Warren Sarle wrote:
>
> In article <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>,
> Paige Miller <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes:
> >
> > If it so happens that while I am in the employ of a certain company, I
> > invent some new algorithm, then my company has a vested interest in
> > making sure that the algorithm remains its property and that no one
> > else uses it, especially a competitor.
>
> That would be perfectly reasonable. Unfortunately, patent law
> doesn't work that way. You cannot patent an algorithm per se.
> But anybody can patent applications of the algorithm that you
> invented. You could end up having to pay royalties to somebody
> else for using your own algorithm. The law is insane.
It doesn't make sense to me either, but that is exactly what we have
done. We have patented a mathematical procedure as applied to chemical
manufacturing. If someone else wanted to patent the exact same
mathematical procedure as applied to veterinary care, I suppose they
could.
--
Paige Miller
Eastman Kodak Company
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
"It's nothing until I call it!" -- Bill Klem, NL Umpire
"Those black-eyed peas tasted all right to me" -- Dixie Chicks
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