microsoft patent with idea's from this list

Al Johnson openmoko at mazikeen.demon.co.uk
Thu Feb 5 13:30:43 CET 2009


On Thursday 05 February 2009, Helge Hafting wrote:
> arne anka wrote:
> >> (http://v3.espacenet.com/publicationDetails/description?CC=WO&NR=2009012
> >>344A2&KC=A2&FT=D&date=20090122&DB=EPODOC&locale=en_US)
> >
> > i didn't read it fully, but how does that differ from a simple hub or the
> > common docking station well known to notebook users? and it what respect
> > exactly is it not obvious?
>
> Yeah, it is jsut like the docking stations used for laptops.
> Doing exactly the same with a *phone*, now that phones almost are
> notebooks - wasn't obvious to microsoft or that patent office, it seems.

The patent office sees obviousness differently to engineers. Having a patent 
for something on a tractor for a particular reason doesn't stop someone 
getting a patent on the exact same thing for the same reason on a fork lift. 
Somehow it isn't obvious that if it works in one situation it'll also work in 
a similar one. They see moving the idea from one type of vehicle to another as 
an inventive step rather than an application of the blindingly obvious. 





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