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Re:Marriage Proposal Via Patent Application by jacquesm on Saturday October 24, 2009 @03:09PM (#900830)
Makes you wonder what would be construed as infringement. So, if someone else proposes to "Ellie" will the guy be sued under this patent ?
Re:Marriage Proposal Via Patent Application by brandnewlow on Saturday October 24, 2009 @03:08PM (#900829)
"When such a proposal takes five years or more, the individual might threaten to find a more skillful artisan."

Very true.

Re:Marriage Proposal Via Patent Application by jpeterson on Saturday October 24, 2009 @03:00PM (#900819)
This is really dumb. Do we need any more evidence that the US patent system is broken?
Re:Marriage Proposal Via Patent Application by pohl on Saturday October 24, 2009 @03:27PM (#900843)
Think of it as interpretive dance: what could be more poignant than using one fundamentally broken institution to propose engaging in another? Oh, wait...this is supposed to be a happy occasion.
Re:Marriage Proposal Via Patent Application by gry on Saturday October 24, 2009 @06:02PM (#900983)
This has nothing to do with the patent system. The invention is specific to Ryan and Ellie. Esoteric and fun, IMHO. I hope Ellie is a patent lawyer. It would be delicious.

[0045] In the ideal situation where Ellie accepts the diamond ring, Ryan should sign the patent application and deposit the patent application with the United States Postal Service. Preferably, the United States Patent and Trademark Office receives the patent application and, upon examination, issues a patent on the same.

[0046] In the drawings and in the specification, there has been set forth preferred embodiments of the invention and although specific items and methods are employed, these are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation. Changes in the form, timing and manner of events, as well as a substitution of equivalents, are contemplated as circumstances may suggest or render expedient without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as further defined in the following claims. Furthermore, nothing in the aforementioned description of preferred embodiment is to be interpreted as an admission by the applicant of prior art.

Re:Marriage Proposal Via Patent Application by jprobitaille on Saturday October 24, 2009 @03:36PM (#900849)
If you log into Public Pair (http://portal.uspto.gov/external/portal/pair) and look at the prosecution history (tab labeled "Image File Wrapper") you will see that the examiner denied this application, and that the application was abandoned by the applicant in Oct of 2007. The system seemed to work quite well in this case.
Re:Marriage Proposal Via Patent Application by jprobitaille on Saturday October 24, 2009 @03:45PM (#900861)
Ohh... and just now do I get the joke.
Re:Marriage Proposal Via Patent Application by jorgem on Saturday October 24, 2009 @03:00PM (#900820)
Denied. Patent troll. :)
Re:Marriage Proposal Via Patent Application by cduan on Saturday October 24, 2009 @05:07PM (#900942)
Disagree. He practiced his invention at least once.