[thelist] Persistent User Interface patented?

Scott Brady evolt at scottbrady.net
Mon Jan 27 10:03:01 CST 2003


>None at all, it is patently ridiculous (forgive the pun!).  The concept
>of a persistent user interface has been with us for a long time - how
>about chapter titling in books; staffing in sheet music; A-Z tabs in
>phone-books? These are things which predate patenting itself.

If you come up with a new interface in a new medium (even if it could be considered to an interface in a different medium), then it is patentable.  Obviously, a "frames-like" interface could be patentable, because it's a new interface in a new medium.  (so, it's not like A-Z tabbed pages in a phone book).

However, the problem with this patent is that not only did Netscape have frames in a released browser before the patent was issued, they had frames in a release browser before the patent was even applied for.

I think SBC might get paid licensing fees as long as they only try to enforce it with sites that can't afford to fight it.  However, I think that as soon as they try to enforce it with a company that can afford to fight it, the patent will get thrown out.

Scott Brady




More information about the thelist mailing list