While I do not have experience as a patent examiner, I do have several
patents pending with the USPTO. I agree with John's assessment of the
XMatch patent.
The validity of any patent stands or falls based upon its claims. The
XMatch patent contains only seven claims with claims 5 through 7 describing
a means for switching an input to an aux port (5); a bypass to ground (6);
and a bypass to an aux port (7).
Claims 2 and 3 simply describes the use of a Pi and L network. The meat of
the claims rest with claims (1) and (4) in that it describes a way for
switching the networks alone....little more is claimed in the XMatch patent
other than a means for switching a Pi and/or L network.
In order to obtain a valid patent, the invention must be (1) useful; (2)
novel; and (3) non-obvious. Useful means that the invention is capable
(through utility) of serving a useful purpose. Novelty in this context means
that the invention was not fully disclosed in a single prior-art reference.
*The obviousness standard refers to the invention not being obvious to one
skilled in the art to which the invention pertains on the basis of a single
reference or a combination of references.*
In my opinion, the XMatch patent completely fails to satisfy the third
requirement. I suspect the issuing patent examiner did not comprehend the
patent claims: Bogus patents are issued every day.
-Paul, W9AC
----- Original Message -----
From: "W0UN -- John Brosnahan" <shr@swtexas.net>
To: <towertalk@contesting.com>
Sent: Monday, December 01, 2003 7:48 AM
Subject: [TowerTalk] N4XM Match Info request
> At 04:48 AM 12/1/2003, Larry Stowell wrote:
>
> >http://n4xm.myiglou.com/
> >
> >I don't see the price and it costs $3 for more info by snail mail?
>
>
> If you want more information you can always review Paul Schrader's
> patent -- 4,763,087 issued August 9, 1988.
>
>
http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=/netahtml/srchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=4,763,087.WKU.&OS=PN/4,763,087&RS=P
N/4,763,087
>
> Paul uses quality components but the tuner is nothing more than
> a configurable PI-network or L-network with complex switching
> to allow the specific configuration to be easily chosen from the
> front panel. To me at least, a patent on how to switch a capacitor and
> an inductor to various arrangements is not rocket science and
> probably doesn't deserve a patent. But rather it just represents
> good engineering art. (My opinion on patentability is from one who
> holds a number of US and foreign patents but does not possess
> any legal insight! YMMV)
>
> It is a commercial product using commercial (read--expensive)
> components but the functionality can easily be duplicated using
> surplus parts for a lot less money. Building an antenna tuner
> from surplus parts is one of the easiest and yet most satisfying
> home brew projects there is.
>
> 73--John W0UN
>
>
>
>
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> _______________________________________________
>
> See: http://www.mscomputer.com for "Self Supporting Towers", "Wireless
Weather Stations", and lot's more. Call Toll Free, 1-800-333-9041 with any
questions and ask for Sherman, W2FLA.
>
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>
_______________________________________________
See: http://www.mscomputer.com for "Self Supporting Towers", "Wireless Weather
Stations", and lot's more. Call Toll Free, 1-800-333-9041 with any questions
and ask for Sherman, W2FLA.
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