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Nuclear slide rule. by pclminion · 2007-09-28 04:49 · Score: 4, Funny · on Know How To Use a Slide Rule?

I prefer to use a tactical nuclear slide rule, myself.

Oh, it gets worse... by adam · 2007-01-27 03:08 · Score: 3, Funny · on Microsoft Copies Idea, Admits It, Then Patents It

Based on their behavior here, Microsoft may also already own the patent on having brass balls!

A quick USPTO search doesn't find any specifically covering brass balls as big as these ones, so look for them to file for that patent pretty soon. Amusing sidenote.. I actually did search, and did come across this. And a backup (less amusing) source if first goes down.

Another possibility by toQDuj · 2006-05-20 22:33 · Score: 0, Offtopic · on New Possible SIDS Genes Identified

... is that the SIDS may be related to the application of the following device:

http://colitz.com/site/3216423/3216423.htm

(for the lazy: APPARATUS FOR FACILITATING THE BIRTH OF A CHILD BY CENTRIGUGAL FORCE).

B.

Re:Also in the works... by Knuckles · 2006-04-19 06:29 · Score: 1 · on Philips Patents Technology to Force Ad Viewing

Thanks for the laugh. However, the patent for an "Apparatus for Facilitating the Birth of a Child by Centrigugal (sic) Force" seems to have expired.

Re:Why? by acaspis · 2005-12-06 03:16 · Score: 1 · on Robots With Square Wheels?

it's never been done before (using a "helicopter" of shifting weight to propel a car forward by it's properly aligned square wheels).

It has certainly been done with regular wheels and ratchets, using revolving weights or other sources of motion. Ratchets are pretty common in MEMS designs. There are similarities with ultrasonic motors too.

AC

Re:This is why software patents by suckmysav · 2004-11-03 14:50 · Score: 1 · on Several Publishers Sued for Infringing 3D Patent

"your "invention" is nothing more than an idea or words on a piece of paper. You cannot patent that. You need a fuckin prototype at LEAST"

It would make sense if this were true, but I'm afraid that many people have patented many whacky and stupid inventions that have never got off their drawing boards.

Unless you believe that working prototypes of the Moon Capsule Suit or Instant Face Lift were actually built, of course. ;-)

Re:This is why software patents by suckmysav · 2004-11-03 14:50 · Score: 1 · on Several Publishers Sued for Infringing 3D Patent

"your "invention" is nothing more than an idea or words on a piece of paper. You cannot patent that. You need a fuckin prototype at LEAST"

It would make sense if this were true, but I'm afraid that many people have patented many whacky and stupid inventions that have never got off their drawing boards.

Unless you believe that working prototypes of the Moon Capsule Suit or Instant Face Lift were actually built, of course. ;-)

my favorite patents by metamanda · 2003-05-15 10:12 · Score: 4, Interesting · on Verisign Granted DNS Lookup Patent

These may give you an idea of the state of the U.S. Patent system. It seems your idea doesn't have to be original, or non-obvious, or at all useful. I suppose I'm preaching to the choir by saying this, but here are a couple ridiculous patents for your amusement:

US Patent 6,368,227: Method of Swinging on a Swing I truly don't know how they didn't get busted for prior art on this, or obvousness. According to patent lawyers I know, the guy got away with it because it's an exceptionally well-written patent.

and US Patent 3,216,423: APPARATUS FOR FACILITATING THE BIRTH OF A CHILD BY CENTRIGUGAL FORCE, which I think is actually very non-obvious, and I doubt there's much prior art on it. But I'm not surprised it was never productized.

USA! USA! by buzzdecafe · 2002-10-25 03:49 · Score: 2, Interesting · on England Salutes 150 Years of Eccentric Patents

We have our share of patent zaniness on the left side of the Atlantic as well.

Wacky patent of the month

For example . . .

USA! USA! by buzzdecafe · 2002-10-25 03:49 · Score: 2, Interesting · on England Salutes 150 Years of Eccentric Patents

We have our share of patent zaniness on the left side of the Atlantic as well.

Wacky patent of the month

For example . . .

You thought those were bad. by Marcus+Brody · 2002-01-15 21:38 · Score: 5, Informative · on Scientific American On Bad Patents

Check these patents:

Silly patents

Really silly patents

Really Very silly patent

Plain absurd patent

Even law firms admit many patents are silly

Are you getting bored of all this silliness yet?

I can go on

And on

And on. Even in Spanish

Incidentlly, I have just made my own patent application:
Method of recieving Karma Points from www.slashdot.org utilising process of relying entirely on external sources and/or hyperlinks - "Karma Whoring".

Re:this is gonna be fun by waveclaw · 2002-01-06 08:09 · Score: 1 · on Cornell University Sues Hewlett Packard

Assuming we are talking U.S.A. I.P. Law and by extension all Berne Treaty signature countries):

However, in an interesting twist of ethics and morals, there are registered secrets ((trade secrets ) that are essentially the same thing as patents without the benefit to the general public (the military is not so restricted), except you can get sued something ugly for going public and trying to patent or use someone else's *secret* process no matter how original you though you were. Trying to prove you didn't get it from the owners of the *secret* technology is not very easy.

Considering how *new discovery* dependant Computer Science and its derived engineering disciplines are at this time, the ethical nature of I.P. and patenting are still under debate. Just look at the whole Open Source initiative: it almost tries to return the original meaning of copyright (protection of attribution) to the current twisted definition (protection of money). In both cases, the majority is hurt by the expansion of rights to the individual (i.e. corporation) whereas the individual only gets a small conjectured advantage (majority of patents are never actually implemented, just registered and defended (yet another source of income not derived from meaningful work)). Not a surprise for a system whose major originating proponent created such patents as the patent covering his *long arm* - a device that consists of a long pole with a grasping device at the end to help get books off tall shelves (even though such devices had been used for centuries by his contemporary farmers for occasional chores.)

"The fact that it works is immaterial,"

L. Ogborn.

Wacky patents considered harmless . . . by werdna · 2000-11-01 01:01 · Score: 2 · on Patent Warfare

Reread the patent. It does not cover laser pens, just the method of using it as a form of exercise.

This is simply another in a long history of deeds issued by the USPTO for reasons of sheer amusement. This class of "wacky patents" is so silly and amusing that it even has its own web site.

If you read the claims and prosecution, you will understand clearly that the patent issued because it was clearly harmless and would have been difficult and expensive to reject.