Earlier this week Apple, Inc. had three patent application publish on what most would consider strange, overbroad and/or dubious inventions.  I came across these patent applications thanks to CNET (via Unwired View), and they relate to a method of using a smartphone or other portable electronic device to access travel services (US Patent Application 20100190510), a method of using a smartphone or other portable electronic device to access hotel services ( US Patent Application 20100191551) and a method for providing enhanced access to high fashion using a smartphone or other portable electronic device (US Patent Application 20100191578).

The patents largely follow the same formula, the drawings are remarkably similar, and all relate back to provisional patents filed at the end of January 2009. Many will ridicule these patent applications, and given that obviousness is now about common sense thanks to the Supreme Court’s decision in KSR v. Teleflex I think rightly so. I find it hard to believe that there would not be prior art located that dates back to before January 2009 that will present massive difficulties for Apple.

Rather than go through each of these patents with detail, allow me to pick one. Staying well clear of the fashion patent because I don’t want to get in over my head, that means I need to select from an automatic notification of an airplane arrival or a method of configuring a hotel room based on user preferences. As fun as the hotel thing sounds an automatic arrival notification seems more practical to me, although probably less patentable.