Patent(s) of the Week (2009/05/19)
Jeff Bezos is an inventor. Again. (He’s up to 30+) U.S. Patent 7,536,351 was issued to Amazon.com. The patent claims a network-based payment service system and method of providing a user-to-user payment service that allows users to define customized pay pages for receiving payments from other users.
JPMorgan Chase Bank was issued U.S. Patent 7,536,354: “Methods for electronic multiparty accounts receivable and accounts payable systems.” The patent includes 140 method claims but only a single independent claim. The independent claim recites a system for electronic multiparty accounts receivable and accounts payable system for use by two participants (at least one creditor and one debtor) who have contracted with one another and who may owe debts to one another under one or more underlying contracts and who both use the electronic multiparty accounts receivable and accounts payable system to manage their respective debt obligations.
Japanese inventor Michihiro Sato was issued unassigned patent 7,536,330, which claims a system and method for a fixed rate financing instrument issued by a corporation, government, or other organization which pays a fixed interest rate and/or dividend as secured by an issuing entity’s promise to pay and partially guaranteed by a third party to issuance.
And last but not least, Amsterdam Power Exchange Spotmark B.V, was issued U.S. Patent 7,536,341, “Method and system for regulating the production of a second form of energy, generated from a first form of energy.” Though perhaps not, strictly speaking, a financial services patent, any time a patent issues nowadays that claims a method relating to the energy sales and auctions, I can’t help but think of Bilski.