Creativity Campaigner Tribeka trying to patent sale of software over the Internet
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Daniel Doll-Steinberg and his company Tribeka Inc have been leading efforts of "Campaign for Creativity" to create an impression that small and medium enterprises want software patents. Tribeka itself does not own any patents but has applied for a broad European Patent on the sale of software over the Internet.
Doll-Steinberg is frequently quoted in press releases of Campaign for Creativity and has spoken at various occasions in the European Parliament in favor of software patents.
Tribeka seems to have two patent applications in the pipeline, both of which are not yet granted by the European Patent Office. Tribeka tries to lay broad monopoly claims to the well-known computer-implemented business method of offering a selection of software products for download. Doll-Steinberg claims in an article in the printed newspaper "Sunday Express" that his company would be completely worthless without its patents, which so far have not been granted, and for this purpose is asking the Parliament to approve the Council's Uncommon Position.
Claims of EP1536385
1. A method of distributing digital information at a user advice point comprising displaying information relating to at least one packageable digitised information product at the user advice point, receiving a selection instruction from a user selecting a digitised information product and providing a high resolution display image of the digitised information product packaging.
Claims of EP1145173
- A method of distribution of digitized information comprising: (a) receiving at a local site a request from a customer for electronically readable media containing customer-selected information; (b) either before or after receipt of the request, obtaining a unique release code electronically from a remote site ; (c) associating the release code with the customer; and (d) at the local site, storing on the media the customer-selected information, along with the release code, for supply to the customer.
inventor is: DOLL-STEINBERG, DANIEL
It is quite similar to the patent of WIBU, another software patent campaigner.
Daniel Doll-Steinberg is one of the leading SME supporters of Campaign for Creativity, as displayed in a leaflet called "Tribeka Story", which says:
- Tribeka is a small company with less than 50 people, founded in 1997 to develop a specific solution, today known as "Softwide", the on demand manufacture of software through the retailers to supersede physical distribution. Our investors have invested more than 10m in research and development. Other companies have tried to do this before and there are companies operating in similar fields, so there is prior art.
This might let people suspect that Doll-Steinberg is pressed by his investors and hoping to placate them with patents, which however are difficult to obtain in this field due to the existence of prior art.
2005-05-05 Sunday Express article
In an article of Sunday Express, to be found in
http://swpat.ffii.org/log/05/sunexp0505/
- A type-up of an article in the Sunday Express, 5th June
- New EU law threat to UK software jobs By Julia Hartley-Brewer Political Editor Photo of a clean room Caption: IN DANGER: British computer chip workers MEP's are to vote next month on a controversial new EU law that could cost thousands of British jobs. EU Commissioners have approved a directive which will ban European companies from patenting any high-tech innovation that uses software. The ban could affect the makers of many everyday consumer products, including mobile telephones, televisions, cars and washing machines.
- ... Simon Gentry, who runs the Campaign for Creativity, said: "Abolishing intellectual property sounds very attractive on a superficial level since it will make software cheaper and more widely available. But the implications go far beyond computer software and will damage all of the industries in which Europe leads and that means jobs will be lost. At the same time, China and India are introducing stronger protection for their own home markets." Daniel Doll-Steinberg, whose computer software firm Tribeka faces losing all of its marketable value if the law goes through, said: "Europe is being very short- sighted on this. Patents create new products and wealth and jobs. In the long term they work in everyone's interests."