Help with a Help Patent

I had an idea, but have come to find out someone had the same idea, and already filed a patent application.

So this is about jealousy then?

No, I didn't want a patent. I didn't want a monopoly on this idea, and I don't think anyone else deserves one either.

So what's the idea about?

Here's a link to the patent application at the United States Patent and Trademark Office site, filed by LSI Logic Corporation.

20050125744 - Systems and methods for providing menu availability help information to computer users

And what's that mean?

In any given software program, there could be menus and other things you can click on. Sometimes those things are unselectable or disabled or "grayed out" because certain conditions forbid their use. The idea is to provide information to the user about why the things are grayed out.

Web Demo

I was thinking about creating an executable download that demonstrated the idea, but decided it would be easier for people to try it out if I just mocked it up in html/javascript. Pretend the buttons are like menu items, and the question marks triggering the message in the rectangle area are like tooltips.

Number 1:

Number 2:

Result:

Ok, now what?

What I'd like to do is find prior art to invalidate the patent application. Sounds harsh, but I'm not the only one who opposes software patents. There's been news lately (January 2006) about proposed patent reform in the United States, but I'm not exactly sure what I, as a nobody, can do about it.

The application was filed on December 4, 2003, so in my not-a-lawyer opinion, you don't have to go back too far to find prior art.

So I must have an ulterior motive, right? Nope. I just feel this idea is obvious enough that it doesn't justify the issuance of a patent.

It was through my frustration in using apps that seemingly at random disabled menu items, and not explaining why, that I thought of this idea. It would be nice for any application to be able to incorporate it as a feature without going through the rigmarole of licensing patents.

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