Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!husc6!mit-eddie!ll-xn!ames!amdahl!krs From: krs@amdahl.amdahl.com (Kris Stephens) Newsgroups: sci.crypt,comp.misc Subject: Re: patents -- (disclosure) Message-ID: <15286@amdahl.amdahl.com> Date: Mon, 28-Sep-87 13:16:07 EDT Article-I.D.: amdahl.15286 Posted: Mon Sep 28 13:16:07 1987 Date-Received: Tue, 29-Sep-87 06:18:24 EDT References: <1372@osiris.UUCP> <441@polyslo.UUCP> <686@sugar.UUCP> <155@decvax.UUCP> <2411@calmasd.GE.COM> <1329@se-sd.sandiego.NCR.COM> Reply-To: krs@amdahl.amdahl.com (Kris Stephens) Organization: Amdahl Corp, Sunnyvale CA Lines: 37 Keywords: patent Xref: mnetor sci.crypt:589 comp.misc:1356 In article <1329@se-sd.sandiego.NCR.COM> dennis@se-sd.sandiego.NCR.COM writes: >In article <2411@calmasd.GE.COM> jnp@calmasd.GE.COM (John Pantone) writes: >>One, commonly used, method for "proving" the date of invention is to >>document the invention and mail it to yourself (postmark). Leave the >>envelope un-opened. >> >Gosh, I think I'll mail myself some envelopes (unsealed of course) to >get them postmarked today. Then, when something comes along that I >want to be the inventor of, I'll write a description of it and put it >into one of the envelopes and seal it. Incontrovertible evidence that >the invention was mine! :-) :-) :-) While "common", this method is not "incontrovertible" proof, and the courts know it. It's as true with copyright law as with patent law. Because copyright law requires registration with two copies when you publish , the only time this trick is needed for copyrights is when an author delays publication for some reason (I've got a whole mess of brass quartets and quintets in the hopper, to be published "someday"). Here's a trick: put a one-cent stamp across each (sealed) seam of the envelope, wait in line at your local PO, and have them hand-cancel each stamp. -- As I think about this, though, the technical ways to break into the envelope exist and, I assume, one could reclose and reglue the stamps without it showing. What are the options? Have a couple of people review copies of your design papers and sign them as witnesses? Get the signatures notarized so there's a permanent record? ...Kris -- Kristopher Stephens, | (408-746-6047) | {whatever}!amdahl!krs Amdahl Corporation | | -or- krs@amdahl.amdahl.com [The opinions expressed above are mine, solely, and do not ] [necessarily reflect the opinions or policies of Amdahl Corp. ]