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Re: Boingo awarded patent for hotspot access
From: David Farber <dave () farber net>
Date: Wed, 24 Jun 2009 19:18:51 -0400
Begin forwarded message: From: Steve Lamont <spl () ncmir ucsd edu> Date: June 24, 2009 10:24:55 AM EDT To: dave () farber net Subject: Re: [IP] Re: Boingo awarded patent for hotspot access [For IP if you wish. -- spl]
They're in good company. The Australian Patent Office accepted a patent for the wheel ...
I believe this statement is misleading. In 2001, John Keogh did indeed apply for and receive a patent for a "circular transportation device". However, a bit of simple research shows that in Australia there are two different kinds of patent: an "Innovation Patent" and a "Australian Standard Patent". An "Innovation Patent", as I understand it, is basically awarded to anyone who comes through the door with properly filled out paperwork. http://www.ipaustralia.gov.au/patents/what_innovation.shtml "Innovation patents are not automatically examined. To fully enforce your rights and take infringers to court your patent must be certified following an examination. To request an examination, you must contact IP Australia or your patent attorney, and fill out the appropriate form and pay the required fee. An examiner will then check that your patent meets all relevant requirements of the Patents Act." The "Standard Patent" is just that, a patent examined and issued in the standard manner. As the Commissioner of patents, Vivienne Thom said, "To obtain the patent the applicant must make a declaration that they are the inventor. "Obtaining a patent for the wheel would require a false claim, which would certainly invalidate the patent." http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/1418165.stm Whatever you may think of the intellectual property and patents system, the assertion that an enforcable patent for the wheel exists is at best misleading and can be more accurately characterized as bogus. spl ------------------------------------------- Archives: https://www.listbox.com/member/archive/247/=now RSS Feed: https://www.listbox.com/member/archive/rss/247/ Powered by Listbox: http://www.listbox.com
Current thread:
- Boingo awarded patent for hotspot access David Farber (Jun 23)
- <Possible follow-ups>
- Re: Boingo awarded patent for hotspot access David Farber (Jun 24)
- Re: Boingo awarded patent for hotspot access David Farber (Jun 24)
- Re: Boingo awarded patent for hotspot access David Farber (Jun 24)
- Re: Boingo awarded patent for hotspot access David Farber (Jun 24)