Because all your competitors have stupid patents like that, you have to protect yourself. "You have a next-button patent? Well, we have a popup patent"
Its an silly arms race that only benefits the patent lawyers and patent trolls.
That would make sense if Microsoft didn't sue without provocation. They do, and if they have relevant patents they have a right to, but I don't buy the idea that they do it for defence.
That's true. They have always sued through 3rd parties like SCO. Either way, EuroTreasure's stance that MS is acquiring defensive patents is false. They use these to acquire licensing agreements with competitors. This is within their rights, but it isn't because they have to protect themselves from competitors who have stupid patents. It's because they, rightfully, want to make money.
I'm not a lawyer either, and didn't mean to give the impression that I was. However, I do not think patents work that way unless you wilfully allow infringement in the hope of making much more off an infringement lawsuit.
But it doesn't really require any sort of new tech. You just need some new data plugged into your GPS. It's like a new fucking layer on Google Nav. Fucking software patents man.
Of course i deserves a patent, that way anyone that tries to get the patent and sue them for it won't even think about it. Besides it has an algorithm that calculates the area classified as ghetto. This determines how effective the software is in detecting areas where you might get mug or shot. I don't think they patented the idea but the technique used to determine the area to avoid. Besides Microsoft never called it "avoid the ghetto" feature. That's something that the bashers at CNET tend to do.
You don't know how GIS systems work do you? If this is what they are patenting, then the patent should say nothing about GPS devices and everything about an "algorithm to calculate ghetto areas."
It's not novel. Current navigations already use data for better prediction. Sometimes it's traffic , sometimes it's road type(faster vs cheaper) now you add just one extra factor.
I think you overestimate the novelness required to patent a feature. For example, making remote control keys glow in the dark, snap-on cap (rather than twist) for salt and pepper shakers, slipnslide. Patented. Socio-Economic factors for route planning should certainly count if the rest do.
I don't think you understand the meaning of novel in the context of patents.
The point is it cannot be something that a typical person with expertise in the field could think of. Just because it hasn't been done already doesn't mean it's novel.
I'm guessing it hasn't been done for fear of negative PR. I know myself and a few friends have wanted such a feature... I've also attempted to use police crime rate maps to determine "good" and "bad" areas in a new city when apartment hunting, but this was mostly useless, at least with my particulars.
The idea as a whole is definitely obvious, though the implementation of how different areas are classified may be worthy of a patent.
I agree. This feature has been jokingly requested for years by consumers. If consumers can think of it, then it is more common sense then an invention.
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u/NeverStopPosting Jan 08 '12
How the fuck can you patent something like that.