Correct me if I'm wrong, but wouldn't a doubly-linked list be covered by this pa... | Hacker News

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smussman on Aug 11, 2011 | parent | context | favorite | on: Someone patented linked lists

Correct me if I'm wrong, but wouldn't a doubly-linked list be covered by this patent? If I understand the claims correctly, the backwards traversal would fall under claim 1.[1] It definitely provides a second sequence to traverse said list, even if it's stretching 'following' a little bit.

[1] The relevant part of claim 1 is:

  said auxiliary pointer being adapted to direct said 
  computer program to a second following item and defining
  a second sequence to traverse said list.

dpark on Aug 11, 2011 [–]

Sure. That alone probably wouldn't invalidate the patent, though. The claim is for a more generic capability.

Of course the patent is obvious and there's (almost certainly) prior art for the multiply-linked list anyway.

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