SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING RESERVATIONS FOR RESTROOM USE

Patent No. 6,329,919

Issued: December 11, 2001

Assignee:  IBM

This patent claims a system of scheduling the restroom on an airliner, which amounts to "take a number". In itself, that wouldn't qualify it for our "Weird and Wonderful" page, but the patent goes further yet - the number is assigned in a priority system which ranks restroom requests by factors such as what class the passenger is flying, how much the passenger paid for their ticket, and whether or not they are a frequent flyer. The system also makes allowances for cancellation of reservations.

Sounds like a really unsanitary situation for economy class passengers with kids in really big airplanes. "You are number 153 for the left rear restroom. Estimated wait two hours..."

By the way, after reexamination, IBM has disclaimed all 64 claims in this patent. And not a moment too soon for people flying coach.