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. _______________________________________________ Openmoko community mailing list community@lists.openmoko.org http://lists.openmoko.org/mailman/listinfo/community
