[citation][nom]billybobser[/nom]Perhaps, with patents like these should have a sell-by date. I mean, if implemented in the 90's then it would be ahead of it's time (to a degree). But at the stage we are, it is obvious and could easily be implemented without thought by a weekend programmer.[/citation]
Patents do have a sell by date. That's the whole point of patents. Otherwise they would create indefinite monopolies.
I think patent duration is 20 years from the day of the first filing in most countries these days. Way too long for some of the bullshit that can be patented these days.