> Mr. Zoppoth designed what he called a ‘slit camera’ and received a secret US patent on it. A "secret US patent"??? The idea behind the patent system (whethe

> Mr. Zoppoth designed what he called a ‘slit camera’ and received a secret US patent on it. A "secret US patent"??? The idea behind the patent system (whether or not you think it works well) is for the government to grant a limited-time monopoly in exchange for publicizing an idea. A "secret patent" defeats the whole purpose. Secondly, how would anyone determine whether they were infringing such a patent? How could it be enforced? And finally, if an idea is to remain secret for a time, then, even if the patent can somehow be kept secret, why would you patent it at all? That starts a clock ticking toward the expiration of the patent. You would want to start that clock as late as possible, I would think. Why not wait until the idea is publicized?