[Patents] Press release about the BT patent on hyperlinks. -Reply

[Steve Probert steve.probert@patent.gov.uk]

Readers of this list might be interested to know that GB1581136, the UK
patent that provided priority for US4873662,  was granted here in the UK
in 1980.  It has since come to the end of its 20 year life.

Steve Probert

>>> fermigier <sf@fermigier.com> 22 June 00 @ 14:48 >>>
The following text was issued as a press release this morning.

...... Europe is currently protected against this absurdity because the
   European Patent Law prohibits granting patents on pure programmes.
   However, thousands of Internet software patents, just as absurd as
   BT's one, are waiting at the European Patent Office for a change in
   the European Patent Law which will likely make them fully enforceable
   in Europe within 6 months. In particular, the European Commission,
   under pressure of the United States, is currently pushing European
   governments to change their patent Law and legalise software patents
   within six months.