Amazon's patent on 1-click shopping has been done in by an Orc, or possibly a Goblin. Like many patents granted to high tech-firms for things that seem patently obvious (sorry), Amazon's 1-click monopoly always struck me as excessive. (I have often wondered if the folks at the US Patent and Trademark Office had ever seen a computer, let alone used one.) Apparently Peter Calveley thought so too. A few years ago h Amazon’s patent on 1-click shopping has been done in by an Orc, or possibly a Goblin.Like many patents granted to high tech-firms for things that seem patently obvious (sorry), Amazon’s 1-click monopoly always struck me as excessive. (I have often wondered if the folks at the US Patent and Trademark Office had ever seen a computer, let alone used one.)Apparently Peter Calveley thought so too. A few years ago he decided to look into Amazon’s 1-click patent after the service was late in delivering a book he ordered. Lo and behold, the amateur patent attorney found enough prior art to challenge the patent. He scrounged together the USPTO’s $2520 filing fee from donations to his blog and filed a challenge in February ’06. Last week the USPTO ruled in the Caveley’s favor, rejecting 21 of Amazon’s 26 patent claims as overbroad. Here’s the fun part: When he isn’t digging into patents for fun, Calveley works as a motion capture actor – prancing about on a digital sound stage for films like the Lord of the Rings trilogy, filmed in his native New Zealand. Hence the orc/elf connection. Clearly Amazon could use some help from Gandalf. It’s unlikely the USPTO will strip Amazon of its patents, but it may narrow them a bit. And folks like iTunes who paid Amazon license fees for their own implementations of single-click shopping are probably a little clicked off right about now. Me, I’m looking to patent the process in which I roll down my car window and hold the steering wheel with my knees while simultaneously extending my middle finger to the car beside mine. But I fear there’s probably prior art there too.Got more stupid patents? Share them below or email me here. Top tipsters qualify for Cringe Swag ™. Software DevelopmentSmall and Medium Business