Advertisement: Protect your iPad with the invisibleSHIELD.
“In mobile travel app patent application, Apple describes things like sending travel promotions, making reservations through mobile app, guide/assistance with airport services, using mobile boarding pass, remote check-in, access to in-flight services, sending automatic arrival notifications to your spouse, travel guide services/promotions at the destination site,” Staska reports.
“Apple’s Hotel app patent application talks about hotel promotions/reservations/service pre-order through app, early/remote check-ins, access to hotel and in-room services, operating room equipment, personal concierge services, check-out, post-trip promotion/questionnaires/info,” Staska reports.
“High fashion shopping app patent application describes an iPhone app from high fashion houses like Ralph Lauren,” Staska reports. “With this app the user can receive invitations to special events, info/catalog of available products, use store locator, find popular picks, gift guides, create wish lists/look books, see product reviews, engage in social networking activities, see enhanced adverts/promotions, use personal shopping services, product comparisons, suggestions for additional items, provide feedback via post-sales questionnaires, use virtual closet, etc.”
Full article, with plenty of handwringing, here.
Sounds a lot like the outstanding TripIt app.
Maybe Apple is trying to preemptively out-troll the patent trolls by patenting virtually anything they can think of they would ever do on an Apple device.
They should start by patenting “touch a button”.
“This patent describes the method by which a user (see fig. 1) uses a digit, extremity, or other input method such as stylus to interact with a device button, screen or other activation system, by first using said digit, extremity or stylus to make physical contact with said button or screen, and then using gentle pressure on said buttor or screen to activate it.”
That should keep patent lawyers busy for a few years!
If a patent troll had tried to patent this sort of thing, the natural reaction would be “Bull shit!” The patent laws have changed very recently regarding patenting ways to do business. This patent was applied for quite some time ago (before the recent rulings). It wouldn’t surprise me if it doesn’t go through now.
“..guide/assistance with airport services, using mobile boarding pass..”
..But I already do this with my Lufthansa app: check-in online, Lufthansa sends a square barcode boarding pass to the phone; hold the phone’s screen to the automatic reader at the gate, board the plane.
This must be a protective measure, because these are useless patents. This all already exists..I use mobile check-in and boarding pass every flight…
Bongo has a good take on what may be going on. Another way companies protect themselves from bull shit is by doing what IBM was long famous for: they’d just publish stuff, thus, putting it out into the public domain and memorializing that they thought of it. Now that it’s “out there,” no one can patent it and IBM doesn’t have to spend even more money than they already do to protect their I.P.
@Bongo
Exactly. Apple has deep pockets. Until the patent system is fixed we’ll probably see more applications of this sort so companies can protect themselves from frivolous lawsuits.
@Greg L
These patent applications aren’t for business methods.
It seems Apple execs are doing acid in their morning coffee!
@ Sid Blonde
“In 1997, Steve Jobs offered his assessment of Gates: “I wish [Bill Gates] the best,” Jobs said. “I really do. I just think he (is) a bit narrow. He’d be a broader guy if he had dropped acid once or gone off to an ashram when he was younger.” ‘
So, if apple gets the patent for these then they will sue all the app developers that have already put these features into their apps already?
I like apple but this reaks of Microsoft stategy to me.
They can’t patent stuff that is already out there – these features are in Apps already.
And this ISN’T protecting Apples IP, it’s stealing other peoples!
@Jim
Quoting the abstract:
“This is directed to systems and methods for integrating travel services in a single application available to a portable electronic device. Using the single application, a user can access and control travel services before arriving at the initial location of travel, on arriving at the initial location of travel, during travel, and after travel. Such services can include, for example, reserving a travel itinerary, checking-in remotely for a reservation, providing airport information, providing for social networking, obtaining dining or entertainment during travel, controlling and requesting cabin services, providing arrival notifications to third parties, providing destination location information, and the like.”
Certainly it has to do with something running software on a device; that is a requirement of all patents nowadays; the idea must be implementable in some sort of tangible device. The idea of “integrating travel services in a single [iPhone] application” sounds like a business method to me.
Apple isn’t inventing some new kind of WiFi data-encoding scheme here, or any new technology in the conventional sense. They are instead trying to patent the concept of offering one-app control of all facets of travel such as…
“control travel services before arriving at the initial location of travel, on arriving at the initial location of travel, during travel, and after travel.”
I supposed it isn’t a “business model” in the pure, classic sense, but trying to patent integration of this in an app that is available only on iTunes, which Apple controls is *interesting*, isn’t it. And what do you wanna bet Apple’s deal will entail skimming a percentage of bookings?
Ultimately, the guys are trying to patent the obvious. And it smacks of “business model.”