IBM Seeks US Patents For Offshoring US Jobs

theodp writes "IBM and other corporations are seeking patents for inventions covering the offshoring of US jobs. The USPTO is considering IBM's patent application for Outsourcing of Services, a 'method for identifying human-resource work content to outsource offshore of an organization' to 'countries where cheaper labor prices and/or cheaper materials are available.' Then there's Big Blue's Electronic Marketplace for Identifying, Assessing, Reserving and Engaging Knowledge-Workers for an Assignment Using Trade-Off Analysis, which provides a handy-dandy IBM calculator that drives home the point that you'll pay less for IGS India workers, whether onshore or offshore. And with its System and Method of Using Speech Recognition at Call Centers to Improve Their Efficiency and Customer Satisfaction, IBM describes how to operate in 'low cost foreign countries' with 'support people not having good English language skills, or having an accent that makes it difficult to understand them' by exploiting technology developed for students who are deaf or hard of hearing, as well as other accent reduction techniques."

Go for it

[josquint (193951)]

I'm sick of calling Dell, etc. and getting an "engrish is my 3rd language" call center representative. If they way to increase the cost of outsourcing, thereby decreasing feasibility, works for me.

Re:

[fymidos (512362)]

Yeah, IBM is portrayed as the bad guy, but some jobs will be outsourced -like it or not- and they *are* doing this for their customers.

That said, i'm not quite certain how "exploiting technology developed for students who are deaf or hard of hearing" can possibly be patented ... i mean could the "usage of wheels to help aeroplanes take off" ever be granted a patent?

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[mikael (484)]

That said, i'm not quite certain how "exploiting technology developed for students who are deaf or hard of hearing" can possibly be patented ... i mean could the "usage of wheels to help aeroplanes take off" ever be granted a patent?

Web transcription services for podcasts - you extract the audio channel from a podcast as an MP3 file, upload the file to the transcription services server. The file is chopped up into separate pieces, with each piece transcribed separately. Each piece is re-edited until it is u

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[fymidos (512362)]

My point was that the technology is already developed, they want to patent a different usage of it....

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[by Anonymous Coward]

I love the way you criticize the English skills of call center reps, then follow that criticism with one of the more ungrammatical sentences I've read all day. Very nice, indeed.

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[Artifakt (700173)]

But, people who are not very skilled in English will have even more trouble communicating with someone else who has different deficiencies. So even though he or she isn't making the point very well, that inadvertently makes the point.

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[Scamwise (174654)]

A call center representative is paid to have the ability to communicate effectively, if your customers are from an English speaking country that means speaking clear and understandable English.
A poster on the internet however is not...

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[nurb432 (527695)]

It doesnt bother me anymore, but it used to greatly.

Now, i just demand to talk to an American supervisor right off the bat.. If they refuse, i take my business elsewhere and be sure corporate knows why.

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[LEgregius (550408)]

I called apple the other day for a technical problem on a machine, and the person I spoke to did not speak English as his first language. He also didn't speak it very well or understand me very well. We managed to communicate well enough in the end, but I was not very happy with my experience. Either way, Apple does hire people who don't speak "perfect" English. Incidently, English is very complicated, and it takes constant effort to speak or write it clearly.

MY patent

[MillionthMonkey (240664)]

IBM describes how to operate in 'low cost foreign countries' with 'support people not having good English language skills, or having an accent that makes it difficult to understand them' by exploiting

I have patented a method for cutting sentences short to make them more clear.

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[fymidos (512362)]

and did you actually use it on the patent application ?

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[Artifakt (700173)]

Then please don't litigate.

I will apply for a patent of India style English.

[by Anonymous Coward]

1: Apply for a patent of India style English
2: ???
3: ???
4: Profit!

Exploit this...

[UncleTogie (1004853)]

"...by exploiting technology developed for students who are deaf or hard of hearing, as well as other accent reduction techniques."

Speaking as a guy that's 70% deaf, these "techniques" could suck the chrome off a Harley. I have to ask accented people to repeat themselves, speak slower, and have YET to find one that knows the meaning of the word 'enunciate'. Heck, I had to get transferred 3-4 times one call to find someone who knew the definition of either "deaf" OR "hearing-impaired".

I won't argue that these patents might make some cash in the short term, but I'm curious if they've factored in the value of consumer good will...

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[Paracelcus (151056)]

At my last "real" job, providing support for Linux/Windows2K on Stinkpads and servers/desktops there were several young women (very typical IMHO) who would speak so softly that I continually asked, please speak up I can't hear you, over and over again. Finally at the end of the "meeting" with the young ladies (young American, Anglo ladies) I would say "I'm sorry but I just cant make out what you said, please send me an email.

It must be noted that other people, men in particular, were perfectly understandab

System and method

[Foerstner (931398)]

I won't argue that these patents might make some cash in the short term, but I'm curious if they've factored in the value of consumer good will...

For placing a projectile travelling at high velocity into the foot of person holding the projectile launcher, or metaphorically performing the same function on a company.

One can only hope that if IBM is granted these patents, their rigourous enforcement will make offshoring less attractive.

Yet more stupid patents

[SpaceLifeForm (228190)]

Patenting business methods that are nothing more
that what used to be called 'management'.

My how management has gotten messed up over the last 30 years.

Isn't this a good thing?

[Kainaw (676073)]

If a few companies patent the entire outsourcing process, they will make it difficult for others to outsource. Then, there will be more domestic jobs and they'll have to work with immigration to outsource the labor here at home (where they will at least pump a little of their pay back into the economy).

Wow.

[similar_name (1164087)]

I'm going to patent the process for getting patents.

That'll show 'em.

anyone else notice this?

[ILuvRamen (1026668)]

If they're sucessful in holding up that first patent, that means no other companies could do it!!!! I hope they win when someone sues them or they sue someone over it. Then you'll only get cheap foreigners that don't speak english well when you call IBM support. I'm all for this one!

Hey don't worry

[Colin Smith (2679)]

Be happy.

In a couple of years the dollar will have fallen so far that the Indians will be off shoring to you!

 

Re:Hey don't worry

[maxwell demon (590494)]

Be happy.

In a couple of years the dollar will have fallen so far that the Indians will be off shoring to you!

Then we'll see if your Hindi is better than their English! :-)

Can they do this?

[SanityInAnarchy (655584)]

Specifically, can you patent a business practice, or a business model?

I can understand patenting technologies that lead up to it, but patenting the whole thing? I have no idea if that's within the scope of a patent...

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[NeutronCowboy (896098)]

That's fairly irrelevant. What matters is whether the patent office will grant the patent. After that, it's simply a matter of waving the patent around and threatening people with expensive litigation.

This is why patents suck these days: the vast majority do nothing to improve society, and are merely giant clubs in lawsuit wars.

Re: Can they do this?

[Black Parrot (19622)]

Specifically, can you patent a business practice, or a business model?

Yes. The US Congress streamlined patent litigation by setting up a special court to cover it, and that court immediately set about ruling that everything under the sun is patentable.

Re: Can they do this?

[ls -la (937805)]

Yes. The US Congress streamlined patent litigation by setting up a special court to cover it, and that court immediately set about ruling that everything under the sun is patentable.

That gives me a great idea. Hold on while I patent sunlight.

Re:

[by Anonymous Coward]

Specifically, can you patent a business practice, or a business model?

It depends. In the sane world that most people inhabit, no of course you can't. In the US, yes you can.

Nope.

[Black Parrot (19622)]

I checked the link, and this isn't coming from The Onion.

Time for the Revolution!

[gbutler69 (910166)]

My ancestors fought in order to have equitable pay for work, decent working conditions, and something approaching a society where there is a reasonable middle-class.

This is the kind of thing that seeks to have the U.S. be like a third-world nation. A small group of people who control most of the wealth and everyone else not much more than slaves.

I for one, will not stand for it. I WILL rise up. I WILL start the fucking revolution. It is time for us American citizens to wake up from our slumber. We need to hang these fuckers. Every last one of them.

They have no loyalty to anything but the money in their own pockets. The rest of the worlds people should do the same in their countries. If they won't, then that is up to them to live in squalor.

I say, No Way! Not here! My ancestors didn't die in Steel Mills and Coal Mines etc. in order for the few to be permitted to take everything away from the many.

It is time to rise up! Time to start the revolution. This MUST NOT be permitted.

Only cowards will rest on their laurels while everything is stolen away from us like this. This is MY COUNTRY and I WILL FIGHT for it.

WAKE UP PEOPLE! THIS IS PURE EVIL!

Tear it down. Tear it all down. Time for a house cleaning. Time to teach the moneyed elite that we will not stand for it.

Don't give me any crappy economic arguments about comparative advantage and such. If the only comparative advantage is that one workforce has rights to decent working condition and decent wages and one doesn't, then fuck economics.

Take these people in their fancy business suits that care not one shit for you and other American Citizens. Hang them!

Rise up! Rise up! Don't be a coward! Don't sit idly by while you are robbed of everything your forebears fought and died for.

Wake up people of America! Wake up!

Fight for your rights! Fight to death if necessary! Do not allow this wholesale theft of the American Dream!

Organize.

[headkase (533448)]

I completely agree with your sentiment but without the wholesale slaughter. What you really want is transparency so you can ridicule or sue those in power into compliance with your wishes. Things like pervasive decentralized video recording (as in everyone has a mini-camcorder that they don't even think about woven into their clothes until they - and their camera - witness something like police brutality) with the emphasis on decentralized meaning you don't share your footage unless you want to. Also the

No wholesale slaughter.

[gbutler69 (910166)]

I didn't intend to imply there should be wholesale slaughter. What I meant to convey is that these actions are meant to undermine everything valuable about a civil society where people have a right to dignity, life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

Those who would work to deprive us of these rights, must be stopped. With complete and utter finality!

Re:

[headkase (533448)]

I agree.

Re:Time for the Revolution!

[Kamineko (851857)]

Lazlow: "Let's go over here to line 4, hello caller, what's your name?"
Jeff: "Jeff from Rockford."
Lazlow: "Hello Jeff, what's up?"
Jeff: "I want to tell you and your listeners about a once-in-a-lifetime
            chance to make a difference. There's a rally tomorrow evening at
            the park. Starting at 7. Although we'll be painting banners and
            singing songs and all day to prepare for it. Then, when tens-of-
            thousands have gathered in the park, we're gonna march onto Town
            Hall. Lazlow, the people have spoken! And they have said 'no, not
            in my town!' So folks, if you're listening, and want to make a
            difference, get yourself down to the park, and prepare to bring
            democracy back to the people."
Lazlow: "So...what's this rally about, Jeff?"
Jeff: "It's about people standing up and being counted. It's about the
            future. It's about telling those morons in the suits 'no thanks!
            Not in my town! Not while I have a breath in my body and hope in
            my soul! I will not, I cannot let this pass!'"
Lazlow: "Let what pass?"
Jeff: "It's about grabbing the town by the balls and saying 'listen son,
            either put-up, or shut up! No more Mr. Nice-guy. No more easy
            solutions for difficult problems!' It's about what it means to be
            an American. It's about giving something back."
Lazlow: "Giving what back, Jeff?"
Jeff: "Hope! Dreams! Belief!"
Lazlow: "Belief in what, I mean, look Jeff, I..I admire your passion,
                really I do, but...what will people be marching for? Wh..what's
                your rally about!?"
Jeff: "It's about justice, Mr. Low! A chance to shine and make a
            difference! About thousands of people walking side-by-side as
            brother marchers. Only one thing on their minds - the chance to
            make a difference! Bring your friends! Nothing shows a man how
            much you mean to him more than the chance to walk together for
            justice! Bring your kids! They can paint signs, and we'll even
            have a face-painter, and a vegen bar-be-que. Bring your parents,
            dude, even the elderly care about tomorrow!"
Lazlow: "I understand that, it sounds like a great rally, but w..we're
                not a political station and you haven't really told us why
                people should do this...what is it about?!?"
Jeff: "Look..look, do you wanna help or not??"
Lazlow: "I don't know what I'm helping!"
Jeff: "You're helping America! What kind of patriot are you? It's a
            rally!!"
Lazlow: "You don't know what it's for, do you!?!"
Jeff: "It's for hope. Please come, everybody! It'll be real good!"
Lazlow: "Alright, you fight the power, brother!"

What must not be permitted?

[Infonaut (96956)]

It is time to rise up! Time to start the revolution. This MUST NOT be permitted.

If you're upset that these big companies are seeking business method patents for processes that may or may not even pan out in the marketplace, I'm puzzled. The method patents will only allow certain companies to use certain methods to perform some of their business functions offshore. This will allow them to keep others from using the same carefully defined methods, or will force other companies to license those methods. Ei

Re:

[HexaByte (817350)]

Sergeant HexaByte reporting for duty, Colonel!

You don't need to fight anyone

[Colin Smith (2679)]

You (everyone) just have to realise that they stole all your money from you and are now leasing it to you at 5% a year.

Money is power, by allowing them to lend your money to you they have taken all the money and all the power.

 

There is a way to win without firing a shot...

[AmazingRuss (555076)]

...starve them. They make their money off us, off of what we buy, off of what we earn. If we cut our earning and spending to the bone, it cuts their food supply.

Work as little as possible, buy as little as possible.

This requires no organization.

This requires no violence.

This requires no breaking of laws.

This requires no political power.

The only sacrifice is being poor, and we are going to end up that way anyway.

In return, you get ample free time.

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[giorgiofr (887762)]

Listen kid, if you want to stand up for your rights, then by all means vote with your wallet and effect change in society. But the moment you raise your hands against someone else, and that includes not only all the people you wish to kill but also the ones you would coax into helping you, then that is when you lose all rights, credibility, and possibly your life too. In case you want to answer, please avoid all those meaningless one-liners.

Laugh, its funny

[nurb432 (527695)]

This is a joke, right?

That was filed from India!

[140Mandak262Jamuna (970587)]

What is more galling is that the entire patent application was punched up by grunts in Bangalore. Would very much like to see a headline like, "IBM replaces CEO with Muniyandi Appannakaruppandi Joshi, a graduate of Aiyyappa Institute of Mangagement Sciences (second class, registered with Govt of India), for one tenth of the salary."

Prior Art?

[haus (129916)]

Nothing here (on the surface) seems to breaking new ground here, even in combination. Now if the system worked as it should, this patent would not be granted. Or, it were to be granted, it would be set-aside in a challenge due to prior art.

But with the Patent Office in its usual dysfunctional form and with IBM sitting on top of a team of patent lawyers that would not blush at arguing about IBM being the inventor of the wheel. It should be yet another step towards maintaining the status quo.

Neat Calculator

[PPH (736903)]

I entered "Samuel Palmisano" and it suggested several million Dalits that would be suitable as replacements.

BUZZ off. morons

[unity100 (970058)]

10.000 year old "trade" concept is being tried to patent.

prior art ? a few here :

- ANY trade that buys finished goods from some source and sells to other.

- SLAVERY

- ANY action that you buy intermediate parts from somewhere and produce a finished product somewhere else.

ibm, you really, really suffered a great deal of credibility and charisma in many circles. you shouldnt employ such morons with such 'innovative ideas'.

Too late - try on-shoring

[flyingfsck (986395)]

With the fall in the US Dollar, off-shoring is dead. They should try patenting on-shoring. That involves hiring Mexicans to do the work in San Diego...

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[similar_name (1164087)]

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/322652_msftvancouver06.html [nwsource.com]
I wouldn't show MS as an example of Made in the USA.
lookup the xbox production sometime too. http://www.google.com/search?q=xbox+production+international [google.com]

Why Microsoft is in Vancouver

[rbarreira (836272)]

Microsoft open a development center in Vancouver because of Visa problems for foreign workers. I know an European (Danish) guy who successfully interviewed for Microsoft, and then couldn't get a visa (in that "lottery" style programme). Microsoft then decided to get him working in Vancouver, and he'll go to Seattle every once in a while to meet up with the rest of the team.

Re:At least Windows is made in the USA

[marcello_dl (667940)]

Nice to see you're proud Windows is made in your country. I'm proud it's not made in mine.

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[ciggieposeur (715798)]

Hey, I can put Windows on a machine, and watch a movie after it is installed.

Oh cool! So which version of Windows did they finally put DVD playback in out of the box?

Becuase I've installed up to XP sp2 and it never worked, I always had to install some 3rd-party DVD playback software before WMP would finally play the movie...

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[Ajehals (947354)]

People generally don't care too much about sharing with other OSes

Monoculture's are bad - you just pointed out part of the catch 22 that stops us getting away from 95% market dominance by Microsoft, even if you prefer windows and would stick to MS products, you would benefit by the fact that there would be real competition in the OS sector, affecting prices and with luck spurring innovation, lock ins prevent you from benefiting from competition because, well you are a captive audience.

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[pchan- (118053)]

See, now we see what IBM is really all about, using free software to make it easier to throw more people out of work in the states. At least with Microsoft, there's developers actually working in the USA....

Funny you should say that. I've been interviewing for new jobs recently. I've been contacted about a dozen times in the past two weeks for jobs at Microsoft. However, I wasn't contacted my Microsoft. I was contacted by nice ladies and gentlemen with heavy Indian accents who work at companies that place consultants at MS. They were quick to tell me that they sponsor H1Bs. Now, I have nothing against foreign developers and worked with several very talented ones, but it's become apparent to me that MS i