Get Recognition for Your Method: Should I Get a Patent?

[deep838]

What should I do in order to get a recognition for a method I came up with?
Should I get a patent? If yes, then how?
If no, then what should I do to tell the world that I came up with the method?

 

[Astronuc]

What should I do in order to get a recognition for a method I came up with?
Should I get a patent? If yes, then how?
If no, then what should I do to tell the world that I came up with the method?

A patent is an exclusive right to a product or process (method) that must fulfill three requirements. It must be 1) new, 2) useful, and 3) non-obvious. New means that it has not been done before, useful means that it has utility, and non-obvious means that it no current practitioner would think of it or develop it independently given the state-of-the-art.

When obtaining a patent, one must perform a review of the background to be sure that the product or process has not been described previously. One would also have to file patents in various jurisdictions.

If one does not seek a patent, one can publish one's method in an appropriate journal.

 

[deep838]

Ok... my method is of squaring a number described here at: https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?p=4326115#post4326115
It does meet the criteria you mentioned. Which journals would be "appropriate"? Where should I go to file a patent? the court?

 

[micromass]

Ok... my method is of squaring a number described here at: https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?p=4326115#post4326115
It does meet the criteria you mentioned. Which journals would be "appropriate"? Where should I go to file a patent? the court?

It is very nice that you discovered such a trick. You should feel proud.
That said, no journal is going to be interested and there is no way to patent your discovery. Just feel happy that you discovered something nice.

 

[Ryan_m_b]

Math cannot be patented on its own as patents cannot apply to discoveries of nature. Patent law is quite fuzzy though and their are odd exceptions. This might be helpful for you:
http://www.legalmatch.com/law-library/article/what-cant-be-patented.html

 

[Vanadium 50]

I'm afraid it fails all three criteria: it's not new, it's not useful, and it's obvious.

 

[deep838]

Well I am happy that I did find it, but everyone I asked, said that they never heard of this method... so I thought it was a new one! sorry for the trouble. But thanks anyway for your replies. :) But how can you clain that its not useful and that its obvious? Its a far better way than doing (a+b)^2 and if it had been obvious, then at least some of the people I asked should have known about it! Btw I'd like to know, who found this method beforehand?