Warp drive at last!

Ar-Adunakhor · Post by **Ar-Adunakhor** » 2005-11-12 09:51pm

Apparently a patent has been issued for a Star-Treknobabble Warp Drive.

Linky

Is it just me, or does everyone with a grain of common sense feel that we need to start overhauling a patent system that allows you to patent something that has not yet been created, and is based on bullshit cloud-castles in the first place? From what I read, the system he proposes itself is just a bunch of technobabble, and he does not put forward any way of generating the "quantized vortices of lattice ions projecting a gravitomagnetic field".

I know! How about I put in patents for all theoretical modes of interstellar travel as they are discovered? If someone ever creates anything based on those principles, I will be rich! Ooh, ooh! How about I patent an invisible Gravitotronic Re-Stratified Inverse Phase Field which is all around us, and secretly powers every chemical reaction! I estimate that the catalytic reations keeping you alive right now are going to cost you $100 a second. Pay up!

What a crock of shit.

Post by **Surlethe** » 2005-11-12 09:55pm

Abstract and inventor:

United States Patent 6,960,975
Volfson November 1, 2005
Space vehicle propelled by the pressure of inflationary vacuum state

Abstract

A space vehicle propelled by the pressure of inflationary vacuum state is provided comprising a hollow superconductive shield, an inner shield, a power source, a support structure, upper and lower means for generating an electromagnetic field, and a flux modulation controller. A cooled hollow superconductive shield is energized by an electromagnetic field resulting in the quantized vortices of lattice ions projecting a gravitomagnetic field that forms a spacetime curvature anomaly outside the space vehicle. The spacetime curvature imbalance, the spacetime curvature being the same as gravity, provides for the space vehicle's propulsion. The space vehicle, surrounded by the spacetime anomaly, may move at a speed approaching the light-speed characteristic for the modified locale.
Inventors: Volfson; Boris (5707 W. Maple Grove Rd., Apt. 3046, Huntington, IN 46750)
Appl. No.: 079670
Filed: March 14, 2005

Current U.S. Class: 335/216; 60/200.1
Intern'l Class: H01F 006/00; F03H 005/00
Field of Search: 335/216 60/200.1

Kuroneko · Post by **Kuroneko** » 2005-11-12 10:11pm

It's powered using a lattice of ions? Great Scott, it must be a dilithium crystal!

SirNitram · Post by **SirNitram** » 2005-11-12 10:19pm

The technobabble, it's like an icepick to the brain.

Crayz9000 · Post by **Crayz9000** » 2005-11-12 10:39pm

Part of me wonders if he filed this as a joke.

Ariphaos · Post by **Ariphaos** » 2005-11-12 11:15pm

Crayz9000 wrote:Part of me wonders if he filed this as a joke.

I'm pretty certain it is. I keep getting tempted to try and write up various mechanics such that I could effectively patent the wheel and fire. Best I can think of is "Method for dihydrogen oxide synthesis"

General Soontir Fel · Post by **General Soontir Fel** » 2005-11-13 01:07am

Xeriar wrote:
Crayz9000 wrote:Part of me wonders if he filed this as a joke.
I'm pretty certain it is. I keep getting tempted to try and write up various mechanics such that I could effectively patent the wheel and fire. Best I can think of is "Method for dihydrogen oxide synthesis"

I've heard (don't remember where) that someone from Australia got a patent for the wheel.

Ariphaos · Post by **Ariphaos** » 2005-11-13 01:10am

General_Soontir_Fel wrote:I've heard (don't remember where) that someone from Australia got a patent for the wheel.

More like a prepatent, basically a rubber stamp with no review, just to legally register an idea IIRC.

Futoque · Post by **Futoque** » 2005-11-13 08:48pm

Don't worry, the patent will expire long before anyone can actually build something that infinges.

Flakin · Post by **Flakin** » 2005-11-13 09:40pm

Futoque wrote:Don't worry, the patent will expire long before anyone can actually build something that infinges.

Heh, very good point. Patents are only good for 17 years. After that the Warp Drive will be available for mass production...

brianeyci · Post by **brianeyci** » 2005-11-13 09:44pm

If the patent expires, can someone reapply for the rights?

If not, it might be a good idea for consumer watchdog NGO's to throw as many patents up as possible for as many ridiculous ideas as possible... if you can't beat the system, work with the system.

Brian

Molyneux · Post by **Molyneux** » 2005-11-13 11:03pm

brianeyci wrote:If the patent expires, can someone reapply for the rights?

If not, it might be a good idea for consumer watchdog NGO's to throw as many patents up as possible for as many ridiculous ideas as possible... if you can't beat the system, work with the system.

Brian

I think that they become public domain once they've expired.