Intel Patents the "Digital Browser Phone"

tibbar66 writes, "This sounds like an invention that has been invented many times before (e.g. Skype). Yet on October 10, 2006 Intel was granted a patent for a 'digital browser phone.' The patent was filed on Feb. 25, 2000. Here's the abstract: 'A telephone system wherein all the functions of a digital telephone can be accessed and implemented on a personal computer alone, thereby eliminating the need for a telephone set. By means of the computer display and mouse, keyboard or other input/output command devices, a user accesses and implement all digital telephone functions without the physical telephone set, the personal computer also providing the audio function. A graphical representation of a telephone set or other telephone-related form is provided on the computer display and accessed by the mouse, keyboard or other command device, this being accomplished by a computer program providing graphical interface implementation. A significant advantage of the system is computer access to and utilization of digital telephone functions from a remote location with communication via Internet, LAN, WAN, RAS or other mediums.'"

Consequences and [OT] patent rumor

[Lord Satri]

This story is just another reason to hate patents. If the iPod's clickwheel could be used by other manufacturers, than everybody and Apple would need to offer -more- and thus, innovate, to make sure they keep their customers and sell their devices. (ok. maybe it's not the patent themselves the problem, but how long they are enforced. I feel 2 to 5 years should be enough...) Same for this MS patent which sound a little too much obvious technology to me.

And the off-topic part, Apple came up with an interesting yet-another-patent one for a configurable input system (patent screenshots included) [macrumors.com]. In short: "The concept is based around adding physical/tactile controls over a touch-sensitive pad. By having such a modular system, an iPod or laptop could become even more multi-functional." As much as this patent is interesting and could help transform computers into something more versatile and useful, it's still a patent which impedes anyone else using the idea at the commercial level.

It's *not* impossible!

[YA_Python_dev]

Both patents and pirate downloads are driven by greed. It will not stop. A revolt won't help.

It seems to work here in Europe: after a big campaign of small IT businesses and citizens, the European Parliament rejected a proposal for introducing software patents in the EU.

Sure, the "war" is far from over, but we have won each "battle" so far. But I fear that we have a big probability of losing, unless software patents are challenged also in the rest of the world.

So, please, if you live in the USA or in Japan write to your MPs and tell them why sw patents are absurd and should never be granted, you will help yourself and us in Europe too! Don't think it's impossible: try!

More references:

• http://www.ffii.org/ [ffii.org]
• http://www.nosoftwarepatents.com/ [nosoftwarepatents.com]

Re:Typical MS patent, 'cept it's Intel...

[rvw]

I had an IBM Aptiva in 1997 with a phone system. I could telephone other people using the computer. This was done using a normal telephone line, no adsl or cable. The computer was not online. When somebody phoned me, I would hear a ringtone via the loudspeakers, and I could talk using a microphone. I used it several times, but it wasn't really practical, especially because of sound quality.

Claim priority over some earlier, what's this?

[grimJester]

"CROSS REFERENCE TO A RELATED APPLICATION

Applicants hereby claim priority based on Provisional Application No. 60/121,755 filed Feb. 26, 1999 and entitled "Digital Browser Phone" which is incorporated herein by reference"

If I read this correctly, they claim priority over _someone_else's_ patent filing by referring to an earlier filing by themselves.

Re:Actually it's Intel

[statusbar]

I helped port one from win3.1 to win95 in 1996... It worked over the LAN and Internet... It looked like a phone... It supported GSM encoding, and full-duplex audio if your sound card was good enough. The company name was 'Telit', and does not exist anymore.

From archive.org:

• 1996 [archive.org]
• 1997 [archive.org]
• The feature list [archive.org]

--jeffk++

Criminal charges need to be filed

[Anonymous Coward]

When you submit a patent application, you need to declare under penalty of law there is no reason you know of the patent should not be issued. So, in such a glaring case of prior art, it seems quite possible the people who submitted this application knowingly broke the law by failing to disclose prior art they knew of and if so they should be prosecuted (or failing that fired for being so inept and ignorant of their field :-), and a trial should determine their criminal innonence or guilt. Enough trials like that and bogus patent applications might drop in number.

very early prototype in 1982-83

[Anonymous Coward]

Yes, early 1980'2. I worked for Mitel and prototyped the GUI on a Radio Shack color computer which I had to post a bond to get into/out of Canada. We controlled a modified digital phone via a DOS-based application and could dial by name, display caller, etc. on a DOS application. This should count for some prior art -- quite a bit ahead of this patent....