After the late Apple co-founder's death several years ago, Steve Jobs didn't just leave a lasting legacy behind, but he continues to build this legacy posthumously. Since his passing, the United States Patent and Trademark Office has awarded Jobs an additional 141 patents, taking the total number to 458. Essentially, Jobs has collected a third of his patents after his passing.
As documented by the MIT Technology Review:
Altogether, a third of the 458 patented inventions and designs credited to Jobs have been approved since he died.
The first patent Jobs won was in 1983 for the Personal Computer. Among his newest patents awarded since his death is the glass cube design for Apple's Manhattan store.
Citing Florian Mueller, the publication noted that many of the patents that were awarded to Jobs are rooted in design:
He notes that many of Jobs's patents are on designs—like the look and feel of the iPhone—not on more substantial technical advances.
Source: MIT Technology Review
Reader comments
Steve Jobs awarded 141 new patents since his death
This is definitely part of what's wrong with patent law.
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If you do the work then you should get the credit no matter what.
And this shows why the United States Patent and Trademark Office is a complete joke. How do you award patents to someone who no longer exists??
Rectangular shape is one of them :)