Re: Sharing the Family PC is Patent-Pending

[W Randolph Franklin]

According to Paul Hovnanian P.E. <Paul@Hovnanian.com>:
> 
> This could be an interesting tactic on the part of various
> companies with too much cash and not enough actual work to
> do. Swamp the patent office with crap. If the reviewers are
> buried in garbage, maybe they'll just start rubber stamping
> them to clear out their in baskets.

Australia has an "innovation patent" that is just like this.
You submit an idea, say for a "circular transportation
facilitation device", and they automatically register your
submission.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/1418165.stm

A really crappy patent is IBM's US patent 6,329,919:

"System and method for providing reservations for restroom use

"The present invention is an apparatus, system, and method for
providing reservations for restroom use. In one embodiment, a
passenger on an airplane may submit a reservation request to
the system for restroom use. The reservation system determines
when the request can be accommodated and notifies the
passenger when a restroom becomes available. The system
improves airline safety by minimizing the time passengers
spent standing while an airplane is in flight."

They later dedicated the patent to the public.

                     ------------------------
Wm Randolph Franklin
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