The internet has a few kinds of links, but the most common are text and image links. For example, I can link this image of VueStar’s logo:
To a website featuring stuff on a cat (luckily I’m in a good mood or you guys would have been in for a surprise). It’s one of the backbones of our freedom. Sadly, a Singapore firm,VueStar, patented a system for “Method of locating web-pages by utilising visual images”, which is kind of like creating a patent to identify a goat on sight. Obviously this “patent” has implications in Web 2.0 because soon those curved buttons and image reflections might cost you a visit from Vuestar’s lawyers.
Incredible what people do
Hey, that’s cool. BTW, I just patented water!
Sorry, Jonathan. I have a patent on the combination of hydrogen and oxygen for the purposes of liquid refreshsment, which precedes your water patent.
Very amusing, I’m glad text links are safe for now.
/goes to a patent office
hahaha!!
The property right is defined by the claims, not the title. The claims appear to be limited to methods of displaying search results and are not as broad as suggested. Claim 1 recites:
1. A method for locating a web-page using a distributed computing system comprising the steps of:
receiving a search request from an associated user;
searching a database containing selected data representative of information associated with web pages, wherein such data is in the form of data entries, wherein each entry is associated with at least one web page;
identifying selected entries contained in the database in accordance with the search request;
generating a search results list comprised of the selected entries, wherein each entry includes at least one of a hyperlink for the associated web page and visual content associated with such web page; and
displaying the search results, wherein the user is able to view the visual content associated with each entry without activating the hyperlink for the web page;
wherein the visual content includes at least one of a hyperlink, image, video, animation, mini-image of a web page, streaming video, logo of an organization associated with the web page, and trademark of an organization associated with the web page; and
wherein the visual content comprises a plurality of mini-images in the form of a conveyor belt slide show.
the world we live in…
A late patent? I wonder whether they will sue Microsoft, Yahoo and Google.
Yes, this blog post is very misleading (maybe even trolling, oh the irony!)
This patent actually might apply to an Alexa, Thumbshots or any service that displays website thumbnails along side search results. Considering in 2001, Google was just getting off the ground and Alta-Vista was the bomb, could be a legitimate patent.
@John - Actually that’s true for the US patent, the Singapore version is much broader and covers ANY image used as a link.
Yes, the U.S. Patent is pretty narrow - specifically read the final element of it again:
“wherein the visual content comprises a plurality of mini-images in the form of a conveyor belt slide show.”
Not sure who provides search results in a conveyor belt slide show fashion. And, for those who are not as familiar with patent law, every word of a specific claim (claim 1 in this example) must be demonstrated for there to be infringement.
As for the Singapore patent being broader, obviously that would only impact activity that is found to be occurring in Singapoer (and I’m not even sure how easily it is to enforce a patent in Singapore).
Knowing that people in 2008 make money on such patents makes me feel sick.
We had Monsanto patenting Mexican corn, now we have an obscure company patenting thumbnails.
I am currently patenting a gun specialized to kill those patent holders… very scary.
All I can say is, scam!
They’re bullying the smaller fish in Singapore with invoices. It only takes 1 company to pay up to make all of this profitable.
http://i32.tinypic.com/2s7fgp1.gif
http://i30.tinypic.com/jtt3pt.gif
You gotta admire their sheer gall though.
[img]http://i30.tinypic.com/jtt3pt.gif[/img]
Sounds like VueStar Troll is going to visit you!
I’m going to Patent massive write-ups on Twitter … wait, Mike already has that
long live patents
gREAT!
A few days ago I saw a kid with his (I presume) father — the kid was wearing a t-shirt with the words “patent pending” on it; the dad’s t-shirt had the words “prior art” across his chest in a matching font. I loved it!
I love to see companies protect their innovation in ways like this. This is what the patent system was found for.
/sarcasm
Hi
I file a bunch of patents - in golf, clamping, and fasteners, although have an investment in a web diversion http://www.anycircle.com which is why I read TC
Frankly that patent looks pretty damn useless !!!!
A patent that has a 1st claim that is THAT long and THAT specific as this one is seldom any good!
I call these patents “vanity patents” look good but mean nothing!
Here is the first claim
1. A method for locating a web-page using a distributed computing system comprising the steps of:
receiving a search request from an associated user;
searching a database containing selected data representative of information associated with web pages, wherein such data is in the form of data entries, wherein each entry is associated with at least one web page;
identifying selected entries contained in the database in accordance with the search request;
generating a search results list comprised of the selected entries, wherein each entry includes at least one of a hyperlink for the associated web page and visual content associated with such web page; and
displaying the search results, wherein the user is able to view the visual content associated with each entry without activating the hyperlink for the web page;
wherein the visual content includes at least one of a hyperlink, image, video, animation, mini-image of a web page, streaming video, logo of an organization associated with the web page, and trademark of an organization associated with the web page; and
wherein the visual content comprises a plurality of mini-images in the form of a conveyor belt slide show.
Just because they have a patent does not mean they own it yet… the patent needs to hold up in court. There have been countless bad patents filed and awarded only to be over turned in the courts. I think this is one of them.
remember if you have something worth patenting, get a GOOD FIRM THAT KNOWS WHAT THEY ARE DOING.
good luck suing the whole world!!!
Typical Singapore crap - will only be effective bullying their own.
Just wait till they send an invoice to the wrong party.
and .biz….
if they cant afford the .com then they cant afford the lawyers.
on a related note, I heard that Thailand is trying to patent having parties on full-moons.
This is an Australian guy, with similar patents in USA, Australia, New Zealand and finally, Singapore. He has filed for several other patents such as ‘a digital wallet’ and ‘Identity of a User by Authenticating a File’. He just set up shop in Singapore very recently.
Quoting the website, “You are required to have a License, as is your Internet Service provider, your Telco whose phones connected to the web and anybody else contributing to the use of the patent. All search engine portals and web sites that have search facilities and images will require separate Licenses.”
Heck even my parents, who contributed to my birth, may have to pay.
By the way, if anyone can look into these, there are two whitepapers listed below which predates his patents. Any thoughts?
Woodruff, Allison, Faulring, Andrew, Rosenholtz, Ruth, Morrsion, Julie and Pirolli, Peter (2001)
Using Thumbnails to Search the Web.
Human Factors in Computing Systems Conference March 31 - April 5, 2001, Seattle, Washington, USA. pp. 198-205.
http://portal.acm.org/ft_gatew.....N=56053351
Kopetzky T., Mühlhäuser M.
Visual preview for link traversal on the World Wide Web
Computer Networks: The International Journal of Computer and Telecommunications Networking 31(11-16): 1525-1532, 1999.
http://www8.org/w8-papers/4b-l.....isual.html