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> First: it simply encourages patents where the entire computer is included in a description of the software, turning it into a product/apparatus patent. That
by Lewton 11y ago
> First: it simply encourages patents where the entire computer is included in a description of the software, turning it into a product/apparatus patent.
That worry is completely nonsensical.
That would trivially be caught by the patent office.
And it would mean that a competitor could use the software on a different architecture without infringing, making the patent worthless.
- jobigoud 11y ago> That would trivially be caught by the patent office. It's actually used constantly in Europe to work around the restriction on software patents. The problem is that patent offices aren't staffed to do the job that is assigned to them. They would need a lot of full time engineers in each discipline just to sort through the pile.