scott <sco### [at] scottcom> wrote:
> *But*, if it applies to some physical object that can actually be made, then 
> the algorithm/program *can* be patented.  For example a novel image 
> processing algorithm for improving display quality on a display is fine, or 
> a control program for a crane, that sort of thing.

  AFAIK even then it applies only to the device in question.

  For example, a company could patent, let's say, a scanning device which
scans a barcode and tells what numeric code it corresponds to. The algorithm
which recognizes the barcode from the rest of the image and interprets its
meaning can be part of the device patent.

  However, someone could implement the exact same algorithm on a PC so that
it would recognize barcodes from JPEG images and then distribute that program,
and it would be fine because it's not anymore related to the scanning device.
This person is not building the scanning *device* and distributing it, only
a program.

-- 
                                                          - Warp

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