Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!cs.utexas.edu!rutgers!bellcore!messy!mo
From: mo@messy.bellcore.com (Michael O'Dell)
Newsgroups: comp.arch
Subject: Re: Patents and Architecture: can't patent use of transistors...
Message-ID: <24969@bellcore.bellcore.com>
Date: 4 Jul 90 20:34:28 GMT
References: <62864@sgi.sgi.com> <=Y943A7@xds13.ferranti.com> <37297@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU> <63007@sgi.sgi.com> <SOA4-T5@ficc.ferranti.com> <PCG.90Jun30223813@odin.cs.aber.ac.uk> <21F4V63@xds13.ferranti.com> <PCG.90Jul4155048@odin.cs.aber.ac.uk>
Sender: news@bellcore.bellcore.com
Reply-To: mo@messy.UUCP (Michael O'Dell)
Organization: Center for Chaotic Repeatabilty
Lines: 9

This is in fact incorrect in a slightly more narrow sense.
I've been told of a large oil exploration company who pioneered
the use of electronics in oil prospecting, and holds and has
successfully and aggressively enforced a general technology
patent on using electronic devices in the search for petroleum
in the earth.  Seems they get a non-trivial number of dollars
from this patent.  

	-Mike