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Testing the Limits of the Patently Obvious (#1003)
Posted: 2/6/2003; 10:10 PM by Terry Frazier
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A patent has been granted to Cleveland based Test Central, Inc. for making tests available over the web. I've decided to apply for a patent on making advertising available over the web. Also for making calendars, photos, forms, and text in ALL CAPS available on the Internet.

This patent was applied for in 1999 and makes the US Patent Office look quite foolish (again.) Test Central isn't trying to license the patent -- they have enough sense to know they would get squashed in court. Instead, they are seeking to sell the patent to a well-heeled megacorp that can afford extended legal extortion battles. They should see if SBC Communications is interested.

[...] Test Central was granted the patent, which covers "making a test and posting the test online…for potential test takers," last Tuesday, Jan. 28. (Read about all the patents issued to local companies recently.) Charles Stack and John Anderson, the founders of the company, applied for the patent in February 1999. Mr. Stack also founded the Cleveland-based software company Flashline Inc.

Attorney John J. Del Col, of the Cleveland law firm Renner, Otto, Boisselle & Sklar LLP, said the process to get the patent was "routine," despite taking nearly four years. Now that Test Central has it, it is up to the company’s competitors to challenge the patent’s validity.

Under U.S. Patent law … any challenger must beat the burden of clear and convincing evidence to overturn a patent’s validity," Mr. Del Col said. [...] via [evhead]
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