I don't think it will hold up if challenged. The thing was only granted because of the US' lax 1-year grace period allowing filing after disclosure.

They claim the interface was first used on the Nomad Jukebox. If you can find anything that used a similar interface prior to January 5th 2000 or anything that was documented prior to that date, that would be enough to try shooting down this patent.

The whole concept flies in the face of what a patent is for in my opinion anyway. There's not an argument that can be made to say that Creative filed in order to protect the expenses to develop such innovation, nor is it much of a process - it's more of a manual navigation that is very natural. It is TOTALLY obvious and very much fails the basic requirements of any patent. Not only obvious to someone skilled in the arts, but to anyone period.

I dislike software patents in the first place, but since they're here, like everyone else, I'll file them where I can, primarily as defensive weapons rather than offensive. No one wants to sue if they risk getting sued back.

Bruno