Now you can tell someone to literally go f--k themselves over the internet: Remote-control mock-cock patent dies It is a great day for those who dream of Internet-of-Flings sex toys. A key patent describing web-connected remote-controllable techno-dildos has expired. Friday marks the 20-year anniversary, and, ahem, climax of, US Patent 6,368,268, a controversial piece of intellectual property that has long been blamed for holding back …
Essentially this pitiful excuse of a patent is for 'a device that can be connected to via a network, receive data and activate actuators depending on said data'. The reason for this should be irrelevant.
The amount of prior art for such implementations (in less NSFW settings) date back roughly since computer networks exist, conceivably before the invention of the transistor.
Stuff like this is a reminder of why it might actually make sense to ignore the US market for one's products, so as to avoid such ludicrous patents.
The Register 
Biting the hand that feeds IT
Copyright. All rights reserved © 1998–2024
