FYI, more coverage on the patent fight in the Herald at: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/storydisplay.cfm?storyID=3511840
(Anyone seen if the Press has picked this up?) The story says that "the Ministry of Economic Development said the only action that could be taken was by those questioning the patent's validity. "This is a commercial matter. If people wish to dispute the validity of the patent there are mechanisms in the Patents Act (1953) for them to seek to have the patent revoked." The most common grounds for a patent being revoked are where it can be shown that the invention is not new or that "the invention claimed is an obvious progression of what has gone before". So the patent was granted in New Zealand in June 2002 -- anyone else got any examples of use before then? Or, following on from Fraser's posting, ideally from 1997? Is it really distinctly different to undertaking the same process with a person on the end of a phone line? Or a fax form? Sounds like it's going to cost a lot to find out -- the Herald story notes that attempting to have a patent declared invalid could cost up to $150,000! More info here: http://www.fightthepatent.co.nz/ Cheers, Vicki ====================================================== SPIS Ltd, Box 19-760, Christchurch, NZ http://.spis.co.nz * FREE TurboNote+ sticky note trial: http://TurboNote.com --> via Canterbury Software email forum: Success through Connections Email your messages to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Searchable list archive: http://www.mail-archive.com/[EMAIL PROTECTED] Leave or rejoin the list: http://canterburysoftware.org.nz/forum.htm
