Tom, as you say, anyone can apply for a patent no matter how silly or
extravagant the claims, and I would certainly classify the entire EET
article as silly and extravagant. The gushing prose and repeated references
to "new technology" are good clues that someone isn't being objective.
The patent office has no way to verify all the claims in a submission and
there is no burden on the claimant to submit proof that the claims are
valid, although that sometimes helps. The patent courts are saturated with
cases that try to resolve conflicting or inappropriate claims in granted
patents.
I searched the WM7D database and it turns out that Robert Vincent in Rhode
Island is K1DFT, who curiously enough is ARRL Technical Coordinator for the
Rhode Island section according to his bio in QRZ.com.
73, Dave AB7E
----- Original Message -----
From: "Tom Rauch" <W8JI@contesting.com>
To: "Ford Peterson" <ford@cmgate.com>; <topband@contesting.com>
Sent: Friday, June 18, 2004 1:57 AM
Subject: Re: Topband: New style 1.8MHz antenna
> <Can somebody please explain how a guy can get a patent on a shortened 1.8
> MHz vertical?
>
> Odd ideas and false or exaggerated claims repeat over and over again in
> antennas Ford, and they sometimes do receive patents.
>
> I was just in a meeting with a patent attorney and asked him the same
thing,
> and he said the patent office does not care if something actually works.
> They simply check for obvious prior art, but much of the burden of
accuracy
> in that area falls back on depending on the courts. They don't care if
> something works because if it doesn't work protection is generally
> meaningless anyway.
>
> In this case it appears there is no patent, and even if there was it
> wouldn't mean anything. There was a popular CB antenna with similar
grossly
> exaggerated helical loading system claims several years ago, so this is
old
> stuff.
>
> 73 Tom
>
>
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