JDG wrote:
>The MSNBC article suggested that it was in part to prevent them from >being
>taken out by powerful interests.
>
Secrecy during development is important. However, it is impossible to both
obtain patent protection and to keep an invention secret. Part of the
requirements for obtaining a patent is to provide an explanation that one of
ordinary skill of the art can read and then develop the invented product
from the description given in the patent (including other papers and
patents referred to in the patent).
If one doesn't patent the device, then one will lose all rights to the
devise if someone patents the device while one is keeping it secret. Trade
secrets do exist, but they exist with the knowledge that all rights are lost
if someone else patents them. Sometimes the right to use the trade secret is
preserved with a defensive publication. For example, publishing the work in
the review of Outer Mongolian Poetry counts as publication.
>IIRC, there are some fairly well documented stories in this country >of
>technological innovations never reaching the market due to >powerful
>corporations. i.e. an innovation would severely damage the >existing
>corporation, so said corporation buys the patent and sits >on the device so
>that it never comes to market.
Well, I consider those urban myths. I would like to see a reference to one
of those patents. Remember, all patents are in the public domain and can be
read on the net. If such a device existed and was patented, documentation
on how to develop it would be available in the patent.
Do you know of any of these devices (e.g. the 100 mpg carburetor is my
favorite) that have been documented in this manner?
BTW, recent articles and the patent application confirmed my initial guess
of what it is. It is a bunch of hype used as a great ad campaign for a
rather modest invention.
Dan'm Traeki Ring of Crystallized Knowledge.
Known for calculating, but not known for shutting up
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