> As for bad ideas, nothing in the law prevents you patenting useless or non-valuable things. Actually, section 101 of the patent statute expressly states that

> As for bad ideas, nothing in the law prevents you patenting useless or non-valuable things. Actually, section 101 of the patent statute expressly states that an invention must be useful in order to be patented. "Whoever invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof, may obtain a patent therefor, subject to the conditions and requirements of this title." (Emphasis added.) There have been court cases in which patents were invalidated because their claimed subject matter had no discernible utility. See, e.g., the Janssen case: A patent claimed the use of a particular chemical formulation to treat Alzheimer's, but apparently there was zero evidence that the treatment actually had any effect. The case is summarized at http://www.pharmapatentsblog.com/2010/12/07/solving-utility-problems/ http://www.pharmapatentsblog.com/2010/12/07/solving-utility-....