http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/08/technology/patent-wars-among-tech-giants-can-stifle-competition.html?smid=tw-share&_r=0

Really good article on flaws in the US patent system. There's no question that patents are issued on concepts that are too broad. Patents should be very, very specific. Innovation is stifled and, as is too often the case when government is involved, competition can be crushed by large companies with powerful lobbyists.

Thoughts? Anyone here involved in patent law?

10/8/2012 7:29:17 PM

I've heard it's one of the biggest fucking messes imaginable.

10/8/2012 7:48:11 PM

I'm a patent examiner! Been working as one just shy of a year.

[Edited on October 8, 2012 at 8:00 PM. Reason : d]

10/8/2012 7:59:31 PM

I have a friend who's a patent lawyer. So it does give a lot of lawyers high paying jobs.

10/8/2012 9:55:37 PM

patents suck

information wants to be freeeee~

10/9/2012 1:01:42 AM

From what I understand, it's one federal court that is the problem.

10/9/2012 1:10:09 PM

http://www.theverge.com/2012/10/10/3479550/apple-expands-patent-coverage-on-slide-to-unlock-feature

Apple: "Hey remember when we patented devices with rounded corners? We would like to extend that patent to include all devices of any shape"

US Patent office: "That sounds reasonable"

10/10/2012 3:51:41 PM

^ the wording of the newer patent:

Quote :

"continuously moving the unlock image on the touch-sensitive display in accordance with movement of the detected contact."

What does that mean? So you can make a phone that you unlock by sliding... at all? Like no more unlocks with sliding anymore?

This can't apply to phones made before the patent can it?

10/10/2012 8:27:46 PM

But of course it can, because the continuation patent is retroactive to the date of the original!

It doesn't matter that sliding something to unlock it isn't new (you know, like a fucking bathroom door latch) it only matters that apple applied that idea to a touch screen device. Therefore, any touchscreen device must now be unlocked by doing something other than sliding. Or, as this patent claims, must basically be unlocked by some way other than interacting with the god damned touch screen.

10/10/2012 8:34:03 PM

To be fair to the USPTO, they really don't want to be in the business of patenting software (or so it was explained to me by a former patent attorney turned examiner). However, they were basically beaten into submission by the courts in the 1990s, and when the Clinton administration appointed a software industry lobbyist to head the USPTO, that fight was effectively over.

10/11/2012 1:13:16 AM

It's okay. China will ignore all this bullshit and save us from ourselves.

10/11/2012 2:03:19 AM

I'm still confused. This summer, I mean July 2012, an Apple patent for slide-to-unlock was ruled "obvious".

http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-18709232

Oh wait, that was in London. So at the same time that other places find it ridiculous, the US grants Apple even broader language.

Most recent patent, Oct 9, 2012

http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/1522863/US8286103B2.pdf

Even though they didn't invent it.

10/11/2012 11:16:03 AM