TECHNOLOGY - March 31, 1994

Compton’s Patent May Conflict With HyperCard: The U.S. Patent Office indicated its preliminary rejection of Compton’s New Media’s controversial multimedia patent claim was based on a textbook description of HyperCard, a well-known computer program developed well before Compton’s filed for its patent in 1987. The Tribune Co., parent company of Compton’s New Media, said it is considering an appeal of the Patent Office’s ruling. Tribune Co. and Compton’s officials declined to comment on the details of the ruling.