Patented European webshop

All of the elements and processes indicated in the graphic below are covered by granted (not just requested) European Patents. Such patents would have been rendered enforceable by the software patent directive that the European Parliament managed to reject in 2005, thanks to the work of the FFII and partners. However their legal uncertainty have recently allowed some companies to enforce some of them. There are also new political efforts in Europe to create a special patent court (EU-EPLA) that would generate a case law favorable to software patents. We can already see some examples in the UK and Germany.

FFII will continue to fight for clear and useful limits on patentability, so that atrocities like those shown below will stop in Europe. If you agree with these goals, please consider supporting our work against European software patents.

You can also download the poster in different languages or order printed copies (email us at berlin at ffii.org).


   1. Webshop: Selling things over a network using a server, client and payment processor, or using a client and a server - EP803105, EP738446 and EP1016014
   2. Order by cell phone: Selling over a mobile phone network - EP1090494
   3. Shopping cart: Electronic shopping cart - EP807891
   4. [CDs] [Films] [Books]: Tabbed palettes and restrict search - EP689133 and EP1131752
   5. Picture link: Preview window - EP537100
   6. Get key via sms: Sending key to decrypt bought data via mobile phone network - EP1374189
   7. View film: Video streaming ("segmented video on-demand") - EP633694
   8. Copy protection: Encrypt file so it can only be played on authorised devices - EP1072143
   9. Credit card: Pay with credit card on the Internet - EP779587
  10. Adapt pages: Generate different web page depending on detected device - EP1320972
  11. Request loan: Automated loan application - EP715740
  12. Secure card payment: Secure online credit/debit card payment with PIN code - EP1218865
  13. Send oers: Send oers in response to request - EP986016
  14. Delivery: Ship items to the correct pick-up point of the used delivery service - EP1181655
  15. Support system: Support system based on answers to questions - EP915422
  16. Preview chapters: Use of TV as metaphor for selecting different video fragments - EP670652
  17. Image: Reduce page loading time by automatically reducing image quality - EP992922
  18. Related results: Show related results if customer likes the current ones - EP628919
  19. Rebate code: Allow rebate codes to be entered by customers - EP929874
  20. Web-to-Print: Generation of prepress formats or printouts from low resolution templates via the Internet - EP852359 and EP1169848