P3D Patents

[Bob_Maxey@xxxxxxxxxxxx]

>>Bob,
  Throughout the entire process of obtaining a patent, I never encountered
any evidence that the patent examiner needed to know if the device actually
worked and from some of the patents I have looked at, I had to wonder if
they actually did function. Is there something I missed (or have perhaps
forgotten) which requires demonstration of the viability of the concept?


Kurt.... come to think about it, it never occurred to me that perhaps the
device does not need to work. Additionally, the following seems to indicate
this as well. Note the words 'Must Be Useful" This indicates to me that it
must work as well. As far as who determines this, who knows. At one time, a
Patent model had to be supplied to the Patent Office. After all, it is not
possible to patent a concept only, and you would never patent something
that is not useful would you? I am not the expert here.

>Patents grant an inventor the right to exclude others from producing or
using the inventor's discovery or invention for a limited period of time.
The U.S. patent laws
>have been enacted by Congress, under its Constitutional grant of
authority, to prote ct the discoveries of inventors. See U.S. Constitution,
 Article I, Section 8. The
>main body of law concerning patents is found in Title 35 of the United
States Code. I n order to be patented an invention must be novel, useful,
and not of an
>obvious nature. See ß ß 101 - 103 of Title 35. Such "utility" patents are
issued for four general types of inven tions/discoveries: machines, man
made products,
>compositions of matter, and processing methods. See ß 101 of Title 35.
Changing technology has led to an ever expanding understanding of what
constitutes a man
>made product. Specific additions to the Patent Act provide, in addition,
for design and plant patents.

Cheers,

RM



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