On 09/19/2012 10:58 AM, Jed Rothwell wrote: > [...] > > This has nothing to do with me. I am not in charge of policy at the > U.S. Patent Office. They are the source of the problem. The purpose of > a patent is to promote progress in technology by sharing information > while protecting intellectual property. If the P.O. would do their > job, information on cold fusion would spread as quickly as it does > with any other commercial R&D. > > - Jed >
I wonder why the Patent Office cares if the device actually works? The criteria should be that the work is original, complex, and involved a significant labor investment. Instead, we have Amazon patenting a 'point a click' method of purchasing, and we have the 'cat and laser' patent. http://www.google.com/patents/US5443036 These are nonsense, and threaten the whole concept of intellectual property, whereas original, creative, labor intensive, design, is denied. Craig
