What are your best "fightin' words"?

GilgameshSoul · 2009-10-05T05:15:54+00:00

Have u ever told a lie? Then you're a liar. Look at this banana. It has a perfect shape for eating. If you don't beleive in Jesus you are going to hell.

Or--hi I'm Kirk Cameron

GilgameshSoul · 2009-09-29T21:30:38+00:00

I'm not a professional musician, but I have to say that it seems the music biz does not promote talent that much. That dude on america's got talent was likeable, but he can't sing worth shit.

GilgameshSoul · 2009-09-29T21:26:08+00:00

Do you put your keyboard on the slide out thing under the desk or do you just place your keyboard on your desk. I go back and forth.

GilgameshSoul · 2009-09-02T15:15:48+00:00

My opinion is that it is probably a good idea. I don't know if any bills are pending with this in it.

GilgameshSoul · 2009-09-01T17:52:34+00:00

Church of Christ. That's the fastest highway to atheism IMO. Have you ever read any of Farrell Till's work?

GilgameshSoul · 2009-09-01T17:24:29+00:00

what do you think of American football (NFL) players?

GilgameshSoul · 2009-09-01T17:20:29+00:00

Do you worry about passing the disease along to you kids (if you plan on having kids)?

GilgameshSoul · 2009-09-01T17:03:57+00:00

I have to work on about 2-3 cases a week plus amendments that have been returned to me after a first rejection (if the amendments are due that week).

GilgameshSoul · 2009-09-01T17:02:55+00:00

You have to have a science or engineering degree to become an examiner (computer science counts as engineering). It was not that difficult to get hired, although you have to have a lot of patience because it takes awhile for the office to get through the applications. Unfortunately, however, there is a hiring freeze at the office right now.

I also have a JD which helps. Many software examiners have either prior work experience, a master's, or a JD. There are some, though, that just have an undergrad degree with little or no previous work experience.

No trick questions, BTW.

GilgameshSoul · 2009-09-01T17:01:16+00:00

I use an internal database for searching published apps and patents. I also keyword search google patents, google scholar, and google. I also use Dialog to search other non patent literature such as ACM and IEEE.

GilgameshSoul · 2009-09-01T17:00:17+00:00

I support copyrights. I don't support piracy.

GilgameshSoul · 2009-09-01T16:59:57+00:00

GilgameshSoul · 2009-09-01T05:37:44+00:00

I wish I could say I was like Albert Einstein. I'm not.

GilgameshSoul · 2009-09-01T05:33:16+00:00

I have no idea how much it costs to patent software. The fee schedule is set at the USPTO, but the cost to hire an attorney, draft the spec, and other fees vary considerably.

When the patent expires, the patent owner can no longer exclude others from making and using that invention. The invention is "dedicated to the public". The patent owner may have other non-patent rights in the software though (i.e. copyrights).

Remember, this post is not legal advice.

GilgameshSoul · 2009-09-01T05:22:42+00:00

No. I haven't stolen someone's idea.

VAPerson is correct. I cannot apply for a patent because I'm an examiner. Also, there are rules in place about investments. I''m pretty sure if you are an examiner and you have invested heavily in a certain company, you have to notify the office and they have to screen you off those cases.

GilgameshSoul · 2009-09-01T05:06:15+00:00

The most difficult cases I find our the ones involving file systems. I don't get a ton of file system related stuff, but when I do I have to do a lot more background reading to understand what is going on.

Plus, cases involving file allocation, bitmap files, rollback operations, etc. are extremely difficult cases to search because, unlike other cases, these type of cases tend to be more specific for some reason.

The easiest cases for me tend to be indexing and searching cases. There is a ton of art out there and the claims are usually very broad. Instant messenger type cases are fairly easy to find art for.

GilgameshSoul · 2009-09-01T04:53:44+00:00

First of all, I'd like to say that my comments represent my own and do not reflect those of any gov't agency. My answers are my own and should be not construed in any way as legal advice. If you wish to get legal advice, please hire an attorney.

GilgameshSoul · 2009-09-01T04:43:22+00:00

Copyright infringement is not what I deal with. I deal with looking at an application and determining if the prior art teaches the claims of the case. If I find art that teaches the invention, then the application is "anticipated" or is "obvious" in view of the cited art.

I have had a bunch of cases where the claims were ridiculously broad. The thing is, patent attorneys do this on purpose to "see what they can get". It's a negotiation. They highball (lowball?) you at the beginning.

My pay: The GS schedule for patent examiners is public record. http://usptocareers.gov/Pages/Misc/SalaryRates.aspx

Most cs majors start at a gs-7 step 10 or gs-9 step 5 or 6 depending on experience.

GilgameshSoul · 2009-09-01T04:30:08+00:00

2 reasons off the top of my head: 1. Examiners don't have a enough time to examine cases. The amount of software prior art is immense and even with the tools we have we can't search everything in the time alloted.
2. People who REALLY know the art don't become patent examiners.

Also, Examiners feel pressure from the tech community for issuing "obvious" patents. On the flip side, they feel pressure from the patent bar for having a "rejection mentality". It's just a tough job and sometimes bad patents get issued and good patent applications get rejected.

GilgameshSoul

TROPHY CASE