How about we work to change how the patent office operates? I think it's ridiculous you can get a patent for a thing that doesn't actually fucking exist, among many other really stupid things they approve or deny.
this post was submitted on 15 Nov 2024
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Tldr, to help fight patent trolls:
They're asking you to find evidence of preexisting technology -- referred to by patent lawyers as "prior art" -- that can kill off bad patents. This could be open-source documentation (including release notes), published standards or specifications, product manuals, articles, blogs, books, or any publicly available information.
They use this info to essentially undercut and invalidate the patent trolls' filing, killing their ability to file suit on that patent again.
There's also a contest with a $3000 prize for anyone who can help kill a current one on their plate.
https://patroll.unifiedpatents.com/contests/s3vQkRdTC6coNkjyx
It sounds like they need proof that this tech existed before 2013? I'm new to patents.. how does this evidence kill the patent?
Can't file a patent on something that someone else already made.
Maybe crowdsource hitmen.
Another way to help: If you have an idea that someone could possibly patent, no matter how stupid you think it is, you can publish a defensive technical disclosure on tdcommons for free https://www.tdcommons.org/
if you are known to look at patents then you become a target of patent trolls.
i advise good OPSEC.
OPSEC "operational security" is protecting yourself from harm with safe practices, study and research, and technology
OPSEC Savvy Ostrich approves.
I love this approach.
Nit: "If you can find prior art that describes such a system before June 13, 2013, you could be a winner." ... 2013 is a typo I'm guessing?
That’s not the submission deadline, that’s the priority date for this particular patent, basically when it was first filed. If people can find other published information describing what the patent covers that predates the filing it would help invalidate the patent.