This is why you don't see small startups turning into the next Apple, MS, or IBM anymore. Companies are allowed to "own" these trivial, obvious "innovations" for 20 years, and then sue or buyout any newcomers before they could ever make it big.
A wise man said "Before Regan took office, companies had an equal obligation to their shareholders, their employees, and their customers. Now, it's only about the shareholders." You can thank Wall Street, the lobbyists, and Republican buzzwords like "free trade" and "deregulation" for the new corporate feudalism we live in today.