All of the elements and processes indicated in the graphic below are covered by granted (not just requested) European Patents. Such patents would be rendered enforceable by the directive in the versions adopted by the European Commission and the Council of Ministers. The directive as voted by the whole European Parliament (1st reading) however, makes sure these patents remain what they are today: examples of the EPO's drift towards unlimited patentability, without any legal value whatsoever.
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Vertical Computer Systems is suing Microsoft for allegedly using without permission its patent for a 'method of generating Web sites' as part of the .Net framework
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McDonald's wants to own the rights to how a sandwich is made.
Flickr does software patent. Bouh
Flickr and del.icio.us does software patent. Bouhh
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Google patent application introducing a client assistant, runs on a client computer and monitors a users browsing activities and infers one or more next documents that are most likely to be requested by the user.
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"[Editor's Note: This article originated when the Gamasutra editors noticed a number of online sources such as Wikipedia stating that it was now completely legal to make NES 'clone' consoles, because all of Nintendo's patents regarding the NES had expired. How true was this statement? We asked game IP lawyer S. Gregory Boyd the question: "Are the NES patents expired? If so, is a company free to build and sell new NES-like systems?" Here's his response.]"