[Random-bits] Anharonian: Another idiotic ecommerce patent

[James Love]

Subject: PATNEWS: Another idiotic ecommerce patent infringement lawsuit
   Date: Tue, 29 Aug 2000 23:46:28 -0400 (EDT)
   From: Gregory Aharonian <srctran@world.std.com>
     To: patent-news@world.std.com

!20000829  Another idiotic ecommerce patent infringement lawsuit

    The Nov/Dec issue of Internet Retailer reports yet another idiotic
ecommerce patent infringement lawsuit, this time concerning Web sites
that allow you to design and purchase clothing electronically.  (NOTE:
for the record, nothing on my web site, www.bustpatents.com, provides
any capabilities, information or assistance towards the design and
purchasing of clothing online and/or electronically).

    The patent, 5,930,769, titled "System and method for fashion shopping",
was filed October 1996, and I list the patent abstract and claim below.
It is assigned to and being asserted by an individual, Andrea Rose (she
has a Web site, www.andrearosefashions.com).

    Last fall, she sued J.C. Penney, Land's End, Broderland Software,
Mattel (owner of the Learning Company), and Federated Department Stores
(owner of Macy's).  I do not know the current status of the case, but
can wish for the defendants that it has been dismissed after some motion
for summary judgment.

    Once again, the problem is, ..... NON-DISCLOSED NON-PATENT PRIOR ART.
The patent cites one non-patent prior art item, and you have to believe
that sometime in the twenty year time period from the mid-1970s to the
mid-1990s, that at least one effort at one fashion institute developed at
least one fashion/textile design computer program.  I mean, this is a
no brainer bet even without doing any prior art searching.  But no, the
applicant, in applying for the patent and then asserting the patent, cared
little to research the field of computerized fashion design.  Heck, if I
remember correctly, didn't Mrs. and Judy Jetson design and buy clothes
online in some episodes of the Jetsons cartoon?  Shouldn't that be prior
art? :-))))))

    Anyway, those of you tracking this nonsense, here is one more case to
add to your records.  Anyone with a copy of the complaint, I wouldn't
mind getting a copy.

                                      ====

5930769
System and method for fashion shopping
(filed Oct. 7, 1996)

Abstract:
    The present invention provides a method of manual fashion shopping
and method for electronic fashion shopping by a customer using a programmed
computer, CD-ROM, television, Internet or other electronic medium such
as video. The method comprises receiving personal information from the
customer; selecting a body type and fashion category based on the personal
information; selecting fashions from a plurality of clothes items based on
the body type and fashion category; outputting a plurality of fashion data
based on the selected fashions; and receiving selection information from
the customer.                          
                                                                            
What is claimed is:                                                         
    1. A method of fashion shopping by a customer comprising the steps of:

    receiving personal information from the customer;

    selecting a body type and fashion category based on the personal
    information;

    selecting fashions from a plurality of clothes items based on the body
    type and fashion category;
                                                                            
    outputting a plurality of fashion data based on the selected fashions;

    receiving selection information from the customer; and

    processing order information to place an order for the selected
    fashions.

                                      ====

Greg Aharonian
Internet Patent News Service