Re: Sharing the Family PC is Patent-Pending

[Alun]

Barry Margolin <barmar@alum.mit.edu> wrote in news:barmar-
4F1EBA.21270509052004@comcast.ash.giganews.com:

> In article <c7midj$2o6$1@hes01.unity.ncsu.edu>,
>  hes@unity.ncsu.edu (Henry E Schaffer) wrote:
> 
>> In article <barmar-9E589C.17450607052004@comcast.ash.giganews.com>,
>> Barry Margolin  <barmar@alum.mit.edu> wrote:
>> > ...
>> >In any case, a patent doesn't just cover the end result, it covers the 
>> >*method* used to obtain that result.  
>> 
>>   I've read a number of patents which claimed the end result, and then
>> included any method of accomplishing it giving one method as an example,
>> and then saying that this was only an example and that there could be
>> other methods. 
> 
> Is that really a valid patent?  Can an IP professional comment on this?  
> I didn't think you could patent a general idea, it has to be a 
> particular method or device.
> 

Certainly. You can do this provided you give the best mode of practicing 
the invention.

Alun Palmer, US Patent Agent, Registration No. 47,838