Twitter Patent Goes To... Twitter!

Twitter has obtained the patent in the United States for their microblogging service 'Twitter'. The patent has been awarded to the founders of Twitter, Jack Dorsey & Christopher Isaac Stone. The duo had applied for the patent back in July 2008 and the USPTO has granted them with a patent on March 19, 2013. The official abstract of the patent applied goes as follows -

A system (and method) for device-independent point to multipoint communication is disclosed. The system is configured to receive a message addressed to one or more destination users, the message type being, for example, Short Message Service (SMS), Instant Messaging (IM), E-mail, web form input, or Application Program Interface (API) function call. The system also is configured to determine information about the destination users, the information comprising preferred devices and interfaces for receiving messages, the information further comprising message receiving preferences. The system applies rules to the message based on destination user information to determine the message endpoints, the message endpoints being, for example, Short Message Service (SMS), Instant Messaging (IM), E-mail, web page output, or Application Program Interface (API) function call. The system translates the message based on the destination user information and message endpoints and transmits the message to each endpoint of the message.

twitter

Source: #-Link-Snipped-#

What may follow is a few lawsuits from Twitter on companies that might be looking to play in the space. If you are inspired by Twitter and want to follow something 'similar' in your business - you might just check what's 'allowed'.

Replies

  • Anoop Kumar
    Anoop Kumar
    I don't know how patent system work!!!
    If above description taken into consideration what was myspace, orkut and facebook ware doing during 2004-2006.
    SMS update was also there. Only thing, 1st seen in twitter was trending hashtags.

    Does anyone patented operating system. If not, now, anyone either Microsoft, Apple or Google will patent it others will be sued the next day.

    A software system which integrates with hardware machine allow users to perform action send email, sms, video call, listen music and allow to install appropriate software to increase their productivity. It can be either handheld device or desktop device.
    I will be happy if Ubuntu will won this patent.
    WTF... sick system. 👎

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