EP0394160: Dynamic progress marking icon (IBM (US))
http://swpat.ffii.org/patents/txt/ep/0394/160/

Claims:
1. The well-known progress bar, additionally in generalized version,
   i.e. with different symbols inside which appear or disappear in
   configurable order; in text or graphics mode (e.g. "characters" are
   rectangles in graphics mode); different shapes instead of bars as one row:
   e.g. matrix shape
2. quantisation with work units
3. quantisation with time
4. identification of next location to change (overwrite with "progress sign")
   with look up table
5. proceeding (next entry) in look up table
6. choice of initially present characters (all equal)
7. choice of individual initially present characters
8. like 6., with "non-graphics" characters, e.g. "%"
9. choice of "non-displayable" characters as "progress signs", e.g. blank
10. choice of "displayable" characters as "progress signs", e.g. letter
11. initialization of look up table
12. computer system implementing 1. (partially)
13. like 12., determining amount of work (e.g. number of work units)
14. like 13., with replacement of individual characters (well-known progress
    function)
15. like 14., amount = number of work units
16. like 14., amount = time
17. like 12. to 16., with look up table
18. like 12. to 17., with initialization of look up table

Violation programm, UNIX Shell script (CAUTION: PLEASE DO NOT EXECUTE!):
#!/bin/sh
echo -n $'__________\r'
for ((i = 0; i < 10; i++)); do
    echo -n "#"
    sleep 1
done
echo

   At first, the program reserves the "background" (underscores). These
are replaced bit by bit (in a for-loop) with 10 hash-signs ("#"). The actual
work of the program is simulated by the pause (sleep 1) line and could be
replaced by arbitrary commands.
   It automatically violates claims 1 and 12, because the described "computer
system" is an normal PC (with a UNIX-like shell :) running the program. Claims
2 and 3 are also violated, because the work units are the same as the time
passing by (in our example). Further, claims 13, 14, 15 and 16 are violated.

CAUTION: This patent is violated by the Federal Government of the Federal
Republic of Germany on it's website
http://www.treff.bundeswehr.de/data/05_spiele/
There, some games are linked to which display a progress bar on "loading"
(e.g. LUNA-Mission). It seems that the animations are optimized for
Microsoft Windows, but I guess there are lots of these systems out there.

-> 8 violated claims,
   1x caught Federal Government

Roland Stigge