Amazon loses its 1-click patent

One of the things that has worried many people is the tendency of the US Patent office to issue patents for things which do not seem to be non-obvious innovations, or in some cases even to be new. Cnet reports that one high profile case has now been reversed. In 1998 Amazon was granted a patent on its 1-click purchase model, something which led it to take legal action against rival book seller Barners and Noble.

Now, a Panel of the US Patent Office has overturned the patet, following a case brought by New Zealand actor Peter Calveley, on the basis of prior art claims.