3 ms·
It shouldn't be possible to patent such ideas. But in the current legal environment, it would be crazy of a company like Microsoft not to try and get a patent
by bunderbunder 12y ago
It shouldn't be possible to patent such ideas.
But in the current legal environment, it would be crazy of a company like Microsoft not to try and get a patent on anything they can get away with. Especially so now that the the America Invents Act is in effect. Being first to file means that they no long have the option of being altruistic and just letting their inventions sit around unpatented. That leaves an opening for someone else to swoop in, get the patent, and try to sue them for "infringing" on something they invented first.
Which is admittedly an awful situation. It really shouldn't be possible to patent such ideas.
- deleted 12y ago[deleted]
- rayiner 12y agoAnyone who gives you that story is trying to mislead you, using the rule change as cover. What first to file does is change the rule for who gets priority when multiple parties file overlapping patents. Before priority went to the "first to invent" now it goes to the "first to file" (avoiding the expensive process of figuring out which applicant invented first). It has no effect on a party that publishes an invention with no intention of patenting it.