[A2k] I'm looking for patents and "features" that are hostile to the consumers

[Torgeir Andrew Waterhouse]

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hi all

At the Norwegian Consumer Council we're focusing on the consumers transition
to a digitalized society. Next week we'll be launching a set of digital
rights we believe consumers should have in a digital society.

Right now I'm looking for patents and "features" that are hostile to the
consumers to use as examples of how the consumers are under pressure from
the technology and content industries. One of the good examples I'm going to
use is "Apparatus and method for preventing switching from a channel during
an advertisement display" (
http://appft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PG01&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=%2220060070095%22.PGNR.&OS=DN/20060070095&RS=DN/20060070095).

I'm also trying to locate Sony's patents / patent applications that are
mentioned here : "PlayStation 3 won't play used games?" and more information
on the technology that is supposedly going to make in possible to lock a
Blu-ray disc to a single player and the player lock-down feature that's
mentioned here: "
http://www.engadget.com/2005/09/02/blu-ray-players-to-punish-users-who-hack-their-gear/".

If anyone is able to help me locate some examples that are easily
understandable for non tech-savy consumers it would be very helpful and
highly appreciated.


Regards

Torgeir


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torgeir.waterhouse@forbrukerradet.no
Senior Advisor, the Norwegian Consumer Council
http://forbrukerportalen.no