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Unread 03-03-2003, 17:11
Paul Copioli's Avatar Unsung FIRST Hero Woodie Flowers Award
Paul Copioli Paul Copioli is offline
President, VEX Robotics, Inc.
FRC #3310 (Black Hawk Robotics)
Team Role: Engineer
 
Join Date: Jun 2001
Rookie Year: 2000
Location: Rockwall, TX
Posts: 1,382
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Patent Clear Up

As always, I am inspired by what the TechnoKitties have done. Their ingenuity will push our team to do something as clever in the future.

About patents: They are intended to fully share an idea with anyone who wants to know about it. They do not stop anyone from using it. What a patent does do is protect the inventor from having his/her idea stolen. It stops a person or company from financially benefiting from another person's idea.

The original intention for the patent was to establish a record of innovative ideas in order to preserve them. It seems silly with today's technology, but if the only person on Earth who knew how to do this one brand new thing that everyone could benefit from died, that technology would be lost. The patent process helped prevent us from having to "reinvent the wheel" so to speak.

If the TK ball drive is patentable, then I say go for it. If a company sees value in their idea, then they can sell it and use the money for a greater good.

Great job 45.

-Paul