We're curious about what others here think of this patent application.
I know they can't do anything about Bitcoin itself, but it does sound like Amex is trying to file a patent for our service. What should we do?
US Patent Request 20140006297 filed on July 2, 2013An integrated, end-to-end, automated system that
enables a first social networking user to seamlessly
transfer value to a second social networking user, even if
the second user is not registered with the money transfer
service from which the first user initiates the transfer...
Our service:
PikaPay.comSend Bitcoins to anyone on Twitter, as easy as a Tweet!PikaPay is a Bitcoin wallet integrated with the Twitter API and is one of the easiest ways to use Bitcoin. Just like in the Amex patent, with PikaPay the recipient doesn't need to have a PikaPay account to receive bitcoins.
We were the first to start sending bitcoins on Twitter back in 2011. But we're sure that scores of other companies have been doing "value transfer via social networks" even earlier.
Do we have to take that Amex patent application seriously in any way, and is there anything specific we should do?
We Tweeted AmEx a little while ago.