Yet another report of a Microsoft patent that seems patently absurd. This one (USPN 6,785,86) covers viewing a web page and using your Tab key to tab through the links on the webpage. The article notes that “Virtually all modern Web browsers, including Microsoft’s own Internet Explorer and alternative browsers like KDE’s Konqueror, Apple’s Safari, Netscape, Mozilla Firefox, Opera and the console browser Lynx, allow for tabbing between links on a page.”
The Patently Obvious blog has recently blogged that Microsoft recently patented “a network that uses the “body of a living creature” as a data bus and power supply for communication between two electronic devices.”
So what is up with these odd patents?
Knowing that Bill Gates recently announced that Microsoft was attempting to file 3000 patent applications this year (and has been filing them by the truckload in past years), my guess is that Microsoft is sick and tired of getting sued for patent infringement and is starting a patent portfolio arms race. By building a portfolio of patents, many of which most of us will view as ridiculous at best, Microsoft is likely stockpiling countersuit fodder. Thus, if Apple were to sue on patent A, Microsoft could countersue for infringement of the tabbed browsing patent…and the two of them could settle the case via cross-license. Of course…I’ve been wrong before.
I just hope they don’t patent “clicking a mouse button and making ‘boom boom boom’ sounds while closing pop-up windows,” or I’m toast….
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