[Sigia-l] patent on navigation?

[Livia Labate]

> However, if we accept the notion that interfaces[1] can be sufficiently
> unique and original, I don't see a problem with granting them patents.
 >
 > [1] By interface, I mean not just graphical presentation but the
 > entirety of human-device interaction, in hardware and software.

Good point. I meant patenting the GUI is silly, the entire UI as defined 
above makes a whole lot more sense - it's a complete system, not just 
one or few of the components.

> Now, can interfaces be original? If on December 8, 1968 no one had seen a
> mouse and the following day (in perhaps the most famous demo in the history
> of computer industry) Doug Engelbart unveiled the Mouse as we know it in
> Menlo Park, was that worthy of a patent?
> 
> If on October 22, 2001 no one had seen a circular hw/sw interface with
> gliding finger acceleration and cascading menu navigation, and the following
> day Steve Jobs unveiled the first iPod, was that worthy of a patent?
> 
> A case could be made for prior art in either case, but if we could stipulate
> for a moment that they were indeed original, would you still deny them the
> leverage of a patent?

I definitely think both are deserving of patents. My issues is with 
patenting GUI elements, components, and not full solutions (the whole UI 
as you described).

The patents I've been reading compare to patenting the mouse pointer. 
Would it make any sense to patent just the pointer that appears on the 
screen as a result of the mouse action? It seems like that's the 
direction some patents are going.