Did an Apple Engineer Invent FB Messages In 2003?

theodp writes "Q. How many Facebook engineers does it take in 2010 to duplicate a lone Apple engineer's 2003 effort? A. 15! On Nov. 15th, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg introduced Facebook Messages, which uses whatever method of communication is appropriate at the time — e.g., email, IM, SMS. A day later, ex-Apple software engineer Jens Alfke was granted a patent for his 2003 invention of a Method and apparatus for processing electronic messages, which — you guessed it — employs the most appropriate messaging method — e.g., email, IM, SMS — for the job. Citing Apple's lack of passion for social software, Alfke left Apple in 2008. After a layover at Google, Alfke landed at startup Rockmelt, whose still-in-beta 'social web browser' also sports a pretty nifty communications platform."

Comments

Same idea

[Anonymous Coward]

The Apple developer may have put forward the idea in 2003, but this same technology was a key plot point in the movie AntiTrust, which came out in 2001. And the concept wasn't new then. So, no, an Apple Engineer didn't invent the new FB messaging system, it's an old idea. FB just happens to have implemented it.

Re:Same idea

[MrHanky]

Wrong. A Donald Duck story from 1949 was once cited as a prior art example, denying a patent on a method of raising a sunken ship. Link.

Re:Same idea

[Theaetetus]

Why doesn't fiction count? If it's obvious enough to a person who is writing 'fiction' why should a patent be awarded. I could trawl through old Star Trek movies looking for ideas, and patent the concepts I get from there.

Because prior art only counts for what it teaches or enables one of ordinary skill in the art to do. Otherwise, it's considered "non-enabling prior art". H.G. Wells wrote about a time machine. Can you read his book, and then build one? No. So, it hasn't added a time machine to the public domain other than the concept of a time machine, and granting you a patent on a working time machine (should you be able to design and build one) wouldn't be removing anything from the public domain.

It's not a matter of "fiction" not counting - highly descriptive fiction would count as prior art for everything it describes in sufficient enabling detail. The issue is that most fiction isn't that descriptive, and doesn't actually teach those ideas.

1 Person's Software Diamond is Another's Dirt Clod

[theodp]

Steve Jobs in 1991: Somebody at IBM a few years ago saw our NextStep operating system as a potential diamond to solve their biggest and most profound problem, that of adding value to their computers with unique software. Unfortunately, as I learned, IBM is not a monolith. It is a very large place with lots of faces, and they all play musical chairs. Somewhere along the line this diamond got dropped in the mud, and now it's sitting on somebody's desk who thinks it's a dirt clod. Inside that dirt clod is still a diamond, but they don't see it.

Re:Apple Claiming Credit for Something Else?!?

[BasilBrush]

No he didn't. Check the assignee on the patent link.

If you're an employee of a company and you invent something within the scope of that company's business, they own it. Unless you've managed to negotiate a contract that says otherwise.