Of un-patents and un-inventions

[Gregory Aharonian]

David Webber suggests:
>It suddenly occurred to me - that creating un-patents and un-inventing
>is entirely possible - and indeed we could create a review board
>and repository to receive these.  These would be a powerful antidote
>to any possible future claims - and also make nice references for
>the license to cite the un-invention and un-patent and un-claims.

Actually, it would probably have very little effect, for two reasons.
First, what you propose is already being offered by a few Web sites,
with no effect on the operations of patent offices.  Second, all
patent offices have major problems dealing with large databases of
abstracts to publications on software.  There are more effective ways
to help patent offices deal with the logistics of handling non-patent
prior art during examination.  Hopefully someday they will solicit
such ideas.  Achieving higher quality software patents (still the best
tool for small companies) is not that difficult technologically or
financially, just apparently politically.

Greg Aharonian
Internet Patent News Service
www.bustpatents.com