A challenge to IPBiz readers

IPBiz puts out a challenge to readers. The New York Times reported on "the opinion of experts to the effect that the invention as described in the claim was not, in fact, anything essentially original upon which the inventor could claim a patent." There is also text "it did not rise to the dignity of an invention." Who was the New York Times talking about and what was the invention?

The first correct responder will be awesomely praised in IPBiz.