Dave went off on this morning about how stupid some patent laws are in the US. Apparently SP Technologies LLC are sueing Apple over the iPhone which infringes their patent in that it has: “a method and medium for a computer readable input area capable of receiving touch-screen input”. I mean, how the hell can someone patent that?! It’s nuts.
Then at lunch I stumbled across the story that Facebook are facing a similiar suit. It refers to U.S. Patent 6,519,629 (โ?System for creating a community for users with common interests to interact inโ?), which was issued in 2003 and is now owned by Cross Atlantic Capital Partners. They want royalties from Facebook. ๐ A patent system that supports actions like this is against innovation and pratical implementation.
One reply on “Crazy patents”
People file patents that they never intend on doing anything with, and that’s wrong. All they do is sit back and wait for somebody to actually DO something with the concept so they can sue. It should be illegal, but is business as usual here in the Land of the Free.*
*Free to sue and be sued.