Xref: utzoo comp.protocols.tcp-ip:7589 comp.dcom.lans:3103 misc.legal:9581 Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!ucbvax!anise!salt.acc.com!lars From: lars@salt.acc.com (Lars J Poulsen) Newsgroups: comp.protocols.tcp-ip,comp.dcom.lans,misc.legal Subject: Re: Token Ring Patent Summary: That's how patents work Message-ID: <874@anise.acc.com> Date: 4 Jul 89 06:17:48 GMT References: <2377@cpoint.UUCP> <2413@cpoint.UUCP> <2414@cpoint.UUCP> Sender: news@anise.acc.com Followup-To: misc.legal Organization: Advanced Computer Communications, Santa Barbara, California Lines: 46 In article <2414@cpoint.UUCP> and <2413@cpoint.UUCP> and <2377@cpoint.UUCP>, martillo@cpoint.UUCP (Joachim Carlo Santos Martillo) writes: >>As usual, the language is totally obscure, and if the actual patent >>is similarly written, I would feel that the patent officer would have >>been negligent not to have rejected the application on those grounds >>alone. The abstract quoted seems unusually clear. This covers the idea of a token ring. >>However, I doubt either MAU has any circuits borrowed from the >>Soderblom circuit. The patent does not appear to cover a specific circuit implementation, but rather, it covers the abstract notion of a token ring. >>Now, I would consider the following scenario analogous to what >>Soderblom has achieved at the patent office. >> >>It is 1890 and I build the first electric stove which I patent. >>... >>Purporting to owning the concept of cooking with >>electrically-generated heat would seem a bit presumptuous. This is what the patent process is supposed to do !! >>There is no obvious justification in granting patent rights over all >>circuits which constitute a class distinguished from a pre-existing >>class of circuits simply through minor extensions The idea of patents is to encourage inventions by allowing the inventor sole rights to a new idea for a limited time, provided he publishes the idea, so (a) everybody can use it now if they pay the inventor, and (b) everybody can use it later, and can build on it. The best patents are always sweeping ideas with many applications. If yoiu can't come up with any such, you may be able to invent process improvements or applications. ---- Oh, there I did it; I let myself get baited into an argument with Martillo (:-(. At least I've redirected followups. / Lars Poulsen (800) 222-7308 or (805) 963-9431 ext 358 ACC Customer Service Affiliation stated for identification only My employer probably would not agree if he knew what I said !!