Against Monopoly

defending the right to innovate

Monopoly corrupts. Absolute monopoly corrupts absolutely.

A State-Granted Property Right in Preventing Teenage Drunk Driving

As reported on Patently-O, two "inventors" have files patent applications on two "inventions". The first is for SoberTeen(TM) driving insurance. The application claims

a new auto insurance product where a driver receives a 10 to 30 percent discount in premium in exchange for allowing the insurance company to monitor his or her car to determine if anyone drives it while under the influence of alcohol.

I wonder what MADD would say about the patentee trying to use the courts to stop an insurance company from offering this product without paying a ransom?

The other attempts to claim a monopoly on

A method wherein the life or health risk of a person is evaluated based on information maintained in a Risk Profile Data Base (RPDB) and the result of said evaluation is used for one or both of the following purposes: to offer an insurance policy in an underwriting class determined by the said evaluation; to provide said person with a life or health expectancy report containing suggestions on how said person can improve said life or health expectancy.

Is any comment really needed?

[Posted at 05/11/2009 01:51 PM by Stephan Kinsella on IP as a Joke comments(1)]

Comments

Thanks for the post. We are very gratified with the attention these applications are getting. Right now they are the #1 and #2 patents on Peer to Patent (www.peertopatent.org.) Peer to Patent is a public commentary web site where anyone can comment on a pending patent application before it is examined.

If you really are concerned that these inventions are not entitled to patent protection, you should get your comments in now. The comment periods for both of these application will close by the end fo June. Here are links to the comment sites.

SoberTeen

Risk Assurance Company

All comments will be forwarded to the USPTO patent examiner and will be considered in deciding whether or not to issue a patent.

[Comment at 05/16/2009 08:07 AM by Mark Nowotarski]

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