Software patent is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard of. When you make a hardware patent you have to exactly describe what are you doing, what are the principles. With software you just claim that something is yours that is a bit similar than your findings or do the same results as yours. That's how they could patented signature based virus scanning and loads of other obvious things - but nobody could claim the fee for it yet. FAT file system, jpeg and mp3 for example also patented or at least wanted to be patented, but the matter of fact all of these claimed after it was proven to be used widely. I would say if a method is already used by others than the issuer the claim is invalid... Also if somebody make a software patent at least a pseudo-coded source has to be publicised for that, so that the original goal of the whole thing would've been achieved so others could learn the new technology and can improve it even further. I think I will patent blinking LED projects that are using at least one PIC controllers with one or more 5mm LED so from now you can only make your project using 3mm LED or other sized ones Tamas On 5/15/07, Peter P. wrote: > > Jim Korman alltel.net> writes: > > Just what is novel, unique, or hasn't been around since rocks here? > > Why are you asking that when the cited patents in that patent include this > (1994) implementation of branch-on-fault: > > http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser? > Sect2=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-bool.html& > r=1&f=G&l=50&d=PALL&RefSrch=yes&Query=PN%2F5371894 > > The larger part of the 'IP' these patents represent is probably > undefendable. > Branch on fault (code or data) probably dates back to the first > timesharing > hardware. PDPs with their microprogrammed CPUs certainly supported this. > How > exactly IBM could patent what is described above in 1994 beats me but I am > not a > lawyer. Apparently this petent thing is a device that allows lawyers to > put > their kids through college and serves as 'teeth' for companies which try > to > subdue a competitor until they find something that works better. > > Peter P. > > > -- > http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive > View/change your membership options at > http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist > -- http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive View/change your membership options at http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist