Well, there never was a Bilski patent. It got rejected at every stage of the game, from the USPTO examiner, to the BPAI, to the Federal Circuit (sua sponte en banc, no less), to the Supreme Court.
But the application was directed to a technique for hedging risk in energy trading.
The hoteling (telework) program requires that you have two years of service at the USPTO and have reached GS-12 or higher (which is also possible within two years). Before then, you have to move to the DC area to work there so that you can get adequate supervision.
There was a recent change to the hoteling program such that if you live within 50 miles of the office in Alexandria, Virginia, you don't have to meet the reporting requirement. If you live outside that radius, you have to report in to the Alexandria office on two days out of each biweek for at least an hour each day.
Some people who live outside the radius fly in on the last Friday and Saturday of one biweek, show up at work for an hour that day, make a vacation out of the rest of the weekend (get a hotel, etc.), go back to work on Monday and Tuesday of the following biweek, and fly out Tuesday. That at least means you only have to report in once a month for a long weekend.
The way to improve the system is to do away with it:
That's hardly practical, considering that most of us are not members of Congress. Wouldn't it make more sense to do something that would actually work, and try to improve the system from within?
The boundary of effect on the pain ray is pretty distinct. There was an episode of Futureweapons a while back where the host and some colonel were standing a few feet apart from each other; one was affected by the pain ray while the other wasn't.
So, you could aim the edge of the beam parallel to the ground to avoid any undesired effects to the soil (if there even are any - I'm guessing that the beam doesn't penetrate very far at all).
As for other wildlife, I would assume that birds and such would learn to avoid the area the same way people would.
FFS, someone should take a hatchet to the US PTO. Don't they need to reduce the budget or something?
The USPTO is entirely fee-funded. Your tax dollars don't pay the examiners' salaries.
On a side note, if you do know something about history and technology, and you'd like to put your money where your mouth is and improve the quality of patent examination, the USPTO is currently hiring qualified individuals with expertise in electrical, computer, and biomedical engineering. US citizenship required. In addition to standard federal benefits and a salary that can reach $100k in about three years, the USPTO has the federal government's flagship telework program, which allows you to work from home, anywhere in the country, once you meet certain qualifications.
You could also change it to riaaradar.com, which will help you avoid music RIAA-affiliated record companies and stick with independently-produced music.
Despite Thomas Jefferson's fantasies, most Americans seem to prefer parties.
I don't think that's actually true. Parties seem to prefer parties, and the accumulation of wealth within parties to support their own members as candidates - i.e., advertising - sells those candidates to the voters better than unaffiliated candidates are able to.
Well, if your reference is another patent or patent application publication under 102(e), the prior art date (i.e., the filing date of the prior art patent or pub) could be more than a year before the priority date, and the applicant could still swear behind it (however unlikely that might be).
The claimed features? Or just the ones blathered on about in the abstract?
Also, was your BBS available for the examiner to cite as prior art? If not, you can't really fault the examiner for not citing it - examiners can't just say, "Yeah, I've seen that before," but not provide evidence to back up their statement.
The patent has a valid priority chain going all the way back to 2 November 1997. That means that the effective filing date of this patent is 2 November 1997.
1. Hostile IT depts. There was only two devs (only one technically competent) and two IT people. We knew each other. We worked well together. Us IT guys
As it turns out, IT guys and normal people have two very different thresholds for hostility.
The whole "smart weapons make a war clean" drivel is bullshit.
There's clean, and then there's clean. You'll never have a truly clean war, but smart weapons get it close. And close does in fact count in horseshoes, hand grenades, and nuclear warfare.
Slashdot Mirror
Well, there never was a Bilski patent. It got rejected at every stage of the game, from the USPTO examiner, to the BPAI, to the Federal Circuit (sua sponte en banc, no less), to the Supreme Court.
But the application was directed to a technique for hedging risk in energy trading.
I believe your bacon analogy is far superior to the often used car analogy.
It certainly tastes better, in any case.
The hoteling (telework) program requires that you have two years of service at the USPTO and have reached GS-12 or higher (which is also possible within two years). Before then, you have to move to the DC area to work there so that you can get adequate supervision.
There was a recent change to the hoteling program such that if you live within 50 miles of the office in Alexandria, Virginia, you don't have to meet the reporting requirement. If you live outside that radius, you have to report in to the Alexandria office on two days out of each biweek for at least an hour each day.
Some people who live outside the radius fly in on the last Friday and Saturday of one biweek, show up at work for an hour that day, make a vacation out of the rest of the weekend (get a hotel, etc.), go back to work on Monday and Tuesday of the following biweek, and fly out Tuesday. That at least means you only have to report in once a month for a long weekend.
The way to improve the system is to do away with it:
That's hardly practical, considering that most of us are not members of Congress. Wouldn't it make more sense to do something that would actually work, and try to improve the system from within?
The boundary of effect on the pain ray is pretty distinct. There was an episode of Futureweapons a while back where the host and some colonel were standing a few feet apart from each other; one was affected by the pain ray while the other wasn't.
So, you could aim the edge of the beam parallel to the ground to avoid any undesired effects to the soil (if there even are any - I'm guessing that the beam doesn't penetrate very far at all).
As for other wildlife, I would assume that birds and such would learn to avoid the area the same way people would.
...and most of the former Eastern Europe, they used old T-34 (with turret removed) as tractors in the 1950'ties and 1960'ties.
In Soviet Russia, tank drives you!
FFS, someone should take a hatchet to the US PTO. Don't they need to reduce the budget or something?
The USPTO is entirely fee-funded. Your tax dollars don't pay the examiners' salaries.
On a side note, if you do know something about history and technology, and you'd like to put your money where your mouth is and improve the quality of patent examination, the USPTO is currently hiring qualified individuals with expertise in electrical, computer, and biomedical engineering. US citizenship required. In addition to standard federal benefits and a salary that can reach $100k in about three years, the USPTO has the federal government's flagship telework program, which allows you to work from home, anywhere in the country, once you meet certain qualifications.
See http://usptocareers.gov/ for more info.
Have you heard of Guild Wars?
Too bad. I was hoping to pick up some Soylent Recording Execs at the store later today.
This is nothing. My startup technology detects crimes BEFORE they unfold.
In Soviet Russia, crime detects YOU!
Phone companies are assholes.
Film at 11.
You could also change it to riaaradar.com, which will help you avoid music RIAA-affiliated record companies and stick with independently-produced music.
Despite Thomas Jefferson's fantasies, most Americans seem to prefer parties.
I don't think that's actually true. Parties seem to prefer parties, and the accumulation of wealth within parties to support their own members as candidates - i.e., advertising - sells those candidates to the voters better than unaffiliated candidates are able to.
If you think about it. If Mohammed actually ever came to meet his people. They'd execute the guy for defaming himself.
Not to mention that they'd kill him for having a depiction of himself on his driver's license.
Hmmm, pretty much sounds like Christianity as well.
Is that supposed to be a counterargument?
But, what about that player-to-be-named later?
Sean Connery always wins.
"I'll take Anal Bum Cover for $200!"
Well, if your reference is another patent or patent application publication under 102(e), the prior art date (i.e., the filing date of the prior art patent or pub) could be more than a year before the priority date, and the applicant could still swear behind it (however unlikely that might be).
The claimed features? Or just the ones blathered on about in the abstract?
Also, was your BBS available for the examiner to cite as prior art? If not, you can't really fault the examiner for not citing it - examiners can't just say, "Yeah, I've seen that before," but not provide evidence to back up their statement.
IANAL
Evidenced by your lack of understanding of patent law, specifically regarding continuing applications.
The patent has a valid priority chain going all the way back to 2 November 1997. That means that the effective filing date of this patent is 2 November 1997.
See 35 USC 120.
I don't think Ozzy absorbs drugs anymore. After all, osmosis only works for moving stuff from high to low concentrations.
1. Hostile IT depts. There was only two devs (only one technically competent) and two IT people. We knew each other. We worked well together. Us IT guys
As it turns out, IT guys and normal people have two very different thresholds for hostility.
I wouldn't want to see Stephen Wolfram without his robes, either.
Because economic development is critical to preventing another despotic power from taking control in Afghanistan once US troops withdraw.
The whole "smart weapons make a war clean" drivel is bullshit.
There's clean, and then there's clean. You'll never have a truly clean war, but smart weapons get it close. And close does in fact count in horseshoes, hand grenades, and nuclear warfare.