Patents Europees de Programari: Exemples Escollits

You can add examples to our collection.

You can evaluate the level of TECHnicity as well as the quality of the DEAL which society gets when the EPO issues this patent.

TECH:

1. higher mathematics with large and diverse field of application
2. application of universal computer to various tasks
3. programming of special gadgets for information and communication, e.g. card reader, mobile phone
4. control of machines which apply forces of nature, e.g. optimising fuel use, anti-blocking system
5. As above, but the problem solution seems to rely on knowledge about forces of nature more than on informatic (control logic, automation theory) skills.
6. The patent teaches something new about physical causality. These insights could not have been obtained without experimentation on forces of nature.

DEAL:

1. invalid even according to the laxest patent office standards
2. belongs into the horror gallery: worthless disclosure, incommensurately great blocking effect (broad claim scope)
3. reasonably interesting disclosure and moderate blocking effect
4. belongs into the beauty gallery: precious disclosure, moderate blocking effect
5. Patents like this one should be granted: society at large would make a good bargain.

veieu Searching and Enriching the FFII Patent Database

patent	tech	deal	remarks
EP0343228	1	1	Ein Verfahren zu Verbesserung der Fehlertolleranz bei MICR (Magnetic Ink Character Recognition; Magnetstreifen) durch Geschwindigkeitsmessung des Streifens waehrend des Lesevorgangs. Beansprucht wird das Vorgehen der Datensammlung (Messwertaufzeichnung) und der Korrelation zwischen den Messwerten sowie die rechnerische Beeinflussung der Auswertung der Leseergebnisse durch die Geschwindigkeitsmessergebnisse. Im Prinzip ein besserer Dreisatz zwischen Geschwindigkeit und Impulsabstaenden. Eine Erfindung die jeder bessere Hobbybastler an einem regnerischen Wochenende zustande bringen wuerde.
EP0365526	1	1	This is a variant of French patent application No. 2579047 (a comunication system that receives data from one source, at a given clock frecuency, and transmit it to the receiver at another one, managing the buffer to syncronize the data flow) The only diference between both patents is the optimized algorithm this one uses to treat the data flow. This patent claims basically the algorithm that controls an asyncronous data buffer.
EP0488694	1	1	They claim the invention of a simple fuzzy clasification system combined with fuzzy rules diferent for each fuzzy set. Fuzzy Logic and Fuzzy reasoning are I.A. Algorithms with a lot of books and work about, they didn't something new!
EP0254325	1	2	The present invention pertains to the modeling of geologic volumes of the earth's crust. The model is composed of a plurality of small incremental volumetric elements configured to resemble corresponding incremental volumetric elements in the geologic volume. The most common cell will normally be a hexahedron having four vertical corner edges. The corner edges may vary in length to fit whatever geometry they must accommodate. comment: The described process is a 3-D grid model of a bounded volume. Its "invention" consists in the use of variable-shaped cells. An obvious idea in irregularly shaped volumes.
EP0396368	1	2	Verfahren zur verkleinerung der Größe eines zweidimensionalen Bildes für die Datenübertragung.
EP0527213	1	2	This patent seems near completely covering the object oriented programming conception, exactly as it is implemented in C++, Borland Pascal (since v6.0 for DOS) and Java. The authors list the general features of the object oriented system (data+code, polymorphism, serialization, pointers, events and properties) and additionally states that the objects should be accessible via some form of the dialog and have the user access rights (now usually every file does). All these features are widely used in near any serious application, written using the object-oriented programming.
EP0532228	1	2	A cryptosystem to secure cellular telephony , has not sense because is only mathematics used in many other places.Also a cryptosystem with nor is open nor standar is not for use by all the companies (see DES). The other companies will do a different implementation of it i this patent will allow. The fact of make secure a chanel i think can´t be patented, because is very general . It can be use in many places but is not a real innovation nor invention , it is only using a "version" of the cryptography for one area making a personalation
EP0744154	1	2	This is an agregation of software and non-software patents, both having absolutely independent claims. The patent suggests to reduce the measurement noise by having two sensors, one being much closer to object being measured. The external noise affects both sensors and can be eliminated from the system output by suggested computational algorithm. The idea of having two sensors and differential amplifyer is old and widely used far outside the scope of the claim 1 (blood oxygen measurement). In this context, the claim 15, describing the noise reduction algorithm, has a serious potential of blocking the independent works on noise reduction using the two-sensor system. The claim 15 states very generally that "data windows" (probably some kind of data smoothing) must be used and later some abstract "mathematical relationship" must be involved using any kind of "calculator". As these general talks are patented WITHOUT saying that this is for a blood oxygen measurement only, I suggest to treat this work as a very abstract and broad patent from the higher mathematics category.
EP0790578	1	2	This patent describes the means to solve the problem on scaling bitmaps wherein between the individual pixels gaps appear due to scaling. Patent will be called hole filler and will be implemted in hardware. The processing of the bitmap will be performed by making subsets of the graph and connect signals to it. This makes it possible to deal with the appering gaps.
EP0266049	1	3	a method for coding numbers, dressed up in pseudo-"technical" terms of digital signal processing, patent currently being used to block the JPEG standard
EP0383342	1	3	The patent describes an abstract idea about the processor unit. It is not restricted by any implementation details and can easily cover the plain hardware implementations, the microcommand systems (ROM content), the programmed emulators and probably even some bytecode systems similar to Java Virtual Machine. The patent contains no data on experimental evaluation of the method.
EP0434415	1	3	The patent describes a means of measuring the skew angle in a scanned image. It seems to apply only to images that are stored using one bit per pixel, and emphasises the fact that it can work with compressed images (in particular those that use CCITT Group 4 fax compression) without having to uncompress them first. The invention can be implemented purely in software and is therefore a Bad Thing. However, because the patent specifies one bit per pixel, it should be a simple matter to work around it.
EP0539397	1	3	Dieses Patent beschreibt eine Rasterverfahren für den Offsetdruck. Ziel ist es die Druckpunkte mithilfe von Dichte-Schwellwerten besser zu verteilen um einen 'ruhigeren' Eindruck zu vermitteln .
EP0652521	1	3	A Patent describing in detail a possibly new way to accelerate memory-access.
EP0504514	1	4	claim to patent a multifunction switch system. comments. systems using such switches are already widly in use in devices such as digital watches, digital camera's, any menu driven electronic device. (very wide scope!) could also be extended to computer keyboards (ie repeat rate delay etc)
EP0066674	2	1	Any text entry to any database manager in a text window that uses a monitor, keyboard and RAM is threatened. Any form of database - anything that involves a 'plurality of text fields' - including a vCard.
EP0249284	2	1	Einfaches Kodier- und Dekodiersystem.
EP0280253	2	1	This is all about general program which can record audio/video and: -can detect free memory remaining on the medium -can display various statistics -can record in several modes (e.g. low quality) -allow user to switch these modes -can switch between modes automaticaly (according to the remaining free space)
EP0353097	2	1	This patent describes very simple idea of packing text files by storing only one occurence of repetitive text and managing them. There is not even specified exact algorithm of packing/unpacking.
EP0431438	2	1	well, you shall send again packet when you don't get acknolowedgement, at some delay. You may send a couple of packet in advance (window). If you still don't get the acknolowedgement after some time, you cancel the connexion. You just cannot realize a free TCP/IP stack with this patent. It is trivially invalidated by the TCP RFC published in the early 80's on TCP. I am not an expert, but I guess there is even earlier prior art.
EP0515031	2	1	Claims apply to image manipulation technologies, particularly with regard to rgba images; describes compositing images in memory, interpolating alpha values, tiling, blurring, and pixel based manipulation in general. Issued in 1992. This patent is officially stupid.
EP0561509	2	1	Um den PC vor den User zu schützen wird ein Program vorgeschaltet. Bevormundung des Benutzers, Maschine wichtiger als Mensch.
EP0561593	2	1	Kombination von Kompressionsverfahren fuer Bilder. Basiert auf der bereichsweisen Auswahl von Fourier-Analyse (Verfahren A) oder Wavelets (Verfahren B), je nachdem, ob eine scharfe Kante vorliegt oder nicht. Prinzipiell eine graduelle Verbesserung etwa der JPEG Kompression (Verfahren A), die bei der Kompression von Bildern von Schriftzuegen oder Zeichnungen (wo eben scharfe Kante auftreten), ihre Schwaechen hat. Diese Schwachstelle von Verfahren A ist allgemein seit Jahrhunderten bekannt (man braucht unendlich viele Glieder der Reihe fuer eine Sprungstelle, die Kompression bricht daher ein). Geloesst wird dies hier durch Erkennung der Situation, in der Verfahren A schwach ist. Statt dessen wird dann Verfahren B eingesetzt. Na ja. Mit dem hier behandelten Problem wird man im Zusammenhang mit "Folgen und Reihen" im Mathematikunterricht ca. der 11. oder 12. Schulklasse erstmals prinzipiell konfrontiert (Fourier-Reihe der Saegenzahnkurve). Dem kommt lediglich die Kenntnis ueber den Zusammenhang von Fourier-Analyse mit der Bildkompression sowie Kenntnis weiterer bekannter Verfahren (Wavelets,Kantenerkennung) hinzu. Nicht exakt ein Trivialpatent, aber m.E. dennoch wegen geringer Schoepfungstiefe abzulehnen. Nebenbei bemerkt ein nettes Beispiel um das Dilemma von Softwarepatenten bzw. Patenten mathematischer Verfahren herauszuarbeiten. (Der OCR-Text des Patents ist ohne begleitended Bildmaterial etwas kryptisch.)
EP0684583	2	1	Describes vector-oriented font storage method; text claims that patent refers to special small footprint font database format or special compression method particularly useful with fonts, but claims apply to most currently and commonly used vector font formats. This patent also describes assigning numbers to characters in order to index the database, measuring dimensions of characters, measuring dimensions of text blocks or words, and storing font information in a file. Note that "database" basically refers to a folder of flat file fonts, not necessarily to a "real" database. This patent claims to reduce font storage overhead. With current storage cost as it is, it has become entirely useless. Still, some of the claims might be applied to commonly used technologies like the font database X11 uses or the fonts folder of Windows; both of which existed before this patent was published in late 1995. This patent covers applying algorithms to a font to generate "bold" or "italics" typefaces instead of one font per variant - just like it has been done for years anyway.
EP0687989	2	1	Ca équivaud techniquement à ce qu'on demande à un étudiant en première année d'informatique, comme devoirs pour la semaine prochaine... Les profs de programmation vont devoir être très au courant de tous les brevets existants pour ne pas faire commetre de délits à leurs élèves !
EP0903889	2	1	This patent is quite ridiculous. What it describes is simply a management system, like HP OpenView, with the only "innovation" of using a web server, a browser and cgi (or equivalent) in order to do actions. It's purely and simply the transposition to a web architecture of common management system. This patent couldn't be possibly granted, because : a) nothing innovative b) idea absolutely straightforward c) it's purely a software patent : no other things as computers, network, and software, are used by this patent. So it can't be granted, by the wording of the munich convention.
EP1058902	2	1	SAP has applied at the EPO for a patent on some of the basic desirable features of a user interface for supply chain management
EP1249000	2	1	The applicant, ELawForum, apparently wants to own the exclusive right to mediate between lawyers and their customers. Since lawyers wield great influence at the EPO, it seems unlikely that this one will get through. Lawyers won't do unto themselves what they do unto programmers.
EP0094494	2	2	Editieren und Einblenden einer Spalte und Zeile in einer Tabelle, die die Überschriften für Spalten- und/oder Zeilenwerte enthält sowie Einblenden der Überschriften beim Eingeben von Daten in die Tabelle.
EP0152900	2	2	The patent is about having user accounts who have or have not certain rights. <irony>Thats really a totally new concept</irony>
EP0171579	2	2	rotfl... Ich habe ein ähnliches Verfahren als Projektarbeit während meiner Ausbildung im Fach Digitaltechnik realisiert... Es handelt sich um eine Simple Verschaltung von TTL-Bausteinen bzw. einigen GALs und Flip bzw. MonoFlops sowie einem Eprom mit einem knapp 400 Byte großem "Programm" hat die Dekodierung vorgenommen.
EP0183431	2	2	As far as i understand it this patents clustering in every form using 2 or more computers in a network.
EP0209441	2	2	Uneccessary complex and hard to understand description of an primitive algorithm for converting an image from one picture format into another picture format where (whoa, the innovation!) the result is a combination of both picture formats. By the way this has a very interesting translation of the word "data" in the german version of the patent. It uses a non existent singular of "Daten" namely "Date". Of course a more correct translation would be "Wert".
EP0212129	2	2	Deals with virtual memory mapping (kernel space). Claim 2 is just a locking mechanism.
EP0239113	2	2	This patent is about a standard image filter used by any image editing program.
EP0311411	2	2	Wieder mal eine Fehlerkorrekturmethode mit zwei Einzelkorrekturkodes, gedacht für Audio-PCM-Signale, was aber durch Abstraktion der Patentansprüche völlig weggefallen ist.
EP0317480	2	2	A kind of tree-sitemap for applications on a computer or a complete network, including their submenu structure, with direct access from the menu tree. Included in the claims is menu-tree editing itself. It's unclear if the claims could match web structures including e.g. cgi, java, php or xhtml code.
EP0323381	2	2	benutzerabhänger Umfang von Hilfetexten ist allgemeine Praxis (z.B. bei Installationsprogrammen) eine zeit-/benutzungs-abhängige (vorgschlagene) Änderung des Levels ist keine neue Erfindung, sondern wird z.B. bei öffentlichen Mailing-Listen eingesetzt.
EP0326162	2	2	The patent basically deals with processes and data structures for linking two databases, one containing enterprise data, the other containing personal data (memo information, which is mainly stored in image format), by means of a crosstable.
EP0328357	2	2	This patent could potentially block the trivial using of the picture that only seems three dimensional as a background for rendering really three dimensional objects. It widely known that the 3D vision does not work for the distances, much larger than the distance between eyes. To have the remote backroung "flat" is probably the first thing that comes in mind. I conclude this from the following words in the claim 3: "method .. in which a window of lower display priority is occluded by a window of higher display priority, the method further comprising assigning to the window of lower display priority a binocular viewing model having zero binocular disparity ( zero disparity = the same image for both eyes - A.M ) (...) ".
EP0353890	2	2	Grundlagen eines Serversystems für den Zentralen Telekommunikationsknotens werden beschrieben. Verbindung aller möglichen analogen (alten) Systeme und digitalen Systemen (tw Berücksichtigung bzg Inernationalität) für einen Switch.
EP0358459	2	2	The process in which pictures are converted to line drawings using edge detection.
EP0366097	2	2	Remark. There is no invention in these patent claims. In general the claims are the application of so called Hardware in Loop methods ans SCADA methods for a specific control system, namely elevator system. These methods are usually presented during 5-10 semester of automatic control faculties at Technical Universities for several years. The methods described in patent are applied every day by automatic control experts to much broader class of systems than elevator ones.
EP0372834	2	2	the principle of cross-compiling: develop on one machine (source) and run on another (target), with a completely different system architecture, by providing some common lower-level libraries and rules for automatically translating them to a form which lets them run on the target machine. AT&T was granted a patent on the computer-implementation of this "invention" by the EPO in 1990, with priority date of 1988. The EPO granted the main claim as AT&T applied for it.
EP0386802	2	2	Basically, anybody who wishes to have a network which transmits data (all of them by definition!) must beg Wang Laboratories for a licence because they have the patente over 'interfacing a computer station with a communications network' and using it to 'communicate'. Ridiculous!
EP0389968	2	2	The patent covers a method to do edge-detection on a digital image without handling the image data as a two-dimensional array of pixels and using time-consuming processing. Instead, the patent describes broadly a method by which edge-detection can be performed in one dimension, by scanning one line of the image at a time. The patent is extremely broad, and it is not clear to what specific invention it is connected. It is also not clear what implementation the patent is related to. The benefit for the public is zero; this patent may be an obstacle for software developers wishing to use edge detection in their programs, because of the broadness of the patent.
EP0399734	2	2	Es wird eine sehr spezifische Anwendung beschrieben (das Fliessen von Blut sichtbar machen). Die mathematische Formel (mit Vektoren), die den Blutfluss beschreibt, ist altbekannt und gilt für alle Flüssigkeiten. Den Blutfluss durch die Bewegung einzelner Blutkörperchen darzustellen ist in Computersimulationen üblich (Beim Flugsimulator werden einzelne Wölkchen vorbeibewegt und bei Formel1-Spielen auf dem Computer sind es die Bäume oder Bordsteine am Strassenrand oder Pflastersteine, Bremsspuren und dergleichen auf dem Boden, die uns am Bildschirm die "Fliessrichtung" und/oder "Fliessgeschwindigkeit" darstellen). Ich sehe hier keine "Erfindung", sondern nur eine Beschreibung der Anwendung von bekannten Methoden.
EP0405738	2	2	Um neuronale Netze besser mit Daten zu "füttern", werden binäre Daten wie folgt umgewandelt: Die Ursprungsdaten werden in Gruppen zu je 3 Bit aufgeteilt, jede 3 Bit Gruppe entspricht natürlich einem Oktalwert (2 hoch 3 = 8). Dieser Oktalwert wird durch einen 10 Bit Wert ausgedrückt, bestehend aus 3 Einsen, 7 Nullen, wobei die drei Einsen direkt nebeneinander stehen und die Position der am weitesten rechts (least significant) stehenden Eins dem Ursprungs-Oktalwert entspricht. Aus 010 (=2) wird 0000011100 Aus 111 (=8) wird 1110000000
EP0413483	2	2	This patent from 1991-02-20 describes some techniques of displaying indexed colors on an rgb-screen; what makes it a little bit special is that they use sub-colour-tables, so one color table in this patent consists of several colour sub-tables, one for each colour. So the colours of the indexed colour system can not be chosen independently; a special case of this is taught in every beginner's computer graphics class, topic colour reduction. It reminds me of some of the things the Amiga/ST/Mac were able to do 6 years earlier, so I doubt this patent provides anything new in 1991. The blocking effect could be devastating, especially for image compression, but I think earlier home computers prove prior art, and indexed colours are not that widely used anymore.
EP0438578	2	2	Das Patent wuerde z.B. die Funktionalitaet eines Trap-faehigen SNMP-Daemonen blockieren, wenn dieser in der Lage ist, an mehr als ein Ziel eine Trap zu schicken. Ein weiteres Beispiel ist (obwohl im Patent explizit die Anwendung im LAN erwaehnt ist) Instant Messaging - ein Server informiert Benutzer, dass ein Ereignis eingetreten ist. Ich denke, dass dieses Patent fast alle Event-getriebenen verteilten Anwendungen blockieren koennte.
EP0444525	2	2	In a network with a master station and more processing units it is only necessary to set an operation completion flag when the operations of multiple data link instructions for data transfer between the programmable controller provided in the master station and processing units provided in slave stations or the master station, are all complete. The invention "ensures ease of program debugging and correction as well as the simplified creation of sequence programs". I think that every programmer in the world has used this method at least one time in his life.
EP0475724	2	2	Verfahren zur Extraktion von Objekten anhand ihrer Farbkontur. Scheint mir nicht weit (gar nicht?) abzuweichen von gängigen Bildverarbeitungsalgorithmen.
EP0508928	2	2	Describes any multimedia transmition between computers. There will be a LOT of prior-art.
EP0548645	2	2	These guys pretend they invented Window management - in 1993! As if nobody had used windows before, say Xerox, Apple, Atari, Amiga or Microsoft, just as a random overview. There even were plenty of hardware implementations before. These guys are NUTS. That's an official qualification.
EP0554596	2	2	Man rendere mehrere Slices of data aus dem Datensatz und lege ein paar Navigationsmöglichkeiten bei.
EP0572145	2	2	Die "Erfindung" ist eine Methode zur Steuerung eines Multilayer-Netzwerkes (wie sie schon überall implementiert ist) auf Hardwareebene.
EP0577377	2	2	Wenn ich das richtigverstandenhabe kompremierung und übertragungsmethode um wichtige bilddaten beizubehalten. Weis nicht wirklich was das gut sein soll
EP0595700	2	2	A patent to control the copying of video from a camcorder or other device to a computer for the purposes of animation.
EP0598534	2	2	This patent practically claims all use of distributed component technology. A lot of existing solutions, like mainframe screen-scrapers and component technologies of big companies, infringe this patent.
EP0650126	2	2	This is just a description of a program that "smartly" links multimedia ("hypermedia" oooh!) "notes" to "annotated data". This isn't a patent, this is just a functional description of somebody's program. There's nothing in here that's innovative: the usefulness of such a system is if everybody conforms an open standard. The wording is vague enough to allow them to jump on anything that becomes successful in this area...
EP0671092	2	2	Congratulations, you have patented a header file! Seriously: this is not technical and this is not an invention (this is engineering).
EP0682339	2	2	152 claims, I had no time to determine the independent claims... this patent is a patent on a general bending/welding factory of sheet metal, which uses an arbitrary computer system for the control of the bending machines...
EP0689133	2	2	Umfasst die Auswahl und Anzeige einer Informationsmenge aus mehreren Informationsmengen in einem Bildschirmbereich mittels Oberflächenkomponenten, die in einem Teilbereich angezeigt werden. Damit sind z.B. Karteireiter patentiert oder auch der Mozilla-Sidebar. Taucht das nicht schon im Gruselkabinett auf? Die Übersetzung der Claims ins Deutsche ist total schlampig, sinnentstellend und unbrauchbar.
EP0722591	2	2	This claim describes a metadata structure on (generalized) database records. For such purposes of ease of insertion and replacement in custom software solutions.
EP0747835	2	2	Suchfilterfunktion um bestimmte Datensätze mit möglichst wenig Aufwand zu finden. Hier im Rahmen der Navigationssystem für Autos patentiert. Hohe Wahrscheinlichkeit für Prior Art. Vielleicht im Bereich Betriebssystemen von Amiga/Atari/Apple bereits verwirklicht. Mit Eingabe eines ersten Suchtoken z.B. "B" wird die Sucheauswahl auf alle Begriffe, die mit B beginnen reduziert. Mit Eingabe eines weiteren Zeichens wird der Filter auf die zweite Stelle ausgedehnt. Die Filterung kann solange fortgesetzt, bis nur noch wenige Datensätze zur Auswahl stehen. Das Prinzip ist höchstwahrscheinlich schon vor 1996 bekannt und im Einsatz gewesen.
EP0749067	2	2	It describes the part of a compiler (broadest sense) where expression optimisation might be possible w.r.t. constants. i.e. constant folding during compilation.
EP0770239	2	2	Concerning AI 'expert systems', but the claim is worded more generically, matching a configurator for interconnected data mamagement modules, based on a database engine. It's not restricted to a specifiv programming language. Remark: It's a very long and detailed text, and i'm not really capable to value its meaning.
EP0775341	2	2	This patent request is more like an essay or discussion. It is too abstract and at the same time too specific.
EP0776111	2	2	This patent is unbelievable! It does grant Sun Microsystem a patent over network drivers using multiple-character buffers. It focus on the shortcommings of MS-Dos and Windows 3.x, but it can be applied to every OS running in i386 enhanced mode.
EP0799457	2	2	A quick overview indicates nothing more than a set of applications that are aimed at process optimisation through the use of specific data structures and procedures. There is nothing innovative in there. Might actually describe very good implementations of useful software, but anyone confronted with the same problems might come up with similar solutions, because it's a very standard problem. The idea that anyone would "patent' such algorithms is ludicrous, outrageous. No software engineer who is trying to solve an optimisation problem is supposed to look through thousands of wordy, badly written and hard to understand patents, to check if he is not in violation of some existing patent, just by applying good algorithms that he can think up by himself!!! I for one NEVER will obey any restrictions through software patents. If I wrote the code, NOBODY can come and tell me I may NOT use it. Software Patents are ridiculous, bordering on the OBSCENE.
EP0803105	2	2	e-commerce with a bank payment gateway. The US version of this patent has been used by Divine Inc to extract payments (or out-of-court settlements) from various companies, including european ones, in the US. The EP version, granted in early 2002 by the EPO with largely the same claims as US5715314, was not mentioned in the press reports about Divine Inc's extortion activities as of early 2003.
EP0803840	2	2	hier wird das vergrößern und verkleinern durch druckertreiber für computer patentiert.
EP0844581	2	2	da wurde die verwendung ganz allgemeiner netzwerktechnologie für medizinische ultraschalluntersuchungen patentiert.
EP0877319	2	2	This patent claims method of disributing CORBA notifications by using some sort of proxy ORBs. Hardly an invention, if I may say...
EP0961992	2	2	3D-Grafikprogramm, das durch ein Grafiktablett die schattierte Darstellung eines dreidimensionalen Körpers erhält und daraus interaktiv ein dreidimensionales Modell berechnet.
EP0970465	2	2	The pattent suggests the "speaking face", where lips and face in general moves as it would pronounce the given phrases. The applications from this area would be very useful for deaf people who must learn to understand speech from the face movements. I might be wrong, but it seems to me that despite the authors talk about the "method" and even about the "device", they just patent a simple general idea of splitting the speech into structural elements (half-syllables) and using them to retrieve entries from the ordinary database. The entries define the shape of the face when pronouncing the speech structural entries, and the face movements are amplified for sounds that are pronounced stronger in that word. This seems like the general application features and not like the methods of implementation. Hence the patent has a huge potential to block near any other attempt to program a "speaking face", using any form of the three dimensional rendering.
EP1012690	2	2	This is an attempt to patent a pure idea. The idea is simple: a coupon with a printed codebar, that codebar when scanned via PC enables the consumer to obtain online purchase discounts.
EP1226698	2	2	allow a web surfer to open and close a session on a webserver, using a session id, so that the webserver can de-allocate ressources once the session is closed. One of SAP's first patent applications at the EPO, published in late 2001.
EP1239385	2	2	guard the guards: detect an error, generate an alert message, send the message to a predefined group of users, check whether they reacted, and, if they did not react, generate a second alert message which is sent to a second group of users. One of SAP's first patent applications at the EPO, published 2002-09-11
EP1271339	2	2	Microsoft has applied at the EPO for a patent on key principles and features of a proposed internet language standard called GDL. GDL seems to be an embraced-and-extended version of XML which incorporates object orientation, overcoming some of the rigidity of SGML/XML.
EP0283533	2	3	Tries to reduce memory consumption for storing Kanji-characters (typical Asean characters) by breaking them up into components and storing them. The characters are then saved by storing the location, rotation and strectching factor of the single components.
EP0425779	2	3	The idea, covered by this patent, can be used for more secure communication between specialised devices, universal computers or between processes, running in the same universal computer. The "apparatus" in this patent is a kind of abstract logical machine. This idea is not so complex and can be easily re-discovered without reading the patent text.
EP0475724	2	3	Relatively uninnovative patent that claims trivial (but not extremely broad) methods of image analysis. Unintentional infringement entirely possible.
EP0587303	2	3	Patent for the use of any shielding of the untwisted part of twisted pairs to prevent cross talk between the signal cables in the connector.
EP0221929	2	4	Manipulation von digitalisierten Fotos (Korrektur von Farbe, Kontrast, Belichtung...) durch Bearbeitung des Farb-Histograms und Anwendung von Filtern (Matrix-Berechnungen) ist heute standard in jeder Bildbearbeitungssoftware, in Digitalkameras und anderen Geräten un eigentlich als banale Berechnungen anzusehen. Die Formeln dazu sind ausführlich in Lehrbüchern beschrieben.
EP0249106	2	4	Asymmetric encoding for optical media to increase storage capacity. However, NONE of the claims specify optical media uses - they are all general to any form of the same encoding. I may be wrong, but whilst I don't see that it affects mkisofs or similar, it could affect a filesystem image that used the same encoding as the final CDROM (i.e. an image that could only be read by using the decoder algorithm embedded in the CDROM device).
EP0398694	2	4	This patent seems essentially to describe a means of adding fault tolerance (at the hardware, operating system and application levels) to an existing non-fault tolerant system. The advantage is that applications running on the existing system do not need to be rewritten. The patent appears to be fairly narrow. It requires two sets of CPUs, which have to be different architectures and run different operating systems, but they run the same applications in lock-step at the assembly language level. To make this run at an acceptable speed would require a lot of custom hardware. Some software would be necessary to implement this patent, but it seems to me that such software would be useful only for controlling the relevant hardware.
EP0511065	2	4	method of displaying graph/picture using objects so that changes can be redrawn by just redrawing the changed object. widely used in all programs which display to the screen, including window based operating systems.
EP0509245	2	5	This patent covers the implementation (I THINK) of specialized logic in microprocessors. Namely the execution of branch instructions in pipelined processors, and the creation of hardware optimizations, to make the most of using the pipeline of instructions. Optimization routines in compilers are counting on this! (I do not see if this extends outside a hardware patent. If so, it may be abused, and jeopardizes known compilers).
EP0701335	2	5	Système de télécommunications sans fil tolérant aux dégradations par les perturbations de canaux sur les canaux radio.
EP0861551	2	9	If the Apache Web server team wants to add modules which serve contents through other protocols than HTTP and provide a corresponding conversion back to HTML for the browser on the other side, it will apparently have to beg IBM for a license. According to this EPO patent, granted in 1997, IBM owns the task of interoperation between the WWW world and legacy hypertext systems.
EP0026286	3	1	Trivialpatent Methode zur Unterscheidung von Bindestrichen und Worttrennzeichen unter besonderer Beruecksichtigung des Zeilenendes. Prior Art ist abzunehmen. Wird vermutlich in aehnlicher Weise in vielen Textverarbeitungsprogrammen angewendet.
EP0121126	3	1	This patent simply describes the use of code pages for a printer device. Having a common fixed set of characters in the first half of memory and a loadable and switchable second half.
EP0248712	3	1	Describes keypads specifically tailored to inputting security codes, such as ATM keypads. Specifically limits applicability of patent to "keyboards consisting of columns or rows of keys", which is a bit too broad, in my opinion. Claims include any attempts to keep intruders from spying on users. Also applies to touch pads and touch screens.
EP0426269	3	1	In a light reading, seems that this is British Telecom trying to patent a slight variation of the GSM cellular fundamental communication architecture! It even has references to the GSM standard in the description! I wonder if really only BT can sell mobile services in all EU !!? Am I reading well?!
EP0615641	3	1	describes that you can use Computers and Printers to print a specific subset of graphics, namely labels, and afterwards you may even cut them apart! wow.
EP0660223	3	1	Is not a software patent but a hardware one (logic circuit and uses of it). Everything rather reasonable until you get to claim
EP0959969	3	1	From what I understood, the claim is about a simple game console. However, the description reads as if the applicant wants to make fun of the patent guys, it is completely braindead and has hardly anything to do with the claims. E.g. they describe a "Play" button there and games which are just stupid.
EP1002406	3	1	Hier wird Anspruch erhoben auf ein Patent, wie es seit Jahren im Heimcomputerbereich in verwendung ist: Weboberflächen! Z.B. WebMin für Linux, Weboberflächen für Router, Printserver, ... Hier bezieht es sich nur auf 'Home Devices', nicht also Computer, Laptops, etc. Doch wo ist die Grenze? Ein Drucker? Ein Kopierer mit Drucker? Ein Multimedia-Gerät (z.B. X-Box)?
EP0090040	3	2	This patent claims the disk format in such a gengeric form than almost every known format should be affectded. The whole wording of the patent includes an endless description with an innecesary complexity in order to confuse and disguise a simple and generic claim with false technicism.
EP0244869	3	2	Programming a telephone or a fax machine. Storing telephone numbers or telephone number groups in memory registers. Above mentioned numbers can be recalled with a shor key. (one-touch dial)
EP0247751	3	2	Basically a description of some of the trivialities of the techniques commonly used to implement hardware sprites. Technological merit long obsoleted by Moore's law.
EP0252930	3	2	es werden verfahren fürs "loggen" von computersystemen patentiert. worst case scenario: syslogd loggt benutzeraktionen unter unix, also fällt das unter dieses patent.
EP0264565	3	2	store teletextpages in a buffer, retrieving pages corresponding to the pagenumbers mentioned on some teletextpage, to enable quick retrieval from the temporary buffer.
EP0274436	3	2	Nun - wir haben hier zwei Komponenten. Das ist eine digitale Schreibmaschine (vom Prinzip her schon ein Computer) wie ich sie schon vor Jahren verwendet habe, mit einfachstem Speicher für die geschriebenen Zeichen. Auf der anderen Seite wird das ROM dieses Gerätes mit einer Rechtschreibprüfung "aufgerüstet". Diese kann wiederrum von dem Benutzer dieses Gerätes mit Wörtern gefüttert werden. (nicht wirklich eine Intelligente Art der Rechtschreibprüfung - da nicht einmal Groß-und Kleinschreibung überprüft wird). Meines Achtens ist dieses Patent sowohl überflüssig als auch schon allgemein bekannt - es ist nur die "hardwareisierung einer softwarelösung"
EP0297177	3	2	Anspruch auf Erfindung eines Farbkopierers mit speziellem Kopiermodus, der dem Benutzer ermöglicht, einen oder mehrere zu kopierende Bereiche eines Bildes auszuwählen und Parameter wie die Ausgabefarbe des Bildes zu verändern. Die Beschreibung erinnert stark an die Bereichsauswahl in gängiger Scanner-Software; meiner Meinung nach trivial.
EP0314395	3	2	This patent describes a set of simple algorithms used to control linear image distortion; while it might have been developed for use in digital monitors its potential hit factor is qute big, similar algorithms are probably used in every graphics manipulation program.
EP0351791	3	2	Ein Apparat zur Ausgabe von (Telefon-)Wahltönen, der, und jetzt halte man sich fest, Namen UND Nummer speichert, sie auf einem Display anzeigt und über Tasten auswählbar macht. Viele schnurlose Telefone beherrschen diese "Innovation" bereits als Nebeneffekt.
EP0379332	3	2	Hier wird die Funktion eines schnurlosen Telefons beschrieben, wie es seit mehreren Dekaden verkauft und benutzt wird. Das Prinzip ist wahrscheinlich noch viel älter, so daß in jedem Fall von "prior Art" ausgegangen werden muß. Solche Sachen kann man heute nicht mehr patentieren, da die Funktionen seit Ewigkeiten bekannt sind (und offensichtlich nie vorher patentiert wurden).
EP0467706	3	2	Background Surface Analysis The present invention is a method which instructs the local processor 122 to generate a series of read requests during periods of disk inactivity which sequentially read all disk sectors within the disk array, including any disk which is dedicated to fault tolerance techniques such as mirror or parity fault tolerance techniques. The result of the read request is checked by the local processor 122 to determine if the read was successful. If not successful, the present invention notifies the disk controller of the error.
EP0547817	3	2	Program to control engine output torque to facilitate smooth shifting with automatic transmissions. This is achieved in the not very unexpected way of altering fuel-injection, ignition, and other controllable features of a combustion engine. Remark 1: The talk about lean-burn engines is merely defining the problem-space of the solution. Remark 2: It's an engineering solution to an engineering problem.
EP0605309	3	2	Funktion des Faxversandt.
EP0606647	3	2	eine einfache filter funktion für radio programme
EP0648645	3	2	Steuerung für Airbag-System mit Überwachung des "Notstrom"-Kondensators
EP0654910	3	2	detecting and correcting transmission errors in telecommunicaton signals based on mathematical theories from coding-theory.
EP0694902	3	2	Beschreibt Steuerung eines Musikinstruments über die MIDI Schnittstelle, speziell die heuristische Übersetzung von Klangfarb- und Effektbefehlen, die das Instrument eigentlich nicht kann. Die Heuristiken selbst werden nicht offengelegt. Es werden nur Datenstrukturen und Algorithmen zur Formulierung der Heuristiken beschrieben. Wer die Heuristiken kennt und programmieren kann, kommt schnell und direkt auf verglichbare Datenstrukturen. Die Offenlegung ist wertlos. Anspruch 12 beansprucht eine offensichtliche Lösung.
EP0727067	3	2	The so called invention is a database cache. It consisits of a hardware part and software to communicate with the hardware. The whole invention is equal to a software database cache but since that can not protected as easily the hardware component is added.
EP0729617	3	2	erweiterung existierender fabrikationsmethoden im automobilen bereich als logische folge von ... u.a. henry fords fliessband. normale greifarmsteuerungssoftware und bilderkennungen in kombination. nicht ausreichende abgrenzung fuer erfindungscharacter.
EP0731404	3	2	Idee, das Softwareprogramm mit einem Counter zu koppeln, der dekrementiert wird, wenn Eingaben/Befehle an das Programm vorgenommen werden. Das Programm funktioniert nur so lange der Counter positiv ist. Das ganze präsentiert im Zusammenhang mit einer einen derartigen Mechanismus implementierenden Cartridge für Videospielsysteme, die per Modem Spiele herunterläd. Claim 1 ist so allgemein gehalten, dass alle Software, die die Zahl der erlaubten/bezahlten/lizenzierten Eingaben beschränkt mittels eines Counters erfasst würde.
EP0917681	3	2	What is described in that patent is basically a universal interface for automaticaly transfering application code to a framework OR content transformation for various clients based on a type of service. Maybe JNLP or XML transformation are examples of existing mechanisms.
EP0290256	3	3	Beschreibung einer schnellen DMA (Direct Memory Access) Zugriffsmethode. Idee der Benachrichtigung des DMA Controllers von seiner Arbeitstätigkeit im nächsten CPU-Takt noch bevor er die Daten für seine Tätigkeit vollständig besitzt, samt Überlegungen für möglich Fehlerquellen und umgehung dieser.
EP0355961	3	3	Beschreibt eine Mikro-Controller-Implementierung, die grosse Parallelen zur "TPU" in Motorola's MC68332 aufweist. Patent evtl. anfechtbar da das Produkt von Motorola Anfang 1990 bereits im Markt war.
EP0396051	3	3	This patent is about hardware.
EP0409231	3	3	It describes a kind of calculator to that uses a database with nutrition information and personal information and combines it to kind of advise on how well you live.
EP0436026	3	3	Characters on Dot-Matrix-Printers need storage space. Dots are added to characters, which makes compression easier.
EP0538739	3	3	Needs more review. Seems to be a kind of 'medical-mathematics' patent ? Though sensor apparatus included.
EP0579490	3	3	Ensure that the head of an ink-jet printer is capped before the power is switched off to avoid drying out the nozzles.
EP0619900	3	3	Claims patent rights on a system for remote-controlling electronic devices via a synchronous serial network connection served by a control unit consisting of a central processing unit, a data bus and some some other serial I/O-control modules, also served by repeaters processing the I/O and sending status reports back to the control unit. The patent also seems to claim the rights for the data packets used by the system.
EP0678731	3	3	Wenn ein Fahrzeug mit hoher geschwindigkeit unterwegs ist soll dieses navi-system nur mehr die wichtige Strasse anzeigen um verwirrungen zu verhindern und somit die verkehrssicherheit zu steigern
EP0704711	3	3	This is a patent, broadly, on image processing apparatus to perform a (fairly standard) image correlation calculation using a number of parallel processing elements. If my reading is correct, it does not attempt to patent a particular software implementation (with would be pretty futile for such a standard calculation), rather a configuration of the hardware to speed up the calculation by parallelling processing. Specifically the calculation is split into partial correlations of specific offset (or ranges of offsets).
EP0965087	3	3	Technology to broadcast audio, video, text or other similar content to users of a communications network (Internet, for exapmle), with means to control the actual content and advertising inserted to it based on user's selection.
EP0506968	3	4	The patent refers to a method of controling a laser engraving/cutting machine. Is is very specifi and almost completely unrelated to computer programming. It presents no danger and should be granted.
EP0664012	3	4	TITLE: Apparatus and a method for classifying movement of objects along a passage. INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND THIS invention relates to apparatus for and a method of analysing movement of objects along a passage. Apparatus comprising at least one infra-red sensor for detecting people passing through a doorway are known in the art. Normally the apparatus is connected to an alarm to indicate that a person entered or left through the doorway. It will be appreciated that such an apparatus, if connected to a counter, may be utilised to count people passing through the doorway. However, such an arrangement is not adapted to distinguish between people passing in one direction through the doorway and people passing in an opposite direction through the doorway. furthermore, the known apparatus can also not sense when more than one person pass through the doorway simultaneously or accurately differentiate between people during high flow volumes, so that accurate counting is difficult if not impossible. Neither can such apparatus discriminate between people moving through the doorway and shopping carts, for example, they may happen to be pushing. OBJECT OF THE INVENTION Accordingly it is an object of the present invention to provide apparatus and a method with which the applicants believe the aforementioned disadvantages of the known systems may at least be alleviated.
EP0791203	3	4	Claims rights of an (medical) image database sytem with attached devices. While the individual system istself might deserve protection it is formulated in such a general manner, that other image databases could be affected.
EP0557826	3	5	The idea is simple: a scanner and a laser color printer merged in one device. In othe words: a color photocopier. The patent is dated 1993. Maybe that time the idea was really new.
EP0718721	3	5	This is not a software patent and protects the honestly earned property. However it is possible to write a much broader software patent on its base. The authors deserve respect for ignoring this opportunity. The patent is based on a serious research work. The authors have experimentally tested if they idea is useful for electrostatic memory devices and have claims on the algorithm application for this devices only. In short, if you once recorded a bit of data by polarizing a point of media in one direction, the next time you try to use the same point of media by polarizing it in an opposited direction. This prolongs the life time of electrostatic media. For me, this remotely remembers how the screen savers works: protect the device surface from holding always the same pattern. The patent describes how to do this at hardware level for an electrostatic recording device, using additional sensors. However the same idea could be applied at the software level: the device driver should use a free sector, where the most of the previously written bits have the opposite value to the bits currently being written. Without additional research it is not clear if this would prolong the life time of a non-electrostatic media. This is a good illustration on how the idea patent would differ from an ordinary patent.
EP0721786	4	2	hier wurde ein gerät patentiert, das für die regulierung des blutdrucks eingesetzt werden soll. interessant ist, dass nicht der herzschrittmacher direkt patentiert wird, aber im anspruch sechs werden herzschrittmacher, die eine ähnliche blutdruckregulierende wirkung haben eingeschlossen. deshalb auch die obige beurteilung
EP0244274	4	3	A method to digitize the skeletum in 3D sending the result to a computer. Perhaps obvious but no related to software.
EP0291308	4	3	This is all about making grooves into a safety helmet.
EP0378733	4	3	This patent is about sealing cans. It's a classic patent where the improved the mechanical process for sealing cans and reduced the needed presure from 80 kg to 65-75 kg.
EP0665974	4	3	Projecting images directly onto the eyes retina instead of onto a diffusely reflecting screen of some sort. In effect the retina becomes the screen. Why they use 'photons' instead of the term 'light' is beyond me. There are very few quantum effects considered as far i can tell so the generic term 'light', coherent or noncoherent should be sufficient. The patent is somewhat broad in that they try to cover several different ways to achieve the same result. Not to cover _the_ way they have invented.
EP0762344	4	3	this patent describes an apparatus such as a bill validator and handling module that can be added/removed to a vending machine, automatic exchanger...
EP0795041	4	3	Patents for processing Tin and Aluminium in microprocessor production. Claim would allow patenting of pretty much any process using those two elements together.
EP0488496	4	4	es wird kein algorithmus patentiert, sondern eine methode, wie bewegungen von objekten durch messung der phase eines signals gemessen werden können.
EP0541482	4	4	dies ist in keinem fall ein sofwarepatent
EP0603430	4	4	Patent for a Automated Document Feeder (ADF) attachment for scanners. This ADF uses gas pressure to keep the paper flat and keep it in suspension while being scanned.
EP0851811	4	4	It's about a method of glue-ing paper in a vaccuum to make corrugated board in a double backer.
EP0212168	4	5	Ein gasherd mit heizungsfunktion und wasserdurchlauferwärmer und umweldpumpe
EP0435399	4	5	Q§ER
EP0483313	4	5	Describes a specialized towel dispenser. Minor programming logic is possibly but not necessarily needed (not mentioned in the description, just my opinion).
EP0540282	4	5	Describes a system to improve hard disks performances. No programming, but mechanics
EP0567981	4	5	Ich kann die Patentwürdigkeit nicht wirklich beurteilen. Das beschriebene Verfahren scheint mir aber nicht trivial und vom Ansatz her patentwürdig. Die Beurteilung der Technizität ist mir nach der gebotenen Auswahl nicht korrekt möglich, da es sich um ein Messverfahren handelt. Verlegenheitshalber habe ich die obige Auswahl getroffen.
EP0654618	4	5	Shock absorber, no direct influence on any computerrelated data.
EP0694492	4	5	Nothing here is related to World Wide Web or computer science in general. Kodak patents an apparatus for conveying moving webs without contact with such webs. Mechanical/physical description.