody expects the Spanish inquisition (or the Spanish incursion)

Not that invaders are effectively bound by patents anyway

Re:I know why

[spiffmastercow]

Hey, just because you can break a peace treaty doesn't mean you can commit IP infringement!

Re:I know why

[mysidia]

What peace treaty?

Re:I know why

[spiffmastercow]

*wink* exactly!

Comment removed

[account_deleted]

Comment removed based on user account deletion

Anonymous Coward

[Anonymous Coward]

what happens when European countries expand or rescind into or away from Russian territory?

Re:Anonymous Coward

[Mitchell314]

They'll have to expand in such a way that it doesn't change the center of Europe.

Re:Anonymous Coward

[PPH]

They'll have to expand in such a way that it doesn't change the center of Europe.

Interesting. This may give them veto rights over any expansion of the EU.

Re:Anonymous Coward

[maxwell demon]

Given that IIRC plate tectonics is moving Italy towards the alps, the center of Europe should be slowly moving in north direction.

Re:Anonymous Coward

[jc42]

This may give them veto rights over any expansion of the EU.

Nah; what they'll do is calculate the new physical center of Europe, and sue the closest town to that point for infringement.

It's an easy way to make money of an innocent victim. The courts will probably go along, too, after deciding that the patent (or trademark or whatever) registration is valid.

Re:Anonymous Coward

[PPH]

It's an easy way to make money of an innocent victim.

What's the matter? The town can't afford a radar gun for their police department?

Meh ...

[dc29A]

Meh ... still not as cool as living in Fucking.

Re:Meh ...

[symes]

I find this hilarious - there's a whole bunch more here. My favourites are, along with Fucking, Wank (Germany), Dildo (Canada) and Cock (UK).

Re:Meh ...

[Anonymous Coward]

Meh ... still not as cool as living in Fucking.

Fucking, Austrian town, how does it work?

Re:Meh ...

[Coren22]

From the Wiki:

It is believed that the settlement was founded around the 6th century by Focko, a Bavarian nobleman. The existence of the village was documented for the first time in 1070 and historical records show that some twenty years later the lord was Adalpertus de Fucingin.

Can you imagine the coolness of being the Lord of Fucking?

Re:Meh ...

[maxwell demon]

You'll also find Tux in Austria. You should also go there if you like Gaming.

Re:Meh ...

[dzafez]

I lived near "Titz"

Re:Meh ...

[argStyopa]

Yeah, I thought we were moving there when we got married. Unfortunately, my wife was headed for somewhere else.

Re:Meh ...

[Tablizer]

Don't laugh, out of thousands of languages, I'm certain "symes" means something quite unpleasant in some language.

Re:Meh ...

[Anonymous Coward]

I hear that, brother. Thought we were going to Fucking, but wound up in Wank.

Re:Meh ...

[RyuuzakiTetsuya]

There's this one too

Re:Meh ...

[smellsofbikes]

What, no mention of Blue Ball, Pennsylvania, only a few dozens of kilometers from Intercourse, Pennsylvania?

And I haven't even started on all the breasts (Grand Tetons), nipples, jugs, and the like in the Western US.

Re:Meh ...

[Anonymous Coward]

And of course... Weed, California.

Re:Meh ...

[Anonymous Coward]

There is a town called Muff in Donegal, Ireland. They have a diving club.

http://www.muffdivingclub.ie

Re:Meh ...

[Anonymous Coward]

Intercourse, PA and Bird in Hand, PA

For marketing the town?

[Meshach]

What is strange about that? It sounds like they want to secure the term for use in marketing the town. Cities are just looking for a way to set themselves apart and make them marketable.

It is just like Microsot patenting or trademarking their latest slogan ("Your Potential. Our Passion" or whatever it is).

Re:For marketing the town?

[Anonymous Coward]

Patents were intended for temporary monopolies on inventions in exchange for publishing the design.

You con not patent a slogan. That's a trademark.

The town is where it is and they are not inventing anything.

Re:For marketing the town?

[maxwell demon]

Patents were intended for temporary monopolies on inventions in exchange for publishing the design.

You con not patent a slogan. That's a trademark.

The town is where it is and they are not inventing anything.

And as another post points out, a trademark is exactly what they got.

Underground

[jbeaupre]

Because the Earth is curved, the actual geophysical location is going to be many kilometers underground. So technically, they are all fighting over who is closest to Hell. No, not that Hell (Norway), the Hell

Re:Underground

[hansamurai]

Hell, Michigan?

Re:Underground

[jbeaupre]

Don't be redundant.

Re:Underground

[Chowderbags]

the Hell

New Jersey?

First Post Patent

[Anonymous Coward]

I claim first post and I have a patent on it!

Center like . . .

[Mitchell314]

center of mass or center of east-west/north-south extrema? And if center of mass, do you treat Europe as a uniformly dense plain, or not? And is curvature taken into account? This is important to know, there just may be one (other) European town out there in the world who cares about this stuff.

Re:Center like . . .

[CityZen]

Exactly. The "center" is anywhere you want it to be, given the appropriate definition of "center".

Geometry patenting

[Drakkenmensch]

I guess they did that before some other town they hate gets a patent on being the "geographic median city of europe"?

Because there always has been a center of Europe

[bugs2squash]

there must be prior art.

Re:Because there always has been a center of Europ

[KritonK]

there must be prior art.

There is: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omphalos

the patent has no value

[circletimessquare]

save one:

publicity

example 1: making slashdot front page

it's empty grandstanding, it's thumping your chest. it's like carnival barkers talking about having the one and only tallest woman on the planet behind the screen or the littlest man, patented in switzerland by the IMF or whatever random grand poobah of authenticity and legitimacy people have an irrational bias of trust for: its unverifiable bs, but it creates interest. if someone said they had the tallest woman in the three county area, as far as they can tell, and its probably true, they guess... they make less interest, and they make less money. if they say they tried to get the patent on having the littlest man in the world, but couldn't find out how to get such a ridiculous patent, and there may be a guy in china who's littler, but this guy is close enough: again, less interest, and less money

stretching the truth pays dividends in this world. empty unverifiable bold claims pay cold hard cash. proof being, there's a bunch of eyeballs on this website now aware of little austrian town they were never aware of before

this is a pr stunt, and people fall for it, because people fall for empty bravado, always did, and always will

everyone needs to study a little pt barnum in their lives, at the very least, to know something about the weaknesses of their fellow human beings, and if you are intellectually honest, to know something about your own weakness: we react to colorful audacity more than humdrum facts. welcome to psychology 101

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P._T._Barnum

Publicity

[Superdarion]

it's not clear why anyone's patenting this either.

Well, it seems pretty simple to me. Once they have that "patent" they can begin a massive tourism-focused add campaign featuring some hot gal saying stuff like "Come visit the center of Europe" and because they have the patent no other city can go and steal their idea.

Re:Publicity

[Joce640k]

I'm betting they'll even have a cross on the ground for tourists to stand on and take photos.

Right next to the souvenir shop.

Prior art

[Anonymous Coward]

Pff, nonsense. The world (including Europe) has obviously revolved around me since I was born.

Re:For tourism, obviously...

[Abstrackt]

We tried something similar to raise tourism here in Canada. With famous alterations to the English language (i.e. "what's that aboot?" and the ever-classic "eh"), killer mosquitoes (why watch Jurassic Park when you can live it?), and our happy-go-lucky play-hockey-anywhere-that's-frozen (everywhere) attitude we've managed to achieve global recognition. And instead of T-shirts (because everyone does those), we have the line "I went to Canada and all I got was this stupid hangover" you'll often hear at customs when tourists are leaving our beautiful country.

I do not believe in imaginary property

[stevegee58]

Oops. Did I just infringe on the patent on someone's internet name?

Re:For tourism, obviously...

[Joce640k]

My friend went to Africa and at the Equator there's some guys who demonstrate the Coriolis Effect with a funnel and a bucket of water...a couple of paces to either side of the white line on the road.

And yes, it really works!

Verne

[rossdee]

Yeah, then it should be the Lidenbrock Sea that is the Centre of Europe.
(Note the European spelling of Centre)

I guess this is similar to the town of Rugby ND claiming to be the center of North America. I don't think the IRB would let them get away with patenting Rugby especially as they don't play the game in the USA

Is it the centre really?

[wvmarle]

Previously I heard the centre of Europe being in the neighbourhood of Prague. Iceland is pretty far up North. But then there are also places like Spitsbergen and Greenland - count those in and the centre of Europe shifts further up north, some claimed more towards Vilnius even.

Let's see. South of Malta is at 35 deg N, top of Spitsbergen is somewhere near 80 deg N, average 57.5 deg N, then I'm somewhere in Latvia even. Vilnius is just under 55 deg N.

Counting the Nordkapp (North Cape) as northernmost point - it's the northernmost point of the European mainland - at 71 deg N so that will certainly not bring it down as far south as Austria.

Not taking latitudes now, just looking at longitudes. And somehow I have the feeling that Austria is not even close to the centre of Europe. Or maybe they use a different calculation to get the centre to them.

Re:Is it the centre really?

[mobby_6kl]

Back when I went to school, I was told that our country, Ukraine, was the center of Europe. To be more exact, I think it was supposed to be some shithole town in the Carpathian mountains, which, if you look where the Ural mountains are, doesn't seem to be too ridiculous.

Re:Is it the centre really?

[gfreeman]

But then there are also places like Spitsbergen and Greenland - count those in and the centre of Europe shifts further up north

Physiographically, Greenland is a part of the continent of North America.

Re:Is it the centre really?

[Anonymous Coward]

But then there are also places like Spitsbergen and Greenland - count those in and the centre of Europe shifts further up north

Physiographically, Greenland is a part of the continent of North America.

Physiographically, Europe don't exist.

Re:Is it the centre really?

[Tjp($)pjT]

There is a marker in western Ukraine from a long long ago survey that proclaims that to be the center of Europe. So there is "prior art" to invalidate the Austrian patent.

And it had a marker placed there by the former Austro-Hungarian Empire, the claim of Austria is belied by their own ancestors.

But seriously, how difficult can it be using modern satellite based cartography to determine where the boundary is, once you establish if it is weighted landmass or center of the bordering/enclosing polygon, and what minor islands are included. Unless of course you want to include the entirety of the tectonic plate! So lets have a movement to form a committee to seek funding for a study to determine the precise location and see how many man hours we can waste on this!

You left out an important one...

[Estanislao Mart�nez]

Seriously? Ever hear of Vienna (in Austria), one of the most important cities in European cultural history? Mozart? Strauss? Freud? Schrödinger? and many others.

Can you tell us your ulterior motive for leaving out Hitler, or do I have to manufacture one?

Re:You left out an important one...

[danlip]

by all means, go ahead and manufacture one. it will be so interesting :-)

but off the top of my head I just wasn't remembering Hitler was Austrian - he's a bit better known for what he did in Germany - and the "culture" section of the wikipedia article was not mentioning him.

Re:You left out an important one...

[Anonymous Coward]

He also forgot Josef Fritzl.

Re:You left out an important one...

[Anonymous Coward]

Can you tell us your ulterior motive for leaving out Hitler, or do I have to manufacture one?

I don't know. But the ultimate motive for including Hitler is to goddamn godwin this thread!

Re:You left out an important one...

[mcvos]

Seriously? Ever hear of Vienna (in Austria), one of the most important cities in European cultural history? Mozart? Strauss? Freud? Schrödinger? and many others.

Can you tell us your ulterior motive for leaving out Hitler, or do I have to manufacture one?

I don't think he's quite as big a source of pride as the other ones.

Comment removed

[account_deleted]

Comment removed based on user account deletion

slashdot fails again

[david_bandel]

So they didn't get a patent.. and have only been lying and saying they did. They filed and failed. Someone made a speech where they lied about having a patent on it. Why have the standards for slashdot articles deteriorated so much? Is it the readers standards going down or the submitters getting more retarded? Or the people who approve articles getting more lax.

Re:For tourism, obviously...

[hoggoth]

I call B.S.

From your own Wikipedia link: "In reality, this experiment shows that the Coriolis effect is a few orders of magnitude smaller than various other influences on drain direction, the direction in which water was initially added to the container and its geometry. In the above experiment, if the water settles for 2 hours or less (instead of 24), then the vortex can be seen to rotate in either direction."

How does this advance the technical arts?

[kawabago]

Maybe someone is confusing a trademark or copyright with a patent.

Best Patent Troll EVER!!!

[Anonymous Coward]

NM

Patents expire

[Anonymous Coward]

So what happens when this patent expires?

Re:For tourism, obviously...

[Ecuador]

Ehmm, actually it doesn't work!
Those guys that hang around areas where the "equator line" is a tourist attraction are just scammers.
The Coriolis effect is so minuscule compared to the other forces during the experiment that it has no effect. The aforementioned scammers have learned how by slightly tilting and/or moving the bucket (or "rigging" it) they can "help" the water rotate the way they want.
Yes, IAAP...

Going to far

[Anonymous Coward]

Going to far what?

Oh, Going too far.

My own patent

[Darinbob]

Before others get any bright ideas, I am patenting myself as the center of the universe.

Re:My own patent

[Spatial]

Apparently the chucklefucks don't even read them, so feel free.

Re:For tourism, obviously...

[Anonymous Coward]

One born every minute...

I tried, but...

[birdspider]

Though I'm from Austria, I am in now way whatsoever involved with patents, I tried to look "AM 7738/2003" up @ patent search engine, without luck. I just noticed that when I filter for Austrian patents the prefix changes to AT XXXXXXX, so I'm not sure what to make of the AM
fyi...

Clearly

[sjames]

The UK and this town are colluding to stick the next town over with the bill for fighting coastal erosion (cheaper than an infringement lawsuit!). There's probably kickbacks involved.

Great job Slashdot

[asaz989]

So apparently the whole of this story is that the village of Frauenkirchen has a trademark for its latest tourism campaign - "Mittelpunkt Europas" ("Centerpoint of Europe", more or less, or more idiomatically just "The Middle/Heart of Europe"). This is a trademark, laying a legal claim to the use of that particular phrase as a brand, not to the idea of being "in the middle of Europe" or anything remotely related to patents. Nice stretch, but no story.

idiotic

[Anonymous Coward]

The whole issue could be an episode of The Simpsons: 'Scientist' of different countries coming up with funny ways to calculate the centre of Europe lies in their own country and even get a patent office involved. For what ? Which person with a right mind cares ?

If someone acts rediculous on the internet and argues about things of no relevance, they often get told to get a life. I assume those scientists and politicians, who care about these matters, have a life though ... so what to tell them ? Get brains ? ... On a serious note, maybe to get wiser. Imho this is real life comedy.

Ok, I'm quite sure this all makes sense, if one analyzes it in an evolutionary context and sees homo sapiens just a social animal. The lack of wisdom is disappointing anyway. I'm quite sure most people, who are acting like this, are capable to see, how rediculous it is, they just never reflect and analyze their mindless behaviour. I'd especially expect more wisdom from people, who see themselves as the intellectual elite or polititians, who are supposed to lead.

"Central Europe"

[oldhack]

If you've been reading Euro news, you would have noticed that the countries (other than Russia) that we used to call Eastern European have re-labelled themselves as "Central Europeans".

It's a political/PR measure to distance themselves from Russia, and the connotation (good or bad) we had of Eastern Europe.

The "patent" seems in line with this movement.

Re:"Central Europe"

[Anonymous Coward]

And if you had been reading history, you would know that the term "Central Europe" existed even before World War I.

Re:"Central Europe"

[sourcerror]

The Russians moved out of Austria in 1955, so I think they distanced themselves pretty well. (If you were thinking about Hungary, it sometimes calls itself a Central-European* country, but most often Central-Eastern European.)

* but hey, it's next to centre of Europe!

Re:"Central Europe"

[oldhack]

Yeah, my comment is bit off the mark for Austria, her having been neutral during the Cold War and all.

I don't get it...

[Syberz]

How can that town be granted the patent, the country it's in isn't even in the same continent!

It's my umbilicus

[SpaghettiPattern]

It's my umbilicus that's the centre of the (my) universe. But you won't see me patenting this. Just bragging. What a bunch of sorry pussies there in the town of Frauenkirchen. One of the places I will not visit. I will however go back to Vieanna as it is one of the truly beautiful world cities.

Kissing, Germany

[roguegramma]

I'd prefer to live in Kissing, Germany - and it is even pronouced the same way, unlike Fucking which is pronounced Foock-ing

Austrian patent office fail

[roguegramma]

I get the following trying to access their public patent search:

error 11
Fatal error: basedir missing - given base directory "c:/webtadirs/FREE" could not be located on this server; please call system administrator.
WebTransactions - © 2005 Fujitsu Siemens Computers GmbH

process patent

[Anonymous Coward]

If its the process by which they've determined that Frauenkirchen is the center of Europe, then we can all make our own process ... with different results. /me develops and patents process showing South Africa is the actual center of Europe since it is roughly equidistant to all points on the EU sub-continent being on the other side of the earth.

Seems more like a copyright issue...

[richardkelleher]

And what I'd like to see is the original art for this technological advancement supplied to the patent inspectors.

Falling IQ for Patent Clerks?

[richardkelleher]

Let me guess, the average IQ at the patent office as dropped by at least an order of magnitude (maybe two) since Einstein left. Must be in the low double digits, possibly even single digits by now.

Re:Falling IQ for Patent Clerks?

[richardkelleher]

Once again proving that I cannot type. It should read "has dropped". You would think that by now I would have learned to proof twice before clicking on that last button.

Here's How...

[Stormy Dragon]

Not clear how one 'infringes' on such a patent, but then again, it's not clear why anyone's patenting this either

Just wait until the send the mid-Atlantic ridge a C&D. That whole continental drift thing is a major infringement on this patent!

The patent system is screwed up, so is Wikipedia

[mfoetsch]

The story is based on a bogus Wikipedia entry that doesn't even refer to this as a patent. It's indeed a trademark. I traced it back to its roots: http://bit.ly/bVcJo8

Re:Because there always has been a center of Europ

[Psaakyrn]

Sure, but if they are the center of Europe, they would be the owner of said prior art.

Answers

[MikShapi]

>> Not clear how one 'infringes' on such a patent
One doesn't.

>> it's not clear why anyone's patenting this either.
1. Town gets headlines.
2. Town become famous.
3. Tourists come.
4. Residents have a new source of income.

Ain't rocket science, dude.

Godwin's law is Austria-centric

[Anonymous Coward]

Sorrowfully there are still a lot of people worldwide, who think the centre of Europe, Universe and everything is located in the village of Braunau, Austria. A certain painter and orator was born there, but he is more infamous for all those terrible things he ordered between 1933-1945.

Really?

[Anonymous Coward]

sounds like a sun revolves around the earth mentality, we are the center of it all, because we say so, look we have a patent, to further prove our stupidity

Re:Because there always has been a center of Europ

[bugs2squash]

But Europe's boundaries have constantly shifted over time. Hence so has the center.

Vilnius Lithuania is geo. center

[Anonymous Coward]

Austria may have a patent, but the geographical center of Europe is outside of Vilnius, Lithuania. As chronicled in this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zT71g-xntNE&NR=1