Gates wants patent power

REDMOND, Wash.--Bill Gates wants more credit for Microsoft's inventions.

Microsoft's chairman said Thursday that the company expects to file 3,000 patent applications this year, up from a little over 2,000 last year and 1,000 just a few years ago.

Hitting the 3,000 mark would put the software giant in a league almost by itself. Last year, IBM ranked as the champion company in this particular race, winning 3,415 patents from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, with no close runners-up in the high-tech field. Hewlett-Packard was No. 5 on the list with 1,759.

The push for more patents comes as Microsoft is trying to boost the licensing of its intellectual property to other companies, an effort that began last year.

"We're at an early state on that but it is something that we are pretty excited (about)," Gates said, speaking at the company's yearly financial analysts meeting here.

It's not just a goal of attaining sheer numbers, Gates said. "We think--patent for patent--what we are doing is, if anything, more important than what others are doing."

In addition to patents related to XML and other software technologies, Microsoft has received some unusual patents in the past year including one for a method for using human skin to transmit power and data and one for a new type of apple although Microsoft said that was a lawyer's error and the patent belongs to someone else.

Gates demonstrated several new technologies that the company's research unit is working on, including an improved method for browsing through a library of digital photos and videos.

[marlow714]

Go Gates!

Microsoft should file for these! Go Microsoft! Maybe then MS can stomp the "claims" from other drama queen software OS makers!

Sheez

Yuk

Imitation = Innovation MS Mantra

What a bunch of laggards. I could not disagree with you more &#38; <br />laugh at the myopic <br />WINTEL Cartel drones. MS has ALWYSA been behind others in <br />"innovation", until they can "copy" it &#38; spin ads to "convince" <br />millions of PC drones that THEY invented it.Windows has been <br />standing in the shadows of Unix, IBM, Apple, Sun, HP, SGI &#38; Palm <br />for years. All of the "innovations" of MS started with these <br />companies first. MS peaked with Win95. Noticed how ALL of the <br />MS problems &#38; "cool" features are going to be solved by <br />"Longhorn" 2006? MS lame attempt to catch up to Linux / Mac <br />OS 64 bit. Yeah, "longhorn" in your dreams Bill...<br />Redmond, you have a problem. Eyes wide open in Seattle.

MBU = MS R&D

MS R&#38;D (oxymoron)? A tiny division of MS called MBU (Macintosh <br />Business Unit) that creates software from MS to run on Mac OS X <br />is where ALL the MS "innovations" happen.<br />Once Apple has a new system in place (64 bit OSX Panther / IBM <br />G5 / Aqua / Airport / iTunes / iPod / etc.) MS must develop new <br />software for Mac to allow MS to "catch up", yet funny thing, a lot <br />of those <br />"features" become "MS innovations" in their NEXT OS? <br />(i.e."Longhorn 2006") As long as MS keeps Apple as a "friend" <br />DOJ / EU are happy &#38; MS R&#38;D is on Apple's nickel in Cuppertino.<br />Citizen Gates, doesn't it get cold standing in other tech giants' <br />shadows?

[marlow714]

Fools

You should try not to let the propoganda get to you like that. Microsoft needs Apple to pick up the market share a bit (3%) so the GOV will get off it's back. <br /><br />I could name 100's of innovations from Microsoft that Apple and others stole. Why not start with the most simple of ideas. Can anyone say right-click? LOL! Can anyone say TaskBar? How about the nice three little buttons on any window? Hmmm...strange MS had all that in win95! HAHA<br /><br />I really wish Apple elitist cult followers would go to some kind of mental clinic or something. You guys all have been programmed to think if its apple, it must be perfect. If it's in their OS they must have invented it. Now who is the one who is the programmed slave? I like options therefore I do windows.

[mssoot]

Microsoft is attacked all the time. This is a defensive maneuver. Then when the defense is big enough you have the capability to stomp everybody else even in foreign countries. I guess their model is patterned after the DOD's

[mssoot]

Microsoft is attacked all the time. This is a defensive maneuver. Then when the defense is big enough you have the capability to stomp everybody else even in foreign countries. I guess their model is patterned after the DOD's