[pwg]

> How does nonsense like this even pass basic validation at the patent office?

Your link references a "publication" of an "application", not an actual patent.

Applications are "published" (usually at 18 months from filing) with no review, and the publication itself carries no rights for exclusion. The publication just serves to indicate what someone has applied for. All it takes to get anything published is to be willing to pay the fee to file the application, and to actually file it.

[cottsak]

gotcha! Thanks for clearing this up