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Apple’s New iPad Patent Reveals The Absurdity Of Our Patent System

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This makes me ill.

Earlier this week, Apple got a bunch of new patents approved, including one covering the "design" of the original iPad.

What does this "design" patent cover?

Mostly, it covers the fact that the iPad's "design" is a rectangle with rounded corners.

If there has been any recent patent that better reveals the absurdity of our current patent system, it's hard to imagine what it would be.

Related: Why Steve Jobs Was "Wrong" About the iPad Mini: Blodget

For the last few decades, the idea of tablet computers has often been discussed. Several companies created have prototypes. As far as I can remember, all of these prototypes were rectangles with rounded corners. (Do you remember a triangle-shaped one? Maybe a disk? Neither do I). Sharp corners, meanwhile, could potentially hurt consumers, so of course intelligent designers will round them.

But now Apple has been given a patent for the iPad design that includes its rectangular shape and rounded corners.

So... Does that mean that Apple will now seek an injunction against Google, Amazon, Samsung, and other companies that have produced rectangular-shaped tablets with rounded corners? Will Apple try to use the patent to extort billions out of these companies?

Thankfully, patent expert Alexandre Montagu of MontaguLaw, the author of Intellectual Property: Money And Power In A New Era, doubts that it will.

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com/blogs/dail...bsurdity-patent-system-143108743.html#more-id
 

Frick

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Any links to the actual patent?
 

Fourstaff

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Blame the silly laws not the one who abuses them.
 

de.das.dude

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has anyone patented a pen1s? then i can patent my pen1s?

then everyone boy born will have to pay me money. i will be rich.

*troll logic*
 
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Frick

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Next apple patents the line and curve.
 
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I'm not even gonna read all that shit to know that patent system is fucked lol
 

MxPhenom 216

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Patenting Shapes..................seems legit :rolleyes:

I guess we will see Triangular hand devices now??
 

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Patenting Shapes..................seems legit :rolleyes:

I guess we will see Triangular hand devices now??

Go ahead and patent it.

And that document is small. Scroll to the images on the bottom.
 

Binge

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Can we sue Apple for monopolizing shapes?

My small business is unable to profit from rectangles with rounded edges in a world that demands rectangles with rounded edges. I demand restitution.
 

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Can we sue Apple for monopolizing shapes?

EU will do that for you. In a few years time Apple will have to sell rectangles with the option of either rounded corners or squared corners, not just rounded ones. Also, Apple will be banned from selling squares, but they will be able to appeal that decision.
 
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has anyone patented a pen1s? then i can patent my pen1s?

then everyone boy born will have to pay me money. i will be rich.

*troll logic*

lol funny

what a crock of crap though, they'll try and patent the colour white next
 
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It's called "iPod Signature White" for a reason, y'know...
 
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Can we sue Apple for monopolizing shapes?

My small business is unable to profit from rectangles with rounded edges in a world that demands rectangles with rounded edges. I demand restitution.

I like your thinking there...
 
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has anyone patented a pen1s? then i can patent my pen1s?

then everyone boy born will have to pay me money. i will be rich.

*troll logic*

actually I wouldn't patent the penis itself I would patent poles that extend and use that to sue every man on earth and some extra people:D
 
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they should not approve it coz the shape is generic, i mean rectangle with rounded corners has been used for long time not only in electronic stuff so it shouldnt be patented
 
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Design patents are nothing new. Nearly every company in the world uses or should use them, since they are supposed to keep people from knocking off products. Normally it's a good thing.

The Xbox, PlayStation, etc all have design patents issued.

The unique and disturbing thing about the iPad design patent is the generic shape. It just doesn't fit into the scope of what a patent is designed for. It's far too generic.
 

Binge

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they should not approve it coz the shape is generic, i mean rectangle with rounded corners has been used for long time not only in electronic stuff so it shouldnt be patented

People, regular people, should sue. If there's a lawsuit that starts up or wants to start up I'm on board. This is a concept to work against the interests of free enterprise and consumers.
 
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That'll get Judge Koh to lower some of the damages against Samsung. Just a few more patents are needed to be sniped.
 

the54thvoid

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The USPTO really needs to get a grip. It's their lax patents that lead to all the legal shite. Pretty sure these wouldn't be passed in the UK. Wow, I didn't even bitch about Apple there!
 
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