LinuxWatch notes U.S. PTO smashes JPEG patent. The US PTO is far too eager to grant patents for bogus, vague, overly-broad “inventions.” We need to seriously reconsider whether most computer algorithms, file formats, business processes or genes qualify for patent status – a complete monopoly on the use of a design. The idea of a patent is to improve society with new inventions while ensuring the inventor can recoup the investment of building and manufacturing an invention, at the cost of slowing innovation.