Date: Mon, 12 Mar 2001 14:51:26 -0500 (EST) From: Trevor Johnson <trevor@jpj.net> To: gca1 <gca1@free.fr> Cc: <freebsd-chat@FreeBSD.ORG> Subject: Re: Patent and software ... Message-ID: <20010312144118.B20517-100000@blues.jpj.net> In-Reply-To: <Pine.LNX.3.96.1010312175827.8114A-100000@or.or.com>
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> Hello, Hi, Christian. > In USA, is it possible to take out a patent for a software or an idea? Yes. > if a mere idea can be patented, then companies can patent all the > unimaginable ideas and wait until have been developped by anyone else to > have a operating monopoly or to cash rights. The subject matter sought to be patented must be a "useful" process, machine, manufacture or composition of matter, i.e., it must have a practical application. The purpose of this requirement is to limit patent protection to inventions that possess a certain level of "real world" value, as opposed to subject matter that represents nothing more than an idea or concept, or is simply a starting point for future investigation --http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/com/hearings/software/analysis/files/guides.wp Algorithms have been patented (see http://www.faqs.org/faqs/compression-faq/part1/section-7.html for examples). > What are organizations which grant patent ? The United States Patent and Trademark Office. -- Trevor Johnson http://jpj.net/~trevor/gpgkey.txt To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-chat" in the body of the message
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