Patents and Quantum Computing

Paul Guinnessy writes "Will the patents taken out on quantum computers expire before such computers are ever built? I have surveyed all the top researchers in quantum computing to find out. The results have been published in Physics World magazine. "

Comments

Utterly missing the point

[Doug Merritt]

Most of the first responses are utterly missing the point. No one has attempted to patent an as-yet-nonexistent quantum computer, so arguing that they shouldn't do so is ludicrous. What has been patented is a number of little gadgets that do in fact work, but would only be a part of a quantum computer.

Another important point is that these components might be useful in some other invention long before a full fledged quantum computer is created.

Whether hardware patents should exist in the first place really is an utterly different issue. There must be hundreds of new patents issued every day, including design patents for new car body styles, but I don't hear people screaming of the injustice of it all every time GM cranks out yet another SUV.

Lastly, this article, and its posting on Slashdot, disappoints me for a different reason: some days ago I offered a story on a small breakthrough in quantum computing that is featured in the current issue of Nature -- a working externally controlled quantum bit.

But Slashdot prefers to run something cynical. I didn't see Paul Guinnessy interview the NEC researchers who made this latest breakthrough to see whether they thought that quantum computers were more than 20 years away or not.

I'd be surprised if someone didn't have at least a limited quantum computer in only 5-10 years, myself -- I'm a technology optimist.