A For-Real, Officially Bogus Patent Application

As you might imagine, the staff at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has seen some real doozies over the years in the form of applications. An RF Cafe visitor who is a registered patent agent sent a note about his office's reaction of hilarity to United States Patent Application # 20040161257 . The link goes directly to the official document on file with the USPTO, so it is real. Look at number nine (9) on page 16 in the opening "Claims" section:

"9. The method of providing user interface displays in an image forming apparatus which is really a bogus claim included amongst real claims, and which should be removed before filing [emphasis added]; wherein the claim is included to determine if the inventor actually read the claims and the inventor should instruct the attorneys to remove the claim."

All U.S. Patent Applications include an Oath/Declaration, SIGNED by the inventor, that states, "I hereby state that I have reviewed and understand the contents of the above-identified specification, including the claims, as amended by any amendment referred to above."

When reviewing the signed application, the attorney quickly filed an amendment to have it amended, but the original remains as submitted. I laughed, too, but the truth is I have published equally stupid oversights, so for me this is a case of misery loving company and hoping that it never happens again.

Here is the Google Patents page in case you cannot view the images.

Posted April 5, 2021
(updated from original post on 8/22012)