Granting patents on what is considered public domain technology by the USPO is not unusual, this is at least the third internet foundation type program/protocol the USPO has granted a patent on, to an individual. The issue is the USPOs lack of knowledge about the technical background for which they are granting patents. The bad news is the USPO keeps doing this; the good news is they are aware their ignorance is a problem and are supposedly forming / have formed an IT industry based advisory group so these problems don't keep happening. Of course, the USPO is working at bureaucratic speed, not internet speed.
Slashdot Mirror
Granting patents on what is considered public domain technology by the USPO is not unusual, this is at least the third internet foundation type program/protocol the USPO has granted a patent on, to an individual. The issue is the USPOs lack of knowledge about the technical background for which they are granting patents. The bad news is the USPO keeps doing this; the good news is they are aware their ignorance is a problem and are supposedly forming / have formed an IT industry based advisory group so these problems don't keep happening. Of course, the USPO is working at bureaucratic speed, not internet speed.