New Anti Gravity Patent

[SVT Cobra]

Text

A new patent...


crazy or not? I have always been interested in anti gravity...what are your opinions on this new patent because I love reading and learning...

is this vehicle possible or not?

 

[Xyo II]

right now, no. in the future, maybe.

 

[the splat in the hat]

star trekin across the universe , aaaaarrrgggghhhhh bloody klingons !

l dunno if l believe it to even work at all, but science like this has to start somewhere, it seems a little far fetched but good luck to the inventor hope he gets it to work.

 

[bobsmith1492]

Sounds like an ion engine to me; I've seen them being worked on at MSU or UofM or somewhere. If so, it's not "antigravity" - it's an action/reaction from expelling particles at high speeds that causes a force that makes it move. I didn't look too closely at that "thing," but it doesn't sound that promising. (Don't quote me on this when NASA announces they're buying the patent for 10 billion dollars!)

 

[DrPizza]

IIRC, there is some experiment to show the existence of particles popping into and out of existence. Somehow it relates to the pressure those particles would exert on an object during their very brief lifespan.

Found it: Casimir effect.

Anyway, some fun reading:
http://www.hawking.org.uk/lectures/warps3.html
Casimir effect, virtual particles, space-time, and wormholes all in one paragraph

 

[DrPizza]

Better description of the Casimir effect:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casimir_effect

 

[gsellis]

HA! The patent will expire before anyone could even build one.

 

[pm]

This patent is based on the Podkletnov's experiments on reducing gravity (or shielding gravity) by using a rotating superconductor. This is a strong claim and so far it has not been conclusively proven to be true.

Based on the Wikipedia entry:

So far, all independent attempts to reproduce Podkletnov's original experiment have yielded either negative or inconclusive results. This may be due to the extreme difficulty of reproducing the type and size of the superconducting disk used by Podkletnov.

Information on the exact whereabouts of Podkletnov or the progress of his work remains very scarce.

This patent doesn't rely on the Casimir Effect - which is a small force that has been experimentally proven - but on "A cooled hollow superconductive shield... projecting a gravitomagnetic field". This "gravitomagnetic effect" on which this patent is based has not been replicated and published by 3rd parties and can't be explained (nor is expected) by current theories on quantum mechanics nor superconducting theory. It can best be described as outside mainstream science.

 

[patentman]

This patent [relies] on "A cooled hollow superconductive shield... projecting a gravitomagnetic field". This "gravitomagnetic effect" on which this patent is based has not been replicated and published by 3rd parties and can't be explained (nor is expected) by current theories on quantum mechanics nor superconducting theory. It can best be described as outside mainstream science.

If this is the case, this patent is invalid. Per 35 U.S.C. 112 first paragraph, the written descirption of the invention (i.e. the specification) must be sufficient to enable one of ordianry skill in the are to make and use the invention "without undue experimentation."
If the invention is based on a principal that has not been proven and cannot (as yet) be reproduced, then a fortiori the specification is non-enabling.

Not to say that there isn't a good idea behind the idea, but ideas, in an of themselves, are generally not patentable in the U.S.

 

[AlricTheMad]

Not to say that there isn't a good idea behind the idea, but ideas, in an of themselves, are generally not patentable in the U.S.

Ummmmm,
Have you seen the current run on software patents, like single click purchase (I believe).

 

[patentman]

Originally posted by: AlricTheMad

Not to say that there isn't a good idea behind the idea, but ideas, in an of themselves, are generally not patentable in the U.S.

Ummmmm,
Have you seen the current run on software patents, like single click purchase (I believe).

ummmmmm yes I have. If you read the so called "one click" patent, it claims a METHOD. Which is a statutory class of invention under U.S. Patent Law.

As for software patents, there was a huge debate a while back over whether software was patentable. The courts determined that it was for a variety of reasons, and I, as a Patent professional (I work in a patent law firm and was a Patent Examiner for several years) am bound to follow the courts decisions. I'm merely stating what the law is, I don;t necesarily agree with it.

As for some of the crappy patents the USPTO has issued (i.e. a patent was issued a few years ago claiming a method of swining on a swing), most of those patents issue as a result of Examiners being overworked, underpaid, and because the subject matter in those applications is not easily located uing the boolean based search tool that is employed at the PTO.

Besides, loads of people on this site get all up in arms about so called "crappy" patents. One thing no one seems to appreciate is that just because a patent issues on something does not mean its valid and enforceable. While a presumption of validity applies because the PTO granted a patent on the claimed subject matter, that presumption can be overcome in a variety of ways. Indeed, less then 3% of all patents are ever litigated. Thus, if a truly "bad" patent is issued, it is more likely then not to either never be enforced or be held invalid in court.

 

[kevinthenerd]

I bookmarked the patent. I'm interested in anti-gravity myself. Have you seen what they've been doing with gyroscopes?

 

[Shadowmage]

gyroscopes has nothing to do with "antigravity"

 

[sao123]

Originally posted by: Son of a N00b
Text

A new patent...


crazy or not? I have always been interested in anti gravity...what are your opinions on this new patent because I love reading and learning...

is this vehicle possible or not?

This patent will self destruct in 15 seconds.
Boom

 

[dkozloski]

This patent ought to be particularly attractive to those using dope and trying to fly.