In comp.os.linux.advocacy, Hamilcar Barca
<hamilcar@tld.always.invalid>
wrote
on Tue, 22 Jun 2004 19:05:02 -0600
<20040622210449.598$Bl@news.newsreader.com>:
In article <e7946e7b.0406221349.4c7432c4@posting.google.com> (Tue, 22
Jun
2004 15:04:22 -0700), theodp wrote:
On Tuesday, the USPTO awarded Microsoft a patent for its 'Method
and apparatus for transmitting power and data using the human body'
[2], which covers the use of the human body as a conductive medium
(bus) over which power, data and control signals may be distributed.
Sir Bilious and his minion, the Earl of Blammer, will be fabulously well
to do. Just think
Earth's population: 5,200,000,000
Licensing fee (per body): $299
------------------
$1,554,800,000,000
Of course, there will be body piracy and Microslave may need to lower
the
EULA fees for developing countries, but still!
Let's hope the Free Human Foundation and the Open Body Initiative design
some new humans quickly!
Couldn't we claim prior art on this one? After all, the body Electric
could be referring to Mary Shelley's work _Frankenstein_, or perhaps
just humans in general, which have been in existence (and creating
children) for millions of years -- or 6,000, if one's a Young Earth
Creationist -- either way one's covered, even if one assumes 1200
year lifespans, as copyright is death + 70 and patents are merely 17.
If electric is important one could point to experiments of
the 70's, in which brainwaves controlled a model train, or
"lie detectors" (EEG/ECG-based polygraph units).
See also Stanislaw Lem's _Star Diaries_ (Voyage 21, IINM).