Bonum Certa Men Certa

Fake Patents Granted by the German Patent and Trademark Office (DPMA) and the EPO's Misleading Propaganda Video Series (Conflating Patents With Other Things) Exploits Dead People

As if science would not exist if it weren't for patents...



Benoit Battistelli
Not the first time EPO management is exploiting deaths



Summary: Europe's biggest and most powerful patent office (EPO), which is also Europe's second-largest institution, is misleading the public and exploiting the deaths of many Europeans for shameless, self-promotional marketing

THE EPO issues persist, assured us an EPO insider last week. This site may not seem to be focused on the EPO anymore. That's simply because not much is known about what goes on at the EPO, as we explained earlier this month. SUEPO has not been saying much and we don't fault it for that; aside from holidays there seems to be growing secrecy and some people aren't or haven't been working 'onsite' for a while.



The EPO itself has hardly said anything lately, with only two public statements in more than a month! We have not been seeing promotion of European software patents for a while, but that does not mean they're not being granted anymore.

"Many fake patents last their entire lifetime (a couple of decades typically) without a single challenge, so many out there will presume they're legitimate. This is what happens when so many monopolies are granted with little concern for facts."The other day we saw this report about a patent which was wrongly granted by the German Patent and Trademark Office (DPMA) and then (mis)used for litigation. To quote a report in English: "The patent in dispute is protected as German Patent “Method and Device for the Generation of Print Data” (GER Patent No. 11 2004 002 429.3) since 2004 and also as international PCT patent (PCT/JP2004/018213). Patent holder is Ryobi MHI Graphic Technology Ltd. (Japan)."

Notice how long it took to revoke this fake patent. Many fake patents last their entire lifetime (a couple of decades typically) without a single challenge, so many out there will presume they're legitimate. This is what happens when so many monopolies are granted with little concern for facts. Sometimes the patents are not being challenged because so many of them are leveraged in bulk and in tandem, discouraging a full legal battle and pushing towards a settlement or cross-licensing (meaning tacit endorsement of low-quality and likely junk patents).

A few days ago the EPO went even further by issuing this truly ridiculous 'news' (self-promotional garbage), which merely exploits COVID-19 for shameless marketing like the EPO exploited terror attacks. (warning: epo.org link)

Let's examine what they said.

The EPO today has published Inventors against coronavirus, a new video series highlighting the inventors working on solutions to various COVID-19 issues.


This has nothing to do with patents. It's about invention. Patents don't beget invention; sometimes they suppress research (fear of litigation).

It comprises interviews with experts from several fields including vaccinology, satellite navigation, diagnostics and haematology, and explores the role of each in driving recovery from the pandemic.

[...]

Inventors against coronavirus is one of several measures implemented by the Office to disseminate information to keep the public informed with expert viewpoints, and help researchers make informed decisions.


This is not what patent offices exist for. This is just PR-centric propaganda from the EPO and it exploits a tragedy, as usual.

On it goes:

Earlier in the year, patent examiners and data analysts compiled datasets to support the important work of clinicians, scientists and engineers. These cartographies are available in the Fighting coronavirus pages of the EPO website.


This is a catalogue of monopolies; it details what cannot and should not be done. It's an impediment/barrier to researchers. Earlier this year French researchers studying COVID-19 got sued by a patent troll, using a patent the EPO granted to a literal fraud. The EPO later glorified this fraud using EIA, which this ridiculous 'news' item now celebrates!

So much for public service...

And get this:

They show recent developments in coronavirus-related technical fields as revealed in patent databases, including which countries and inventors have filed the most patent applications.


So they're equating number of "patent applications" with solution to coronavirus. What kind of fool would fall for it? It's basically an invitation to send in loads of low-quality patent applications, in the name of fighting with "Inventors against coronavirus" (as if coronavirus is afraid of monopolies, as opposed to open-ended collaboration to defeat and eradicate the virus as soon as possible).

"So they're equating number of "patent applications" with solution to coronavirus."Shallow propaganda such as this does not present the EPO as benevolent and mighty; instead, it serves to expose what a bunch of clueless and incompetent people nowadays run Europe's largest patent office. They don't understand the sector they're in, they shamelessly lie at the expense of almost a quarter million Europeans who lost their lives (soon a million worldwide), and they constantly attack their own staff, ruining these people's physical and mental health while claiming to fight for public health.

Recent Techrights' Posts

"Use Wayland" Isn't a Bugfix for X (X11 is Still Necessary)
They tell us X is "dead" and we must all be herded into Wayland ASAP
The New Head of OSI is an "Hey Hi" (AI) Obsessed Person
when Bryant says "AI" that doesn't mean AI
"Governments, local authorities, schools and hospitals can lead by example by procuring only Free Software"
Crossposted from Tux Machines
Cindy Cohn Leaving the Electronic Frontier Foundation While Its Co-founder John Gilmore, Whom She Apparently Helped Oust, Will Celebrate 40 Years of the Free Software Foundation, Inc.
EFF has been busy hoarding GAFAM money, whereas the latter is where all the real activism is done
"Google is Googlebombing KDE's Project Banana"
So is Google googlebombing KDE's Project Banana? You decide.
Some Very Large IRC Networks Are Growing
IRC will turn 38 next year
What Ruben Amorim and Stefano Maffulli Have in Common
Censors Wikipedia and Social Control Media
Microsoft Won't Cooperate in Trying to Tackle EPO Corruption (Microsoft Profits From This Corruption)
Use something like BigBlueButton, Jami, Ring, and Jitsi instead
We Are Sad to Hear the Story of Jonathan Riddell, Champion of KDE and GNU/Linux on Desktops/Laptops
I have enormous respect for Jonathan and everything he has done
 
Microsoft Has Just Published a New Web Page About "Secure Boot Update Process" (Microsoft Also Admits Issues; PCs Can Stop Booting)
Why was this page issued and published only hours ago?
Microsoft Lunduke: I Spread Hate and Then I Receive Hate
Cry us a river, Microsoft Lunduke
"Disable Secure Boot and Fast Boot. Wipe and Start Over."
At least they didn't say, buy a new computer...
The Oracle Ponzi Scheme
Oracle isn't doing well, but it's nowadays fashionable to say "clown" and "hey hi" to prop up one's stock, even based on nothing at all
Taking Out the Battery, Opening Up Your Computer, Just Like a "Normie" Would
At this stage, any person who still says "enable Secure Boot" is misguided or persuaded by companies that sell rootkits
Slopwatch: Serial Sloppers and Slopfarms Still Infesting Google News (Fake 'Articles' About "Linux" Spreading FUD)
searching for "Linux" today yields a lot of FUD
The Reach of Techrights Has Broadened
We nowadays cover a broader range of issues
Complicating Things for No Actual Benefit, Just Added Risk and More Difficulties Adding GNU/Linux and BSDs
Watch what it's like for people who wish to use BSDs
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Monday, September 15, 2025
IRC logs for Monday, September 15, 2025
Links 16/09/2025: Autumn Party, RPG Planet, and Optical ROOPHLOCH
Links for the day
Geminispace Growing at Pace of Over 10% Per Year
Contrary to what some pessimists try to claim
Linux Mint Forums Today: Disable 'Secure Boot', It Doesn't Improve Security, It's Just a Microsoft Obstacle to GNU/Linux Users
They also mention MOK
Solved Less Than an Hour Ago: Trying to Escape Windows, 'Secure Boot' Gets in the Way
'Secure Boot' wasn't meant to even exist in the first place
Stefano Maffulli, Executive Director of the Open Source Initiative, Resigns or Gets Removed (We'll Continue Covering OSI Scandals)
A dozen mentions of "AI", not much about "Open Source"
Andy Has Just Nailed It (Regarding Complexity and Failure, a la UEFI)
The users no longer own or control what they buy
Compatibility Support Module (CSM) Versus GNU/Linux Simplicity
what Andy recently called "solutionism"
Links 15/09/2025: "Postal Traffic to US Down by Over 80%" and 'Smart' Spinozacampus Laundry Room Goes AWOL
Links for the day
Gemini Links 15/09/2025: Dungeon Hustle and Deleting Oneself From the Net
Links for the day
Breach of EPO's Duty of Care or Cigna Reimbursement Issues
This is the sort of thing that motivated Luigi Mangione to assassinate a CEO
Ask Ubuntu About "Secure Boot" Violation and Laptops That Don't Boot GNU/Linux
Does anyone still believe that "Secure Boot" has anything at all to do with security?
Talking About the Problem vs Talking to the Problem
Wanting an audience is never a good excuse for compromising one's values and principles
Focusing on Patents
The reason we cover the EPO so much is that it's close to home
"Secure Boot Violation": The 'Joys' of Fake Security Gone Wrong
Not everyone reboots every day
Links 15/09/2025: Russia Invades Romanian Airspace, Penske Media Sues Google Over LLM Slop
Links for the day
Links 15/09/2025: Bitcoin ATMs Scam and "Conservative Cryptography" (Backdoors Fantasies)
Links for the day
EPO Imitates Microsoft: "Three Days or More Per Week" Inside the Office to Get a Desk to Work on; "the Office Breaches Its Promise Towards Staff and Acts in Breach of Its Duty of Care"
The EPO serves no actual function in Europe
Links 15/09/2025: Political Affairs, Censorship, and Copyrights
Links for the day
Gemini Links 15/09/2025: Music Genres, Invisible Networks, and Akademy 2025
Links for the day
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Sunday, September 14, 2025
IRC logs for Sunday, September 14, 2025
Satya's Plan B: Try to Hide the Massive Extent/Scale/Scope of Microsoft Layoffs
fewer people buy Microsoft
Red Hat News About De Facto Mass Layoffs (Bluewashing) Gone From Reddit (Censored by Gatekeepers), Still Online in The Register
With RTOs, PIPs, relocation etc. expect IBM to "shed off" many Red Hatters
UEFI "Secure Boot Doesn’t Play Nice at the Moment"
UEFI "Secure Boot" does not improve security. It's an artificial obstacle in service of monopoly.
Gemini Links 14/09/2025: ROOPHLOCH, Music, and Reddit
Links for the day
If You Want to "make your 'Windows PC' lean, mean, and fast" You Will Install GNU/Linux or Some BSD
That kind of article says a lot about IDG
Slopwatch: Google News Infested With Slop (About Half of the Results for "Linux" Today)
This is the sort of junk one finds when looking for "Linux" in Google News these days
Links 14/09/2025: Ricky Hatton Dies and McDonald's Declares War on Tipping Culture
Links for the day
Links 14/09/2025: Disasters for CEOs Obsessed With Slop and Slop Companies School Like Fish
Links for the day
"Bad Shim Signature" (Microsoft 'Secure' Boot)
"Fresh install not booting"
What Microsoft Garrett and Microsoft Lunduke Have in Common
Similar tactics, different "wings"
Links 14/09/2025: US "Economy Sagging", "Michigan Economy Wobbles From Tariffs"
Links for the day
Gemini Links 14/09/2025: Minimalist Snippet Manager and Omarchy Linux
Links for the day
The Face of the Digital Far Right: Microsoft Lunduke
Microsoft Lunduke is an online extremist that belongs to and panders to the far right
20 Years Later and Academia Isn't the Same
"I never dreamed of being a professor"
'Cancel Culture' by the Right: Microsoft Lunduke Contacts People's Employers Trying to Get Them Fired
Microsoft Lunduke panders to extremists online
"Bad Shim Signature"; So 'Secure' That It Overrides Users' Preferences and Turns Itself Back on (Coercive Measure)
This was a few hours ago
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Saturday, September 13, 2025
IRC logs for Saturday, September 13, 2025