[boris]

The problem with patents for devices is that the Patent office stopped requiring working models in the 1970s. Ever since then, it has been literally possible to obtain a patent on anything, workable or not.

Anti-gravity, warp drive, violations of the Laws of Motion and Thermodynamics, etc. I've seen 'em all.

The excuse given for dropping the working-model requirement: the government had run out of warehouse space in which to store the working models!

--Boris

[RightWhale]

patents for devices is that the Patent office stopped requiring working models in the 1970s

They probably had sufficient reason [insufficient room for models] at that time. But other categories such as design patents are eating up time at the PTO and should be dropped as a category. Software should be sent to the copyright office.