Amazon is patenting a studio lighting setup!

[analoguey]

That assumes penalty for govt employees getting bribed is more than penalty for pvt contractors or that people suddenly grow integrity bones in govt service.

What is the guarantee that it wont happen or isnt happening at the patent office anyways?

None.

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[TheFlyingCamera]

That assumes penalty for govt employees getting bribed is more than penalty for pvt contractors or that people suddenly grow integrity bones in govt service.

What is the guarantee that it wont happen or isnt happening at the patent office anyways?

None.

Sent from Tap-a-talk

Well, here, in the US, there is a general mindset for public employees that they are in fact doing their jobs to benefit THE PUBLIC, not themselves. And they are paid well enough that their integrity is generally speaking not for sale. And here, if a patent office employee would start selling applications to competitors, they'd go to jail for a long time. This is not to say that it has never happened nor that it will never happen. But if you outsource this, part of the point of outsourcing is to reduce cost. If you cut costs by going with the lowest bidder, then the lowest bidder will have to make a profit somewhere, so they'll hire the cheapest labor they can get away with. The cheap labor will be overworked, and feel underpaid, and therefore more likely to be either inefficient or corrupt.

 

[ntenny]

Well, here, in the US, there is a general mindset for public employees that they are in fact doing their jobs to benefit THE PUBLIC, not themselves. And they are paid well enough that their integrity is generally speaking not for sale.

This is true, and really a pretty amazing statement when you think about it. All complaints about the US gummint aside, we do a remarkable job of avoiding low-level routine corruption.

The problem of how to do a good-quality examination on a specialized technical topic, without relying on the expertise of people in the private sector with a vested interest in the result, is really hard and something that the patent office has to worry about continuously. It's hard enough in the US and must be a nightmare for smaller countries.

Personally, I have *huge* concerns with the copyright system in the US and only minor ones with the patent system, but that's just me and I suppose I'm hardly an objective observer.

-NT

 

[RalphLambrecht]

It was filed on April,1st,I'm sure,there is no way to payent a technique, or I would own quite a few patents my selfand don't.

 

[DREW WILEY]

Knowing Amazon, they'd probably patent the method for tying your shoes, since nobody has thought of doing that before. Then when you order
a pair of shoelaces from them, you'd have to sign a service contract. Or maybe a patent on peeling apples, now that they're thinking about
selling fruit online. Megamonopolies are so much fun, aren't they?

 

[Mainecoonmaniac]

I think this is a relevant to this thread.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/alltechcon...he-battle-against-patent-trolls-to-the-public

 

[cliveh]

What a ridiculous thread, as you can't patent a lighting setup. It's like patenting an image.

 

[analoguey]

Well, here, in the US, there is a general mindset for public employees that they are in fact doing their jobs to benefit THE PUBLIC, not themselves. And they are paid well enough that their integrity is generally speaking not for sale. And here, if a patent office employee would start selling applications to competitors, they'd go to jail for a long time. This is not to say that it has never happened nor that it will never happen. But if you outsource this, part of the point of outsourcing is to reduce cost. If you cut costs by going with the lowest bidder, then the lowest bidder will have to make a profit somewhere, so they'll hire the cheapest labor they can get away with. The cheap labor will be overworked, and feel underpaid, and therefore more likely to be either inefficient or corrupt.

I wasnt asking are public employees more honest than employees of pvt firms, nor was my point about who might take a bribe.

Specific to this thread was a suggestion that public patent checkers might be less open to bribes than private employees in the same employment conditions barring employer - something that is really hard to believe unless there's specific data.

The patent theft scenario referred to was industrial espionage and that isnt a low-level expense (corporate) thing for sure.

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[analoguey]

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2014/0...for_taking_photos_against_a_white_background/



Ugh.
Patent granted.
Ugh.

Sent from Tap-a-talk

 

[DREW WILEY]

Now Amazon wants to create millions of drones flying all over the place delivering packages to your doorstep, when not colliding with aircraft,
waterfowl, and crashing and starting forest fires. But that will be a nice system to spy on you just in case you are using some f-stop they hold
the patent to. Remember to tweak the aperture a third stop different. And people are worried about the NSA hypothetically invading your
privacy? Ha! The lighting police are coming! Panic while there's still time. The next box of film they deliver you will probably have spyware in
it. That way if they don't make profit on the film, they can always sue you for patent infringement. First Walmart, then Amazon, what next? ...
Soilant Green?

 

[Truzi]

I've had Soylent Green - not too bad
http://www.amazon.com/Soylent-Green-Crackers-4-4-Ounce-Pack/dp/B005H5ZOEU

 

[AgX]

I've had Soylent Green - not too bad
http://www.amazon.com/Soylent-Green-Crackers-4-4-Ounce-Pack/dp/B005H5ZOEU

Amazing. A true product, Designed to look fake...

 

[DREW WILEY]

It's a nice way to recycle film photographers back into the ecosystem. By contrast, digital photographers get shipped in cargo containers to
some third world country and slowly get picked apart for all their solder and electronic components.

 

[Mainecoonmaniac]

Take a look.

http://thecolbertreport.cc.com/videos/4a4ahs/amazon-s-audacious-photography-patent

 

[mgb74]

Take a look.

http://thecolbertreport.cc.com/videos/4a4ahs/amazon-s-audacious-photography-patent

Excellent. Ridicule is the best defense.

 

[AgX]

That site does not show me any video whatsoever.