This AppleInsider post is further proof, that the patent system is 100% flawed.
MONEC Holding Ltd, can rot in hell. I’ve never heard of them, and based on their website I’m guessing they’re nothing more than a patent troll.
Basically, they’re suing Apple (Not Amazon) for hyping the iPod/iPhone as a touch screen eBook reader. Something they patented in 2002. What’s wrong with that? Well in 7 years they’ve got nothing to show, clearly and their patent is clearly as vague as possible.
“dimensions such that [...] approximately one page of a book can be illustrated at normal size, this display being integrated in a flat, frame-like housing.”
“Electronic device, preferably an electronic book.”
Emphasis mine, but really? That’s a patent? “I’ll build something that’s sorta like a book, but maybe a touch screen in some kind of frame, and it’ll display ebooks probably.”
WTF?!
Not only should they not have been awarded a patent in the first place, but I strongly maintain that any patent awarded on vaporware should have a life of no more than 5 years. If you can’t execute your idea in 5 years (Less actually, but 5 is easy to use) move aside and let someone else with the means to innovate take a stab at it.
Our patent process is such an innovation killer! Apple certainly does their fair share of patent craziness, but they actualy, eventually execute on a lot of them. Some they don’t and those should also go back into the pool in 5 years.
Patents are rediculous, I challange anyone to show me a patent that’s done good. That hasn’t stifled innovation, that hasn’t locked out competition, for completely stupid reasons, or isn’t just plain stupid (patenting a click, or a molecule, color, shape, etc)
