!051894 PTO reexamining second software patent The commissioner of the US Patent and Trademark Office has ordered a re-examination of a broad patent, awarded two years ago, that appears to cover the way any advertisement can be blended into a computer program and displayed on screen. This action marks the second time in recent months that such a PTO sponsored reexamination has taken place, which usally rarely happen, but is in response to industry complaints about too broad software patents being issued. The holder of the patent, Software Advertising (Rancho LaCosta, CA) intends to seek royalties, and its lawyer, Louis Knobbe, is baffled on what grounds the PTO is ordering a re-examination. ============== Greg Aharonian Internet Patent News Service